Our First Baptism on Left Bank.

Week 35

This week was really good, and stressful.  It seems that as we become better and better missionaries, Satan works harder and harder to derail us.  So I will start with an update on one of our investigators.

Yoori- We met him nearly a month ago.  He came to game night, and english, and he didnt come after that, we figured he wasnt interested in the gospel, so we didnt go out of our way to get him to stuff.  Then this week, we were going through our potential investigator lists, and I saw his name, and felt impressed to call him.  He didnt answer, but he called back a few minutes later as I was stuffing my mouth with some delicious bread, so I tossed the phone to elder schwieghardt and they had a good conversation, and he agreed to meet us on Friday night.  Elder shweighardt said "He sure will be in for a surprise when we are not there to teach him english" but i wasnt worried about that for some reason(usually i am).  We get there and Pasha Shvets is cleaning the branch and his 3 little boys were there with him.  They attack me.  Their war cry- "OT dy, Ot DY, OT DY!!!" (Give it, give it, give it!) Referring to my name tag, and tie, which they took the liberty of pulling me to the ground with.  Then Yoori walks in and they turn back to angels.  I tell him " Excuse me, i need to retie my tie."  Then we start talking and he through us for a surprise.  His words in translation would be equivalent to"English is great and all, and so is ping pong, but I have been researching your church online, and I want to know the truth about your church. What do you believe?"   Man he was really twisting our arm with that one, ouch, oh no, dont ask us about that! hahaha. So we gladly share the message of the restoration, and part of the plan of salvation with him.  He agreed to be baptized when he knows it is true.  So we are going to ask him to accept May 28 as his baptismal day on wednesday.  Also on wednesday, President Sullivan and maybe sister sullivan, and Pasha Shvets will be with us to teach him.  He is what us missionaries call Golden.  Elder Schweighardt and I could barely contain ourselves after the lesson.  We immediately hit our knees and thanked God for everything he did to prepare Yoori. Seriously we did nothing but tell him what we knew, and what The spirit told us to do.  

NOw for the title of this email.  There is a boy in our branch whos name is Daniel.  He is 8 and 3/4 years old.  His family went less active about my 2nd transfer, so the branch, and sister morris and sister bantsova, put us up to reactivating and baptizing them.  Us and the sisters have taught him since December swithcing off every week.  The sisters had him on date for the middle of march, but he wasnt ready  yet, and we had him on date for the 26th of march, but once again he wasnt ready.  Then out of no where on Sunday last week, President Komenev announced taht he had an interview with him, and that he was ready.  So because he is 8, he is technically a member baptism, but he would not have been baptized without the missionaries teaching him.  His family is now active again which is the real blessing.  I will send pictures, every missionary on left bank taught him at least once, so he truly is a left bank baptism.

Hey Buddy,

TWO WEEKS!!!!  until we get to Skype with you again!  YAY!!!  I can't wait.  I feel like it went fast too.  Plus it is officially spring and almost summer!  

This week was really busy!  I spoke in Wellington on Thursday, then we slept in Castle Dale.  From there we drove down to St. George.  We did red cliffs and there was actually water.  All of us including me went down the slide and plunged into the freezing water!  Kaes was the only one that didn't do it.  The today we came home and drove through Zion's Canyon and then over to Bryce Canyon and then home.  It took 10 hours total...so we were all a little crazy by the end!

I am working with the district on the Jordy situation with the teacher and she is in a lot of trouble...plus they are finally getting Jordy the accommodations that he needs.

You package is finally on it way...it left the States last Monday so hopefully in the next week or two you will get it.  It's a good one so it will be worth the weight (wait)...the weight alone will make it worth the wait;)

Ethan came up yesterday and stayed for a couple days out of the blue, so that is a good sign.

Dakkon is getting really excited.  We ordered a ton of stuff and he is getting it all ready to go.  He leaves in 1 month from today!  Exciting and fun!  He got a packet of info from his mission president  so he was excited.  Margaret is fine with him serving a mission, but still likes to act like a victim and sent some dumb message to him that basically said...good luck, I'll pray for you, Good Bye.    Like she doesn't even plan to see him again.  Dakkon hopes the relationship will heal while he is out.  

Jacob and I are going on a date this week to a horse show.  Should be really cool.

