Hey family,
I AM IN RUSSIA. What a culture shock to be here. When I exited the plane, it was such a shock to me. Russia is way different than America. I have felt so guilty for how much I have taken for granted in my life. The people here live off nothing. They are poor, and often don't have much. I met my companion the second day. Her name is Sister Young. She has been out for about a year now. She is awesome. We are assigned to an area named Penza. It is about an 8 hour train ride from the Mission Home. It is not really clean here. Yesterday, Sister Young and I got trapped in a dust tornadoe! haha. The water comes out foggy and sometimes brown so we are not allowed to drink it. We are suppose to wear water shoes in the showers to avoid getting planter warts. We are not allowed to eat the "fresh" fish here, and we have to clean the produce REALLY well. Things are way different here, but man do I just love it. I have never walked more in my life. I have never rode on so many buses or van like taxi's. It is crazy how much we walk and ride transportation.
My first lesson here was incredible. Sister Young and her past companion found a 21 year old guy named Dema when knocking. They have talked with him several times, but have not officially had a lesson. The day we arrived in Penza was Dema's first real lesson. We talked about the Book of Mormon and I tried to teach him in my broke Russian how to pray. The spirit was stronger than I have ever felt! At the end of the lesson, I asked him to pray. It was incredible to teach him. We have been busy at work! I am grateful for this chance I have to be here to teach these people! They need the gospel. I have been rejected many times, but that doesn't matter because this gospel is true!
I am sorry this email is shorter than usual. I promise I will write more! You are all in my prayers. I am grateful for your love and your example to me! Keep of the hard work!
The language is challenging, but with the help of the Lord, my trainer, and with hard work it will all work out!
I love my Father in Heaven. I am so blessed to be a missionary!!
I love you all,
Sister McCartt (DEVY :))
Monday, April 29, 2013
Monday, April 15, 2013
4 more Days!!!!
Hey Everyone!
GUESS WHAT? I leave for Russia in 4 days! I am scheduled to fly out on Monday, April 15th at 5:00 am. The flight over there is crazy. We fly out of SLC at 8:31 am MTN time. I will have time to call you before then. We arrive in at 2:57pm then we quickly rush to our flight to Moscow, Russia which flies out at 4:10pm. We then arrive in Moscow, Russia at 9:55 am (They are 10 hours ahead). That means it will be 2:10 am your time. I have a SUPER long layover. I can call anytime between 2:10 am to 8ish am. (Tell me what time works best for you. I think Sister Walker's parents are getting me a prepaid phone and international card. I will let you know more one Saturday. I don't believe we are going to call on Saturday, but I can email on Saturday so please tell me any concerns you have. I would really like to talk for an hour or so on Monday morning around 830 to 930 your time. What phone number is best?) I FINALLY arrive in Samara at 4:50 pm. That is such a crazy thought to me! Next week, I WILL be in Russia with a new companion meeting my NEW mission presidents in just a week. I will be FORCED to talk ONLY Russian to everyone. I know this will help my learning curve like CRAZY! I cannot tell you how scary, but exciting this feeling is to me. These are my last few days in America for 15 1/2 - 16 months! I am VERY excited to share the gospel with the people of Russia. They are often explained as people with hard shells, but if you just love them, they will do anything for you. I am excited to bring the joy I have because of this gospel into their lives. I love the people of Russia already. I know I am meant to be there. I know that there are people in Russia who will help me grow, and I know there are people in Russia who Heavenly Father needs me to teach. I know that the gospel will bring much peace and happiness in their lives. The people of Russia have had such hard lives because of the war and communism. I am beyond excited to invite them to come unto Christ and give them our burdens.
I heard an incredible story yesterday about Eric Littleton. He was an incredible runner. He ran in the 1924 Olympics He qualified for the 200m race. When he found out that the race was on Sunday; he refused to run. Even though he was not of our faith, he had been raised to keep the Sabbath day holy. He began training for the 400m race. He was afraid he would not qualify, but he worked his butt off to try. He decided he would race in both races, but if he went to the finals for the 200m race; he decided that he would not run. Well he did. He made it to the finals. His country was so angry with him, but he held his ground and he honored what the Lord had commanded him. After all of his training, he also ended up qualifying for the 400m race. They put him on the outer lane, not thinking much of his ability to win. Right before the race began, an american racer handed him a little piece of paper with 1 Sam 2:30 written on it. It reads, " Those who honor me, I will honor." He read it an smiled. He gave his all and ran and ran. He didn't know where the other runners were so he continued to give his all. He not only won the 400m race, but he also broke the world record. What an incredible story. I know that this applies for each of us. As we give our all for the Lord, he will bless us. As we serve him and honor him, he will honor us.
