This week was kind of insane and A LOT has happened. I need to work on making these emails more manageable to read so I will briefly mention some of them.
On Sunday, Sister Richter and I were called as Sister Training Leaders, which means we are in charge of the sisters in our branch. We get to go around to their rooms every night and see how their days were and just love them and make them feel at home here. I was so surprised when we were called because we're so new and we have big shoes to fill but I know it will be such a blessing to get to know all the sisters in our branch better. Speaking of sisters, we get 4 new ones tonight!! I am so excited. Our branch started off really big (with like 7 languages being spoken in it), to what it is now with only 2 districts and only Russian speakers. But, today we get a new district of 5 Elders (who are all foreign) and 4 sisters (1 is foreign, the other three are from the states) so everyone is really excited for that.
Sister Richter, Sister Thompson and I got a new sister in our room and are no longer a trio. Her name is Sister Dixon and her companion left for Ukraine, Dnipro yesterday and Sister Dixon still has 3 weeks left at the MTC before she leaves for Russia, St. Petersburg. So she is now Sister Thompson's companion and Sister Richter and I are companions. It's not really that different because we still do everything together and do companion study together, and Sister Dixon (she's from Bountiful, Utah is so awesome and is just happy all the time and her favorite show is Psych so we get along great:)
Thursday we had our TRC with returned missionaries and it was a lot better than our first one. They are so nice and give really great answers, and even though I can't understand everything they say, the spirit that I felt told me everything I needed to know.
On Friday night we sang some Christmas songs for the Branch Presidencies at the MTC and it was so wonderful. The spirit was so strong and there wasn't a dry eye in the room. Christmas is such a wonderful time to spread the love of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, and there isn't a better way to do this than singing!
On Sunday the BYU Men's Chorus sang for the devotional and it was fantastic. It is a big choir and they are so good. It made me miss BYU!
We also had a devotional last night and sister Craven of the Young Womens Presidency spoke about how important it is to never be "casual" representatives of the Lord, and to instead be careful because we are literally called to represent Christ in everything we do, say and think. In our district discussion after, we talked about being the kind if missionary that, even if you weren't wearing your nametag (because for the people in our district going to Russia, they won't be wearing them), would people still be able to recognize you as different and apart from the world? It was really good and everyone had really great thoughts on it.
I was also asked by President yesterday if I would speak in sacrament meeting on Sunday, and I really have no idea why he asked me on my fourth week when sister Thompson and sister Dixon are so much better at Russian! Usually, they ask the most experienced to speak and I seriously think they mixed up our names haha. It's ok though, sister Thompson will help me so I don't look like a complete idiot;)
Tuesday was the best day because I got a package with the most adorable paper tree from my family and tons of the most wonderful paper ornaments to put on it from friends and family! Thank you so much to all that sent them! They made me cry and feel so so loved. I wish I could hug all of you and tell you how much they meant to me. I have the best family and friends! I will send a picture of it because our room (with Sister Dixon's decorations and some Santa hats and candy canes from my wonderful Aunt and Uncle in Provo) is now the talk of the floor with all our decorations:)
Russian update: It is getting better. This week I have really realized the importance of goal setting and pushing yourself even when there aren't any "tests" or ways to keep yourself accountable. It's easier than you would think to just sail through the day without really learning any new Russian. We are always either planning a lesson, practicing a lesson, or giving a lesson and sometimes it is really difficult to find time to actually study Russian! But as I plan what I want to learn and accomplish each day, I really notice a difference in the new things I'm able to learn. I also wish I could just bear my testimony in Russian all day because it is my favorite thing! Russian is really difficult and the cases and all the exceptions to all the rules are crazy, but I love Russian nonetheless.
Some funny stuff of the week:
When I was little I was borderline obsessed with a movie called Horse Crazy (I realize now it is SO bad and cheesy but I probably watched it over 25 times as a kid and thought it was a cinematic legend), and we were talking in our district about movies we watched as kids, and when I mentioned that one, Elder Holt said his cousin was one of the kids in it (for those of you who have had the great privilege to watch it, his cousin was the fake cowboy, who also happens to be my first child crush ahahah)! And he now lives in Seattle with his family and is a chef so Elder Holt is going to introduce us and it's going to fulfill my childhood dream.
When we are really tired in our evening classes (which is all the time), we sometimes have the weirdest conversations. This week's was on turtles and some of the Elders are convinced that they shed their shells like hermit crabs (because how else do they fit in them?) and it was just a ridiculous conversation but also a much needed one.
I'm starting to notice a pattern here at the MTC because this week also flew by like the last 3 and I'm not sure how I feel about it. I love it here at the MTC, and everyday I learn so many new things about my purpose as a missionary and what it truly means to be Christlike. I know that this is His work and that if we do it His way, we will be blessed with the companionship of the Holy Ghost to help us find people that He has prepared. I also know that testimonies are precious, and it is often not the elaborate lesson, but the simple testimony that can soften a heart and bring others unto Christ. I am grateful to be a part of this great work.
I realize looking over it that this is definitely not shorter than previous emails and I apologize again.
I love you all and I hope you have a wonderful week wherever you may be!
Merry Christmas!
Cectpa Kropelnicki
Sister Richter, Sister Dixon, Sister Kropelnicki, Sister Thompson
Provo temple Wednesday December 12
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