The kids go back to school tomorrow so that will be good.  We only have 5 more weeks until school is out for summer!!!!!  Dakkon leaves 3 days before Powell!!!  and then the kids are out.  We are doing trek this year and Jordy is going...I'm a little worried!  Hopefully he will be fine.

I loved your letter last week about all the priesthood blessings.  That is awesome...and I loved that you said, I love you all especially my mom!  That totally made my week.  I also loved your personal message to me.  Thank you for doing that for me.  IT really does help.  I am so glad you got to stay the same for one more transfer, I was really hoping for you.  I can tell you really like your comp this time.  

Questions-

1- How is the knee?  Are you back to running again?

2- Still happy and positive?

3- Are you doing ok with all the walking?

4- How are English classes going?

5- Does it bother you that I tell you what is going on, give you updates etc.?  Does it make you homesick or are you glad to hear about what we are doing?

6-Anything I can do or say different or better?

7- How is Left Bank going?

8-  Do you see Sis./pres. sullivan often?

9- What is your favorite food lately?  Does the food still taste good?

10- How is your weight? and have you grown more?

11- What was the service project you did?  (Gloves in the next box)

12- pictures

13- more recordings:)

14- short message for me:)

I love you so much and I am so proud of you!  Thanks for everything.  I know you will continue to make it through this mission wonderfully!  I am so glad you are my son and you have been so good to us.  We all miss you but are so happy for you too!

LOVE YOU TONS!!!!!

Mom

Yes we are back to running, this morning I ran a 6:00 mile, I am .36 seconds from sub six minut mile.  Still happy and positive. and we do more than just run, they have one of those work out parks by our track.  I am still happy and positive.  I am doing ok with all the walking. English is ok.  Walter asked for the ten commandments in English, written simply, he will be heart broken when he finds out his church breaks the 2nd commandment.  He calls them the easy ones, so maybe itll snap him out of it.  It doesnt bother me.  NOpe your perfect.  Left bank is good.  Yes we do, like a few times a month maybe.  My favorite food is probably apples right now, we buy like 21 a week.  But favorite food to make is probably Eggs, sausage, potatoes, onions, and red peppers fried.  I have put on 10 pounds of muscle due to the protein, I am going to start keeping track of everything, but my Chest is 3 inches bigger than it was at its biggest in weights class.  I am 6 foot flat now (I am sooooo happy about that.)  It is always gardening for some sister in our branch, less actives usually.  BUt due to our service, one accpeted a calling, and the other came to daniels baptism.  Short message:  I really love you mom, and I am so happy you brought me up in the church.  The book of mormon is so true, sometimes we get caught up on a small point of Doctrine, and then you see the cover of the book of mormon and remember where it came from, and think, okay, guess that is just how it is.  I love you so much! Thanks for the package, We eat really healthy now, so I cut out alot of sugar from the diet, I will have to ration the poptarts to like 2 a week or something. 


Elders Jorgensen & Schweighardt,

Thank-you for all of you effort to prepare for today's baptism. The spirit was very strong, the room looked fantastic, the programs were wonderfully placed and the family seemed very happy. It was nice to have such support from the Branch members. Thank-you for cleaning up after, leaving it nice for the following activity.

It's always a pleasure doing apartment checks. I enjoy seeing where and how our missionaries are living. You have a very nice apartment with light and a nice spirit. I was proud of your dishes being done, beds made, a clean bathroom and general cleanliness. If I were to have one suggestion it would be to tidy up a bit more, put everything in it's place. Well done!

I love you both and appreciate your dedication, obedience and the thoughtful, kind way you go about 'the work of the Lord'. You bring a powerful spirit to this mission, thank-you!

Much love,

Sister Sullivan

Be thou an example of the believers...