I am sorry this letter isn't so long, but I will write to you on Saturday. I love you lots and lots and lots. I am so thankful for such an amazing family! Keep up the good work! Remember how important it is to study your scriptures and pray sincerely daily! I know the Lord will bless and honor you!
Well I love you lots,
I will talk to you on Monday! I can't wait to hear your voices. Don't forget to let me know what time works best for moscow. The rest of my times are limited in SLC. I would really like to talk to you then as well.
love,
yfld
dev
My lovely Sister friends going to Thailand We were "bathroom friends" for 4 weeks then we decided to learn each others names :) haha
My lovely Sister friends going to Thailand We were "bathroom friends" for 4 weeks then we decided to learn each others names :) haha
We all randomly matched!
I GOT MY TRAVEL PLANS. We leave APRIL 15TH!
so HAPPY
Our last temple trip! CRAZY to think my next temple trip will be with YOU.
12 Days Left!! Week 8
Hello Family!
I cannot tell you enough how awesome it was to hear your voices this week even though the circumstances weren't what I wanted! I have gotten some medicine for my headaches. I am not sure if they have them in Russia, but the doctor will find out tomorrow! I am so grateful for the wonderful family that I have. I feel so much love and support from you all. Thank you for your faith in Christ. Thank you for your love for our Father in Heaven. Daddy, I have really enjoyed reading your letters. It worked out perfectly, I got one on Monday (they don't send Dearelders on Saturdays) and I got one on Tuesday. I feel so blessed to be apart of the McCartt clan!
This week has been such a humbling week for me. I have had to MORE fully put my trust in Heavenly Father's plan, and I had to more fully rely on the Atonement of Jesus Christ for strength and comfort! This past week was Easter Sunday. On Friday, which was the day that I found out that my call may need to be changed because of my headaches, was the day almost 2,000 years ago that our Savior atoned for each of our pains, hardships, sorrows, and sins. When our teacher told me this, after a day of burden and stress, I just began to cry, all that stress and burden was just lifted. I was able to turn to my Savior because he already knew how I was feeling. I had been praying to truly feel the Atonement working in my life and at that moment, I truly experienced it. I cannot express in words how much our Brother, Jesus Christ loves us. He wants to help us and he wants us to be happy. ALL we need to do is turn to him. He knows how we are feeling for he has suffered and felt it for us. I love the Russian language because each word has such beautiful meaning. The word for Atonement in Russian is Искупление. In Russian it means "bought out completely". The Savior has suffered for us COMPLETELY. I hope that you never forget this sweet message. We are never alone! He is always there to lift us up and give us strength.
I am glad to be a missionary. It is the hardest, but yet the best work that I have ever done. In order for me to grow closer to my Father in Heaven, I must be willing to have hard moments and go through dark places. God has chosen me to go serve the people of Russia. I must do what my Savior would do if he was here. I am a servant of God. Russia will be challenging, furthering my knowledge of Russian will be challenging, but this message is so important! I need to truly forget myself and do what the Lord needs me to do. I know I will receive the strength that I need to accomplish the work that the Savior needs me to do.
Thank you for your example. Thank you for your love! I feel it even though we are thousands of miles apart! I often picture you kneeling by your beside praying for my behalf, just like I do the same for you. I feel your prayers. Thank you for being so wonderful to me! Thanks you for all of your letters! I don't have much time on the computer, but I will try next week to write each of you a letter before I leave! I will have time to respond when I am in the field! I get my travel plans TOMORROW! holy cow! AND then I leave for RUSSIA in 11 days. My mind is blown! I have so much to learn and so much to do!
I love each one of you and I pray for you multiple times a day! I am sorry this is shorter than usual, but I must get off!
i love you! Love your favorite left-handed daughter,
Devynn!
I cannot tell you enough how awesome it was to hear your voices this week even though the circumstances weren't what I wanted! I have gotten some medicine for my headaches. I am not sure if they have them in Russia, but the doctor will find out tomorrow! I am so grateful for the wonderful family that I have. I feel so much love and support from you all. Thank you for your faith in Christ. Thank you for your love for our Father in Heaven. Daddy, I have really enjoyed reading your letters. It worked out perfectly, I got one on Monday (they don't send Dearelders on Saturdays) and I got one on Tuesday. I feel so blessed to be apart of the McCartt clan!
