Food and Compliments

Sang with Ashley and Lindsey in church Sunday and Tyler played the piano for us. We will be singing again this next week because it is my last. It'll be fun cuz my mom will be here! She comes Friday, and I can't wait to see her! We have all of our hostels/hotels booked, and I'm booking our last train to Petersburg today. Now I just have to figure out how we're going to fit everything in while she's here!

After church Sunday, I went with a bunch of the study abroad students to Justin and Ann Marie's place for spaghetti. It was fun to get together with everyone, and it was extra convenient cuz I was out of food at my own house haha Tyler and I ended up taking off before the movie, but I'm glad we went.

Speaking of food, Acia and I had the best borscht today. Her sister made it last night, and Acia brought it in for the two of us. So good!!! Probably the best I've had! We rounded out the afternoon with a trip down to the fruit stand at the rinok and bought some grapes that Acia described as "Like those ones that grow on people's front porches in New York--the wild, sour ones" and some apricots. Then we decided it just wouldn't be right if we let our vafli vednesday tradition go un-upheld, so we are reinstating it tomorrow! It will be in special memory of Eli, so of course there has to be ice cream and maybe, just maybe, an office dance party.

Grandpa is being recognized tomorrow for keeping the old west alive and for contributing to the cowboy culture at the Days of 47 tomorrow! I am so excited to talk to him tomorrow over skype!

Tyler and I talked a lot about school and how to figure out what to do with our lives. It actually got me really excited about law school again. I am going to have to hit the books pretty hard to prepare for the LSAT when I get home. Also, I just found out that one of my favorite professors--Wiseman--is teaching a class on theories of diplomacy this fall, so I might enroll in that. Now I have to narrow my class schedule down again. I had just gone from 5 classes to 3, and now I have to go from 4 back to 3. We'll see--but whatever I decide, I am going to have amazing classes this fall! So far it's down to Theories of Diplomacy, News Media and the Foreign Policy Process, International Law, and Religion and Conflict. This last cut is going to be a tough one! I already dropped Conflict Management and Campaign Strategies. Just glad I have one more semester after this to pick up a few more classes!!

Gave the spiritual thought this morning at devotional with legal and public affairs. That was fun and Brother Neiron gave me the best compliment I think I have ever received in my life! He told me I have poise and that if I marry a man worthy of me, I'll end up as a mission mom (Mission President's wife). Hopefully in Russia ;) He then said, "You know, some people don't like being called a lady, but let me tell you the difference between a woman and a lady--a lady knows how to carry herself, and she knows what to say and how to say it. And that's what you are--a lady--you command respect when you walk into a room. Your level of education and ability to think about things sets you apart." That may have been the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.

Elder Manzhos left for Vladivostok today. It has been really great working with him--he is such a good man! I have been really blessed to meet so many amazing people here in Moscow.