Four Months!

Temple visit with Vika

Another slow week and not much to write about.

We had exchanges this week here in Rivne. I was with Elder Kovolyav, he is from Eastern Ukraine. Awesome missionary. The funny thing is his family lives here in Rivne. So we got to stop by them and share a thought with them and eat! Super cool experience.

We had the wonderful opportunity to travel to Kyiv on Friday and attend the temple with the branch! We didn't think we were going to be able to go but we got permission because our recent convert Vika was going for her first time. It was an amazing trip. Surprisingly we had 17 members attend! We also got do work for the member's really close family. All of the old ladies brought ordinance cards with them and we did the ordinances for their fathers and brothers. It was SOOOO cool!!

On Tuesday we had our game night. Since Elder McGrath and I both love golf, we set up mini golf course around the church. It was super fun! They go into it but we don't know if they really understand how golf works. They were pretty much playing hockey. Even though we were using hockey sticks we explained they cant hit the ball again until it stops but I don't think anybody actually did that.

Elder and Sister Andrus, a senior couple here, came out to Rivne to do inspection. They are an awesome couple, such wonderful people. They took us to lunch and left us with some cookies and some other goodies. They also came to church yesterday with us and thank goodness because Sister Andrus plays the piano so I didn't have too. The down side is I had to do so much translating. I honestly just made stuff up sometimes because I had no idea what they were saying. But it all worked out!

Mini golfing with the members

One short thought! I was reminded of a scripture that I love at the very end of the Book of Mormon: "Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God." I love this scripture! I love how at the end of the Book of Mormon it is again just inviting all to come unto Christ and deny yourselves of ALL ungodliness, then, and only then, is His grace sufficient for you.

з Любов'ю,
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Me and Elder McGrath at the temple

Lunch between temple sessions

My favorite member family in Rivne, Polischuks

A member said he would give me one...if I wasn't a missionary

For dinner we made pancakes and buttermilk syrup

Story Time

Hammin it up with the Primary kids

We didn't have to much going on this past week but we did have a really cool experience with Vika. So my email will just be the story of what happened because it was honestly one of the coolest things that has happened.

We had a lesson with Vika on Tuesday which didn't go too well. We were teaching about priesthood authority and power and she was just confused. We also had to leave early because our land lord kept bugging us. So anyways we planned to meet with her on Saturday to clear things up. A little background: on Tuesday she also asked what we think she could work on as a person in general. I mentioned that she need to share her knowledge more because I know she knows more than she gives herself credit for. So, leading up to Saturday we were praying so hard for the Lord to just help her understand and want to learn more. Saturday comes around and we planned an entire lesson that we knew would help her understand. We get to the church and start having our lesson with Vika.

Right from the start she says she wants to share something. She mentioned that from last lesson she was a little confused about the priesthood, so she went home and studied. She then said that we said that she needs to share her knowledge so that's what shes gonna do. So she asked for the chalk board. We got super excited. She wrote 'priesthood' at the top and just went off about what she understands. She started pulling quotes from conference and scriptures up the whazoo! She had been studying for hours everyday about the priesthood and what it truly is. She explained the difference between priesthood power, priesthood keys, and priesthood authority, better than I could have EVER explained it. She blew us out of the water!! It was such a cool experience. We finished off the lesson talking about the temple and now she is coming to the temple with the branch on Friday! Such an amazing person and such an amazing testimony.

Vika's awesome Priesthood lesson

That was my story for the week and one of the many awesome experiences we have had out here in Ukraine. I wanted to end with what Vika answered to our question about the priesthood, which was "what is the priesthood and why is it so important?" Her answer was this... Priesthood is your natural and divine calling by which humanity can be saved. WHAT?!! She was baptized last week!

I encourage everyone reading this to find a deeper meaning to a doctrine of the gospel that they are struggling to understand right now. It's so important that we are understanding the Gospel of Jesus Christ in full. We can't fall short of our opportunity to obtain as much knowledge as possible on this earth; this incredibly short period of time. Take advantage of what you know now, learn more, and share it with someone.

I love you all and have an amazing week.


з Любов'ю,
Старійшина Матуа

Clownin' around

Georgian food!

Baptism Week

Having lunch at Lviv Croissant

Crazy Crazy Crazy week!!