Week 34

So there were a lot of good things that happened this week, we played Chess with a bunch of Old men, near the river bank, that was cool, one of them couldnt believe we were there.  We taught 4 lessons that day(Tuesday).  One of them was with an older man we have named Nemo, because he wouldnt tell us his name.  We taught him the restoration, and the spirit was way strong when Elder Schwieghardt related the first vision.  He asked almost through tears "How can it be?"  He took a book of mormon and our number, we are just waiting on him to call us.  We taught english as well, after which we gave Walter a Blessing, it is the last thing we can do for him really, Elder schweighardt pointed out that Jacob 4:14 reflects him almost perfectly.  We hope that he will choose to open his heart and start progressing.  He literally knows everything he needs to, but refuses to come to church, or progress towards baptism in anyother way.  TO him it is all just information.  Elder schwieghardt came up with an idea to help one of our less active members more, sunday morning we had everyone write their testimony or a quick kind note to him, and then we went to deliver them.  Historically he wont even open the door to us, and he lives alone with his Grandaughter.  He opened the door this time, and he was grateful for the notes, he explained we couldnt come in becaue his grandaughter was sick.  We asked him if he would like us to come in and give her a blessing. He thought aobut it, and asked us to do so.  We tried to explain to her what we would do (she is 5)  and couldnt, so he stepped in and recalled the priesthood and the power it had, and explained it to her simply it is one of the first times he has willingly talked about that kind of stuff.  After the blessing she thanked us a bunch, and then she went and cut us out some hearts for it, she said "These are for you because you came to make me feel better"  We had the opprotunity to give three blessings this week, I am almost out of oil, so we have to buy more today.  IT was interesting because last week in priesthood session I thought to my self"I wish we had more opprotunitties to give blessings" and just like that, we give three in a week, and 2 of them were on sunday.  I Love you all, especially my mom.

Hey buddy,

Wow, what a week.  I'm sure Sister Sullivan called you Thursday morning.  We are all excited!  San Antonio Texas, English speaking, May 25...37 days!  We took him shopping for suits yesterday.  I think he is getting really excited now.  The T-boys came this weekend.  They didn't show up to the opening and Dakkon and Dad were really disappointed.  But we had a good weekend with them. I think all the drama with Margaret will be hard too.  I am trying to be super positive and happy for him, and told him all cover all the fun mom stuff.  I feel bad for him though.   

Today Josh was ordained a priest by Mikey and Dakkon an Elder by dad.  Grandma and Grandpa came and then we had a bbq after.  It was a really nice day.  I'm glad the Tboys were there for it.

I can't believe you fell in a MANHOLE!!!!  That is just crazy!  and you didn't give me enough info about it.  I was actually awake when the emails came through and it took SOOOO much self control not to email back immediately to find out if you were really ok and ask more questions!!!!  So I hope you appreciate my respect for your desire to be obedient because that is the only reason I didn't!!!  So this week I need a few more details about it!  Are you ok?  Is your knee still bothering you?  Also send pictures of things like that so I know exactly what happened!!

Thanks for all the recordings last week!!!  We loved them!

The kids are off track for 1 more week so that is nice.  I am doing a stake fireside on Thursday night down in Wellington.  It should be good.  

Do you realize it is only 3 more weeks until mother's day and we can Skype again???  I am so excited!  I feel like time is flying by.  Grandma and Grandpa are starting to get a little nervous.  It will be fun to have you, dakkon, and them all out at the same time!  

I am so excited to hear about transfers.  This is the first time I don't know what will happen, all the other times I knew before you even told me.  This time I want you to stay with your comp, because I can tell you really like him and are getting along so well, but I am nervous that you will get changed because you have been there so long.  Maybe you can get one more transfer out of it because of being the DL though:).

We have been dealing with drama with Jordy at school...so extra prayers there would be great.  His teacher made fun of him in front of 2 classes..about his handwriting and then even said to the other students, "don't you think Jordy's handwriting is sloppy?".  He was so embarrassed and devastated.  I am fighting it with the principal and district.  The teacher lied about it, they interviewed all the students and they all backed up Jordy's story.  So she is in a lot of trouble.

The other kids are all doing.  Josh has been a lot better!  Me and dad are both doing good as well.  We truly feel blessings in the family because of you serving!  I am excited for the blessings of Dakkon and G&G being gone too;)  

Sis is sweet and getting smart.  Her and Cam both miss you a lot.  They say cute things about it.  Someone asked Sis who her favorite brother is the other day and she said "the one that's on a mission...Jax".  We are all praying for you. 

Your package got delayed because the UPS people did it wrong...so it will probably be another 3 weeks until it get there.  I think it's been figured out now though.  I am excited for you to get it!

