Barrett's First email from Russia!

Ok, let me get this out of the way first: you need to cancel my personal debit card. This is not a drill. This is not a test. My wallet was stolen on the metro last night. This is not a joke. Please cancel my card

OK, so now that that's out of the way: I GOT PICKPOCKETED ON THE MOSCOW CITY METRO!!!! Holy cow! How cool is that!!! Haha! This is it! I'm in Russia! Incredible. Right now I am living the type of story you hear about after people's missions. "Yep, I wasn't even a week in the field, and I got pickpocketed on the metro coming home from my first split. Lost everything: metro pass, mission debit card, personal debit card. Registration to be in the country! haha. Good times" Can you believe it? Wow. This may sound strange, and my companion, Elder Z, did not hesitate to tell me that it is, but when I realized my wallet had been stolen, my first thought was, "Finally... my mission has begun". Haha. It is our trials that make us grow.

Okay, so let's see. Where did we leave off... ah, yes. So after our phone call in the airport, we got on the plane. What a flight. Every one spoke russian! It was cool. I talked to my first russian person. I wrote a lot in my journal. and I slept. Between inflight movies, they would show a map of our course. So we flew up the coast from georgia to canada, then flew over greenland, great britain, lithuania and whatever else is in between. There were clouds most of the way. but it cleared up over Russia. Oh, my goodness. Let me tell you, It is beautiful! So green. Forests every where. little villages in the middle of forests. lakes and streams. Wow. It was incredible.We met President S just after all the security stuff. He was there with Sister S and the Zone Leaders. They're all great! We loaded up in a little van. Our driver's name is Aleksandr. Sister S and I talked a lot during the ride. She told me A used to be a soviet union fighter pilot. And he drove like it! Wow. All the signs here are in Russian!! Everywhere you look - russian! haha. It's amazing.We spent the first night at the mission home with the S. Oh, well before that we went to the mission office for a little orientation. We each got a packet full of informational stuff. Oh, but mine had a DearElder in it! Ask Ana if she remembers the letter she accidentally sent to the wrong address, way back when I first got into the MTC. Well, I got it!! haha. I guess they've just saved it this whole time, and put it in my packet. Incredible.Sister S made stroganoff for dinner and a beet salad. It was good. She also gave me all sorts of hints on suvounir buying. She's great. I told her about following her blog. Oh, and I told her to tell you (mom) about the second phone call in the airport. I had to hang up and go before the call was even through, so don't worry, you didn't miss anything. I just wanted to tell you I love you. So... I love you. haha!

So the next day President S took us on the metro for the first time. Wow! It is intense! I love it. I will be able to surf by the end of two years. hahaWe went to Red Square!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh my goodness!!!! It is amazing. You just stand in the middle of it, look one way, the Kremlin; look another way, St. Basil's Cathedral; look back, Lenin's mosoleum; turn around, the most expensive mall in the world. Unbelievable. Don't worry, I took plenty of pictures.Then we went contacting, we met our companions. Elder Z is great. He walks very fast. He definitely keeps me on my toes. I met the first Russian Stake President. Epic. I've been on my first split. We went Chalk Drawing!! How cool is that. This isn't all in the first day, but I'm running out of time. We get an hour now that we're out in the field, but it goes by just as fast. I am trying to speak as much as I can in Russian. One of the coolest experiences yet was in a lesson, I was trying to explain something, the when I finished, the man said the spirit carried the message, and finished faster than I did. haha. It was great. I cannot believe I am here! I have to keep reminding myself. Not that I forget, but that sometimes I literally just cannot believe it.Well, I love you all. Tell Everyone Hello! The gospel is true.

Elder H