This week was very, very busy and Elder McGrath said that is normal for baptism weeks. We started off the week with having a Halloween party! We didn't have much time to plan it because we had just gotten back from Kyiv and were scrambling to get stuff done. Luckily we have an awesome member in our branch named Bohdon. He is 20 and got back from is mission in London a couple months ago. He helped us out a ton. We had a Halloween movie night that the branch put on. We watched Goosebumps and had some food. It was a super fun night.

We lost the other two elders in our area which has been a little bit of a set back but we are catchin up. But because they left, we moved into their apartment because it's closer to the church and a lot nicer. So it's been a fun week in a new place.

Doing service - walnuts (brings back nightmares LOL!)

We met with Vika everyday this week in preparation for the baptism. Friday night we met with her and her little brother. Her little brother is the best! They both come every week to English practice and he always comes early and hangs out with us. He has been teaching me a lot on the piano too because he's super good, and because I'm stuck playing the piano at church now. And for those that don't know me very well, I don't play the piano!! So I've just been trying to learn and it has been a fun process.

The baptism was on Saturday. It was so awesome!! We had a little bit of trouble with the font in the morning but we got it all worked out by the time we needed to start the baptism. Vika was excited and she had an amazing time. She came up to us before the baptism and just said Thank you. She said that we saved her life, that we helped her come closer to God. It was so cool! She is so awesome and will be a strong member in this church.

Vika's amazing baptism day!

Things in Rivne, Ukraine are awesome. It's thought of course, but always staying busy helps. We have been listening to these talks given by speakers like Troy Dunn, and Hank Smith. If you haven't listened to these guys talk please do, they are awesome. But I remember from one of them we recently listened to, Hank Smith shared a story of a boy giving something up that was very special to him. What the boy wrote about it later was, "The best decision I ever made in my life, was to give up something I loved to the God I loved even more. He has never forgotten me for it." We can give up things of this world and things that aren't important and make bigger decisions for the one that loves us the most. It will be hard, but i know it will be worth it. I love you all and thank you for everything!


з Любов'ю,
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Ward Halloween party

Vika's lil bro Valiera

Pavlo and his crazy math

Georgian bread and croissants

Study area in our new apartment

Transfer 1 Complete!

Awesome week!!

The first three days of the week were spent in Kyiv, which was a super fun experience. Of course as soon as we got to Kyiv we ran straight to the KFC. AMAZING!

We had Mid-Transfer Training on Wednesday. It went really well and learned so much from President and Sister Kumferman and also the AP's. We also had the opportunity to go to the temple! Finally! It was super awesome. We already want to go back but unfortunately we can't.

On Thursday we had Mission Conference. Holy amazing experience! We were very lucky to have Elder Quinton L Cook come and speak to us. We all got the chance to shake his hand while we were walking into the chapel. We were told to say three things: your name, where your from and how long you've been serving. So when it was my turn I did just that. He then asked me what ward I was in. I said the Lehi 41st Tongan Ward. He said "Oh so do you know my good friend Hutch Fale?" I said of course!! (our stake president) Then later when it was his turn to address us, he began by talking about callings. He then said, "Where is Elder Matua at?". I was shocked. It was soooooooo unexpected. I stood up and he laughed and said "There you are"! Elder Quinton L Cook called me out by name.....WHAT?!! So awesome. He shared how he loves my stake president and loves the Polynesian people. Super cool experience, and a cool experience just having him there in general. Awesome Mission Conference.

We found a sushi spot in Ukraine!

Super exciting news!! I will be baptizing Vika on Saturday! I am very, very excited. We are meeting with her everyday this week and getting her completely ready for Saturday.

Honestly not a very busy week aside from Conference. We had a good P day today. Went bowling of course. Alright day, only bowled a 186. Elder McGrath and I are gonna be pros by the time we get home. We will also be having a branch Halloween party on Tuesday! Super excited. It'll be our last time with Elder Wonson and Elder Volkov. They both got transferred and unfortunately we aren't getting anymore. So Rivne will be a two-elder city. In other words, we got a lot of work ahead of us. It'll be a fun time!

All I got this week. Love you all!

з Любов'ю,

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Train to Lviv

View from the Elders' apartment in Kyiv

We made it to the temple in Kyiv!

We love to see (and attend) the temple