3 Months?!?

Sveiki! Sveiki! Sveiki!

Can you believe it's already p-day again and my 3 month mark?!? This week has gone by so fast! It's been a great week though!

Tuesday we had a lesson with Zane and it was sooo good! We committed her to living the Word of Wisdom and she received a priesthood blessing for help. We all felt the spirit so strongly through it and she thought it was one of the coolest and strangest experiences ever haha. I love the priesthood! We met with Paula again this week too and she's still doing amazing. She always says how it all makes sense to her and how special it is to her to meet with us every week. I love her, she's so great.

It rained quite a bit this week too and I loved it! It's so fun. It's harder to contact in, but it's still fun to walk around in. It makes everything pretty and even more green! 

Saturday morning we got to do service in a blind community. We raked lots and lots and lots of leaves (I'm really sore from it hahaha so sad but so fun). We had lots of fun and met lots of cool people! Also, a big surprise for my parents, I went to McDonald's twice in one day this week (I don't like McDonald's haha) we needed a quick breakfast and then after service we needed a quick lunch so we all went there haha. It's not much different from America's haha.

There's also an older man who's blind that we try to visit each week. His name is Jekabs and he's so great. He's not a member but he loves the Book of Mormon. We always read it to him, which is very helpful for me. But he's also a Latvian teach and teaches Russians Latvian. When we visited him this week he quizzed me on all I know haha which isn't much, but I always learn a lot from him.

The language is a struggle and it's hard to see any progess, but I know it'll just take time, patience, and hard work. If anyone has study ideas or tips I would LOVE to hear them, thank you :)

"Faith is trust-trust that God sees what we cannot and that He knows what we do not." From Elder Uchtdorf's talk "Fourth Floor, Last Door"

Have a great week! 

Love,

Masa Brunere

pic 1: my painting of Latvija i did at art class

pic 2: me and my cute comp holding rakes

YAY TOAST

Sveiki! Sveiki! Sveiki!

I hope everyone's week was great! I finally have a more interesting subject title for my email this week haha! Every night Masa Veila and I eat toast and cereal every night before bed because kapec ne? and everytime we do I think of the funny youtube video "Yay Toast" or something like that. Anyways, I love toast and I eat A LOT of it.

But this week was great! Last week for pday we played volleyball again with our district by a park by the river. SO PRETTY, I loved it. Masa Veila and I loved the swinging on the swings more than anything tho haha.

We also have a goal in Riga to get 30 baptisms by the end of July. If we don't we'll have to sell the other church building here in Riga because it's not being used. The building means a lot to the members so we are working are hardest! Last Sunday church was all about member missionary work, so cool! And in the meeting President Pohiklo talked about a new thing we're starting where every Thursday night missionaries will be at the church ready to teach and it'll be elders and masas for both languages. We're the only Latvian masas in Riga so we knew we would for sure be going but we had no idea about it until we announced it haha. But Thursday came and it was good! We had a brief discussion about what we believe and then we watched Meet the Mormons and in English yay!!!! It was so fun and we are doing it all summer so I am excited!

We had another lesson with Paula this week and it went good! She is so awesome and I love meeting with her. She's always so talkative which i love! She always has great answers too. We also met with Zane this week and she has a baptismal date for June 9!! She is so amazing! She has had a baptismal date before and when we were talking about it she pulled up the baptismal interview questions and told us which ones she needs to work on before June 9. She wants this and it's so cool to see it. It strengthens my testimony. We got another investigator this week too. Her name is Sandija. It was our first meeting with her. Shes's so sweet and I'm excited to keep working with her!

I also got to see my MTC friends this week!!!!!!!!! I miss them so much and it was oh so good to see them again! I also got to help in primary yesterday and it was such a tender mercy. I miss teaching primary so it was fun to spend time with the kids!

Also, I read a really good article in the Liahona this week. It's in the January 2018 one and it's the first article by President Monson. Read it! It's about repentance the great gift it is! 

have a great week!

Love,

Masa Brunere

Pics:

1: jumping for joy because Latvija is great!

2: Masa Veila and I, my fav pic :)

3: My favorite people!!!!!

4: Heartattacking a door

5: The best donuts I have ever eaten. Masa Veila and her family have a tradition of 4/20 called "glaze it, don't blaze it" so we got donuts and they are the best!

Latvija week 2!

Hello friends and family!

First, sorry I don't have a clever email subject line. I am disappointed about it, but ko lai dara? But this week was so good! I love being here in Riga! It is honestly the best. 

Last week for pday after emailing we went to Old Town. It was so fun! We went to a few shops and found this amazing place to eat. It's called Bubble Waffle. It's a waffle with bubbles and they put food into the bubbles and then they put things like ice cream with it. So so good. If it's in America, go!! Then we played sand volleyball with my district which was fun too. It was a great first pday! 

One of my favorite things so far is English Night. We have about 6-8 older people come to learn English and it is so fun. This week we taught them words about health and we sang head, shoulders, knees, and toes and did the hokey pokey with them. Haha so fun and cute. I am so glad they are willing to do riddiculous things with us!! 

We also visted a member this week, her name is Velta. She is so sweet! I love her so much. She fed us and she taught us how to make these bead bracelets and it's honestly a miracle I learned how to because I was having the hardest time understanding her Latvian, but I learned and I love to do it haha. It was so fun being able to spend time with her. 

