To answer the question about when the Church here celebrates Easter. They kind of do both, but probably more so the one in May. I don't know if there is much special that they do here, I don't really remember from last year, the only thing i remember is that they have a cool phrase that everyone uses instead of just saying "Happy Easter". The first person says "иисус воскрес" then the second person says "во истину воскрес" which means "Jesus has risen" "He has indeed risen" or pretty much like that. I know they paint eggs but they don't hide them.
This week went really well. Wednesday was pretty good, we had a lesson scheduled before English with V. and we called Z, a member, to come teach him with us. But Z showed up with his friend, also Z, who is also our investigator, with whom we had lost contact for a while. Plus one of the other Elders' investigators was there already, so we called the other Elders who shortly came, and the cool thing was Elder Noel came really early so we were able teach everyone. I went with Z to teach Z. Elders Batson and Berg taught V. And Elders Duncan and Noel taught their investigator who could speak some English.
Then we have been having some really good success with P and V. P hasn't smoked for 2 weeks. He had a baptismal interview and now we are planning his baptism for Saturday. The members have done a really good job befriending V and now it is really nice that he is at the point where we don't have to worry about him at church and stuff, because it is easy for him to find someone to sit by. His personality is a little argumentative and it always seems like the lessons didn't go great, but then he always keeps his commitments, and he has really been changing. Last time I asked him if he thought he would be ready for his baptismal date, he said, "Yeah, I think I will" when before he approached it as more of a tentative goal and didn't think he was going to be ready for it.
No huge progress with any of the other investigators for now.
Saturday morning we had a really good service project. There is this little tradition that Lenin started where on the last Saturday in April everyone gets together to clean up the cities. In Krasno they went pretty big on it. If it happened in Novo last year I didn't notice. All of the government officials and volunteer organizations participated, also all of the schools had areas that they were in charge of cleaning, and our branch had an area, it was really cool. We filled two garbage trucks full of trash. I fulfilled a childhood dream throwing garbage bags into the truck.
Then that evening we put on a little talent show. I juggled again then I gave a spiritual thought at the end. It was a good night, decent but not a huge turnout. Some investigators and a good handful of people from English came and some members. One of the English goers that came also came to church the next day, and she is really into the church and already getting along really well with the members. I bet the sisters will have her baptized within the next little while.
Well that is pretty much all that I can think of today. I'll be going with Elder Harrison to Novosibirsk on Wednesday for leadership council. We are really looking forward to the baptism on Saturday. We are going to see the Krasnoyarsk basketball team for culture night tonight.
Sunday at church was really awesome there were 130 people at sacrament meeting. That is about 20 higher than it has ever been this year.
