6.16.10

Hello again from Russia!!!!!!!

Well I am back from Finland and back to work as a missionary. Finland was great though. It was sooooooo beautiful and green this time. While we were there we stayed at the temple guess house and ofcourse attend the temple. It was so great to be in the temple again. It was so relaxing and peaceful. We did an endowment session in Russian and it was so spiritual. Members from all across Russia save money and plan for along time to make a trip to Finland to attend the temple. As you know, or maybe you dont, there are no temples in Russia. So Russia is in the Helsinki Finland temple district. We have a group a members through out our whole mission preparing to attend the temple in July. Most of them will get on the trans siberian railroad and travel for like 5 days or something to go to the temple. These members are very dedicated. I can not wait for the day that the first temple in Russia will be announced!!!! It will be an amazing and happy day!!!!! This is in the future of Russia, but there is still alot of work here to prepare this great country for a house of the Lord. In August the first temple in Ukraine will be dedicated. Our mission will then be apart of the Kiev Ukraine temple district. Everyone here is soooo excited about the temple in Ukraine. We might even start going there on visa trips, so maybe i will see this temple while i am still on my mission!!!! That would be great!

DAD HAPPY FATHERS DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU LOVE YOU LOVE YOU SOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for ALL you have done for me! You are the best! I am sending you a HUGE bear huge and kiss through this email.... so i hope it reaches you :)

Well on to our work for the last week. The first news is that our investigator Natasha told us a couple days ago she wants to be baptized!!!!! YAY!!!!! The date is not official because we still have more to teach her, and it takes her time to understand everything. So we are thinking either the 26th of June or the 3rd of July. Please keep her in your prayers that she will continue to progress and be baptized. She is a great girl and really enjoys coming to church and meeting with us and talking about the gospel. She has also already made some great friends is the branch who are welcoming her in!!! As for our other investigators, really no new news :( it is still really hard right now to meet with most of them because they are busy with finals in school. So lately we have been trying to find new investigators and then working with the less active members who need help strengthening their testimonies and coming back to church. Reactivation is sooooo possible with less actives in the church and this is something at all members can help with. Here in Russia this is a big part of mission work. Our mission president really stresses working with these less actives. I have seen a lot of success with some of these members. Right now we are working with Galina, an older lady from the branch. My last companion sister reed and i started working with her and then sister antonova and I have continued. For the longest time we would go and get her every sunday morning and go with her to church. She was always standing outside her apartment building waiting for us to get there. There was a few weeks when we couldnt go and get her and those weeks she didnt come. We were trying to get her to come on her home...... well after some time and work with her, she has come the last 2 or 3 weeks on her own and is even there early. This last week she was the first one at the building and had to wait for someone to come open it for her hahaha She is great and it has been really rewarding to see her come back. We have also seen success with many others. So for those of you who are reading this, think of those less actives from you ward or branch who needs help coming back to church. Its so vital for them. Sometimes these poeple just need friends, so go and visit them or something. You will be surprise by the difference you can make in their lives. Always remember that God works through us to help this children.

So there is little boy, maybe 2 or 3 years old, who is the grandson of one of the ladies in my branch. Well he was at church on sunday and after church he was running around building and so then i started chasing him a little and running with him. But then i had to go into a meeting and soon he followed me in to this room and started telling me that he wanted me to run with him again.... but then i realized what he really said, "баба баба,побегай со мной" which translated means, "grandma grandma run with me" haha he was calling me grandma. EEEEEEEE!!!!!!! haha I thought HEY I'm not THAT old!!!! Haha it was really funny and everyone was laughing about it. So now i am a grandma :)

Well i love you all and again i hope you have a fabulous week and i cant wait to hear from you all next week!!!!!!!! YAY!!!

love always,

Sister Mindy Gneiting

sorry i have no time to send pic this week, next week :) and sorry this isnt a very long email, but i hope u still love me :))))))))))

