Hello Everyone!!

Happy Holidays!!!! I cant believe it is December! I have been a missionary here in Russia for almost 4 months, but when i think about it it feels longer than that. I feel like I have always been a missionary and that I have always been here in Russia, and I feel like I have known the people here forever.

Well everything is great, I am alive and well! :) Except it is really really cold here. The last few days it has been between -24 and -38 degrees C which is like -15 F and lower, so really cold. Mom you say it is cold in Idaho, how cold? But i bought a new coat that is really warm so that helps. So yes I bought my christmas presents with the money you gave me. I bought a coat and some gloves and socks!!!! ALL VERY WARM!!! Russian made winter stuff is very warm. The socks and gloves I bought from an old lady. All over the city usually around the metro (subway) or bus stops you can find old ladies selling gloves and socks and things they have made. So i am already for the winter.

So I just had an interview with Pres Trejo. We are having our Zone conference her in Novo tomorrow and at zone conference is when we have a once a transfer interview with president. It was a great interview. Its always great to having time to talk with president, he is awesome. He always helps me refocus on the reason I am here on a mission and what we talk about gets me pump up. He is so caring and loving and supportive of us. So tomorrow we have zone conference, which i am looking forward to. Two other zones are coming in from a couple other cities in the mission, so it will be fun having a lot of the missionaries in town.

So next week is transfer call already, i cant believe it is already that time again. Transfer calls is when president calls each one of us and tells us where and with whom we will be serving next transfer. Unfortunately I will be on my visa trip in Finland, so i am not sure when i will find out. I think they will have someone call us and tell us. So i will get back from my visa trip and then if i am transfered i will have like 2 days to pack and say goodbye to Novo and get on a train, plane, or bus and head somewhere. So we will see what happens.

So mom about the ring. We got permission from the Assistants to the President for you to send it to Elder Joseph Hansen who is at the mtc right now. I asked the office elders to email him and tell him what is going on. Just send it to the mtc addressed to him, i dont know his po box number, but you dont need it, just send it to the mtc and with his name and Novosibirsk mission and it will get to him. Also write on it the intructions to deliver it to the mission office in Novosibirsk when he get here. Tell him to give it to an Elder Byers who is a missionary who works in the office. I am having him give it to Elder Byers incase i am transfered out of Novo. If I am not here then it will be easier for Elder Byers to give it Ela. Ok hopefully that made sense. oh aqnd also Elder Hansen is leaving the MTC on Dec 21and so if you cant get it to him intime for him to have by like the 18th or 19th of december then dont send it to him. If you have any questions ask Ela or Danna to ask me.
Ok so next item of bussiness: CHRISTMAS CALLS!!!!!! i cant wait to talk to you!!!! I am copying the email i recieved from the office about xmas calls
with Christmas that means calls home. Because the transfer will be ending the 23rd of December, the process is going to be a little different. What we will do is have our parents be calling us on our home phone. So your parents will have to call like this…

1) -011- In order to dial out of the USA.

2) -7- Russia’s country code

3) -city area code- a four digit number (except in Novosibirsk and Krasnoyarsk)

4) -your home phone number- - a 6 digit number (expect in Novosibirsk and Krasnoyarsk)

So they will dial <<011-7-(10>>

Tell your parents your number and set up a time for a call, but let them know that there is going to be a transfer on Dec. 23, so it is possible you will be in a different area. Tell them that, if transferred, you will be given time on Saturday 19th to write home and inform them of your new number and set up a new time. All parents must check their e-mail on Saturday the 19th (or at least before Christmas) to find out about changes. Let them know!!

Ok so that is what will happen. I will let you know on the 19th where i will be. Cant wait!!!

OK so life is great. I am over my cold, but for a few days i was really pretty sick. I had a fever for a fews days that stunk. It was just a flu but i am better now!! We are having a christmas concert this friday and we are singing at it. We (all the missionaries in Novo) and some young adults from Novo are in a choir and we are singing 4 song, a couple in russian and then also in english. It is also an open house for the church. We hope to have a lot of nonmembers there and after the concert we will show them around the building while telling them about our church and the different organizations of the church. So we will be looking for new investigators there. its will be good.
Well I love you all and I am looking forward to talking to you. Have a wonderful day and week. Talk to you soon

Love always,
Sister Gneiting

Ps you asked about the culture here. Well i only have a couple mins left on the internet, but some stuff: everyone LOVES tea, so everywhere i go the give me teas (ofcourse we can only drink tea thats not against the WOW) all the members give us tea when we go to their houses, I started out not liking me but i beginning to like it. Russian sandwiches are only made with one piece of bread and a piece of meat and cheese, i like them. Um everyone smokes here which can be annoying. OK sorry i have to go but i will tell you more next week!!

Love ya love ya