August 15, 2016

Dear Family and Friends, 

Fortunately, they found another  flight that didn't have to take us through Moscow.  Yeah, it is a round about way to go on a visa trip, but for various legal reasons, some of which I'm aware, and plenty of which I'm sure I'm not aware, we have to go from St. Petersburg to Estonia as a group and receive that all at the same time.  Yeah I got to gather with the MTC comps again which was a lot of fun, I love getting to see them, my MTC companion is currently in Novgorod, so we talked about things there a lot.  Yeah you can just say колодец for a water well, and cement was one of the few words I still had come with me to the MTC from my time in Russia.  

I do translations at church meetings for one man who is American, but decided to move to Russia a few years ago for various reasons, as well as translations from English to Russian for our senior couple on occasion.  Those ones are super hard, just trying to keep up with things as they're moving at full speed, it's a talent like any though, and with hard work it'll hopefully get better.  The language is a lot of fun, and I've had an opportunity to really dive in here in Kaliningrad, more so than at any other point on my mission which has been a really cool experience.  I conducted my first meeting here on Sunday, which was absolutely terrifying.  I've gotten over my fear of speaking at church meetings, but conducting in Russian was a whole new ball game (especially because the church procedure language was not stuff that I've used before, now I know though).  I was really happy because one member asked if I have Russian roots because usually the volunteers don't pick up this quickly, and the only ones who do are the ones who have some roots.  I just told her that I pray a lot, I work really hard to learn the language, and I also have a lot of fun doing it.  Three steps that have really made learning Russian click :).  As the 2nd counselor I also have access to the church material to help me fulfill my calling, and I just want to give a shout out to Uncle Dave/President Goff, Dad, and so many other wonderful examples in my life of people who take on such a heavy responsibility, with a full time job, and family responsibilities, and do it so very well.  You're all examples to me, and I don't feel nearly qualified to be doing some of the things that those very many examples in my life have done.  But the Lord qualifies him whom he calls (Jeremiah 1:5-9, are some of my favorite verses in relation to that).  

We've been trying to be busy this week, but we haven't been able to get meetings that we were hoping for, so we had a lot of time where we just had to try our hardest to be effective.  We're going to put a big push this week to find service opportunities at museums, parks, members, and anywhere where they will take us.  The Area Presidency has promised that here in Russia, what we need to do at this time is show them examples of Christ-like service, and it will soften their hearts and open them up to the message of the gospel.  I know that that promise is true so we're going to give it all we can.  

I love being a volunteer in Russia!  We're the guinea pig stage right now, so we're just trying to figure everything out, but things are going in the right direction, and I'm super excited to see the promise in D&C 123:17 fulfilled.

Love you all, have a great week!  

Elder Belnap  

Picture from the VTC (volunteer training center haha), turns out I'm the tallest in the mission right now ;)

Caught in a rainstorm, and the companion on his birthday (today!!!!  we're going bowling).  My companion is Elder Hawkins, from Utah, grew up on a farm, he's a lot of fun, we get along really well.  He's super funny, although sometimes we don't understand each other because of the very different upbringings.  I've been learning a lot about farm life though, and he's been learning a lot about city life.  Anyway, love you!

August 8, 2016

Dear Family and Friends, 

What a week!  We've been tossed all over the place, and just as we're getting settled in we find out that I have a visa trip this week that somehow slipped through the cracks, and so I got a last minute ticket that brings me through Moscow, with a long layover, following which I'll go back to St. Petersburg.  All the other flights directly to St. Petersburg were booked, so I'm flying  there on Wednesday afternoon and then late at night getting to St. Petersburg.  The adventures you have when you get exiled to the beautiful place of K-Grad ;).  

