November 26, 1996 - Tuesday

Last night we went to FHE. It was fun. It was a district [meaning Moscow wide] thing so there was a lot of people there. We ate and I don’t [think that] my turkey was quite done. I hope I don’t get some sickness from it or a tape worm or something. Then they all shared (or three of them shared) thoughts about Thanksgiving. Then we came home. Elder Dent was there and I told him my mom was going to call and ask his mom if she could send some stuff over. He said great.

[Remember that for a region that doesn't yet have stakes - the word district has two meanings.  For Mission organization it refers to an area that several companionships are in, or just the group of missionaries themselves.  Most districts that I were in had between 6 and 10 missionaries.  Districts in Church organization can be replaced with Stake, just like Branches replaced Wards.] 

[After talking about a problem I was having]
In “Jesus the Christ” it talks about how some devils only come out through fasting and prayer and it is logical that some sins only come out through fasting and prayer. Besides fasting is one of the only ways I will feel good about myself.

9:33pm Today we didn’t have a district meeting because Elder Pabst – a German Elder – got lost on the way there.

[Post Journal Chat – In Russian a lot of the different countries sound almost the same as in English.

Japan – Yapon,
Germany – Germaniya,
Russia – Rossiya.

And most of the language names go along with what the country is – just ending in …ski.
English – Angliskii,
Yaponskii,
Ruskii….but Germany is not Germanskii. It is Nemyetskii – a Nyemets is a mute/deaf person. Evidently German speaking foreigners were one of the first nationalities that Russians got to know and couldn’t understand them. That’s like saying that Mexicans speak foreignese or deaffish.
Sorry – but I find that hilarious.]

September 12, 1996 - Thursday

Well today I was made a senior companion.  We change every two weeks so for the first little while I am in charge.  That just means that I get to say where we go.  It's all the same any way.  I had an interview with the Branch Pres. and he asked if there was some unresolved concerns.  [I told him about some past sins that I had already taken care of.  He explained that even after missionaries had taken care of things - the MTC kind of brings them out again and you feel guilty again].  Afterwords I still felt concerned about it, but then I rebuked satan and invited the Spirit.  I couldn't feel bad, so I think that I am clean and it was only a ploy of satan.  night.