Best Week Yet...

Dear family and friends,

We just had our best week yet! Other than a bombing at the Domodedovo Airport, our week was wonderful. We arrived at the "D" airport on Monday at 1:30, we were picked up by the Mission President's driver and taken to President and Sister Woolley's home. We met with several other Senior Couples to begin our two day training. We went out to dinner with all the couples and then went to see Swan Lake, the ballet, at an absolutely gorgeous theater. The ballet was incredibly beautiful, even Norm loved it. Loved the dancing (loved the tights). Just before the ballet started we got a message that a bomb had exploded at the "D" airport at 4:30. 35 people were killed and 100's injured. We were quite shocked to hear that news, especially because that is the airport we flew into just a few hours earlier. We had no way to reach our families to let them know we were alright until later that night when we got home. President and Sister Woolley, however, spent a good portion of the ballet on their phones talking with many people. I was able to send out an email that night to reassure everyone that we were alright and that the Lord is most definitely watching over us. We had actually changed our flight from the 5:00 flight to the 1:30 flight just a few days before. Good for us for listening to the promptings.

Tuesday we spent the entire day in our couples conference which was extremely informative, spiritual, motivating, and emotional. As I'm sure many of you have guessed by now, I have had a very hard time adjusting this first month. This has been extremely hard for me and I've struggled with many things. But the love, support, and caring that we shared at the training reaffirmed my testimony of this gospel and reason why we are here. Don't get me wrong, I DO love being a missionary, it's everything else that I'm struggling with. I hate not being able to communicate and the language is coming very slow for me. I'm starting to be less afraid to venture out and we don't get lost near as much any more. I love, love, love our missionaries and this Branch. These people are so loving and welcoming. We have had dinner at someone's home about every other night, it's wonderful. And I love the food - it's different, but so good. I still can't do much of ANYTHING on the computer, except type, which doesn't help at all with our humanitarian work, but I'm just not going to worry about it any more. Either Norm can learn it, or it will just not get done. What are they going to do, fire us? I hate the computer, and I doubt that will ever change, but what little humanitarian work we have done has been very fun. The day after the couples training, we went to the Service Center for more humanitarian training. We met the new Welfare Manager, who will be over us, and learned a lot more about that part of our responsibilities. Covering the entire country of Russia is so overwhelming in my mind, but thank heavens we can do most of that coverage on the computer! hahaha We did call one of our couples who are serving in Vladivostock, and didn't stop to think about the time difference. They are seven time zones ahead of us. We are on the far West side of Russia and they are on the very farthest East and South side. Look it up on your map. SEVEN time zones! That's 2 1/2 times bigger than the US. Hopefully we won't have to fly there very often - it's about a 10 hour flight. But they are busy, busy doing lot's of humanitarian projects there. Fortunately, that couple will be here most of the time that we are here, so that area is well represented. This is a changing and learning year for humanitarian services in Russia, so there will be lots of new things taking place. We're excited to learn about all these changes and do all that we can to continue to serve the poor and the needy here and increase the presence of the Church. I will keep you posted on the things we do.

We flew back home on Wednesday from the "D" airport with no problems or delays. Life was back to normal quickly after Monday's attack. Just a few tarps covering the damaged area and everything else the same as usual. We were glad to get back home without any problems.

The rest of the week was filled with lots of teaching. Norm and I have been splitting up with the missionaries and going with them to their lessons. Some are in English, some in Russian, but they are all very fun. We love being a part of the teaching and bearing our testimonies. We have had three commitments to baptism just this week, which is a lot for here. Hopefully they will follow through. It's great to watch these missionaries struggle with disappointments and then watch them rejoice with their successes. It is very, very hard work, but eternally rewarding. I'm so grateful for the missionaries all over the world who are sacrificing so much of themselves to spread this Gospel. I have a whole new appreciation for how hard this life is, but how great the blessings are. That doesn't mean there aren't problems, it just means that the blessings are more intense. It really is an amazing thing. I hope each of you will make the decision to be a missionary somehow, sometime in your life. The lessons learned are invaluable in preparing for eternal life.

I love you, my family and friends! You are my life! I'm grateful you are part of it and so thankful for your love and support. We wouldn't be here without you. May you be blessed with safety and peace through this next week.

Love,
Elder and Sister Frost