In Russia they don't mince around with things like, "bless you." (Have I mentioned this before?) They go straight for the command effect and tell you, "Be Healthy!" Works for me, actually. Every time I hear it though, I always feel like there's going to be an "or else" directly following it. Hasn't happened yet, but I figure it's only a matter of time. I think the invisible bugs are starting to go away at last though, and I'm more than okay with that. Unfortunately, they seem to have been replaced by visible ones. No cockroaches in our apartment yet (thank goodness), but I have a sneaking suspicion that we've got fleas, or possibly bed bugs, hanging around somewhere because I wake up every morning covered in little itchy bites. I think I'm ready for winter again.
I can't actually remember what I was going to tell you this week. Oh yeah, we had an investigator who was completely golden at the beginning of the week (had read through the Book of Mormon in less than 6 days, and marked all of his favorite scriptures) and then jumped off the deep end when the week finished. Interesting people on a mission. Have I mentioned this? In any case, we've still got a few with good potential (now I feel like I'm reporting to President Pratt) and we'll keep working with them.
Incidentally, Christopher actually wrote me a letter this week. An email, actually. I guess that means I should respond to him at some point. I'm so excited to find out what it was that he found for me in the middle of the desert. I can only assume it's going to be just as big of a hit as the giant Brazilian spider and the scorpion suckers (incidentally, my companion never did eat hers. Can't imagine why. Come to think of it, I don't think I did either. And incidentally incidentally, apparently it's still free to send me DearElders because this is officially a Hardship Mission and they want us missionaries to have all the home support we possibly can, or something. I don't actually know if it is free, but I guess it can't hurt to check it out, right? I'm never against more letters... even if I am terrible at writing them myself. Just a thought for you all. You know, just in case.
In any case, since I still can't remember what I was going to tell you about this week (it came, it went, and as of Thursday this upcoming week I am officially coming home in six months and that's just disgusting. I can't have been out for more than a year already) so I'll give you a few amusing anecdotes about one of the most amusing places in Russia, namely: The Post Office.
Back when I was serving with Sister Ivanova, she wanted to send a letter to somebody who lives in America. We went to the Post Office, found an empty window, and asked how much it would cost to send a letter to America. The lady at the window responded, "Not within my range of service. You want Window 7." So we walked over to Window 7. "A letter? to America? No, no, no. We only handle letters to former Russian territories. You need Window 3. Information." So we stood in line at Window 3 (where, for the record, the word, "Information" was not written anywhere within visibility range) for ten minutes and finally got to ask, "How much to send a letter to America?" "22.5 roubles, but we don't sell those stamps at this window. You need Window 4. Oh wait, Window 4 is closed today. Window 2, then." Window 2 did indeed have the stamps that we needed, but they wouldn't let us purchase them without an envelope and then they wouldn't let us stick them on the envelope ourselves. Ha. Oh, Russia.
Another time, Sister Kovalevskaya wanted to send an already-prepared letter off and was told, "we aren't accepting letters to be sent right now. Come back in an hour."
Then, about a week or two ago, Sister Lewis wanted to buy 20-rouble stamps at a different Post Office here on Sakhalin. She got up to the counter and told the lady that she needed a sheet of 20-rouble stamps, another sheet of 3-rouble stamps, and a third sheet of .10-rouble stamps. The lady went back into what I assume was the storage area, stood around for about 30 seconds and then came back and said, "We aren't carrying 20-rouble stamps." So Sister Lewis asked, "Okay, what about 10-rouble stamps?" The lady went back in again, stood around, and came back out. "Nope. None of those." Well then. "Do you have 5-rouble stamps?" Back she went, and another 30 seconds later we hear, "Nope, none of those either!" I think Sister Lewis had had enough by that point, because she said, "okay, fine. I'll just take the 3-rouble stamps then." (Mind you, it costs 9 roubles to send a letter throughout Russia, and therefore in theory there should be an abundance of 3-rouble stamps everywhere. Even on Sakhalin.) "Nope, sorry. We're all out of those too." Haha. Oh man. I love this system.
Welp, I guess that's all you get for this week. I love you, try to keep safe, and... go to the temple for me. Please?
-Sister Read
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