This week has been such a humbling week for me. I have had to MORE fully put my trust in Heavenly Father's plan, and I had to more fully rely on the Atonement of Jesus Christ for strength and comfort! This past week was Easter Sunday. On Friday, which was the day that I found out that my call may need to be changed because of my headaches, was the day almost 2,000 years ago that our Savior atoned for each of our pains, hardships, sorrows, and sins. When our teacher told me this, after a day of burden and stress, I just began to cry, all that stress and burden was just lifted. I was able to turn to my Savior because he already knew how I was feeling. I had been praying to truly feel the Atonement working in my life and at that moment, I truly experienced it. I cannot express in words how much our Brother, Jesus Christ loves us. He wants to help us and he wants us to be happy. ALL we need to do is turn to him. He knows how we are feeling for he has suffered and felt it for us. I love the Russian language because each word has such beautiful meaning. The word for Atonement in Russian is Искупление. In Russian it means "bought out completely". The Savior has suffered for us COMPLETELY. I hope that you never forget this sweet message. We are never alone! He is always there to lift us up and give us strength.
I am glad to be a missionary. It is the hardest, but yet the best work that I have ever done. In order for me to grow closer to my Father in Heaven, I must be willing to have hard moments and go through dark places. God has chosen me to go serve the people of Russia. I must do what my Savior would do if he was here. I am a servant of God. Russia will be challenging, furthering my knowledge of Russian will be challenging, but this message is so important! I need to truly forget myself and do what the Lord needs me to do. I know I will receive the strength that I need to accomplish the work that the Savior needs me to do.
Thank you for your example. Thank you for your love! I feel it even though we are thousands of miles apart! I often picture you kneeling by your beside praying for my behalf, just like I do the same for you. I feel your prayers. Thank you for being so wonderful to me! Thanks you for all of your letters! I don't have much time on the computer, but I will try next week to write each of you a letter before I leave! I will have time to respond when I am in the field! I get my travel plans TOMORROW! holy cow! AND then I leave for RUSSIA in 11 days. My mind is blown! I have so much to learn and so much to do!
I love each one of you and I pray for you multiple times a day! I am sorry this is shorter than usual, but I must get off!
i love you! Love your favorite left-handed daughter,
Devynn!
Sister Jolley and I
At the temple! Elder Jaynes trying to be 5'5 haha
This is Elder Jaynes! He is 6'7! He is SO tall and guess what he is only 19!! SO YOUNG BUT SO TALL
Our Friend Elder Moe! He was our older! He left last Sunday!
YAY, just learning Russian!
ALL OF our older left last week and now it is our turn~! ahhhh, we get travel plans tomorrow :)
ALL OF our older left last week and now it is our turn~! ahhhh, we get travel plans tomorrow :)
Elder Moe and I
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
MTC week 7!
Hello Family!
This week has been a humbling week. Each week that passes by, I see myself changing and becoming who my Father in Heaven wants me to be. I have a lot of improvement still needed, but I know that as I give my all; Heavenly Father WILL in fact help me. A few things that happened this week really helped me to feel my purpose as a missionary. On Sunday, I received a huge tender mercy. I was having a rough day. I am not sure why, but just sometimes in the MTC things get challenging. Anyway, after devotional, I saw a group of our Russians gathering in the front. I remembered that Samara's area Seventy was here visiting so we ran up to talk to him. I never got to talk to him because I started talking to a 16 year old girl names Elizabeth from Saratov, Russia (One of the areas in my mission). She was SO precious. As we talked, I couldn't help but feel so much love for her and the people of Russia. I just couldn't stop smiling. I am so so so excited to serve the people of Russia and just love them! My language will come with time, but my love for them and my desire to help them come unto Christ is already there. I am grateful for the Lord's tender mercies that help me get through the challenging moments here at the MTC. I have received an immense amount of strength and love from my Heavenly Father. My love for my Savior has significantly grown as I more fully apply the Atonement in my life. I am SO grateful for Jesus Christ and His willingness to atone for you and me. Words cannot express my gratitude to Him!
This week I really took the advice of our Branch President, President Harrison. He asked us to really focus on learning more about the Savior each week. I have been striving to start each week with the thought, "What can I do to grow closer to my Savior. And What more can I learn about him this week?" This week I have just really focused on how the Savior reacted when those around him rejected him. I was reading before bed last night when I came across this beautiful verse in 1st Nephi 19:9. The part that really hit home to read "... Wherefore they scourge him, and he sufferth it, and they smite him, and he sufferth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he sufferth it because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men". What a profound verse. Jesus Christ was mocked and spit upon, yet he allowed it and "sufferth" it because of his patience and his love for them. I want to be more charitable. I want to feel the pure love of Christ for those I teach and for those I come in contact with each day. I want to be more like my Savior. I am thankful for his example. I am thankful for his love for me. I am thankful for his atonement. Wow, what a blessing we have to know that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we CAN become clean. Through his Atonement, we CAN receive strength and comfort because He knows what we have been through. He knows it because He experienced it and suffered it for you and me. What a powerful message. I can't wait to share this message with Russia!