Ok update on people....Britney Johnson is ENGAGED!!  I know crazy.  She seems really excited about it.  Also, Kaycee Christopherson is engaged as well...so there goes your 3 year old dream;)  but her sister is really pretty!  Nicole Lindsay is going on a mission to Washington speaking spanish.  I think that was it.

I miss you and love you!  I pray for you always and think about you too!

Questions-

1-How is your knee and any other injuries from the fall?

2-TRANSFERS...if you are transferred I need details.

3-If transferred...Where is your comp from?  Do you like him?  Will you get along?  How is the new area?  How did you arrive to your new area?  Are you glad you were transferred?  What will you miss about your comp/area?

4-If not transferred...Are you happy about staying put?  Are you still DL?  

5-How did you find out about Dakkon's call?  How did you react?

6-Are you still happy and positive?  Yes I will always ask this:)

7-How are you investigators coming along?

8-How are your language skills?  Can people understand you better?

9-Short message for me?

10-pictures?

11-Recordings?

12-ANything you need from us?

Well, keep on being great!  I am so proud of you and love you so much.  I am so glad you have set the example of serving a mission.  I know Dakkon wouldn't be serving if you weren't!

Love you Lots!!!

Mom

I am perfectly okay now, it was just bruised up a bit.  We tried to run this morning, and had to stop becasue it was giving me problems, but once i stopped running it didnt hurt anymore, I am really okay, it was funny because right after that one of our investigators came up and started talking to us, and I was speaking russian through the pain, it was miserable, then we went and taught Valeree who is an investigator again a lesson, and then I called sister sullivan. I am perfectly fine. We are still on left bank, and I am still with elder schweighardt. I am still DL and still happy!  Sister Sullivan called me Thursday morning during breakfast, I was still tired, but super happy for him.  I am still happy and positive.  People keep telling me that I speak russian really well, The lord has definitely blessed me.  Now that we have him out we just have to work on Cole Man, My personal message is that I love you and I am so happy your are my mom.  I am so blessed to have you, you are so supportive.  I am sure that Dakkon is happy that he has you to be his mom, is margret really going to make a big deal out of him serving a mission?  That teacher ticks me off.  I had that happen to me several times in highschool, to me it didnt matter, but this is Jordy, and she KNOWS that he cant help that anymore than I can help the weather change.  I hope she publically apoligizes to Jord and begs his personal forgiveness, that is unacceptable behavior in anyone.

Truly a very busy week!

Week 33

So we had the opprotunity to attend a Zone Conference this week, which feels like it was forever ago in the shadow of General Conference which we watched Saturday and Sunday.  I really Loved General Conference.  One thing that was funny was the sisters got to watch priesthood session with us.  When Pres. Uchtdorf said "It there were a Perfect woman, do you really think she would be interested in you?" I was thinking of how that same comment that made everyman laugh in the room come across to the woman in The General Relief Society meeting.  I really Loved how much they talked about the need to be manly, Meaning being a good husband, and showing a good role model to those in our care, being strong, and being happy.  

Also this week, I fell in a Man hole. Yes, a man hole, we were just waiting at a stop light, and my left foot was on the edge of a manhole cover.  I heard the sound of metal shifting on metal, and then all of a sudden, the ground disappeared underneath me, and so then I was in a hole, the man hole cover hit me in the inside of the knee, an it made us go in early twice because of the problems it caused, I am okay now, just bruised up, but now I wll never trust another man hole.  

One new investigator this week, his name is vasilli, he was just a bit tipsy, but he was still able to feel the spirit.  IT was hard to talk to him becuase he was really hard hearted, but he wasnt hard against God, or even us, He was hard against himself.  We tried to explain that God loved him, and he said, NO that is not possible, God cant love me, How could he, I have all of these sins, I try to do good, but then I still drink and smoke and Sin, it is just too hard.  I promised him we could help him quit smoking and drinking through the power of Jesus Christ and his atonement.  We shared the story of Enos with him, and he changed, and he started to believe he could do it. We are meeting with him again tonight and are going to commit him to be baptized. 

Hey bud!

I'm having to use my phone so my email will be shorter today. Sorry!!!!

