Travel Week

Opera house in Lutsk

Another awesome week out here in Ukraine!

Won't be a very long email because we don't have a ton of time. I know I always say that but for real we don't have that much.

We spent last P-day in Lutsk. Visited the castles out there and of course did some more bowling. We also went in one of the old churches there. Also FINALLY got hair cuts! We get haircuts at this place called gentleman's club. They do an amazing job.

Had exchanges with Elder Volkov. He is the native in the other companionship in Rivne. He took me tracting for my first time! Or "Block-Knocking" is what he likes to call it. It was an intense but fun experience.

But now I'm here in L'viv! We are at an internet club which is why we don't have a ton of time. We got here on Thursday. We went straight to the church and met up with all the other missionaries in the zone. The best part about being here is meeting all the other missionaries. Awesome, awesome people. We have been staying with Elder Stott and Elder Howard these last couple of days. It's been so good to see Elder Howard again and to meet his trainer Elder Stott who is a great missionary! 

At an American diner - not bad

We had Zone Conference on Friday. It was so inspiring and fun. President Kumferman is amazing! He talked to us about goal setting and planning is an act of faith. It was super awesome. We also had District conference which is just like stake conference but for all members in Western Ukraine. Very neat experience. I couldn't understand everything but surprised myself with how much I actually could understand!

Today we had P-day with the whole zone! So today has just been super lit. We woke up bright and early and all went on a hike up to the highest point here in L'viv and watched the sun rise. Went and got breakfast and then headed straight to the mall to......BOWL! We just can't get enough. Super fun spending time with all the missionaries here and getting to know them.

"Block Knocking" AKA Tracting

But again, not a ton of time. I will send out a bunch of pictures. We are all so excited because we head to Kyiv tomorrow for Mission Conference. And we get to hear from Elder Quinton L. Cook who will be in Ukraine on Thursday! And we get to go to the temple! So a very packed week! Can't wait.

Love all ya'll! Have a good week!


з Любов'ю,

Старійшина Матуа

Tracting in the city

Breakfast buffet

Early morning hike to see the sunrise

Bowling - heck yeah!

Overlooking the city

Watching "Meet the Mormons" for p-day

P-Day fun

P-Day's are too lit

Yo! Yo!

I don't have a ton of time today but it was a super good week and it's super weird I am emailing right now because it feels like I just emailed yesterday. The weeks are starting to fly by.

Had another game night to start off the week on Tuesday night. We had a Nerf wars. We weren't expecting such a good turn out so at first it was a little rough but we kind of worked it out.

Wednesday we were planning for a busy day but two new investigators we were supposed to meet with bailed out on us. But we did get a chance to meet with Vika! Shes is doing awesome. We had a really good lesson and she actually found out her grandma was a member. Like what the heck?!!? Super cool. And she doesn't drink coffee anymore...she said she doesn't even have a desire to drink it anymore. AND WE COMMITTED HER TO A DATE! November 3rd she will be baptized! She came to conference yesterday and loved it. And she told us that she was going to tell her family that she was going to get baptized at Sunday dinner. So we will be calling her later today to talk to her about how that went. Also, the same night a member came to the church and asked for a blessing. I gave a blessing in Ukrainian! Well just a small part of it but it was still awesome! Very cool experience.

War memorial, city center

We did service again for Брат Погараничний. We dug for hours. Super sore from it and pretty much counted that as our exercise for the next couple of days. Also had another lesson with Tina. She is also doing amazing and just wants to get baptized but can't find the mom to come sign the papers. She was supposed to sign them yesterday but never showed. So we will be going back and trying again.

Zone Leaders came here on exchanges with the other elders. So we spent Thursday doing a ton of finding which was super fun. There was a big celebration going on in center where we wanted to find but because of that we couldn't. So we went to the park and drew out the Plan of Salvation in chalk. Super fun. Also had to go help a member at the hospital and man, I will never go back to a hospital here. Super scary. It doesn't even seem like a hospital.

