March 5, 2017*

This week has been a fun one!  We had transfers on Wednesday and I got my new companion Elder DeVol.  His mom is Ukrainian and his Grandpa is Armenian.  Sorry, that's just how he introduces himself to everyone, so I feel like that's the best way to introduce him.  He's really a good Elder, and I'm excited to work with him.  It's really funny, Elder DeVol just served with my trainee Elder Tribe, and when we all changed companions, Elder Tribe just came up and said "Look!  I just train assistants ok!  Elder Coleman, you're next!" 

Well, we had a fair amount of things to get done after that, but we have been able to get to work since then, and we have set plans for who we want to meet and when for this coming week.  We will be in Pskov on both Saturday and Sunday, so that will be exciting.  These last couple of days we have tried to meet with some of members in our ward, just so that both Elder DeVol and I can get to know them better.  We also had Stake Conference this last weekend which was so exciting, everyone gathered together.  There are so many cool, young families in our stake, and our investigator Tamara was so interested by the fact that there are so many young people here who believe all of this, she really enjoyed it.  

This week I studied a bit about the divinity of Christ, and his divine Sonship.  We had a conversation with a man that left me with not the best taste in my mouth.  Anyway, the man was going off about how he believes the scriptures, but does not believe that Christ is the Son of God.  I decided to go through the scriptures and see where someone testifies of Christ's relationship to God, including the testimony of Christ himself.  I really enjoyed the verses in Mark 14:61-62 which read: 61 But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?

62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

I love those verses, and to me, reading them my testimony of Christ being the Son of God was strengthened.  I do not understand everything, but I know that the scriptures are true and that my faith in Christ helps me on a daily basis.  I love the words of Nephi when he said: 10 And now, my beloved brethren, and also Jew, and all ye ends of the earth, hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good.

 11 And if they are not the words of Christ, judge ye—for Christ will show unto you, with power and great glory, that they are his words, at the last day; and you and I shall stand face to face before his bar; and ye shall know that I have been commanded of him to write these things, notwithstanding my weakness.

I know that the scriptures are true because I have prayed about them and studied them trying to understand whether or not they are true.  I love reading them and the comfort and knowledge that I am able to attain from reading them, they truly are the words inspired of God through chosen prophets, and more valuable than any other reading material on this Earth.  

I love you all so very much!  

Have a great week!  Pictures as promised!

The one of me looking good and then me making a fat face was on the 6 hour drive to Petrozavodsk, my companion and I decided that all of those lose weight fast ads are just the same person, but in one picture they're trying their best to look good, and in the other they are trying their best to look terrible.  I think I did pretty good one both ends :).  The others are pictures on the lake in Petro, and of the ice sculptures down there.