I miss you and think about you always. The kids and I are in California this week. We left Thursday and get home late Tuesday night. Of course 3 hours after we left the mail came and in it was Dakkons mission call. I wanted them to FaceTime me and the kids in when he opened it but they couldn't get the tboys there either right away and he decided he wants to wait for us to come home to open it. I can't believe he is waiting, it's driving me nuts. I tried to talk dad and Dakkon both into opening it but they want everyone there so I just dropped it finally. So we will definitely open it Wednesday evening and I will text sister Sullivan at 10-11 pm with location and date and to you it will be Thursday morning when you get the info. I'm excited. I promise I will let you know ASAP!!

We have had a good trip. The first few days were a little cold and rainy but it's real nice now. I found a cute little house on the beach. We did Disneyland on Friday with Traci grandma and josh but they all went home today. Tomorrow we will go again with Lyndsee and lily.

Ukraine has been in the news this week. I hope everything is going ok over there.

We all had a terrible flu. Dad got it this week but I think we're on the mend now.

Last week you said there was a good recording. It never got sent. Will you send it again?  I loved the pictures last week. Elder beisinger camera take way better pictures!!!  I honestly want to send you a new one. He told the story of the 4 drunks and 5 gallons of milk last week. I love getting more stories about you. I went to lunch with elder bates mom so she could read his letter. She is really sweet.

I'm excited to hear your thoughts on conference. I loved all the sessions. So many of them felt like they were just for you. Did you feel like that??

I spoke on Wednesday and it went really good.

Questions
1-is Ukraine safe right now?  Political stuff get talked about much or are you unaware of it?
2-are you safe? Are you staying happy and positive?
3- how is Ukraine different in the spring verses the winter?
4-how was conference? Favorite talk etc??
5-is Mail still coming regularly?  I send at least 1 letter a week?
6-cockroach details????  Please tell me you called sister Sullivan. You need an exterminator!!!  Plus send a picture of one. How big are they?  Are they gone now?
7-investigators info?
8- when are transfers??
9-are you hoping to stay put?
10-anything I can do to help you?
11- do you like me sending pics?
12- how is your health?
13-message for me??
14-more pics
15-recordings:)


Love you so much! You're the best!  Thanks for being a great son!  I love you

Mom

 As far as I know, yes it is safe, no we do not hear about anything political, and it honestly doesnt matter, if we get pulled out, we get pulled out, if not, we keep working.  I am safe, happy and positive "Most people are just as happy as they make their minds up to be.",  Everything is already way green.  My favorite talk was elder Hollands.  I loved all of it though. Yep I still get mail, i get it about every other week, but it usually comes in twos, so that makes sense.  Yes, Sister sullivan reads every single group email I send, so she is aware, we have a plan.  Transfers are on Saturday, it has been such a fast transfer.  I do hope I get to stay, but I dont think I will.I love getting pics, I dont think there is anything you can do.  I cant believe he is waiting to open it either! I would have died if I  had to wait that long.

  You forgot to say I love you in both emails....don't do that ever again;)...but seriously!  I love you! 

Above picture-I brought a cockroach with me on exchanges because we thought it would scare Elder Gerasimov.   He found it and said "I think I will have it for breakfast." I was mortified.  He ended up not eating it because he over cooked it.

Hi Karen

I'm wondering if you know any more details on Elder Jorgensen falling in the man hole?  I know if he did get hurt he wouldn't tell me so I just want to verify with you.

The mission call came 4 hours after we all went out of town. So he will open it Wednesday evening and I'll text you late that night for me, early Thursday for you.

Thanks for everything!!

Julie 

Dear Julie,

That's exciting about the mission call. I'll be waiting for your text.

Manholes can be dangerous. It's one of the first things we tell them when they arrive in country, "watch out for manholes". When Elder Jorgensen stepped on one, the lid was't on correctly and his weight caused the lid to flip up and down he went. The lid then hit his knee. He called me right after. Since their teaching appointment had just fallen through I asked him to go home and elevate and ice it. After about 2 days it was feeling better. He's doing well and was not seriously hurt. Fortunately he caught himself and did not go down any further nor did he get hurt anywhere else on his body (that I'm aware of). He now has a great story to tell and a lesson learned. It's not easy being a missionary here. He's doing great!

Looking forward to hearing the news Wednesday.

Love

Karen

The Cockroaches Returned in Strength!

Week 32!