That was pretty much our week. Nothing too exciting. We watched another session of conference which was super nice. I love listening to conference. I don't know why but as soon as I cam on a mission, it is so much more exciting to watch conference. But I do miss the family traditions at home.

Just wanted to share on little thing I loved. Elder Bednar shared the rope analogy and Gathering together in one, all things in Christ. I loved that analogy and just the fact that the Lord's work is one whole work and we all have a part in it. We have all been given responsibility and we have made covenants, and now we need to continue on the covenant path.

Again not a ton of time but love you all!


з Любов'ю,
Старійшина Матуа

Grabbing lunch

Exploring the city

Celebration in city center

Finding in city - Plan of Salvation chalk art

More finding

Service in Lutsk 

Super good week

Out contacting - burrrr!

Another interesting, but awesome week in Rivne.

It started out with a pretty funny story. Elder McGrath were contacting on our way to the church. We got there but then decided we wanted to get something from the little express market right behind the church. We started walking and saw this guy walking towards us. You could tell he was a little tipsy. He started walking straight up to Elder McGrath and he said," Hey gimme five boxen" in English. I was confused but immediately after he said that Elder McGrath responded in Ukrainian and said we don't speak English. The guy like chuckled and was like "Oh ya, he he he, I know you". Then we said in English "nah just kidding we speak English but we dont' have any money. That's when I realized he was trying to say 'bucks' instead of 'boxen' bahahaha. Then walking away he said, " Gimme five boxen and maybe, maybe, maybe, you'll live". We were both like.... what? It was super funny. And Elder McGrath said he is a local crazy and always asks missionaries for money.

We had our weekly game night that same day. It was super fun. We had an office Olympics because we were talking about the office one day and we talked about that episode where they have an Olympics. It was so funny. And super fun. Not a very big turn out but we made it fun.

We taught a new investigator named Stos. He is 18 and super cool. He seemed pretty interested and said he wanted to meet again.....but now he won't answer our calls.

Watching GC with the fellas

We had a lesson with Vika. She is so awesome. She came with a list of questions for us. She still reads the Book of Mormon every night and writes down questions when she reads. She even fasted yesterday!!! A FULLL 24 HOURS!! How awesome is that??! We had a lesson about the Word of Wisdom which we knew might be difficult because most people here struggle with it. But when we started talking about it she totally agreed. She said growing up an athlete she always knew she should take care of here body. Please tell me I'm not the only one that feels like shes been so prepared for us by our Heavenly Father. The only thing that we were scared of was that she said she drinks a cup of coffee every morning. But as soon as we said that we can't drink it, she said OK, and that she will try not to drink it anymore. And that she will fast about it too. Like WHAT THE? She ain't even a member and she is fasting for so much!! She is just so awesome. And she will be coming to watch conference next week.

Only got to catch the first half of the Saturday morning session of conference. It started about 7 pm our time, and we had to run to a restaurant to watch Sister Timochko sing! So we saw the announcements and the first 2 talks. So awesome. I cannot wait to watch the rest of conference. But going to the restaurant was so fun!! Sister Timochko is an incredible singer. She sings in English too! She can't really speak English but because she sings, here accent sounds super american. She is one of our favorite members.

Supporting Sister Timochko

That's pretty much it for the week. I just waned to share what I've been studying. I have been reading a lot about Ammon and the Anti-Nephi-Lehis. They are amazing. Just really briefly, Ammon is one of the most amazing missionaries. And it's so awesome to see how dedicated these people really are to the Lord. Made me think a lot about what I can be doing better and what I could've done better before coming on a mission. So I encourage all of you to remain dedicated in the Lord and have true faith in him.

Thank you for the love and support.


з Любов'ю,
Старійшина Матуа

Working with Elder Wonson

Super bootleg Ticket to Ride in Ukranian

We made chicken fajitas

More General Conference

Sister Timochko is rockin da house

YOooooo!

Service at a members home

Second week out in Ukraine annnnnndd still can't understand anyone....