It actually is absolutely gorgeous here, it's been raining for a couple of days, but it's cleared up and for a P-Day activity we're going to fort with a couple of members which will be super fun, I'll be sure to send pictures next week (I forgot my adapter this week, sorry).  A couple of random things that I forgot to mention last week, I actually got quite the tan because we mixed cement on a rooftop up in Vyborg with some members the week before I left Sestroretzk (Vyborg is the city where we would go to to do companion exchanges with the other volunteers).  Anyway, the volunteer that I was on an exchange with, Elder Larson (by the way, he and I came to K-Grad together which got me super excited because we get along great) had to go fetch water from an actual well in order to mix the cement.  I didn't get a picture, but it was so much fun, never thought that 'water well' was a word I'd ever learn in Russian :).  

This Sunday I started work as the 2nd Counselor and it's a lot of fun.  This branch has about 40 people who come on a weekly basis, which is the most I've seen yet in Russia which was awesome to see.  It was really weird sitting up on the stand and being turned to to help solve problems.  It's been very humbling, and it's made me all the more grateful for those who take such a calling upon themselves as fathers, and full-time employees.  I'm really excited for this wonderful opportunity to serve and all the wonderful lessons of humility and service that will come from it.  It's awesome to see everyday just how doing something with a desire to help someone else just feels good.  It makes me excited to search out more opportunities for that when I get home just in everyday life, because having it be your one focus just feels so good.  

I'm also the one in an area that is now responsible for translating, as well as having the opportunity to conduct meetings, and even in the last few days I've seen my ability to speak and communicate increase more which has been cool.  The more I feel like things are far more than I can handle, and the more overwhelmed I feel, the more I realize that sincere prayer works.  I've known and felt that for a long time, but it's become a deeper understanding over the last couple of days.  I know God wants to help us and prayer is the medium by which we come to know his will, which is better than any plans that we might have for ourself, because he knows the whole picture, and more often than not all we're really aware of is what's going on in our lives right now.  I know that reaching out to God and reaching out to others in order to serve bring true happiness, something that isn't possible to gain in any other way.  When Elder Klebingot was here teaching us a few months ago he told us, "Whenever you're feeling down and looking down, thinking that you can't do this, look up, and go find someone else you can serve."  If anyone who is getting this email is having a hard time, I know that looking for someone to help who might very well be having a harder time will help you feel better.  Somehow, it works, and it's something I've learned from experience :).

Anyway, I  love you all, and I hope you're having a great week, and that if this week has been off to a rough start, that things will get better.  

Love, 

Elder Belnap

P.S.  Hey could you send my friend mitchell's e-mail address?  Love you momma!  Glad to hear about the reunion, and that everything went well.  Glad that Tambi is moved in and that things will work well, well better now.  Pass on to Grandma and Grandpa my love for them, and how proud I am of them.  They're both such examples :).  

Love you!

PPS.  Hey momma!  Noticed you just sent something to me.  Hope you're having a good day and actually going to start writing me earlier so you can get some sleep :).  I'm flying to Moscow on Wednesday because my flight to have my visa trip got messed up.  Feel free to warn people that I'm going to be on home turf in the airport this Wedneday ;).  Just kidding!  I'll be sure to take a picture though :).  Love you momma I'll get started on my letter to you!

Love, 

Elder Belnap

August 1, 2016

Yes the title of that email is true.  And no, there is no need to freak out, I'm not breaking any rules, we just have a big mission, and Kaliningrad is a part of that mission.  For any of you who don't know what Kaliningrad is, it's what Prussia used to be and I'm so excited to take off, although I'm sad I only got the one transfer in Sestrorezk.  It's beautiful here, the members are great, and 6 weeks is just not enough to get close to them.  Anyway, in Kaliningrad, I'll most likely be the 2nd Counselor in the Branch Presidency, and President Childs said that I can count on being there for a long time unlike my last couple of transfers, so I'm pretty excited for that.  Anyway, it's been crazy trying to pack again!  It seems like each time I'm getting ready to leave an area I have 5 more pounds of things that I want to take with me that I've accumulated in that area.  Here, it's more like 80 pounds, some volunteer a while back bought a whole at home weight set which has been fun to use for 30 minutes in the mornings.  

