tough goodbyes....what next!

Dearest Darlings,

Its weird but I'm ready for home now :) I cried so much as I was leaving Petro. Members even came to the train station to say goodbye and ran with the train as it headed off. It's weird how I have only known these people for 2 and a half months but they have become family to me. This week in the city has been exhausting and awesome and just weird. President Clark told me to fix anything if I saw that the sisters weren't doing the things they need to do. Each companinship I have been with this week has been completely different and it's weird how I have felt directed with them, and how they all had such different needs (dont worry correction wasn't necessary :) thank goodness. It was also weird but cool to be back in my first ward (because of the creation of the stake it is now a WARD and not a BRANCH like when I was there). It was weird to have my last sacrament here, but it was cool to see that the members all remember me and love me so much still. I totally thought they would have forgotten me by now. AND it was cool cuz I could actually talk to them and understand them haha. I mean I could before, but I didnt understand too much. Maybe I did learn some Russian on the mission :)

Today I have my exit interview with President Clark. I dont know what to expect. I'm guessing I'm going to be hearing about how I need to get married. Wow, the subject of marriage is EVERYWHERE these days. Here in Russia when you are saying bye to someone or congratulating them for something you "wish" or "desire" them things. Lately EVERYONE has been desiring me an amazing husband and talented kids.... everyone thinks more about my husband than I do! And being on these splits with the sisters they all keep telling me I'm going to get home and get married right away. Every American sister that has come home from this mission has gotten engaged within like 3 months from getting home. Gah. I'M SO SICK OF MARRIAGE and I haven't even finished yet! haha. Don't worry I promise you I want to get married. And I'm even looking forward to it :) I am just not in any rush. Just marriage please leave me alone for a little bit ok???

I'm already exhausted. I haven't gotten like any sleep. Being on splits basically means SLEEPOVER and with me leaving it's just been crazy as I've had lots of great conversations each night.....

I like my happy little ending in St. Petersburg. I've felt so loved, and just enjoyed walking around the city that I love. I really do adore St. Petersburg. And Russia. And my mission. I've had a great goodbye session with all of it. I'm ready for the farewell, just not sure if I'm ready for this next chapter to start.

BUT...

I'm happy and I'm ready. I'm pretty sure I cried all my tears out in Petro, but we'll see today when I'm with President, he always seems to get me to cry.

Remember what I said everyone, mom is the first hug, then dad and the sibs. Love you all to bunches.

с любовью

сестра Тенни

до скорого!

Vision, expression, love, laughter, understanding

To all that I love,

This may be my last email home. I'm trying to think of how to make it awesome but I'm BLANK! Mainly I'm just overwhelmed with SADNESS and EXCITEDNESS and can't even figure out what to think.

You have all heard me say this over and over again, but really, I LOVE my mission. I love Russia. I love the gospel. And I have never felt such deep love for my Father in Heaven and my Savior.

I have a list book full of random lists that I have been keeping my whole mission. One of my favorite lists is the things that I have learned on my mission. I want to share a few.

• The power and importance of VISION in life. We need to know what we want! And once we've caught the vision, we need to go after it. Do it. Make it happen. I've met so many people who are just walking around without anything to strive for. They are wasting their life! We need to ask ourselves, what do I want? And then we need to ask ourselves, am I willing to give my soul to make it happen???
• I learned the beauty of communication, expression, and being understood. First of all, trying ot speak Russian and having people understand you is no easy task. But the real feat is people trying to understand THE MESSAGE I am sharing. I just want people so bad to "catch the fire" or the "drift" of the gospel! Its such a rare gift to see the flicker of understanding in one's eyes. Whether it's a child in primary, an investigator, a member, your companion, or even those humbling moments when you REALIZE something yourself. I have sought for this my whole mission.... I didnt experience it too much, but those moments I saw it I felt blessed :)
• The power of laughter. Gosh, really the most healthy companionships I've had, and the only good investigators I've had, I look back now and see that we laughed REAL laughter with each other. Its so relieving and neccesary!! I feel accomplished as a companion when I make my compnaion laugh, and my favorite companions have always easily made me laugh :)
• I learned how important it is to understand people. Recent example; This new sister in our trio, Sister Schwarz, I kinda wanted to kill her when she first got here cuz after every meeting, she had no idea what was going on (cuz she can't understand Russian) but afterwards she would basically tell us all the things we didn't do or should have done. Gah!!! It was so annoying, but mainly it was annoying cuz she was somehow right and I hated being humbled. BUT this last week I finally was able to get to know her and now I LOVE HER! She is hilarious and always has me laughing. And now I see why she does the things that she does. You just really need to try to get to know people and try to understand why they do the things they do. As we come to undertand them we can show them love in the way that they like to recieve it. And hear you me, when your comp is happy, then You are happy, and I have strived my whole mission to be each of my companions favorite companion haha :) good goal right? I like it...

Anyways, those are just a few things.

To sum it up, life i Petro is feezing and amazing, my comps are hilarious and I cant wait to go to Peter this week and go on splits with all the sisters! Basically the end of my mission is one big festive way to be the best missionary I can be. I love you all and thank you for my prayers and CAN/CAN'T wait to see you next week :)

 

ALL MY LOVE

Sister Tenney

PS- don't be surprised to see a very VERY white and out of shape Sister Tenney next week...... :)

Land of ICE

Dearest Ones,

Remember how when I first got my call to Russia, we all imagined this crazy winter land full of ice and snow? Well guess what, I'M LIVING IN IT! This last week I was the COLDEST I have ever been in my life. Luckily I realized right away I need to dresss warmer. After doing so I was alot better :) thank goodness! But seriously the wind here was killer, actually no, murderous. I felt so bad for greenie Sister Schwrtz, she just kept yelling "PEOPLE ACTUALLY LIVE HERE?????". It was hilarious slash not hilarious at all. The wonderful thing is I love the coldness, because I only have so much time to experience it left. If I was here this whole winter I would want to die, but these last two weeks Imma SOAK IT UP.

This whole 3-some companionship is so fun/difficult. I love it. And I hate it. Not going to lie. These two sisters are so talented and amazing, and everyday I realize yet again how much I need to work on and do to be better. I felt really blessed. Sunday I specifically fasted to better understand and love both of my companions. Things kind of had not been super smooth between the three of us the last few days. But, because our Heavenly Father is wonderful, He blessed us yesterday during companionship study with a really strong spirit as we practiced and prepared to teach. I felt all of our hearts soften and we realized how lucky we were to have the rare opportunity to all serve together. It was beautiful. And exactly what I needed (cuz you all know how NEEDY I am when it comes to feeling like evryone loves me ;). So dont get all worried now, our companionship is awesome. And gets better everyday. But its no easy jig.

Those darn gypsies. I'm pretty sure the two daughters will be baptized next weekend :) SO PLEASE PRAY FOR THEM! I guess you could say their baptism would be THE BEST GOING AWAY PRESENT EVER. But we'll see. The most important thing is for them to want it and really be ready to make those sacred covenants. I pray that they will be.

So yea thats life :) Petro really is a miracle land. I dont have time to share any more miracles. But know that I see them everyday. My mission rocks. I dont think anyone could have a better mission than me. I love you all.

 

Love, Sister Tenney