6.9.10

Hello family and friends,
I know i always say this, but i cant believe how fast every week goes. I always feel like i just wrote you. So we are starting another transfer.................. and i will be staying here in Irkutsk :)))))))))) I am very happy to stay, I know there is work here for me to do. So this will be my 4th transfer in Irkutsk, which i cant believe because i feel like i just got here. It is a great city with great great great people.
Well this last week was great! We had another baptism here in Irkutsk on saturday. It was a man named Alexander who has been an investigator for many years. He finally took the step and was baptized and everyone was so happy for him. Soon he should receive the priesthood and become a strong priesthood leader here in russia. The number of priesthood leaders here is low, so everyone is valued extremely. One of our investigators, Natasha, was at the baptism. We think she will be baptized soon. She has alot more to learn and some things she doesnt understand very much, but she really has a desire to learn more and she loves reading the Book of Mormon. So we will continue to work with her and help her progress to baptism. Most of the people we meet with right now are younger and right now all the universities are winding down for the year, so all the students are very busy with homework and exams and things so it makes it hard to find time to meet with them. A couple of our progressing investigators are like this, so we arent able to meet with often. We are just praying for time to meet with them so we can help them.
So this last sunday was a holiday, well just here in Irkutsk. It was the Day of the City. Well where we meet for church is right on one of the main streets, so as we were at church, in sacrament meeting and we starting hearing loud noises and music outside. Well it was a parade. We were just finishing up sacrament meeting and then after we all hurried to the windows and watched the parade. Sunday school ended up starting late because everyone wanted to finish watching the parade. My companion and I go to the sunday school for the youth, so we went and dragged them all into class haha and then closed the windows so there werent distracted. It was really funny!! Tomorrow I leave to Finland. I am really excited to see it this time because Finland is just so beautiful and everything will be green this time. Last time i was there there was still snow. This trip is a little shorter than usual. We will only have a little time actually in Helsinki, but the most important thing is that we will be able to go to the temple. Mainly the trip will be just be traveling there and back, so we will be really tired when we get back.
Today Elder Scott was in Novosibirsk and he did a conference for the missionaries. All the missionaries in the mission except us here in Irkutsk and one other city were in Novo for it. We are just soooooo far away for it to work to get us there. It is like being on 2 different sides of the united states. They broad casted it for us though, which was great. President Powell, who is in the seventy and in the area presidency of like east Europe or something was there too. They both gave us great advice and counsel that will very much help our mission. It was amazing to hear the words of an apostle directed specifically to us here in the Novosibirsk mission.
This last week we had a concert at a childrens hospital. Us missionaries and some of the members went and did kind of like a talent show for them. These kids have tuberculosis and live at this hospital. The ones that came to the concert were about between the ages of 3-10. They were so cute and loved having us there. Elder Southam, who is here with his wife on a mission, did magic tricks and pulled money out of their ears and they just loved it. It was so great because they were so happy and had big smiles. They have hard lives and so it was a blessing for us to be there with them and see them happy. It is always great to do service and see how happy we can make people.
Sorry if this email wasnt very interesting, maybe next week will be better :))))) Well you all should already know this but........ I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am soooooo thankful for you all and you love and support. You are all great!!! Have a great week :)

Love,
Sister Mindy Gneiting

pictures: Marina's baptism, Alexander's baptism, my comp and i on the trans sibirian railroad, the parade, and us at the concert

6.2.10

Hello from Russia,
Ok so i only have a little time to write. So i got my birthday package!!!!! Thank you for everything, it was great. I loved it. I love all the cards from everyone, and I love how some of you attempted to write me in Russia haha it was great!!! Thanks for all the little gifts in there too!!!! I love you all soooooooooo much!!!
Well life is greater then ever! Yesterday we had Zone conference, so President Trejo (our mission president) and his wife are in town. Yesterdays conference was just amazing. I learned so much. A great thing about life is that we aren't prefect, yes some may think that is not a great thing but, that means we can always learn how to be better and always improve ourself. A mission is one of the biggest learning experience EVER. We are here to serve the Lord and help people accept the gospel of jesus christ, but we arent perfect, although some may thing that. I remember before i served a mission thinking that missionaries were perfect. I thought that as soon as a person was set apart to be a missionary they became perfect and set off on their journey as a missionary and did all that missionaries were supposed to do perfectly. Well soon after being set apart i realized that wasnt true. The more i learn as a missionary and the more I apply the atonement of jesus christ to my life, the better missionary i can become which means i am more prepared to help people come unto christ. The atonement is the biggest and most important blessing for us. Everyday through the atonement we can become better and become more like christ. No matter who we are our or what we do, the atonement works for all of us. Yesterday at conference i learned alot. I have been taught how i can become a better missionary, so i am excited to start doing the things i know i can be better at, and show the Lord i am willing to become the servant he wants me to be.
Well the greatest news right now!!!!! Marina was baptized!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!! It was a beautiful ceremony too. She was sooooo happy. Then she was confirmed a member and recieved the Holy Ghost on sunday. It has been such a blessing to teach her. She is already so strong in the gospel and so willing to follow christ and his teachings. I have pics from her baptism but i forgot my camera, so i will send some next week.
So you wont believe it but....... it is already almost transfer time. This friday we will find out where we will be next transfer and then the beginning of next week we will all start moving to the new areas. So next week i will let you know were i will be. Also next week i go on my next visa trip already. We will be going to finland again. I am excited to see all my missionary friends that are serving in other areas that i havent seen for awhile. There is a group of us that always go together on visa trips.
Well i have to go. I love you all of course so so so so so much!!!!!!! Have a great week!!!

