12.22.10

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE FROZEN LAND OF SIBERIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First of all I need to start my email like i did last week and say HAPPY BIRTHDAY HOLLIE!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope you have an amazing day tomorrow, that means Cameron you should have something great planned! I love you so much Hollie and am so thankful to have you as a sister. Im sending you a HUGE birthday huge and kiss with this email. I hope it gets to you!

I cant believe it is already Christmas and I cant believe how cold it is here. Here in Novosibirsk we are forsure having a white christmas and very cold one too!! Today we were out on the street for a long time doing some errands and I thought my feet were going to fall off. It is sooooo cold right now! We have been inside for almost a hour and Im still frozen. I need hot chocolate desperately!!! Dont worry I'll drink some soon!! Its fun though being in this much cold.

I cant wait to talk to you in a few days on Christmas!!! I cant believe it has already been a year since last christmas. I am so excited for Christmas. We will have a fun day at President's house. Just like for Thanksgiving we will be at his house for a good part of the day and then after that we will go back to work. Im sure there will be delicious food and fun games and things. Also on Christmas eve our zone here in Novosibirsk is going to the Nutcracker. I am so excited to watch it. I cant believe that is in a couple days!!!!

On saturday we had a district (like stake) christmas party. So all the branches for the city of Novo were there. We had a choir and then the little children acted out the nativity and then there were some games after. It was a really great night. Three of our investigators came and they really liked it. Two of them are two young girls who have grown up in a culture that believes in nature gods. Its a very interesting religion. So these girls dont really know anything about Christ. So the nativity was really new to them, but they really enjoyed it.

I just love the christmas time so much! I love feeling the christmas spirit. Russians dont celebrate Christmas much. It is a holiday, but New Years is more celebrated. So the spirit of christmas or the feeling of christmas isnt as big here, but i'm still feeling it. Most of our meetings the we have been having with people have been focused of Christmas and the importance of Christ in our lives. At this time of the year we always think more about him and his life dedicated to us. Its sad though that we cant continue to feel this spirit all year long. At christmas time we can think more about what we can give back to Christ. He has given us so much. A great thing to do is to make a difference in someone elses life. There is so much power in service and showing our love to others. As we give of ourselves we in return receive so much happiness. We everyday so find a way to bring light into someones life.

So an update of investigators. Irina is doing great. We had a good meeting with her yesterday and she said she thinks the restoration really could have happened and that she knows through prayer she can find out. She is great and I know she will find her anwser. She said she is waiting for the answer but that she knows sometimes god doesnt answer right a way. So we will continue to meet with her and help her to understand the Holy ghost and his role in receiving answers. Next is Anya the little girl. We werent able to meet with them this last week. WE are waiting for her mom to give her permission to get baptized. Her mom is inactive and try to do all that we can to activate her. Anya really wants to get baptized but she needs support from her mom since she is so young that makes it hard for her to progress alone. These two are really close to baptism so we are trying to work with them to help them be ready.

I hope you all have a great Christmas! I will be thinking about you all the way from Russia. I hope Santa finds you all and gives you something great and not coal!!!! I love you and cant wait to talk to you soon and see you soon too but its to early to be talking about that.

love,
Sister Gneiting