So, this week was interesting, because we're still not allowed to do too much, and almost all of our members are on vaction (10 out of the 15 are gone).  We had a lesson with the couple whom we are teaching, and they are progressing really well, we've noticed some lack of understanding about what baptism is, and so we focused our lesson on what baptism is, why it's important, and why it's not just a cool event that you do just for the experience of it.  They came out of that lesson with a much better understanding which was awesome to see.  We pushed their date back a little more just so that they can be ready for baptism, and they said that they're more excited now that they understand more of the why and what baptism enables us to do.  So although I'm sad that I won't be here for their baptism, I'm very happy that they'll be ready when they enter the font, and that it'll be a decision that they will be making to follow Christ, and now just one that they made because they really liked the Americans and they felt something good when they were talking.  So, I'm very very excited for them!  I'm also sad to leave my trainee Elder Ward, he's a little молодец, but I'm very excited to see how he handles his new situation with someone just barely more capable than him in Russian (it's fun because it forces you to learn!)  

Also, this Sunday since only 5 members were at church, President asked me instead of bearing a short testimony to give a full 15 minute talk right before the meeting, because one of the speakers was sick.  So, I'm getting ready to talk, and then all of a sudden two people from Novgorod walked in!  They were on their way back from Finland, and so they decided to stop by our ward for church and I was so happy!  It made me realize again, just how much these people you meet during your volunteer service become a part of your life.  They really just add to your family, and it just brought back so many fun and grateful memories about my time there.  It was so much fun seeing наташа  and маия, they're both awesome.  Anyway, I talked a lot about being a "light to the world" from Timothy 4:12, and what that means for us in this country more now than ever.  When we're examples to our friends and family of the faith that we believe in, it doesn't always lead to everyone joining the church, and that's not the purpose of being an example of what we believe.  What it does do, is create mutual understanding and respect.  I just want to give you a shout out mom for doing that over the years, you're not afraid to say what you believe in, you live your beliefs, and you've managed to make friends from all walks of life who respect you and what you believe in because you really do live it.  That was my challenge to everyone, as well as to remember the promise given in D&C 6:32 to them.  I know that as we live what we believe, that people don't have to agree with it, but they come to respect it and you can come to understand one another an a more personal level.  Because one thing that is common among all beliefs is that for the most part, people sincerely believe in what they claim to believe.  

I love you all, next week you'll be hearing from me an hour earlier, so make sure you get the email off in time Momma :).  I'm super excited and humbled for this new opportunity to serve, and it's going to be a blast.  Thanks for passing on the letter from Terri, that was fun to read, and I'm super excited for Ben too, that was awesome.  Anyway, I love you all, have a great week!

Love, 

Elder Belnap   

July 25, 2016

Dear Family and Friends, 

No worries, I make mistakes in English all the time now too mom :).  I need to see the family portraits and be the final judge on clashing costumes mom :).  I love Grandma and how get's such a kick out of somethings, I miss hearing that little laugh of hers :). I'm glad that everything went well, I was included in a little group email where the battle of who brings the chips cropped up and it just made me laugh, we sure are blessed with an awesome family.  Glad that the Goff Family Reunion went well, If you need to put into perspective how long I've been out now, I've missed both Goff Reunions that I'm going to miss on my mission.  Granted I'll be coming back just in time for the next one, but still, it's weird how fast the time is flying by.  I remember someone telling Nathan, that when he feels like the time is going slowly, just to count all the fast sundays, and that 24 fast sundays doesn't seem too long.  (For those of you who don't understand what that means, the first sunday in our church is a day set aside to fast and pray for guidance and direction, as well as in our church meetings members of the congregation are allowed to come up and share a brief message about their faith as well as what has strengthened their faith in their recent experience).  Anyway, she told Nathan that before he knows it, I'll be in the teens, then single digits, and then home! She's proved to be prophetic on all accounts, after this August, only 10 left!  It's weird how fast the time is flying by and I'm trying to stay focused on using the time that seems to be running through my fingers like sand, instead of focusing on the fact that it's running through my fingers.  