Love Sister Mindy Gneiting

PS Just to let you know, I first typed sister mingy gneiting hahaha

Hello Hello!!!!!

Well its that time again to email you!!! The weeks come and go soooooo fast. Well things here in Russia are great! Today was Pday and we spent the day at Lake Baikal, which his so beautiful!! The last time i went there the lake was all frozen and we could walk on it, but this time ice was gone which means i was able to drink the water!!! Lake Baikal is the worlds largest fresh water lake so you can drink right out from it and its as if you are drinking filtered water. Yeah its cool. It was a fun day! I will attack some pictures.
So yes it was my bday yesterday, thank you for all the bday wishes!! I cant believe i am 22, thats a little weird for me to think about and it just means the rest of you are even older then that haha. I still think of Hollie as abut 22 or 23 haha i guess i need to start thinking different. Mom i havent gotten that package yet because no one has come to irkutsk from Novosibirsk for a long time, but there will be some people coming soon. So i will just get to celebrate my birthday twice!!!! I had a great birthday though. In the morning right before my we started companionship study my companion said we need to take the garbage out, so i went and open the door to go out and as i walked out all the elders jumped up and suprised me with balloons and a poster and a gift! It was really cute of them. And then later in the day all us missionaries and the senior couple here had a little party with cake. It is Elder Southam's birthday today, so we celebrated together. Then that night some people from the branch and english club suprised me too with some flowers and a gifts and then when we went home I was suprised again. Diana the branch presidents daughter, who has become my very good friend surpised me with cake and some gifts and flowers. It was really cute what she did, she is just awesome. So it was a good day filled with alot of surprises. The people here are just great and have become like family.
So this week we will have Marina's baptism. It will be on Friday and she is soooooo ready for baptism. We met with her yesterday and she is so excited about getting baptised. Her uncle who she is living with right now is going to baptize her, so that will be special for both of them. So next week I will email you all the details about her baptism. Anya is also supposed to be getting baptised on saturday, but we are not sure that will happen. She is really busy with school right now and has alot of exams, so we will see what happens. We also have 2 new investigator who we found from english club. There names are Katya and Era. We have only taught them a little but they both are interested in learning more. Era has a lot of good questions about God and the gospel. I am really excited about these girls. Oh also i told you about that girl named Alex, well i think i dont you about her. Well she has been very inactive the last year or so. We we have had a couple meeting with her and she came to church on sunday and to some other activities. So I have been very excited to see here start to come back and i hope we can continue to help her strengthen her testimony.
So in a couple weeks Elder Scott is coming to our mission. He is having a confernece in Novosibirsk and all the missionaries that are serving near Novo will be able to go to it..... but Irkutsk is so far away that we cant go. Elder Scott have a rule that has long as the missionaries can get to the confernce and back and only miss one day of missionary work then they can come. Well since we travel on train from irkutsk to novo it takes almost 3 days... so we cant go :( but its right on transfer so if im tranfsred i might be able to go, but if not that is ok. I think they will broadcast it or something so we can see it, but it would be cool to see him. I did meet him while i was in the MTC though, so its ok if i dont make it to it. Its cool to know that he is coming to our mission though. He will give us some great advice and I know our mission will be strengthed by his visit.
Well onve again I love you all soooooooooooo much and miss you all to. Just know everything is great here in russia !!!!! I attached some pictures one with Diana, some of my bday, and some at Baikal. Enjoy!!!!!!

Love always,
Sister Mindy Gneiting

5.19.10

Hello everyone!!!!!
I hope you all are doing great. I love you all so much. Well first and most important thing is first HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well actually I think when you read this it will not be your birthday yet, but it russia it is your birthday today!!!!!!!!! So you can celebraty for a little longer than normal. Well iu hope you have a great birthday and that everyone does something nice for you. So hint hint everyone haha. I just love you so much mom, thanks for everything you do for me. You will be getting a package (who nows when though) and there will be some bday presents for you. I LOVE YOU SOOOOO MUCH MOMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well things are great here in Irkutsk. Two of our investigators we have set dates with for them to get baptized next week!!! Marina and Anya. They are two young girls and are just great!! Marina is the one that we met last week, she is just amazing and so ready for the gospel. She accepts everything we teach her and is so willing to follow the commandments we teach her about, even if they are new to her. She is a miricle. Anya is also great. We have been meeting with her for 2 transfers and she had progressed alot. There has been some things we have had to work through with her but she is ready know for baptism. So we are praying this baptisms happen next week and everything is great. We would appreciate your prayers aswell for this two girls. Prayer are mighty! We have another young girl named Natasha, who we think will be ready for baptism soon too, but its really hard to meet with her cuz she doesnt have a phone. She is really excited about the gospel and has been to church and really like it. So we are praying everything goes well with her. Also last night this girl, who is a member, came to english club. She hasnt been to church or english club for like a year. She is a great girl though and we are going to start meeting with her and try and help her stregthen her testimony and come back to church. I really feel we can help her. A big part of our work is the less actives here and its great when they start coming back to church after a long period of time. They just have to be reminded about the gospel and remember that it is true. Thats why it is so important that we go to church every week. If we miss only 1 or 2 sundays,. its easier to miss more. Satan really workd on us and tempts us and the longer we are away for church and for hearing and studying the gospel the more he is able to lead us away. Every sunday we are able to stregthen ourselves and each other. THe gospel is SOOOOOO important but sometimes its easy to forget parts of it. I am just so thankful for the gospel and im so greatful to be on a mission. I can see that i have changed a lot since last July 15th when i entered the MTC. The gospel changes us and makes us better. THe Lord is our example and when we strive to follow him and his commandment life is just so much better. We need to always keep the savior as the center of our lives.

