Week 18
4 month mark!
ALOT of stuff happened this week! First Elder Bates Got sick, so we had to spend some time healing up, and then We botha had to go to center (30-40 minutes by Marshutka) to get some medicine and stuff. So that was a time drain, and our key indicators suffered for it! But we still saw plenty of miricales! ITs hard to explain, but our key indicators dont reflect our success as missionaries, we have so many other cool things happen that we dont put down on paper!
We had a good lesson with are English Investiagator walter, he has been meeting with missionaries FOREVER, I do not even want to know how many times hes heard the Baptismal Commitment, he probably has it memorized better than I do by now. Anyway, we had an amazing lesson on the Book of Mormon, and we really showed him how we are restored, not reformed. Then we commited him to be baptized, and he said no again, but this time, unlike everytime before, we asked him why. HE explained for him it would be like a betrayal, he would be betraying his mother(who died a year ago) and his friends, and his chruch, like he would be betraying who he is. Then we talked about what happens after this life. And I said walter, what if you knew that your mother was accepting this same gospel right now, then would you accept it? He said yes i suppose I would. And then I talked about how my Dad died, and he was called home to heaven to teach this Gospel to those who died without knowing it. And I told him his mom is being taught this same message right now. It gave him a lot to think about, and I hope he will have an experience with the holy ghost and his mother that will validate what we said by the power of the spirit.
Second cool thing this week! (Besides skyping my family) last night, after a long day, with no visible success, I commented to elder Bates as we were entering our DVOR(like a park by our house) THis is when the miricale happens right? he responded, yeah thats what president said, right as we walked in the door I got a call from this random Serge that we have been trying to meet with. He was on his way home from Kyiv, and he opened up the conversation: What do you believe about God? I said "God is our Father" He said "Yes I believe this too" He continued to explain his beliefs, which were not all against the gospel, some of them highlighted truths. Then He continued, "While I was in Kyiv, I saw Hell. I saw what would happen if I did not change my ways, I am scared, and I dont know how to change, can you help Me? Please can you help me?" I responded with the most sure feeling of confidence and spirit I have ever had and said"Yes we can, and we will!" We are going to meet with him some time today!
And one more real fast, the reason for the subject line is because for Christmas Eve we went to a family in our branches home to share a quick message and then leave. It turns out that this is the first year taht they have celebrated chritmas on the 25th(Most Ukrainians and Russians celebrate it on January 7th), They explained they had no traditions, so I shared ours with them! We read the Story of Christs birth from Luke in Russian. And We showed them the Christmas video, oh my gosh the spirit was so strong there, it was so thick you could hardly breath. Then Elder Bates bore his testimony and his last line was "I am here to share this miracle with people" Siezing that perfect intro, the spirit influenced me and I said"But we cant share it without the help of the branch, so do you know anyone that would like to hear this message?" They talked about one man that we might be able to! We ate our first homemade Ukrainian dinner with them, all of it looked scary, but tasted amazing.
Well that was our week! oh yeah, Christmas dinner was 6and1/2 feet of pizza. Love you All and Merry Christmas!!
Hey buddy,
Wow...it was so great to talk to you and see your smiling face on Christmas. You were just glowing and looked so good. I was left just totally uplifted and glowing after seeing you. I didn't know what to expect, but it was better than I could have hoped for. It was great for all the kids to see you as well. I have rewatched the video again several times:). The other fun thing was the Elder Bates, and Elder Jeffery's moms both sent me the picture with you in their Skype videos. Overtime I see a new picture of you in it, it's like a little bit of you comes back to me for a moment. I love it! Send more pictures of you in it!
I am glad I had the lesson on you being exactly obedient at the beginning of your mission, because I would have fought you hard for those extra 20 minutes if not. I want to do everything I can to support you in being exactly obedient.
I have been thinking a lot lately about how I am able to have you in Ukraine wandering the streets and I am not freaking out all the time.
Jesse and April came to Christmas dinner and I showed them the video of you speaking Russian, I told them "He was just glowing". While watching the video Jesse looked at me and said, "wow, you are right, he really is glowing". When he asked about your schedule and what you do each day, I told him that you are walking the streets after dark for 3 hours. He asked, "Is that even safe?" I told him that you have to stay close to the spirit and leave the area if you feel prompted.
That is what I have been pondering upon. "Is that even safe??" The answer to the average person is "NO!" It absolutely isn't safe. But to a faithful missionary, and a faithful mother of a missionary the answer is quite different. My missionary has to rely on the spirit to keep him safe. He has to listen and know when to get out of a situation. I have faith, and know that you will be guided, and also protected. I know the Lord is by your side, as well as Dad and a host of other angels. I just think it is remarkable that you are relying on the spirit to keep you safe, but at the same time it is the spirit that is calming my fears and worries about you being there. I am confident in your safety and at peace with what you are doing. I am finding so much joy seeing you progress and learn. I love you so much.
Christmas was nice. Dakkon has been pleasant and we are hoping will find a job this week. He got the info to get his Patriarchal blessing today. We are praying he will really prepare for a mission. He is pretty lost right now with his life. I don't want him to serve for the wrong reasons, but I don't know if he even knows what is the right reason or wrong reasons at this point. I just know that serving for him is his best chance at having a good life right now. Dad talked with him about laying of games for awhile and we hope that will help. Keep the prayers coming for him for sure.
Everyone else is doing well. Jordy spoke in Sacrament meeting today about missionary work. He didn't want too and fought it pretty hard, but we settled for him to bear his testimony about it. He did a good job and talked a little about you in Ukraine.
I miss you and love you so much! Thanks again for everything you did for me, and the continuing good example you are to all the boys.
Questions-
1- Spiritual experience for the week?
2- Funniest experience for the week?
3- How did it feel for you to Skype?
4- Did it make you home sick or sad after?
5- If so...has it gotten better?
6- Are you happy, and staying positive?
7- Any specific prayers for you needed?
8- How do you like being a trainer?
9- Are you staying obedient?
10- Do you remember what lesson of obedience I am talking about in the above comment?
11- Anything I can do to make you happy, or help you?
12-Do you have any questions for me?
I love you so much!!! You are in my thoughts and prayers continually! Don't forget to say I love you this week!!!
Love you!
Mom
Funniest experience I am only going to share with you: When elder Bates got sick, We had to go to center, we ran into Sister Sullivan. When she saw my acne, she called area medical. And then I got a call from him and he talked to me about it, and then he told me to get a Benzoyl Peroxide cream, so I did. ITs just funny because sister sullivan did it all without talking to me, so when he called, he was like "Sister sullivan said you have been having some acne problems" I responded with "Well I didnt say anything to her about it so it looks like she took the initiative on this one". I am happy to know that she cares about my appearance and happiness!
Skype felt really good, and I was so excited, it was really wierd though. I loved it, what do you mean I was glowing? It didnt make me sad for sure! I was so happy after!
I am staying happy and positive all the time! Just for our investigators to get baptized!
I love being a trainer, but Elder Bates came pre trained so we are doing pretty well! Yes we are staying obedient.
I do remember, its the one with the Email that first week right?
We dont have brown sugar here, and I could use some maple flavoring stuff.
I am going to go get another skarf and better gloves today, the shopkas here are like 10 bucks each, so if you want me to send a couple packages of them home I could, FOr 11 Shapkas to get home it would total to be about 140 dollars for all of the hats, and shipping!
I love you!
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