So remember that email a few weeks ago about how elder Bates and I killed 15 cockroaches? I thought that was the end of it, we didnt see any for ever.  Then We walked in one night from contacting and killed 18, then the next night we killed another 11, then on the next night 12, and another few here and there, we killed over 40 cockroaches in 3 days, 3 freaking days!! Elder Schwieghardt can always tell ive spotted one(I am the look out) because I stop saying whatever I am saying and look at it.  Then we both run to grab toilet paper or a paper towel, sometimes we even just kill them with our bare hands.  Elder Gerasimov saw one when we were at dinner on sunday last week, and he just started yelling and freaking out "Woo AHhh Тарканы!!!" thats how you say cockroaches. Elder Schwieghardt and I were curious about how many we killed, so we started keeping a cockroach kill count.  We also had to start a "The ones that got away... for now!" count(Every cockroach will die!).  Ill send some pictures of the one we started 3 days ago.  

Well I bet conference was Good! I dont get to watch it until this sunday and Saturday, becasue they do a delayed transmission.  We had a lesson with Rooclan on Tuesday, man it was rough, he had a question about a part in the book of Revelation that says something to the effect of "Dont add or take away from the book of revelations, or it will suck to be you."  He thought it was talking about the bible, and wanted to know how we could have the Book of Mormon if it was scripture like the Bible.  1. that verse is talking specifically about the book of revelation, 2. The book of mormon is not an addition to the bible, but is its own witness of the divinity of Christ.  I explained these points very weakly in russian, and was expecting him to shoot it down, but he accepted my explaination, he only has a problem with the Three degrees of glory inthe Plan of Salvation, and quoted Matthew (Ye cannot serve to masters...)  He thought for some reason that the two lesser degrees of glory were for those who had kind of served God, and Kind of served satan, he totally agrees with the Celestial Kingdom, and Outer darkness though, they make sense to him.  He is a really good man, he used to be an alcoholic, and he recognized that he was throwing his life away, it was then that he really started to apply the atonement of Christ to help himself overcome that challenge, He loves the Book of Mormon even though he isnt quite comfortable with it yet, he said that he had taken part of it into his heart.  He might come to General Conference on Saturday and Sunday, Thatll give him a testimony of the Prophets.

Last story, "Dont Talk to strangers"-Mom "Even if they want to give you food or candy"-Also mom.  after that lesson with rooclan, I felt we needed to be in a specific area on the oppisite end of our area that we were in.  We went, and contacted for like an hour and a half, no one wanted to talk to us.  I saw this Muslim, and felt I needed to talk to him, I said to myself "Nahh he wont talk with us he is a Muslim" So I made like akward eye contact with him as I was having this inner struggle, and we pass eachother, about 2 minutes later, he walks around us, stops us, and says, "Hello, I see you are also foreigners here, and I wanted to know if you would like to join me for tea or coffee at my house" So against the teaching of my mother and the my best judgement, the Holy Ghost Over ruled, and we went and had a muslim tea party.  He shared the Quaran with us, we gave him the book of mormon(He was honored at the fact that we would so freely give him the book)  Nothing else has come of that yet, he might call and invite us to dinner some time though. 

   

Hey Buddy,

First off...again...we are still waiting for that dang mission call!!!!  Sorry.  I promise I will text Sister Sullivan (she gave me her cell number and told me to text when it comes) the minute the mission call is opened.  But it is still probably 2 weeks away so don't hold your breath this week.  The bishop said yesterday that it is finally saying "ready for assignment" on his account instead of just submitted.  But it hasn't been assigned at this point.  We are all really frustrated and feeling like we are failing in this test of patience.  Sister Sullivan started instant messaging me today asking about the mission call too.  She is looking out for you.  

We had a good conference weekend.  All the talks were really good and I felt like some were directly for you and the other boys.  Sister Sullivan also mentioned you won't be watching it until next week so I won't give any spoilers:).  The boys and dad all went to priesthood last night except for Jordy, he had a game.  

The games have begun.  Jacob had his first game yesterday.  They won 36-10 and Jacob had 4 points.  It should be a fun season.  Jordy had 2 games this weekend, got some good hits and had fun.  tied and then lost to the same team...but they were a super league team so we felt good about our playing.  They are on with Max and Tom again.

Kaestli had Kindergarten orientation and did really well.  She is super excited about starting it.  We are heading to Cali this week on thursday.  I surprised Josh with a ticket to come with Grandma for friday to sunday.  We will do the beach mostly and Disneyland.  

