Practically December already?

Okay okay okay okay okay okay okay. So. Big news. We have an actual church building! And it's actually finished (ish)! We got word last... oh, Friday ish, maybe, that they'd finished the remodel on the 1st and 2nd floors of our building, and therefore we could move in as soon as Wednesday, after they'd put the final touches on it. So, bright and early Wednesday morning (ish. Early for me as a college student. Early for me as a missionary... not so much. More like middle of the day.) all six of us missionaries and various branch members gathered in the old building and began the work of packing, cleaning, and, for Ivanova and I at least, throwing out a whole lot of unnecessary junk. Then they sent us over to the new building to clean, because apparently the work of lifting and hauling is absolutely not something a Sister of any sort (missionary or not) should ever even think about doing in Russia, much less attempt. And should you choose to disregard this and try to carry something anyway, you'd better hope that the Relief Society President doesn't catch you, because she's not afraid to give you an earful. Haha. I love the members here.

So I'm not sure what it is about my last name, but people around here absolutely love saying it. Maybe because it's so foreign to them, but I don't think I've gone a whole day in the last couple weeks without hearing, "Reet! Reet!" at least once. In fact, as we were standing in front of the new building contacting one day, a whole group of construction (ish. I dunno what it is that they think they're doing, exactly) workers walked passed, looked at my nametag, and then excitedly exclaimed, "Sister Read! Sister Read! Look! Sister Read!" Apparently they'd heard of me. My fame spreads. Ha. Sadly none of them was interested in our message or the Restored Gospel, but we figure that was only because it was our first contact. I read somewhere that it takes an average of 7 contacts with members of the church before a person is ready to meet with the missionaries. 6 more times and we're good to go.

The following is a paragraph especially for Grandma Read, because she wants to hear about people and scenery... or something to that effect, anyway.

Climate-wise, Yuzhno seems to be an interesting mix of Portland and Provo, or somewhere in between. We walk down the street and I feel like I'm at home, because there are a million billion trillion trees everywhere, and because it rains... often. When it's not raining, it's snowing, and being as how the weather around here officially decided winter began on Halloween, it's been snowing off and on for the last month. We'll get about a foot of snow over a period of 4 or 5 days, and then it'll randomly decide that that's enough snow for a while, and it'll all melt off over the next few days. But then, oh wait, it's winter, and we'll get another 6 days of snow. For the record, my coat is a beautiful, beautiful thing. Walking around Russia in a skirt would be less than fun without it.

Opa. The computer just informed me that I've only got 5 minutes left. More on people and things of that sort later, I suppose. For the record, my last pair of regular nylons died last week. It's a good think I've got the winter ones. Dunno what I'll do when summer hits, though.

Anyway, I'm through. Love you all, stay safe, think of me, and... do big things this week.

-Your favorite sister missionary. Calista.