300 homemade sopapillas, 200 home made tortillas, 30 lbs of homemade
salsa, 50 lbs of flour, 60 Russians, 4 broken elbows, a sombrero,
pinata, and an asole (thats russian for donkey ;) .... of course for
playing pin the tail on the donkey).
We, the 6 missionaries in k-grad (2 sisters, 2 elders, and a senior
couple), held a MEXICAN FIESTA that ROCKED k-grad. NO joke. I have
NEVER made so much food in my life. Literally 6 of us made ALL of that
food, AND had to carry it to the church (we dont have cars... hence
the broken elbows... I never knew I could be SO SORE from carrying
things to an activity! SO ridiculous). I was so excited all week I
could hardly eat. Sister Morrison and I have been planning and
dreaming about this for over a month now. We started meeting with all
the strong members of the branch last week and challenging them to
invite their friends to our fiesta. They rose to the challenge. I want
to cry at how well everything turned out. I hoped to have 80 people, we
only got 60, BUT, listen to this, over 20 of them were not members.
20!!!!! That's unheard of!!! We thought we had maybe ten turn up, but
as we started to count our eyes just kept widening. more than 20. And
this week we have meetings set up with alot of them! They LOVED the
party. Everyone did. Remember how before my mission I was known as
"indecisive" and "nice". Well, I have become bossy Sister Tenney here
in Russia. Sister Morrison and I had such a vision of what we wanted,
and IT WORKED! ?("where there is no vision, the people perish" 29:18)
So basically, for the first time on my mission, our problem is trying
to fit everyone in this week. I'm about 99% sure its my last week her
in k-grad, so on top of all our new investigators and potentials, I
need to say bye to all my favorite people in the world. UGH. Saying
goodbye is the worst.
So the Russians here LOVE mexcian food, and the only time they get it,
is when missionaries make it, so we basically got TONS of brownie
points with all the members for throwing the fiesta. It was crazy how
hard it was to throw this. All the normal things we have back home,
are non-existant here (no sombreros, or mexican clothing or decor, no
tortillas, salsas, basically everything mexican is completely foreign
to them... how sad is that??). So we had to do it all! Oh my gosh, I
was exhausted saturday night afterwards, but it was sooooooooooooo
worth it.
We played limbo (I totally won and everyone was shocked! Somehow it
then got out that I was Spanish and the rest of the night they all
called me the "spanka" hahahah! Thats Russian for Spanish girl ;). We
also had pin the tail on the donkey, and a homemade pinata which was
awesome. We ended with a "mexican dance thing"... kinda of not really.
We just gave everyone balloons to tie around their ankles and had an
Elder play an awesome mexican song on the guitar while we stomped out
each other's balloons.
Ok, I'll try to stop taking about the fiesta. IM just so stoked about
it still..... wow. miracles.
Anyways, as you can tell, I am happy. So happy.
Last night we met with a less active lady who is absolutely hilarious.
She came to the fiesta and couldn't stop talking about how amazed she
was with my limbo-skills. She called me a "sportsmenka"... russian for
female athlete.. my companion and I couldnt stop laughing at how
hilarious that sounds.... oh gosh, shes one of the many people imma have
to say good bye to.
Anyways. I've been studying alot about work, the blessing that it is,
and how necessary it is in our lives, and about happiness, and
how those two things are inseparable... even though its seems
otherwise. Some of my favorite quotes....
"Let us realize that the privelege to work is a gift, that power to
work is a blesssing, and that love to work is success" - Elder David
O/ Mckay
"The major work in the world is not done by geniuses. It is done by
ordinary people with balance in their lives, who have learned to work
in an extraordinary way" - Pres Hinckley
"Life isn't about finding yourself, its about creating yourself" -
Gearge Bernard Shaw
SO think about those this week and work hard and be happy! I love
you all!
Love, Sister Tenney
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