Free food!

Sveiki sveiki!! 

I hope everyone had a great week! 

Last Monday as a zone we made crafts and played basketball which was super fun! We wanted to do something outside but it rained the hardest I have ever seen! It was so crazy! My companions and I were walking to our tram stop and we each had our own umbrella and as we were walking I saw this lady just standing to the side trying to get out of the rain. I had the thought to offer her my umbrella but we ended up walking down the street together hand in hand trying not to get wet. She was the cutest and kindest lady! We ended up needing to go different ways so I let her take my umbrella so she could continue on. I was only in the rain for about 2 seconds after that but I got soaked! It was so crazy! There were puddles everywhere and it was super fun to jump in them. 

Tuesday we had dinner with the family from Canada. It was so good and yummy. They also have two little boys and they are the cutest ever. It was so fun to spend time with them and get to know them better. 

Wednesday we were contacting and it was kind of a rougher day and not too many people. But I saw two women staring at their tourist map looking lost so I asked if they needed help and it turns out they were from Texas! It was so fun to talk to other Americans. One of them knew a lot about us because she worked a lot in Utah. They were super sweet and even though they aren't members of our church they were so supportive and nice of what we do and encouraged us to keep going. It definitely helped us keep going! God answers prayers in all ways! I also said goodbye to Sister Goodell and Smith-Driggs this week. They are the best and I'm so grateful I got the blessing of serving with them!! We also got to our apartment building that night but a drunk man was standing at the door so Sister Boswell and I saw him and immediately turned around to walk to the back of our building where we have another entrance but Sister Loo didn't register it completely and just keeps walking and walks up to him basically until she realizes what is happening and then quickly and awkwardly turns around turns out he lives in our building so we quietly climbed the stairs so he didn't realize we were there. 

Thursday we had a lesson with Liana! It was so good! We are going to start skypeing once a week to read the Book of Mormon. She is doing great though and has a great desire to help the other people we are working with. She has the sweetest heart. We were supposed to have a few other lessons but they fell through and so we had time for dinner and we decided to run to Subway for dinner because it's the best place. We go there pretty often and have become friends with all the employees there and so we get our food and sit down and as we are eating one of the employees come and gives us free cookies and she had remembered our favorite kinds too! It was so sweet of her! We were also contacting and we tried stopping this one lady but she just said no and kept walking so we kept going and a few minutes later she runs back to us to tell us that she also believes in Christ and then left again. It was sweet she came back! 

Friday also was a crazy day. We were at the church doing companion study when I get a call from Elder Mateer and he told us we needed to be at the immigration office at that exact time but no had told us so we call a taxi and get to our apartment and grab Sister Boswell's passport and the taxi wouldn't wait for us so we ran to the tram and were able to make it in good timing! So Sister Boswell is still legal to be here yay! Ed Sheeran was also in Rīga on Friday and we tried to go but we couldn't haha. But I can say I was in the same city as him! We also had a lesson cancel on Friday so we had time to grab a quick dinner and we went to Hasana, my favorite kebab place, and the owner was there and gave us free rice! Second day of free food! It was so awesome! Then we went to sports night with two of our friends from the soup kitchen! It was so fun! 

Saturday we went to the soup kitchen and we had to do dishes this time but it was so fun! I love that place. We also met with Dace this week and it was the best. She is the best! At the end of the lesson we were getting ready to pray and we ask Diana to kind of as a joke because she is so little but then SHE STARTS PRAYING! It was the cutest thing ever. Dace had tears of joy because she has wanted that for so long. It was such a sweet moment. 

Evita came to church Sunday. She's doing awesome! We'll meet with her later this week. And līga gave her first talk and it was so so sweet. She talked about her conversion story and the difference in her life since having the gospel. And she's going to the temple! She is killing it. Sacrament meeting overall was great. I was sitting more in the back and was able to see the congregation and I was filled with love for these people. I'm so grateful for them and the friendships I have made. We also visited Jekabs! It's been a while but it was good to see him. We read the Book of Mormon together and sang church songs and some American ones for him. It was so fun! One member also gave a great talk about missionary work and he asked everyone to think of their first missionary and even though I don't have one like all the members here I thought of the countless people in my life who have helped me. And I just want to thank you all! Thank you to my parents, leaders, friends, family, and ward for the love and support and great examples. You all have had a huge impact on my life and I'm so grateful for it! Thank you for helping me love the gospel and get here on a mission. I'm eternally indebted to you all and God for this great blessing! We never truly know the impact of our good deeds but God does. I'm grateful for all the acts of service and love from you. I love this gospel so much and I love Jesus Christ. I'm grateful for His infinite atonement and love. I know He lives and loves us. 

I love you all and thank you!!! Have the best week. 

Love,

Māsa Brūnere

Pics

1. Saying bye! 

2. Whiteboarding

3. Selfie

4. Free cookies