This week has been a humbling week. Each week that passes by, I see myself changing and becoming who my Father in Heaven wants me to be. I have a lot of improvement still needed, but I know that as I give my all; Heavenly Father WILL in fact help me. A few things that happened this week really helped me to feel my purpose as a missionary. On Sunday, I received a huge tender mercy. I was having a rough day. I am not sure why, but just sometimes in the MTC things get challenging. Anyway, after devotional, I saw a group of our Russians gathering in the front. I remembered that Samara's area Seventy was here visiting so we ran up to talk to him. I never got to talk to him because I started talking to a 16 year old girl names Elizabeth from Saratov, Russia (One of the areas in my mission). She was SO precious. As we talked, I couldn't help but feel so much love for her and the people of Russia. I just couldn't stop smiling. I am so so so excited to serve the people of Russia and just love them! My language will come with time, but my love for them and my desire to help them come unto Christ is already there. I am grateful for the Lord's tender mercies that help me get through the challenging moments here at the MTC. I have received an immense amount of strength and love from my Heavenly Father. My love for my Savior has significantly grown as I more fully apply the Atonement in my life. I am SO grateful for Jesus Christ and His willingness to atone for you and me. Words cannot express my gratitude to Him!
This week I really took the advice of our Branch President, President Harrison. He asked us to really focus on learning more about the Savior each week. I have been striving to start each week with the thought, "What can I do to grow closer to my Savior. And What more can I learn about him this week?" This week I have just really focused on how the Savior reacted when those around him rejected him. I was reading before bed last night when I came across this beautiful verse in 1st Nephi 19:9. The part that really hit home to read "... Wherefore they scourge him, and he sufferth it, and they smite him, and he sufferth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he sufferth it because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men". What a profound verse. Jesus Christ was mocked and spit upon, yet he allowed it and "sufferth" it because of his patience and his love for them. I want to be more charitable. I want to feel the pure love of Christ for those I teach and for those I come in contact with each day. I want to be more like my Savior. I am thankful for his example. I am thankful for his love for me. I am thankful for his atonement. Wow, what a blessing we have to know that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we CAN become clean. Through his Atonement, we CAN receive strength and comfort because He knows what we have been through. He knows it because He experienced it and suffered it for you and me. What a powerful message. I can't wait to share this message with Russia!
One of our goals as a companionship is to only speak kind words to one another. I think this has helped us not get offended and it has helped settle many uneasy feelings. It has not been easy, and it still isn't, but I am focused and determined to make it work as best as possible. I am working to focus more on others and serve them more. I want to see every one as Christ sees them! I know with the Savior, I will be able to receive strength and comfort that i need.
This week, I have been working to be more positive. It has helped me smile even when days are challenging.
I am doing all I can to be more in tune with the Spirit. I am working to better hear the promptings of the Spirit and then have the courage to act upon them. I know that Heavenly Father will help me as I remain worthy and diligent to have the Holy Ghost as my companion.
A lot of things happened this week. I had my hard days, but it was amazing to remember the support I had at home. This thought made my hard days, easier days. I am thank you for your support and love, mom and dad. I am thankful for your prayers! I am thankful for the picture book that I received from Shelby, Shea, and Sister McClellan. I love it! I shared it with my companions. It was wonderful to be able to just talk about you all and how much I love you!
This week, I have been working to be more positive. It has helped me smile even when days are challenging.
I am doing all I can to be more in tune with the Spirit. I am working to better hear the promptings of the Spirit and then have the courage to act upon them. I know that Heavenly Father will help me as I remain worthy and diligent to have the Holy Ghost as my companion.
A lot of things happened this week. I had my hard days, but it was amazing to remember the support I had at home. This thought made my hard days, easier days. I am thank you for your support and love, mom and dad. I am thankful for your prayers! I am thankful for the picture book that I received from Shelby, Shea, and Sister McClellan. I love it! I shared it with my companions. It was wonderful to be able to just talk about you all and how much I love you!
I love you family! Never forget that! Never forget that our Heavenly Father loves us!
Love your crazy daughter and sister,
Sister Devynn McCartt
Love your crazy daughter and sister,
Sister Devynn McCartt
My teacher literally drew this in a minute. It is like we are inside a bus!
Another one of my Brazilian friends. She leaves the same day as me!
These signs are on the wall by my bed! Thanks Ryan for your inspiration :)
I meant to send this last week. A Brazilian friend of mine!
Apparently putting toothpaste on blemishes works! SO i decided to experiment.
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