This week was one of those weeks where we didn't know what to do with ourselves.  With the new law, we have a lot of time to fill that used to be filled with contacting, and now we are planning on doing a lot of service, but we're supposed to be lying low for a couple of weeks before we go out and search for service opportunities.  So, we've tried doing service for members, both active and less active, cleaning our ward building, doing indexing, practicing piano, translating our record to Russian so that the members can start fulfilling their new responsibility of helping teach investigators.  What's been really cool is throughout it all, our investigators (a man and a woman who are married and about middle aged) have a baptismal date!  We're going to have to push it back a little bit, because they'll be out of town for a little bit and won't have been able to come to church before the current date, but they're so excited.  Missionaries found them 6 months ago, and at first they were more interested in English, but just with time their intentions, and hearts, have changed.  I'll keep you posted :).

This week I was reading in D&C 84:106 which reads: " 106 And if any man among you be strong in the Spirit, let him take with him him that is weak, that he may be edified in all meekness, that he may become strong also."

I love that verse!  Go out and look for someone who needs help this week, and help them become strong also.  And if you feel like you're weak, pray for help from the Lord, and try and see who He puts in your path in order to help you.  I know the Lord answers our prayers and that He wants us to help others until we all become strong.  As Sister Linda K. Burton in a recent General Conference address said "Thee lift me and I’ll lift thee, and we’ll ascend together."

I love you all and hope you have a great week!

пока пока!

Elder Belnap

Christopher in St. Petersburg sight seeing with Elder Ward on Nevsky Prospekt.  Church of Spilled Blood in background.

Christopher at Church of Spilled Blood, St. Petersburg, Russia.

July 18, 2016

Dear Family and Friends, 

This week was tons of fun!  We were just on the streets for a large portion of the week, just being bold and talking to everyone.  President Childs told us that we should put things off to the 20th that can wait, so that's what we did.  It was scary every day when we first got out that we were literally going to go to everyone and talk to them, but after talking to the first person each time it was a lot of fun.  We just made it really fun for us, and when people saw that we were actually having a fun time doing this, they stopped and talked to us and we had a fun time.  Yeah, you're right mom, the people here aren't really aware of the law and it doesn't really effect them too much.  It makes me laugh, for the most part as soon as they find out that we are "Mormons" they either laugh and keep talking to us, or they'll say "до свидания".  Anyway, we'll have a different experience this week and I'm really excited for our conference tomorrow when we'll get everything answered for us.  

Today is also kindof weird, because we're going to be lying low so to say, and all missionaries got permission for a full day P-Day today, because we're not allowed to contact, so we're going into the city and I'm showing Elder Ward the sights.  He's pretty excited to see all the sights :).  It's weird wanting to talk to someone, and not being allowed to now, it'll definitely be an adjustment, but it also helps me see how much I've changed from the time that I didn't want to open my mouth and now I'm sad that I'm not allowed to.  I'm really excited though for the members and the opportunity we have to focus our service on them pretty much in its entirety :), as well as to help them feel comfortable reaching out to their friends, because now it all will happen through them.

This week I was studying about a lot of things, and I finished my loooooong study of the 4 Gospels in the New Testament, and now I'm on to reading Acts in the Bible.  It was really amazing just reading and becoming aware of the acts of Jesus that I wasn't aware of beforehand.  I really appreciated just gaining a stronger testimony that Jesus really did perform all those acts and that he is the perfect example of going about doing good.  That's something that we're going to need to learn how to do here in our mission now giving the changes, but given the wonderful example we have in the scriptures of the Savior, I'm confident that the work will press forward here in Russia and that people will be interested in what we have to offer.  

