Hopeth all things....

Okay, here are the answers to your questions.
1. I accidentally forgot my camera at the apartment, so I can't send pictures. I also forgot to send pictures of Thanksgiving...I know that I am a forgetful son, so I am really sorry. I really wanted to send pictures.
2. That coat I bought a few months ago is awesome, and I have kept it in my bags. It hasn't gotten too FREEZING cold yet, and so I don't want to get it out unless I need it. I have sometimes used my pea coat, and it works just fine! I am keeping very warm and very happy.
3. I am actually going to Finland on Wednesday, and I will send Britton a present then. I hope he will like it. I found a place in Novosibirsk where they hand-paint matroshka dolls, and the senior couple, the Huffakers, got a nativity set painted. I don't know how long it takes, so you will have to wait until next year. I hope to have the soda nativity done before I leave for Finland, but I don't know.
4. I just don't know what time I will be calling for Christmas right now, so I will figure that out today. So stay  tuned next week.
This week has been a really cool week.
It was my first Training Meeting. I just have to say at the very beginning,  I wasn't feeling good at all. We have had such a hard time with little success. I felt like a failure, pretty much. Then in the very beginning, President Gibbons shared Moroni 7 with us, and pausing in phrases, and naming missionaries for each line. He came to me, and the line was, "hopeth all things". I knew that this was an answer I wasn't looking for, but I still got it. Missionary work is hard, and you have to always hope, because this is the Lord's work. I felt that I needed to hope for all things, and that all will be well. Then the training got even better. We talked about finding people to teach and different ways to find them. In Moscow, a couple of sisters set up a table covered in a paper table cloth with a sign, saying, "If you could ask God one question, what would it be?" Then they had copies of the Book of Mormon out, and people flocked to write down questions and to talk to the missionaries. They showed how the Book of Mormon answered all their questions. They got a lot of contacts, and many people left with Books of Mormon. This just shows how small things can bring about great things.
Some missionaries in our mission came up with a family history presentation and they would go to people's apartments and give their presentation about how to do family history. The people of Russia are very proud of their heritage, and they love talking about their ancestors. That reminds me...Mom, could you send me a fully-filled out copy of our family history? The copy I have has pieces missing, such as places of birth, and dates when their ordinances were done. I want to be able to share my family history with others, and I have been trying to fill out a family history chart in Russian, so that others can read it and see my heritage.
Hey, brother Michael. I have a question. What kind of finding ideas did you have in Alaska? I am just thinking about how the climate is similar, so I might be able to do some of the same things.
What else? Well, we haven't had any high winds, but we have had snow and ice. I wish that I could say I have never fallen down, but I have...twice...all on the same day. People don't shovel their sidewalks very much, and a lot of the roads are always covered in snow. Sometimes you would see cars swerving all over the place on the main highways, and that would just freak me out. We were looking for some inactive members, and they lived in a sort of village-area. If you have ever seen those old wooden houses, that's what this neighborhood looked like. The roads were covered in snow and ice, but they were really dirt roads. There were also dogs EVERYWHERE. Michael had to worry about being eaten by bears, we have to worry about being eaten by packs of stray Siberian Huskies. It was awesome.
We had an amazing experience about the Book of Mormon, like you Mom. We were teaching our investigator, Antone, and we asked if he believed the Book of Mormon to be true and the word of God. The Spirit filled the room as he said "yes". A testimony of the Book of Mormon is so crucial and is the first step towards conversion. If the Book of Mormon is true, then everything else from the priesthood, Joseph Smith, the Church of Jesus Christ, Temples, are all true, if the Book of Mormon is true. One of my goals for this transfer is to read the Book of Mormon in Russian, which will be very hard, but I think will be worth it. The Book of Mormon is such a precious treasure, and I am so grateful that we can read it every day, and that it can give us guidance in our lives. The Book of Mormon has given me guidance as I am teaching people, and has given me comfort in times of trial.
I am grateful for being able to serve with Elder Patton again, and finish his training. He is an amazing Elder, and I think amazing things will happen. In testimony meeting, one member talked about Рождество (Rozhdestvo). This is Christmas is Russian, but is translated along the lines of "The Birth". The member testified that this is a season of miracles, and that we are the ones who make the miracles. President Gibbons testified to us that if we tried at least 2 new finding ideas, that miracles would occur. Elder Patton and I are really excited to try new finding ideas, such as a movie night we are having on Saturday. We are inviting people to watch Finding Faith in Christ, and I hope that it will be really effective.
So I love you all, and I pray for you. I have remembered many weeks ago when I realized how many people are praying for the missionaries. People praying in the temples, wards and branches, stakes, The First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve, The Seventy, our families, my neices and nephews,  (Oh, is Sarah going to have a boy or a girl? I want to know!) All these people are praying for our success. With these many people behind us, we are not going out alone. Most importantly, Heavenly Father is with us. Now what could be scary about Russia with such a supportive group?
I love you all, and I wish you the happiest of joys.
Elder Hoggan (The Siberian Messenger)