Crazy people/ drunk people ratio was a bit higher than average this week

howdy y'all!

have i told you that i've served with three texans so far? i think it's probably rubbed off by now. I have all this texas pride.

so pretty much, i'm hitting my year mark on a mission on thursday. is anybody else wondering where the time went? but at the same time, when i stop and think about it, yeah. its been a year. a really long year. i've even learned a thing or two, plus a bit of russian. we are going to go buy myself some gifts to celebrate, a few ties, of course. i don't know what else. but yeah. half of my mission is done. well technically, not really. they added about 3 weeks to our missions, and i just found out, that for some reason, they are adding on another week. so really my mission is 25 months. don't ask me why. it's a bit... longer than its supposed to be...

this week was really frustrating, but it ended up really well. just about everyone we called couldn't meet, or didn't answer. none of our investigators could, and we barely met with any members even. so plenty of time on the streets again, which is... fun. it seemed like the crazy people/ drunk people ratio was a bit higher than average this week. for example: on tuesday we met a man who spoke very good english. he said he had read the book of mormon. he had short, blond hair, blue eyes, no beard. he told us he was a hessitic jew. he said he didn't accept the book of mormon because in the bible it says that we need to accept jesus to be saved. the only thing that would make him less jewish is if he was wearing a cross and was eating a hot dog. yeah, he was pretty stupid.

but then we had a legit lesson with anatoli, who told us of the visions that he has had. he had a very long conversation with christ, which he doesn't really remember. he also was on the golden planet, which is the city of enoch, and other planets. one planet is inhabited by the jaredites. i don't know if i believe it, but, you know. maybe. have i sent a picture of his 'pop art?' i love this man.

then we contacted, i met this dude who took me aside, and among much other madness, pointed at his right hand, and said 'this hand has shot SO MANY PEOPLE. I HAVE KILLED SO MANY PEOPLE'. I slowly walked away.

wednesday we contacted, and then had a lesson with another of the great men in the world: alexander. this time when he prayed, he thanked god for america, which "though far away geographically, is very close to my heart". he called ronald reagan a 'very holy man', and also said something else funny: 'in china they eat DOGS! that is wrong. here, we don't eat dogs. we are a faithful people.' i didn't mention that he probably actually has eaten dog.

thursday we had a good district meeting at the other elder's apartment, because the church was being cleaned. then a lesson with the klooyev's, who are awesome of course. fed us this delicious breakfast cake. mmmmm hmm.

friday nothing really happened of note. but SATURDAY was one of the best days on my mission. everyone in xarkov went on a five hour bus ride down to donetsk, for an hour long meeting with President Clayton, of the presidency of the seventy. it was a cool question and answer meeting, but really short, obviously. We had ten hours of transport with everybody. it was such a party, awesome to see everybody that we haven't seen in forever. telling mission stories, laughing, talking, it was a great time. and then seeing everyone in donetsk was also legit. too bad it was so short.

sunday was actually a great day. two investigators came to church, which doubles my last high score. we had a lesson after church with one of them, making him a progressing investigator. the other lady is a member referral who came on her own, and we should be able to start teaching. then we met with ali, who gave us a referral, his neighbor, to whom he gave a book of mormon. the kid is 12. he's awesome. so legit. then two other lessons made that day probably the most succesful day of my mission. so that was good.

the bug was this crazy beetle we saw. don't know exactly what it is. and yes, those are my rebyatta shoes. lovely, aren't they? everybody wears them, i've got to fit in.

thanks everyone for the letters. sounds like you had an awesome week. good luck with the flooding, getting over burns, and happy birthday again, mom! i love you guys. have a great week!

love, derek