Just another week of being a missionary in Kremenchuk...

Week 90

So this week went really good.
BIG NEWS Viktor proposed to Nastya on the 16 so yay! I just hope I am here for their wedding at the end of June.  Annya is so excited and she has taken it upon herself to plan the wedding. She is so happy.

We went to an English Practice with them in Center held by an IT place, it was really cool and we met a lot of people.

This week we have been working hard to find new people to teach and are trying really hard to be focused on our purpose and diligently working.

I dont know if I mentioned a random JDub about 6 weeks ago, but he talked to me all that time ago about how the Church isnt true and that hes proved it to other missionaries before. The Usual Jesus isnt Jehovah argument that anyone who serves here has heard quite a bit of.  Anyway our Friend Igor turns out to be A JW, so he invited that man to our lesson with him.  He used the same approach he did on the street. So he talked for like 20 minutes, I looked at Igor and started speaking in English. "Igor, he wants me to Bible bash with him, I am not going to do that. We came here to teach not to be taught and I can show him all I want in the bible to show him I am right, he can show me everything to show he is right, and neither of us will believe the other, it is pointless and long." He replied" I cant believe what you tell me until you overturn his points" So I thought fine whatever, Ill share one verse and that will be the end of it.  So he had just shared Isaiah 43:10 which according to them is Jehovah speaking and saying ye are my witnesses etc.  So they claim that their church is the only true church based on that. I asked if they profess Jesus Christ to be our Savior and Redeemer, they said YES of coarse we do.  Then I cited Isaiah 43:11 the verse right after their favorite one to share "I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour."  Jehovah=Savior=Jesus Christ, and there is none other.  I bore short testimony, and then the lesson was over(He tried to argue but I didnt want to hear any of it). And we told Igor if he actually is interested to leave his friend at home, and that we would be happy to tell him what we believe and why believe it because literally we didnt get to teach him anything.

Oops, hit send to early. 

 I love you all!

Hey Buddy,

Wow can you believe we are down to double digits?!  It's just crazy!  I am so excited about it.  So get to work and finish strong;)

We are doing pretty good this week.  Kaestli is officially out of kindergarten, her last day was on Thursday since we will be in Lake Powell the last week of school.  The rest of the kids are done on Friday.  

Josh is having his last choir performances this week.  His girlfriend broke up with him...so yay..and a little sad for him.  But he is taking it well now and I think it's for the best.  He is also working his rear off trying to pull up his grades for the end of the year.  He burned his arm at work on Saturday pretty bad on a bread pan, but it will be fine.

Jacob's basketball team won their first tournament game and play again in a couple weeks.  He has gotten really good.  He had a scout camp this week, they did an 8 mile night hike.  He said it was awesome.  

Jordy talked me into bleaching his hair for summer.  It was a compromise.  He wanted to do it bright blue, but I told him he couldn't pass the sacrament with blue hair.  So we decided on bleaching it.  We had his IEP this week and he is doing really well in school now.  The new program and school he is in has made a huge difference.  It's still hard to hear how low he is though.  His reading comprehension is on a 3rd grade level:(.

Cam is doing good.  He is excited for summer and starting tennis in June.  I can't believe he will be in third grade next year.  It's strange to have all the kids growing up.

Kaestli started her new competitive cheer team this week.  She loves it.  I am going to have to learn to embrace "cheer" bows...apparently everyone wears them and it's a huge thing....the bows are HUGE!!!  Like as big as their heads!  HAHA...she is so excited about it though.  She has her back walkovers and is almost doing front walk overs too.

Ethan and Kalten had their frisbee championship this weekend.  They ended up losing, but had a great game.  Ethan hurt his ankle though and didn't play the last game.  Ethan graduates on Thursday!  The tboys all finish school this week.  They are coming to Lake Powell with us.  Ollie won the "Hope of America" award in his 6th grade award assembly this week.  He was very proud.  I can't believe Jacob and Ollie are headed to middle school next fall!!

We head to Lake Powell on Saturday:)  So we are getting the boat and wave runners ready.  Adela and trent are bringing their girls and my friend Melinda is coming with her 4 kids.  We should have a great time.

So discussions this week-

1-We are signing you up for ballroom dance, basketball, and the airforce PT class...but you don't need them for credits, so if you want we can drop any of those.  What is your preference?  All 3? or just one or two of them, and which ones?

2-How is Viktor and Nastya doing?  It was so great to meet them!!!  Any wedding plans coming along?

3-How are things with Elder Jarman?

4-Are you happy and positive?

5-How are you feeling about your remaining time in Ukraine?

6-The girl situation.

7-So what did the president say when you called him, and what did you say to him about the situation.  Give me full details please.  

8-Do you think you will be transferred for sure?

9-It seems like this would be a common problem with missionaries close to coming home.  Especially since there is such a lack of priesthood holders around to marry.  

10-How has the week gone with the branch/girls situation?  Any other conversations or fallout from it?

11-How are you feeling about everything now?

12-Are you still happy and positive?

13-special message for me:)

I love you and miss you so much.  I am very proud of you and so happy you are serving a mission.  Hopefully we will soon have news of Ethan's mission call.  Thanks for being my best friend and such a support to me while you were growing up.  I am so glad you are my son.

Work hard, pray hard, stay focused on serving the Lord.  This is a great time in your life.  Enjoy every last moment you have.  

Love you!!!

Mom

Umm, probably just PT and Bball are good but thanks so much for doing all of that!

2Great, they are getting married at the end of June, he is moving to Crimea for work now, but they will stay here, we will probably teach over skype.

3Great

4Yes

5 It is intimidating and kind of scary.  I will be so sad to leave, but I cant wait to be home.

6Nothing new. I talked to president and he said that we are handling the situation well.

7​ Basically everything I told you I think, I made it pretty clear that it will not be a problem because I am not going to let it be. Masha will move to Germany for the summer in June, so that will make it even easier, she will move there and I will probs never see her again.

8 I am not sure, but I wouldnt be sad to get transferred at this point, that will make my next area my last one for sure. I only have two more transfer calls left.

9Yeah it kind of makes sense, Elder Jarman and I talked it over and there are very few good things that would come out of us being together, one of them is her life getting drastically better.

10 Good, everything was a lot easier this week.  Masha says she wants to talk to me about something, I guess about what, but I am not sure how to let her down gently. Me and Elder Jarman have been roleplaying it.

11Good

12yes

13 you are the BESTwe did an english practice with some other people this week, and one of the questions was who is your fav. person to spend time with and I got to say it was you!  I told them about how your my best friend and about how I trust you with literally anything.

Love you!