Fergie!!

Hey everyone! 

Hope you all had a good week, I had a real solid week! 

Had a way awesome experience this week. The other night I was just feeling down, no idea why but it was just an off day! So I prayed a lot to have something to lift me up and that is exactly what happened, that night as we visited Sister (Nicknamed Fergie). We have met with her a few times and I should not play favorites but she is definitely one of them. She is in her 40's or 50's and is the happiest person, so much fun to be around. She just bought a skateboard last week to learn how to ride. We asked her how she is always so happy and she simply responded "I choose to be. Even when things are going bad, I just choose to be happy." She is incredible, however has not come to church the whole time we have been here. So we had a good lesson, and she made us the best homemade Russian Bleene I have ever had and we were about to close with a prayer but I felt prompted to bring up church. I have given her a hard time about it in the past but this time I just said how badly I want to see her on Sunday! She always wants to come to church but says she just can't get up on Sunday mornings so I said I would call her Sunday morning at 8 AM and she said "I'm waiting for your phone call!" Called her Sunday morning, she was as cheery as ever, and she came to church yesterday! Not only that, she said she felt the Spirit so strongly that she is going to come more often now. Made me so happy! 

Speaking of Sunday it was the greatest day, like always. We had 19 people in Sacrament meeting and everyone but one stayed for Sunday School and for some food after. I love the Volzhky branch! Then yesterday afternoon we got to go to Volgograd for a District Training for the Branch Presidencies and Relief Society Presidencies in our District. It was so awesome. It is such a testimony builder to see how the Church is really the same worldwide- same callings, same doctrine, same spirit, same truth, no matter where, no matter what language. Also got to see all the missionaries there and the members there who I also love so much! Hope I get to serve in Volgograd one day! 

This week is the last week of transfers and my last week of training! Pretty scary to think about, but really exciting too! Also might be my last week in Volzhky which makes me so sad, but who knows!

I love you all so very much!! Have a good week! Thanks for all the love, emails, prayers!!

-Elder Tucker//Старейшина Таккер

Pictures- I love Volzhky,  River-Winter in Russia