and then it snowed. snowed shock

fam bam,

last week as we left saltovka there's a less active we visited. valentina. she writes poetry. she says the words just come. she read us some of them. beautiful. then another night we had a lesson with the sister of that member. she's perfect. darling. saltovka. she's ready. moving forward. so it goes, and so it goes. and so do i soon, i suppose. i already did.

my darling new companion is the one and only sister finlayson. she's darling. she's me when i came in. she's filled with goodness and is sharp. and, oh right. she went to harvard before her mission. fact. so, probably smarter than me. but is sweet as can be with a little feistiness that you'd never expect. i adore her already. these transfers will be good. out with a bang.

well.
i spent my year-in-country mark in a bus. a bus to and from donetsk. driving through snow. yes. snow. all over. everywhere. it snowed this past week.
how fitting.
i'm in cold mountain again.
i'm on the north side this time instead of south.
cold mountain.
a place i thought i'd never come back to. thought i never could.
and here i am.

so generally i know the area. know the members. most remember me. love.
the branch has changed a lot since i was here.
look at them. love is changing them. slowly but surely.
they're learning. growing. becoming unified.
it will be different this time.
has to be.
i'm all filled up with hope.
(after the few days of initial shock wore off a bit.)
our apartment is beautiful. there are huge windows everywhere.
and this time, the mountain will be defeated.
apparently this is part of my story. something i never in a million years expected.
i mean, i suppose it's possible to return to somewhere you've served -- but it's rare, especially for sisters. but. that's fine. but to return to the place that gives nightmares?
well.
all things are done in the wisdom of he who knoweth all things.
there's something here. must be.
we'll get lost in doing what we do.
this mountain will be shaked.
that's my hope. my faith.

all the love to one and all. i don't have many words to say.
there it goes.

much love,
cectpa em.