Russians!

9/26/2016

Hello everyone!

So, New England is great.

It hasn't turned to fall yet. But judging by how It is getting colder and colder, I suspect that Autumn will be here shortly. I look forward to all of the beautiful colors that Fall will bring.

We get to drive cars in this mission and on occasion, bike. The three downsides to a car are: You have a limited amount of miles to use. You don't get to walk out side everywhere all of the time. And the little box that sends data to the church yells at you if you speed.

In reality these things aren't all that bad. I just feel obligated to tell you that I would rather be walking than lounging in a car.

In our District, we have four companion ships and four cars. And when we came in, they added the fourth car to acomidate us. And in each Zone are a set number of miles that they are given from the mission to distribute. And Elder Redford and I in particular have been in great need for more miles to use due to our areas of labor and the distances thereof and to church and other meetings. The Zone Leaders being the great Elders they are, gave up some of their miles to give to us. And even then, we have to walk most of the time everywhere. One day we realized that there is a train that goes by our apartment all of the time. So we did some searching and found the platform and the map and schedule. And with some earnest emails and phone calls, we got permission to ride it. This is only a recent development, so we haven.t had a chance to ride it yet.

One awesome thing that happened this week.

We were walking around in Ipswich (we were trying to save up miles).

And we found this elderly lady and started talking with her. After some confused looks on her part about my name tag and after our explanation that I speak Russian, she explained that right down the road there is a Russian Orthodox Church. So afterwards we went to check it out. Elder Redford was tacking a picture of the numbers and times posted on the now confirmed Russian Orthodox Church when on of the Priests came out and started talking to us. He asked us if we had ever been inside. We said no. And he then asked if we would like to go in. It was very beautiful and very well ornamented. We told us some stories of the saints depicted in some of the icons. After he finished giving his "shpil", I asked him if there was a Russian community around. Because I noticed that everything was in English and the priest didn't speak any Russian.  He said that there used to be, but most of them aren't around anymore. He said that the people that come to his services are almost all American. But he did say that there were Russians that came. So we know that there are Russians here. And it's my duty to find them. This is a great opportunity for this mission to have Russian speaking missionaries here. Now I don't want you to think that I am boasting of myself. I just by means of sings from heaven know that there is a greater purpose for me being here in New England than just waiting for a visa.

And to add on that, after church on Sunday. I met a sister who came up to me and started speaking in Russian. You don't even know how excited I was to finally talk in Russian with some one else than my self and the iPad. She is native to Bulgaria and due to communist oppression, was expected to learn Russian. She is great. And she wants to help me speak as much as I can while here.

We still haven't found an apartment in Gloucester yet. We are actively searching. This week we saved up enough miles to justify making a trip down to Gloucester. As soon as we hoped out of the car in the "Shaw's"

parking lot, Both my companion and I recall that we felt right and felt that this is were we were meant to be serving.

We were unable to teach anyone. But we did talk with people. And I am confident that as soon as we start working the majority of the time there, that many miracles will be seen.

On the way to Gloucester from Ipswich we pass by a lake. And on this lake there is a small platform in the middle of it with a single house on top of it. Both me and Elder Redford really really want to live in that house. The only problem is that missionaries are not aloud to be in boats. But I'm sure we can work something out.

The work is moving forward! All we can do is accelerate it.

I love you all.

Elder Clawson /Старейшина Класон (<- my Russian name sound s exactly like a form of the word they use for saying if some is cool. So my name could mean "Elder Sick!")