Thanks to family and friends!

The month of November was completely full of interesting experiences and then there were those that I promised to recount from before that. Well, then I left Azerbaijan for more than a month at the end of November to go to Tbilisi, Georgia for a week with my Masters students on a sort-of field trip, then to Istanbul for a couple of days on my own, before spending most of the month of December floating around the U.S. to see most of my family in D.C., Monterey, and Nevada and many friends in Monterey. I returned to Baku to work on the 30th of December just to find that the Rector had given everyone the day off to make the long weekend with New Years and another Muslim holiday even longer. I'm glad I came back, though, because I did need to work that day to prepare to teach on the 5th, which was the first day after the holiday.

I have to say to family and friends who I talked to over the break and heard my giant list of complaints and reasons for not wanting to return after a number of issues that went down a little before and more right after I left for my break in teaching: I survived the first week!! Honestly, there is only one reason I survived this first week and that is the Lord. After much prayer, fasting, a blessing, and others' prayers (thank you!!!), I know that it was only through Him that I was strengthened to handle what I had to face upon my return. I'll save the complaints for those that I didn't see or who didn't hear about them, but I'll say that it wasn't pretty and it was enough for me to consider ending my contract early and not to return. However, the Lord had something else in mind for me and I returned; thus, he helped me work out many of the issues that I needed to and to rebuild the friendships and trust that I had built among faculty and staff and students. I have not seen the end of the difficulties and challenges, but I know that I'll continue to be strengthened and guided as to how to deal with them and to come out well in the end. Thank you again to all who have been praying for me!!

One of those reasons that I know I'm here is the same as I've mentioned in the past: missionary work. I continue to have opportunities to talk about my beliefs and even Christianity in general in spite of the laws against proselyting and other barriers. Everyone knows that I'm "Mormon" and Christian and they feel that they can ask me about anything and also tell everyone else that they introduce me to that I'm a religious Christian person. It will even be announced in a game we are playing with the new students tomorrow to get to know their teachers, because the English director decided to add one thing about me: "She's a very religious person." I'm glad I am seen that way and that people ask. One of my students from Mexico in the Masters program has been coming to church since my last Sunday here in November. I spent a bit of time with him today after church answering a lot of his questions and telling him about many of our beliefs. He asked me about baptism and then whether he could be a missionary like I was in Brazil. Unfortunately for the latter, he would be too old to go as a single male, so he'll have to wait until he can go with his wife. However, for the former ... oh there could be another trip to Georgia some weekend or something ... whatever we need to do. Moscow is too complicated with Visas, even if the area authorities are there.

Anyway, I had to tell this story also to let you all know I'm where I'm supposed to be at this moment. I don't know that I'll be here for another 8 months to fulfill the contract, but right now I'm here where the Lord wants me. I'll face the challenges I have to face with His help and then go when I'm supposed to.