"I'm offering her increased knowledge of her Savior and His plan of happiness and exaltation for her... and she gives me a stuffed mouse. Am I the only one that thinks that's weird?"

Dear Family,

Happy New Year!  Or Christmas.. Or whatever holiday it is now.  Ukrainians have it all messed up.  They celebrate New Years on Jan 1, Christmas on Jan 7 and then OLD New Years on Jan 13th.  It's really interesting that the Communist regime would think it important to change even that.  Weird. 

So, because of all this, this week has also been a party week for the Ukrainians.  Lots of strange schedules of investigators and lots of drunkards everywhere.  They're funny.  But funny at a distance.  I'm getting pretty good at telling who's sober from a good distance away, so that I don't have those little encounters with those who are not in their right frame of mind.  But it's all good and fun, being missionary-y out here and all.  Good stuff.

By the way, you asked me to tell you what I use my Christmas money for.  I have bought myself one little gift so far- Settlers of Catan.  It's actually all in Russian and has a space theme, but it's still the same game.  It's an awesome P-Day activity!  So there you go.  Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

I still quote things all the time out here.  Songs, movies, books (like above), whatever.  The problem with that is that I've had only Russian companions.  They never really know what I'm referencing.  Oh, well.  I can enjoy the references all on my own.

Oh, funny story- so, I was tracting a building the other day.  Usually people are pretty mean at the door.  In my experience.  We take turns as a companionship in leading the conversation at the door.  So it was my turn at one door, and this middle aged woman answers the door.  I give her my little schpiel about how the Gospel can only bless her and her family and how we want to help her strengthen her faith.  She's just smiling all the way through (I only talked for about 15 seconds, btw).  Then she tells me something along the lines of "Oh, you're from America?  Your face is so clean!"  And some other things that essentially told me that I was cute in some Russian way.  She was not the least bit interested in my message and refused to take any flyers or anything, but she wouldn't let me leave until she had given ME a gift!  She ran and got me a little stuffed toy mouse to put on the refrigerator.  I thought that that was a really strange exchange.  I'm offering her increased knowledge of her Savior and His plan of happiness and exaltation for her...  and she gives me a stuffed mouse. Am I the only one that thinks that's weird?

There hasn't been a whole lot of exciting stuff this week.  Not a whole lot of people could meet.  But President Campero announced to us this week that we are now required to get up and out the door by 7 AM in order to talk to people on the street.  It's a pretty big change in our schedule.  It's good, though.  We've met some great working men that we wouldn't otherwise have met through this early morning finding time.  And hopefully I can make this into a lifelong habit to be up and out the door for a walk or whatever by 7.  I'm not holding my breath on it, but hope springs eternal!

Well, that's all for today.  I love you all!  Thank you for your letters, prayers and support.  You're awesome.  Til next week!

Love,

Elder Brandon Porter