I'm speaking this week in South Jordan and then I am doing a stake fireside in Wellington UT in 2 weeks.  I am excited about it.  I wish I could come do a fireside in Ukraine;)

It was prom this weekend and I did Jessica's hair and Bailey Reagh's hair.  

We had a good week, but I have had a bad cold so that was rough for a couple days.  The weather was terrible the first part of the week but yesterday and today was beautiful.

I got your package sent this week.  There is some powdered sugar and vanilla for Sister Sullivan.  I put a small thing of vanilla for you too.  It was the heaviest package yet...22lbs I think!  HaHA.. hopefully you love what is weighing it down;)

I received a letter in the mail from Ukraine this week, not from you.  Guess who??

Elder Bates.  It was such a nice long letter about how great you were and how I did such a good job raising you.  He spoke highly of you and the lessons you taught him while you trained him.  It was really sweet!  I'm going to meet his mom for lunch tomorrow so I can share the letter with her.

Josh got his driver's license on his birthday and is actually not bad at driving.  We are trying to figure out the car situation now.  He can drive the green car good, but with Dakkon still here it is tricky.

FYI so the attack was in the Brussels airport.  IT was ISIS again and there were 4 missionaries close to the bomb.  A senior male, two Elder's, and a sister they were dropping off at the airport to come to the states.  They all survived and were burned on their faces, hands, and legs.  No burns where their garments covered.  The Elders were from Utah and are home now in the huntsman burn center.  It was a miracle...everyone around them died.  It has made international news that the mormon missionaries survived and has received a lot of praise from all faiths.  The paris missionaries (Cami Brown) were all grounded to their apartments for a few days after.  It was about 10 days ago.

Questions this week-

1-How is everything, are you doing good?

2-Still happy and positive?

3-What is the hardest thing about serving a mission?

4-How are things going as DL?

5-How are things with the native that you guys have in your district?

6-How are your dinners going?  What do you make most often?

7-How are things with your comp?  Do you guys still get along?

8-Any issues with your Comp?

9-Why would you run 5 miles a day when you walk 20 more?????????

10-Does it bother you if I tell you about trips or things we are doing?  I'm trying to keep you updated, but I DON'T want to make you sad.

11-Do you get sad?  How often?

12-Anything I can help you with, or pray for?

13-Special message for me...even a short one;)

Well, I love you to pieces.  I miss you like crazy, but I am so glad you are on a mission.  I am really proud of you and wouldn't want you anywhere else!  I am super excited to see time passing so quickly and mostly painlessly.  We have many blessings as a family from you serving, and I thank you for that.  I really appreciate all you did for me your entire life.  The truth is  I would not have survived my trials and life had Heavenly Father not given me you.  You made the difference so many times.  When I have a bad day I miss you coming up and giving me a hug and telling me you're sorry I'm having a bad day.  You always knew and you always cared about how I felt.  That is a talent!  I love you so much.

Have a great week and be safe.  Stay faithful.  Follow the promptings of the spirit.  Remember you are worthy to serve Heavenly Father.  Look at the big picture and don't worry about the small failures.  You are the best!

I love you,

Mom 

Everything is good!, I am happy and positive! The hardest thing is being away from my family,It is fun being a district leader, He is just culturally different, and now we know how natives fill when we try to put our two cents into a conversation in russian,  we were talking about protein one day, and then like a few minutes after we finished the subject he started talking to us a bout protein, it always cracks me up.Dinners are always good, we usually make something like Spaghetti, or tacos, or chicken carrots and Rice, we eat really healthy here.I eat an apple everyday.  We are the best of friends, literally 0 problems, we are going fishing soon., dont worry i know not to eat the fish.  Because we both want to be ripped, and so we work out hard, we even bought some protein mix.  It doesnt bother me.  I actually dont really get sad.  I will try to do a short one after pictures and voice recordings. 

  

--Email from Elder Besieger

I went on exchanges with Elder Jorgensen, and he took me on an adventure of his area!  We stopped by a train that says on the front: "Onto the West!" with the USSR hammer and sickle on the front...guess what that could have meant?! (invasion) Also, a tinfoil jet that is RIGHT on the dnepr river.  And we had some awesome burritos!