I love you all and I hope you have a great week!  I'll send pictures from our adventures today!  Love you all so very much. 

Love, 

Elder Belnap

This is for you for Grandma and Grandpa: 

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/04/healing-the-sick?lang=eng

Also for you and for Dad for FHE:

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/04/family-councils?lang=eng

Sit down with the family and you can watch this.  Ask questions about what can be done better in the family.  For example, "Is the TV on when family scripture study has yet to happen?"  

Just as a little sidenote, I was watching this talk the other day and just realized how much I would have appreciated Family Councils, especially the 1 on 1 and 2 on 1, especially in helping me overcome watching pornography.  Doing the little things at home will ensure that Nathan, Spencer, and Rebecca are all a little better prepared for the challenges at home.  Tell all the kiddos that I endorse having a place to charge the phones at the end of the night and that no matter what we're not allowed to bring them into the room with us, that we can go out and buy alarm clocks if the excuse for having them in the room is "I need and alarm."  Maybe it'll stike them a little differently coming from me :).  I love you both and I hope that you can have a good FHE discussion on this.  Also, Every 6 weeks, I can give a suggestion for a FHE discussion if you want, that way I can still kindof be a part of the wheel :) (have you made a new one yet?)  I love you both very much and I hope you have a great week!  

Here's some insights as to what will be happening now!  We'll have a mission conference tuesday where things will be discussed and where we will come up with answers :)!

Dear Leaders of the Russia St. Petersburg Mission,

President and Sister Childs have drafted the following letter to be read in an emergency district meeting to be held on the 14th or 15th of July. Please read and discuss it with your district! We are excited to see the miracles that these changes bring to our volunteers, the members of the Church, and others! We know that everything is in the Lord's hands. These changes will strengthen our members and help His work move powerfully forward!

Inspire the volunteers in your districts with the same spirit of optimism that we and the General Authorities share! Isn't it wonderful to be a part of the Lord's team? We literally cannot lose! The game is soccer, and angels are the players, with the Lord as the star forward. Our streak is 1,000,000,000,000,000 to zero, in our favor. We haven't lost a game and never will.

Thank you for your diligence and beautiful faces, we can't wait to see you all on Tuesday.

With love,

The Assistants

Dear Russia St Petersburg Volunteers,

We are writing to give you a brief overview of the changes in the way we will do our work because of the new law recently passed by the Russian government. With the new law that goes into effect on July 20, 2016, our work in the Russia St. Petersburg Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will change substantially. We feel a sense of great peace that the changes in the way we do our work will bring significant blessings to the Saints here in Russia as well as more firmly establish the Church in this great land.

On Tuesday, July 19^th at 1:00 p.m. in the St Petersburg Stake Center, we will hold a special Mission Conference to discuss these changes in more detail.

Below is an outline of the most substantial changes to our work here.

 1) From now on, our young elders and sisters, as well as senior couples will be referred to as “volunteers.” The term “missionary” is associated with proselyting which the volunteers in our mission no longer do because of the new law. Therefore, please cease using the term “missionary” when referring to yourselves or others serving in Russia, especially when writing home. We are stilled called the “Russia St. Petersburg Mission,” but individuals serving here are called volunteers.

As a reminder, we strongly discourage posting any correspondence or information on public blogs or sites. Please remember that it is against Russian law to post photos which include Russian citizens.

2) The fundamental manner in which volunteers perform their service in Russia will be to engage in activities aimed at developing the Church and supporting Church members. They will serve in Church callings and will build closer bonds with members. They will build and strengthen the faith and testimony of members by visiting them in their homes, and also by supporting church activities and programs such as Family History, Self-reliance, Humanitarian efforts, and Seminary and Institute studies. They will support daily activity in the church buildings and give tours of the church meeting houses.

3) Volunteers in our mission will engage in a variety of community service projects and activities.

