Labas!!!

Labas from Vilnius!

Wow, I am here in Vilnius, Lithuania, and it is awesome.  Crazy to finally be here, but is is so amazing. We have had quite the fun week!!

The plane rides were so much fun, I literally slept the entire way on all three plane rides. Except for when I was looking out the windows, flying is so cool!! That was really awesome.  Elder Jones and I had seats by each other the whole time.  At the end of our last flight into Riga, he and his new friend from Texas were making bets on when I would wake up.  There was a lot of turbulence apparently when we were landing, but I didn't wake up until after we had landed haha.  I guess I sleep good on planes :)

Then we had some training with President and Sister Harding. They are so amazing. It was a super short training, but so good. Riga was cool to look at. There is a lot of grafitti there and here in Vilnius; it's cool to look at.  Then we took a taxi to the bus stop.  It was crazy, our driver was going off in Russian speaking so loudly to us the entire way. We were also listening to some weird English music. Plus he was driving crazy, so it was fun.  There are lots of cool buildings to look at too.  IT was not what I expected my first day to be like at all.  It was exciting!!!!

Then we took a four hour bus ride to Vilnius. We drove through fields and tons of trees. IT is so green here, I love it.  Then another taxi to our apartment.  The outside of it is interesting. It is kind of ghetto actually, but the inside of our apartment is way nice.  And it just smells like Lithuania, I love it.  

The next day we bought groceries and then started contacting.  Haha, I can't really understand what people are saying at all.  They talk super fast and with weird accents. I wish they would speak clearly, slowly, and with an American accent, haha. That would help. But that's okay, I know I will understand them one day.  I know Heavenly Father is helping me.

When most people hear we are missionaries, they hurry off. So it is kind of weird when someone stops to listen to what we have to say. Like, oh I guess I need to speak Lithuanian now haha. It is fun though.  We live right next to a pretty river. Like our area is so gorgeous!! It is what you think of when you think Europe. There is a cool tower on a hill and a few castles and cool Catholic churches everyone.  The sunsets are so beautiful here.  We live in a busy and full of life city, so that is fun.  We have a gorgeous view though.  Lots of people to try to talk to.  

My first night here the fire alarm went off a few times during the night, so that was really fun :) We got rid of that real quick.  A lot of people here speak english, which is nice, but I want to learn this language, so I try to speak Lithuanian a lot.
My trainer is so awesome. Sister Madison is super fun and knows the language so well and is fun to be with.  We have good times.  We have talked to quite a few people actually about the gospel.  A girl named Ieva seemed really interested. I also met some asians on the bus that seemed interested, so we are hoping to get some investigators pretty soon. None yet, Sis Madison and I are both new to this area.

On

Sesuo Madison and Sesuo Jerman

On Saturday, Sister Madison almost got robbed by a gypsie lady! She foretold her future by reading her palm, plucked a hair from her head, and asked for a coin.  She tried to grab her wallet out of her purse, but we got away pretty quickly. It was kind of weird, but fun.  We just kept on moving :) We have gotten lost on the buses a few times, it is kind of crazy to get the hang of, but we are doing it :)

It is fun to try to talk to lots of people.  Not easy, but good. The ward members are great! It was so nice to be surrounded by church members, haha. THey are so great. I spoke in church with Mindaugas, my teacher's convert who I heard a lot about. That was so fun. I recognized a lot of people from the branch. Olvydis is also there, an amazing man who is the ward mission leader. 

I get a little tired now and then during studies, but I am almost back to normal. 

Each morning we eat apples with PB or cereal. Their cereal and PB are so good! all food here is so good! We eat sandwiches usually for lunch. We also made homemade pizza. I tried Gira! It is a carbonated drink that tastes like the smell of bread yeast. Super cool. We ate cepeliniai for dinner, which is super good. Pockets of meat and varsk. The food is so good. So many yummy pastries and such everywhere.

It is just so great here. I love the people and the beautiful city.  It has been quite an adventure. I know that Heavenly Father is with me and helping me. I have felt his spirit with me guiding me. I know He hears and answers our prayers. He is waiting and wanting to help us. I know God loves us so much, each one of us.  I know that He is always there.  If we trust in Him, we have no need to worry.  I love you all very much!

Love Sese Dzerman

I wil try to send pictures next week!