Monday Februray 7, 2011. Afternoon.

Sometimes I start these letters and I feel like I should put them in the same format as my "Writing to President" letters, which, as a general rule, tend to go something like this:

Dear Family,

We spent a lot of time out on the street this week, which was probably good for us. Nobody was really interested in actively investigating the church, but at the very least we did get some good conversations in, and they've got our information. The weather warmed up too, which was nice because it meant that we could walk around for longer periods of time without feeling like we were putting our fingers and toes at serious risk. Next week should be pretty good as well.

Thanks for everything!

Sister Read

Well, okay, maybe my letters to President aren't quite so cheesy (at least I hope not. Then again, maybe they are, and I'm just not seeing it), but sometimes that's exactly what I feel like I'm writing.

In any case, the weather really DID warm up this week, to the point where I would go hours of a time without a hat on my head and without any negative consequences as a result of that. Miracles really do happen. We did spend a lot of time on the street, but since that's not anything new I don't even know if it's worth reporting. We have been keeping track of all the creative ways people say "no" to us though. Some people like to go for the little wave of the hand, as if they're trying to brush off an annoying fly. Others like to say things like, "no, I did not give you permission to speak to me. You may keep moving." Oh, Russia. This country basically makes my life.

It's nice to know that I'm going to be released on the 20th and not the 19th, by the way. I was trying to imagine going straight to the Church at 9 or 10:00 at night after a reeeeally long flight and it wasn't doing much for me. But. I guess that's all in the past, so now I just have to look forward to seeing everybody in the airport (I am, lest anybody think that it's Not Allowed, officially giving my permission for people to be there at the airport when I come home, although they're the ones who are going to have to deal with me after many many hours of flights).

Anyway, I'm running out of time, so I guess I'll end this. Love you all, see you in a couple of weeks!

-Sister Read