4) Volunteers will be encouraged to enhance their knowledge of Russian culture and language, with the intent of helping maintain a lifelong appreciation for Russia’s rich cultural heritage and fostering positive intercultural understanding.

5) The volunteers in our mission may no longer engage in any type of proselyting activities, such as street or transportation contacting, distribution of religious literature, or offering any form of invitation. In their daily activities, they may engage in casual conversation, and when asked, they may explain that they are volunteers for a Church. If the person shows further interest, they may give the  name of the Church and a brief explanation without discussing doctrine or teachings. They may also give the addresses of church buildings.

6) Importantly, our volunteers will build a deeper, more dedicated discipleship to our Savior through their unique service. The maturity and discipline required by these changes will bless them throughout their lives to be powerful instruments in the Lord’s hands to build His Church and Kingdom in any capacity.

We know that this important work is most assuredly in the Lord’s hands. Last week you received the initial statement from our Church leaders concerning this law. We reiterate the important doctrine of the Church that, “we believe in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.” In the instructions we have received on this new law from our Europe East Area presidency they emphatically stated, “We are confident that the Lord will continue to pour forth His blessings on His Saints and upon the Church in  Russia. We will see miracles take place and the hand of the Lord made manifest in prospering His Church in this beautiful land.”

The necessary changes will require time and adjustment for us all. Facing these changes with faith and positivity will bring the Lord’s help and strength to the work we have come here to do. We would ask that your correspondence with your families, and with anyone else concerning the new law and these changes stay positive. Our leaders have stressed that this new law is part of a larger anti-terrorism law and is not aimed at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We have had good relations with the national government leaders in Russia for twenty-five years. We know that by staying positive, we can continue to build on this relationship and lift the esteem of the Church in the eyes of all Russian people.

We know that you will have many questions about these changes. Please come to the special Mission Conference with these and with your inspired ideas for moving this work forward in new and exciting ways. We feel strongly that you are some of our Heavenly Father’s choicest servants. Particularly at this time, we are grateful for your willing obedience and desire to fully follow the Lord’s direction while doing His important work.

With great love and appreciation,

President and Sister Childs

July 11, 2016

I'm feeling a lot better, every now and again I cough and it feels like I can't breathe, but I'm on meds and I'm getting better.  Story of my mission to date is get going doing well and then, completely wiped out with a sickness.  Oh well, it's taught me some humility!

Hey, question.  How's family scripture study/prayer?  I know I asked a while ago, but I've yet to follow up :).  I hope it's happening, and if you meet resistance from the kids about doing it, please tell them that I'm for it too!

Not asthma, not entirely sure.  It's just like twice a day now where I cough and it takes some shallow breathing and water to be able to breathe again, no worries the doctor is aware.  And yeah you're right, you do :).  No worries, I never really understood why it was important before coming on my mission.  I apologize for the grief it must have caused you mom.  It might be a good idea to watch Elder Ballard's talk from last conference.  He just mentions that there are things that we can do that can keep our home safe from the influence of the adversary.  My mission president likes to say, "People complain that we always hear the same things at General Conference.  Well, if everyone actually started trusting the leaders of the church and applying what they said then maybe we would hear something new next conference!"  I love you mom, thanks for the pics of grandma and grandpa, they are too cute.

Dear Family and Friends, 

First off, want to start off my letter with a statement from the church this week: The Church recognizes a new law will take effect in Russia on July 20, 2016 that will have an impact on missionary work. The Church will honor, sustain and obey the law. Missionaries will remain in Russia and will work within the requirements of these changes. The Church will further study and analyze the law and its impact as it goes into effect.

So, if any of you had any questions about that, there's your answer!  We're staying, we'll be legal, and the work will go forward.  Until the 20th of July though, we're going to be out talking to people for about 8 hours each day, my companion and I have actually tried to see if we can hit 9 hours in one day, but because he's still in training we're supposed to do extra studies and so we won't be able to do that.  But, yesterday we just went out and tried random things that we hadn't tried before just to start talking to people normally about this message which we have to share.  It was so fun to see just as people saw that we were doing this, and having fun doing it, they stopped and they talked with us.  We probably handing out over 50+ church materials over the course of a couple of hours, and had several fun, spiritual conversations with people.  It was just fun to see that people could see that we weren't robots, but that we do believe we have something to share and we'll be outside talking to people for 8 hours if need be.  

