Sveiki Visiems!

First, Elder Leishman and I have been talking a lot about music and what to listen to when we get home. I want to listen to everything because I love music so much, but if that hampers my spirituality, then I don't want to. I had a question for you, mom and dad, just based on something I noticed growing up and something that Elder Leishman's dad told him. First, did you not feel like listening to some of the music you listened to before your mission, afterwards? Second, why? I noticed that neither of you really played music much ever, but was that because you just didn't really care or felt it hurt your spirituality or just slowly stopped. Just curious.

This week was mostly spent in finding efforts, so had a few interesting experiences.

While contacting two girls about our age call out to us, in British accents, "are you the mormons?" I have developed a tendancy to kinda ignore those sort of catcalls because generally they are from people who just want to poke fun, but felt like I should talk to them, so we did. Turns out they were tourists from Finland who had been meeting with missionaries on and off for 2 yrs going on a road trip to Macedonia for some prayer event. They just had a couple questions about how to say things since they knew that Mormons always speak the language. Good to know that people can count on us for something.

Later that day we were walking and a guy dropped his wallet I stopped and was going to pick it up, when another guy, hereafter refferred to as theif, grabbed it and booked it. I just stood there, the first guy was on the phone as well. I looked around not knowing whether to chase the theif or call to the guy or what, a third man saw as well and looked like he was going to go after the theif so I wasn't worried, but then he wasn't doing anything so I moved to go talk to the guy now walletless, but....SURPRISE!! An interviewer and camerman accosted us. Asking if we saw it and what went through our heads. I then noticed all actors assembled together laughing and realized we had been punk'd, minus Ashton Kutcher. Anyway, I explained I was confused and didn't know what to do, but was about to go tell the guy as they interrupted me. Crazy.

We went to Orestas's house to do some more ervice and eat some more delicious food. It was great. Had an exchange with Elder Sherman and met with Orestas. It was great. Discovered even more how much he's changed his life and is commited to living right. He was going to bring a friend to Church, so was waiting for her, but she didn't show and didn't show, so finally he left. He knew he was late, so when the bus got to the stop, he sprinted to the Church to take the sacrament. He made it inside the building just as a member went into the foyer, it was a miracle. He will be getting baptized not this saturday but next Saturday. He's awesome.

English class in the spiritual thought was a miracle. Last week, it didn't go so well, there was just kinda a bad Spirit about it. THey had asked what was different about our Church, so we explained the Apostasy and Restoration of authority, emphasizing that during the Apostasy the religious people were good people doing what they could, but some of our class took it as us bashing on their religion. This week we just asked if they had questions. They did. About tithing specifically, so we taught about tithing. At the end of the lesson, they said 'oh, i understand now. That makes a lot of sense." It was fantastic.

Yesterday we sang as a district in center and a woman, who was blind happened to stop to listen to us. As we finished up, a drunk man approached her for money, she tried to just tell him off, but he wouldn't leave and she couldn't really quickly exit, due to her blindness. The sisters wanted to talk to her, so Elder Leishman and I approached the drunk man and got his attention and then led him away from the woman, so that the sisters could introduce her to the Gospel and to help her out. He seemed to be following us without really wanting to, a blessing and mini miracle. We then stood and watched to ensure that he didn't return to bother the woman and the sisters. While standinghe and his drunk friends left, one coming to talk to us. He told us he respected us, but that we shouldn't talk about our Church here because Kaunas is the most terrible, cruel, Godless city in all of Lithuania. He proceeded to tell us how awful it was and then I just said, well that's why we're here. They need it the most. He then said in English "Yes, of course.' wished us good luck and walked away. Hilarious.

Lithuania is wonderful. I love being here, every minute of it. I appreciate your prayers and pray for you. Enjoy your summer and work hard.

Love,

Vyresnysis Kanoris Hiltonas