Super fun week! Flew by super super fast because we are definitely staying busy. Even though looking back at my journal and planner right now, I have no clue what to write about.

We had an awesome FHE with a member, Sister Timochko and her sister who now lives in South Jordan but is here visiting. It was so cool talking to her because it felt so nice talking to someone who is like from Utah even though she's from Ukraine. But she says she's totally American now and she loves America. It was super fun and they fed us really good food! They actually complimented my Ukrainian which was THE best thing that I have heard since being here. It definitely gave me a boost of confidence.

Tuesday we had my first game night! We played fear factor. Was interesting especially because Elder McGrath and I got to do the shopping for it, which was pretty fun. Unfortunately we didn't have too big of a turn out. But it ended up being pretty fun and promised them that we would have a better activity next week. So mad at Elder McGrath because he told them that we would have a night where I teach them how to dance....but guess what....I can't dance! Let alone teach others how to dance. But from what I've seen I don't think anyone in Ukraine can either so it'll be fun to just mess around.

Wednesday we had a two lessons with investigators! One with Vika again (that sister Timochko helped us out with because they have become good friends, which has helped so much and I thank sister Timochko so much for), and one with Tina, who is a 12 year old little girl that lives with her mom and grandma. The grandma is a less active member who we are also working hard on and the mom is not a member and loves her drinks, if ya know what I mean. Which makes it really hard because Tina wants to get baptized so bad but her mom says no. Huge obstacle but we continue to pray for a way. Vika is doing awesome!! She LOVES coming to church and feels so welcome and she says she feels the spirit every time in sacrament. She also told us that she watches Mormon messages all the time because she "loves Mormon families" it was super funny. She just is still scared to get baptized. But for sure with time it'll happen. Super fun fact also is she actually plays volleyball for Ukraine's national team. She's super dope.

Thursday was a bummer because all the lessons we had set up fell through. They called us before each one and said they couldn't make it. It was rough. But we decided to go do a book stand to try and cheer up. It turned out really well. I loved it, it was so fun. Especially because people come up to you! Super, Super fun. And lemme tell ya, Elder McGrath is one heck of a missionary. Look up to him so much.

Friday had a fun English practice! Got to teach intermediate so I was pumped. We played a few games and just had a blast.

Riding on a Electrichka 

Saturday was a super fun day. The other elders in our area spent the night at our place and we woke up early and hopped on a Electrichka out to a members house to do service. There are some pretty interesting people on those things. Doesn't matter if it's 7 am you'll still get a few drunks having the time of their lives. Service was super fun! We helped him pick apples from the tree and off the ground for hours. We also dug holes to put all the dead ones in after picking em up. Was funny cuz he had us dig in a spot where other elders have definitely dug a few times so there was like no point. But it was fun. The members a crazy old man who is just hilarious like every other old man here. He kept yelling at us for speaking in English and we were just dying laughing the entire time. Every time I would say something in English to the other elders he would just yell 'Matua!'  After service we headed to a members house named Mikola. He is a recent convert and is super awesome. Him and his wife are members but their kids are not. So we went out there to teach them a lesson. And it went really well. We just need Mikola to help us work on them in the home so they understand why they need to be baptized and all the good stuff. But I know he will and those kids will get baptized soon.

Sunday we had an amazing day! Good talks good lessons and everything! Everyone is really excited for General Conference. Us elders are super super super super super excited. Can't wait.

Had our weekly slumber party at the other elders last night and made bomb tacos. This morning we headed out to the tunnel of love and did some shopping. Super fun day.

Sorry for writing so much! Never feel like anything happens during the week but then I always have so much to talk about. But lovin the work and growing every single day. I love love love these people and hopefully one day I'll actually be able to talk to them. ONE DAY.


з Любов'ю,
Старійшина Матуа

This place is so sick!

Path to the Love Tunnel

With the fellas at the Love Tunnel

 

This place is beautiful - so peaceful

Sooo cool to be here

Love you all!