час. я вам скажу (one second. i'll tell you)

fam bamily,

this might be short, because this was another one of those baptism weeks. weeks, and then weekends. so there's not much to say because it was ironically a fairly slow week, minus the weekend of course. some of the highlights included meeting our goat herder friend again, walking empty dark streets, freezing cold, getting scolded for not wearing a hat or boots by literally everyone, getting dogged more times in one week than in my entire mission so far, and of course the crowning moment. TOMARA'S BAPTISM.

that precious event that could also be termed the most stressful day/days of our lives. there were a few close calls this week. and then we almost thought we got dropped by one investigator. and then another one almost dropped us. suffice it to say, it's been interesting. but tamara is officially one of the newest, if not the newest, members of the church in the donetsk, ukraine mission! heaven bless her soul. i love her so much. she's been through so much. and all she really needs is love. and a family. i think the best part was in church yesterday when we walked in and then a few women from the relief society just swooped in and carried her away to sit with them in sacrament meeting. (praise those correlation meetings and branch councils to help us.) and she actually raised her hand in relief society too! she's scared still, but we're working on integrating her into this new family and making her less reliant on just us. and we're really praying that she truly begins to understand everything more so and feel the difference with having the holy ghost in her life and knowing it was the right choice to be baptized. we think she's fine, but it's all in baby steps with her. one step forward, two steps back. then another forward. and then a great leap of faith into baptism. the members were so kind and so reassuring for her, though. and we're still working with her, of course. dang those punky grandkids that show up during her baptismal interview super high, the economy, hard lifestyles, and diabetes and always feeling sick on top of all of the above. send lots of love tomara's way, okay? toma, toma.

we also found out that this transfer will only be five weeks instead of seven because of when the mtc is shipping the new missionaries before christmas. which means there's a possibility that if c.armknecht or i get transferred, we won't have christmas together! talk about the text of how the grinch stole christmas. so we're hoping we get to stay together. let's just talk about how last night while contacting, we walked past someone (amazing. a person on our barren streets.) and literally started saying 'good evening' at the same time and then 'can we talk to you?' SAME MOMENT. it was probably funnier in person. but it was super great. we laughed. and then we saw a yellow marshutka (usually they're green) and started singing we all live in a yellow marshutka to the tune of we all live in a yellow submarine. it was a precious translation moment. we take the joy wherever we can get it. especially on a sunday evening when there's NO ONE out on our way home. priceless.

my compy comp and i sang in church yesterday. we had told a member of the branch presidency who was presiding at the baptism that we wanted to do a musical number, but he apparently missed the memo that we meant at the baptism, not in church the next day. so that was a fun surprise to hear after the sacrament. but everyone loved it. have i mentioned that people here don't really sing? sometimes my ears think about bleeding during hymns, but they're so heartfelt that it's just lovable.

this week is thanksgiving! good thing our branch is having a thanksgiving celebration. and the zone is as well. this morning the air feels likes thanksgiving weather, so i guess that's a good sign. c.arm and i were thinking about what we'd be doing if we were home, and then thinking about that monday after thanksgiving before finals that will happen next week for everyone, and we're not really jealous.

and my subject line is a phrase that i'm obsessed with saying. people say it all the time here, and i think it's so funny. it means something like, 'one second. i'll tell you.' oh, russian. how have i not mentioned russian in so long? don't worry, in case you were wondering. russian is hard. but we're still alive, most days.

shoutouts: doug and sherry, try not to drown. i hope little princess is doing well. it sounds like she is. i adored the pictures! ah. i love her. // lauren celeste, i got your letter! i don't know when i'll have time to write you back - hopefully today or next week. and yes, packages get here! they usually take about a month is mission rumor and most people just use usps. i think my mom did something else and it got here in three weeks or less, but it could have been more expensive. you can ask her, though. packages are the best. but, more than that. YOU are the best. i love you lots. don't forget about me. :) // lauren rose. AYEEEEEEE! i keep thinking about you. and waiting to hear that the news is official. i'd be happy to get little emails about the plans. :) tell mark i love him and think he's great. and you, of course. you know how you sent the first dear elder back in august to ukraine? it just barely got to me this week. apparently it accidentally went to the dnepropetrovsk mission, then kyiv, and then got sent home to maryland by the girl that received it. and then her mom sent it to me. it's in good hands now. and i love you! // kaitlin snow, you were in my dream a few nights ago. lauren king was home and i was talking to her and a bunch of other people and kept asking them about how you were doing and no one would answer me. so it's a sign that you should probably write me a letter. :) // aislynn beckstrand, i promise there's a letter in progress for you. i want it to be heartfelt and talk about the question you asked me long long ago, but i apologize that it's taking forever. time is nonexistent here for letter writing, so it might be after christmas at the rate i'm going. hopefully not. but we shall see. but i haven't forgotten about you!

well, sorry this is kind of a lame email. it was honestly kind of a lame week. but all that matters is that tomara is baptized and doing well and our investigators don't hate us! and, in this season of thanksgiving, i'm thankful for all of you and for being on a mission. i'm thankful for your examples, your love, your prayers, your excitement, and your support. the gospel is true. it's all so real. go tell someone all about it! and keep on smiling. people these days don't smile enough. life is meant to be filled with HAPPINESS--even when the day seems dark and cold.

lots of love,
cectpa em.