This week we also served in a soup kitchen! It was so fun! We served them their food, but I mainly helped clean and dry the dishes which was fun haha. I got to meet a lot of the people who serve there every week. And they all spoke in English so I understand it all! 

We had another lesson with Zane this week and it was such a good lesson. She knows it's true just doesn't know if she can live everything for her whole life. She is the sweetest though. I love her and can't wait to see how everything will go with her. 

We had two pass of lessons this week also. Which means the Russians found two investigators but they speak Latvian so we teach them now. The first lady is named Liga. She has such strong faith in God and hearing her say she finds answers in the bible was so cool. She was so for the Book of Mormon but then read some things online and we aren't really sure she'll keep meeting, so sad. it made me really grateful for my testimony of the Book of Mormon. Then we met Paula and she is the best. She loves to talk and expound on all her answers, which is rare here and is so cool! I love her. 

This week was full of so much fun and lots of learning. I love being here in Latvija with all the members and meeting new people!

1 Nephi 21:16 Christ loves us and died for us. I am so grateful for HIm and to be wearing his name everyday!

Have a great week!

Love,

Masa Brunere

Pics:

1: freedom monument

2: lucky statues

3: bubble waffle

4: my first kabob and sister vail

5: heart eyes

6. Riga

I AM IN LATVIJA!!!

Hello everyone!!!

It feels like it's been forever since I last emailed but I am in Latvija finally yay!!! This first week has been great! Leaving the MTC was good. Lots of goodbyes. It was hard to say goodbye to my teachers. They're great and I do miss them but they will both be here this summer so hopefully I see both of them!! I loved my time at the MTC and was a little worried about leaving it, but it's already been so great here. Flying to Latvija was long but all the flights went well. I sat by Sister Austin and Sister Christensen for all of them which was fun.

The first day in Latvija was kind of a blur haha. We were all so tired but we came to the church right away, which is so beautiful. We had meetings with our mission president and ate. The food was great, so much better than MTC food haha! but we had this dessert called honey cake and it's been my favorite so far - so fun. That first night we also went to an FHE with the sisters. I was with a Russian sister and we went with another Russian sister and Sister Goodell. We went to a Russian family but they spoke English so I was able to understand it all. We also stayed in a hotel which was fun haha. We were asleep so fast though.

Wednesday morning we went back to the church to find out our areas and trainers! My wonderful trainer is Masa Veila. She is so fun and so sweet. She has almost been out for 9 months and has been such a blessing. And I am in Riga!! Yay!! I am so happy to be here! it's so so pretty and so fun. The tall buildings on all sides of us remind me sometimes of Disneyland or Harry Potter World so really I am in the happiest place on the planet haha! 

Some of the my favorite parts of this week were our sports night. It's every Wednesday night and we play floor hockey or card games with members or investigators. It was so fun and fun to meet everyone even though I did not know how to say much haha. We also teach an English class which is fun. We played heads up with animals which was fun haha. They are all so sweet. 

We also got a new investigator. Her name is Zane and is a pass off from the elders. She had a baptismal date but didn't feel ready so we are teaching her. We have had one lesson with her but she's so fun and sweet. We also visited a less active this week. Her name is Gunta. She fed us tea (don't worry the kind you can have) and cookies. She was so fun and sweet. 

The language is hard. I can usually get the gist of the conversations but other than that I can't do much. But it's motivating to keep me working hard at it. I know over time it'll come. I also haven't noticed to many differences with the culture yet. There are cats everywhere. Everyone looks mean and it's scary to talk to them at first but once they open up they are so fun and nice to talk to. I have talked to a few way cool people on the streets this week. I also got to watch general conference again but in Latvian which was hard to understand but i tried to pick up on all I could!
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It's so fun to be a missionary in the field! I love it here and have just been loving every second! It's great to be in Latvija. It's so pretty and I am learning so much each day!!

Sorry there isn't much this week I will try to do more next week!

I couldn't fit all the pictures so I'll have my dad add them to the blog so everyone can see them all!

Have a great week and remember God loves you and knows you!

Love,

Māsa Brūnere

Kellie forgot to add this story, she sent it to us a little later:
I forgot my funny story of the week. Wednesday we were at the church for sports night and everyone was outside looking at something so we went and looked and there was a cat that had climbed the building and someone called the firefighters to come and get it! So they came and took the time and effort to get there ladder out to save this kitten and when they finally got it up the cat was scared it feel from the top of the church! left a dent in the ground and got into the church but someone caught it and instead of just letting it go the firefighters took it with them hahah I don't know why but it was sooo funny.

1-2: Masa Veila and I

3-6: Riga
VIDEO: Apartment (Be careful, it may make you dizzy!)

7-10: Last days of the MTC

Pictures from Latvia

We found pics of Māsa Bruner on Facebook today.  So excited to see her with her new companion Māsa Vail and the first day activities.

Travel Day

- - -  NOTE FROM LUKE:

Kellie traveled from the MTC to Latvia over the last 2 days.

We were able to speak with her during a couple of her layovers - so good to hear her voice. And because you couldn't all be on the phone, she sent a voice recording a couple of weeks ago.  We thought it would be good to include that here - in case you want to hear what the language sounds like and how she interacts with her roommates.

We won't get a letter this week, instead we will get one next Monday.  Thank you to everyone that has been so kind and caring to our Kellie!

Kellie in the MTC