Well i love you all so much. Thank you for everything. Keep being amazing!!!!! Sorry this email wasnt very long

Ok the picture are 1st: my companion and i with marina our investigator, 2nd: at a sevice project, 3rd: standing by the wall (its funny because every once in a while we find funny english words on the walls) 4th: with the branch president, his wife, and daughter, and the southams who are the senior couple here

love always,

Sister Mindy Gneiting

Pictures Pictures Pictures!!!!

5.13.10

Hello Hello Hello!!!!!!

It was so great to talk to you on Sunday and hear your voices. I feel like i have told you everything already, so i am trying to think whats new to write in this email. Well i guess i can start with the weather :) haha well it stinks right now, well not literally, but it is cold again. The good thing is that it is only raining and not snowing. We had some really nice warm days last week. Its really nice when i dont have to wear a coat!!!!!

So i have a new amazing person to tell you about. Well her name is Marina. She came to church on sunday and we didnt know who she was. Well we started talking to her and found out she is our elders quorum president's neice. She is not a member but is very interested in the church. We went later that day and taught her and then have been teacher her very day since. She is SOOOOOO ready for the gospel and to be baptised. She is only 18 and has battled with leukemia. At one point she was in stage 4 of cancer, but now is doing better. When you talk to her you can tell that because of her battle with cancer she has become a very strong person and has developed a strong testimony with the Lord. She told us that at one point the doctors has no hope for her, and she said that is when she turned her life over to god and started reading the bible and praying and soon received a miracle and was healed and recovered and know is doing great. After that she decided she wanted to find the truth church and through her uncle she found out about our church. She is amazing and is soaking everything up that we teach her. She is such a great example for all of us. Life is hard, we all have things that weigh us down, and we can choice how we will respond to this tribulations. We should all learn from Marina and always allow the Lord to led our lives. The gospel brings so much happiness to our lives, if we allow it to. We need to live everyday the way the Lord wants us to. Not only will he bless us as we follow him, but he will use us as instruments in his hand in bring others to this great happiness we acquire from the gospel. The gospel is true, so why not share it with all. I am so thankful for the gospel and to be serving a mission. Everyday my testimony is strengthened and i learn new things that i know i never would have learned if i wouldnt have gone on this mission. IF anyone has the opportunity to serve a mission, DO IT!!! You will never regret it. Oh and by the way for all you married older couples with grown children, my mission president has asked us to tell everyone that we know that our mission needs new senior couples. If any married couple are interested in serving a mission or if you know of any couples who are thinking about it, let me know because my mission president can request them and then most likely they will be called here. This is the best mission is the world to serve in and because our mission is bigger then the united states, its very hard for president to get around to all the cities and take care of everything, so senior couple are a HUGE blessing to our mission and to the missionaries here. So yeah let me know.
Mom thats way cool about your friend from your youth that was baptised and way cool that he lives in scotts ward. Oh by the way scott i gave mom that info about that lady who lives in costa mesa and is the daughter of Galina, a member in my branch here. You should try to get a hold of them. I hope they speak english. The next time i see Galina i will take a picture with her so you can show them. Anyway that would be cool if you could help them receive the gospel because they arent members. I expect a report from you on your effort.

Dad i am sorry the Jazz lost. There is always next year though and now you have baseball to watch!! GO YANKEES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! People here dont no really anything about baseball, its really sad. Also they dont now how to play american football, its very funny to watch them try. But the are great at soccer!!!

Well im sorry i cant think of anything else to say. I should start keeping notes of things that happen through out the week so i can remember to tell you about them. Well maybe i will do that for next week!!! Well ofcourse i love you all and cant wait to hear from you next week!!!! Have a great week.

Love,

Sister Mindy Gneiting