Happy Valentine's Day!

Good Morning and Happy Late Valentine's day!!

Thanks for all of the emails and love! This week started to warm up but the snow is back...

Dad, Seriously you need to be careful!!!! You are making me nervous with all of your stories lately! Please Please take care of yourself! It sounds like you had a very eventful week and I am super sorry. But it sounded like it ended on a good note with a few rounds of golf. I am glad you are doing better and I hope that this next week looks a little better for you.

Mom, good luck with all of your decisions. It sounds like you and Brynn both have a lot of changes ahead. I hope that everything works out for you and you are in my prayers. Sister Mov always used to say in lessons that when we want to talk to the Lord we go to our knees and when we want to listen to the Lord we open our scriptures. That doesn't always work for me but I thought it was pretty good advice.

Brynn, I am actually dying right now because I really want to see a picture of that dessert!!! It is almost driving me to the point of crazy.... crazy I'm not crazy.... haha. I am glad that you had a great Valentine's day! It sounds like you did a very good job planning a great day! You have taken some serious steps from when you kept asking me how to flirt. I would bet my life savings (which isn't very much) that you are way better than me now! It is probably better that way. Honestly, I am starting to get a little weird. I feel so awkward talking to guys my age that I can't really act normal. It is the weirdest thing!!

Chase and Ashley, Sounds like you also have a pretty eventful week! You can count on me coming to visit where ever you end up! I think you will have an amazing experience anywhere! Boston will be lucky to have you! Also congrats on your headboard. It sounds like you turned out to be a pretty good craftsman.

So we totally forgot that it was Valentine's day yesterday!! Everyone here buys flowers all the time so it was normal to see men carrying flowers home. We realized as we were on a bus home. It made for an interesting conversation as we asked a couple how you say Happy Valentine's day. Here they congratulate you on holidays and for being born, it is pretty cool haha. The couple thought it was funny that we couldn't figure it out on our own and it made for a good conversation and contact. I don't think every much will come of it but we made them smile so we felt good after. haha.

Well, we had a few days of sun and a lot of slush as the snow started to melt but the snow is back. It is snowing pretty good right now. We spent a big chuck of our week last week searching for a new apartment. We have almost closed on two but then we figured out that our agent didn't tell them about some of our requirements and the landlord wouldn't do it. We are very close to being homeless right now so hopefully we can find something today. It has given us an opportunity to find some new people that could be investigators but we will have to see how that all works out with time.

We haven't really had a lot of meetings set up because sisters weren't really working in this area last transfer, so we have been trying to meet with members and get referrals from them. Sister Walker and her companion are working in the center area of Odessa and we are along the coast and to the south of them. We have a huge area and it is hard to remember where everything is, but we are slowly getting the hang of it. It has been fun because we have really had to do everything by ourselves. We have called the elders and some members a few times when we have gotten lost but it has been mostly on us. I have enjoyed it a lot actually because I feel more responsibility and I know that I can handle it. My Russian has also improved but I think that my confidence has improved more. I have realized that I just need to speak and then we can figure out together when I am trying to say haha. Everyone is very patient!

Yesterday a girl came to church. She hasn't been meeting with missionaries lately but she is amazing. She has been reading the Book of Mormon and she came to all of church yesterday. She asked to take home the gospel principles book and she was answering and participating in every hour of church. She is a teacher for Ukrainian Lit. and she is really smart. We have an appointment to meet with her this next week and I am super excited!

Also tonight we are heading back up to Kiev for a sister's conference tomorrow and then we will be back in Odessa on Wednesday morning. I am not really excited for 2 nights on a train but I am really excited for the conference and hopefully I will be able to get my mail!! We also get to go to a ballet tomorrow night with President and Sister Steinagel!!! They are awesome and I seriously can't wait!

Well we have to go but I love you all and I hope you all had an amazing Valentine's day.

Love, Sister Larsen:D