We also had a really fun conversation on a little маршрутка bus this week.  Elder Ward and I were talking and he asked me about how a word is pornounced and so I just told him in Russian, "there are Russians all around you, ask them!" And then about 6 different people started paying attention to us and he asked his question and we had the most natural and fun conversation with about 6 or so people on a bus that you could imagine.  

I'd like to wrap up my email with a verse that our Mission President shared with us given all the uncertainty from D&C 90:24 which reads, " 24 Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith ye have covenanted one with another."

Things are going to be just fine here in Russia, I'm (relatively) back to health again and I'm excited to see what this week has in store for us!  One last verse that wraps it up nicely is D&C 123:17 which reads, " 17 Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed."

I love you all and hope that you have a great and uplifting week!  

Love, 

Elder Belnap

Pictures!

1. my companion is short

2. Next 5 pictures are all of our apartment...it's nice

In the last picture it's from when I was very sick and we couldn't leave the apartment.  I promise sleeping is something I've gotten better at, but when I'm sick I think I'll always be out of it :).

July 4, 2016

Dear Family and Friends, 

Well, this week doesn't have a lot of substance to it, because I was sick...again.  I've always been the companion who has been sick on the mission, never the one who has to care for and help his companion.  Somehow I got bronchitis 2 saturdays ago, and ended up spending most of the week trying to rest and stop coughing.  I'm doing a lot better now, so I'm excited and think that we'll have a good week :).  I think when I come home, I'll wear the original black suit and the original shirts that I came into the MTC with, I can go swimming in my collars now.  I'm going to buy another suit from a missionary soon, who was the size I currently am when he started his mission, but has since lost 40 pounds, because one of the suits that I bought has pants that are too small.  It'll be a good present for Spencer when I get home :).  While I'm on the topic...HAPPY BIRTHDAY SPENCER!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA! HAPPY BIRTHDAY REBECCA!  Woo, hope your 4th of July celebrations are fun, glad to hear that Spencer's celebrations were fun, and hope that Rebecca's soon-to-be birthday celebrations are fun!

Again, there really is nothing to report this week, but we were able to go to church on Sunday and a less active member that we've been working with managed to make iton Sunday!  Our investigators have a baptismal date, but don't understand the Sabbath Day and it's importance, so we will be talking about that with them soon, and the blessings we are promised by following the probably most often-forgotten of the 10 commandments.  

Just a little thought this week while reading in the Book of Mormon.  I love Jacob 2:8 which says: 8 And it supposeth me that they have come up hither to hear the pleasing word of God, yea, the word which healeth the wounded soul.

A lot of times in the church we get caught up in the menial, losing the forest for the trees, President Uchtdorf gave a great analogy of that when talking about a woman who had to make a quilt for her lesson on Sunday, gave a lot of time and effort into making this quilt, hung it up behind her and started her lesson and told the class the topic of today's lesson written on the quilt which said "Simplify".  At the end of the day, we all need the grace that only Christ can give, and when we gather in the church, it's to grow and hear the pleasing word of God, which heals the wounded soul.  I know that that is true, I've seen how I've changed and how the people around me have changed, just by reading the scriptures, coming to church, and trying our best to live the way the Savior did.  There's a quote by President Packer that says: "True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior. The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior.” 

I love you all and I hope you have a great week!  You're all in my prayers, but especially Grandma and Grandpa this week, I love you both so very much!

Love, 

Elder Belnap

A couple of pictures of the church building in Vyborg!  It's one of 2 actual chapels in Russia and it's beautiful!