Crazy Week - 27 May, 2019

This week was the craziest, most random week of my mission.

It all started on Tuesday. Elder Petersen and I got here to L'viv late Tuesday night and met Elder Cluff and Blake here at their apartment. We had a super train ride on our way here. We both felt a little sick after but didn't think much of it. Wednesday we had our exchanges with the zone leaders and it was an interesting one because they had their interviews with President Kumferman. So our day was basically based off of when their interviews were, which always changes so they are not predictable. But I was with Elder Blake and we had a really good day. All four of us got to go to their recent converts apartment for dinner and FHE.

When we got home that night, Elder Petersen was not feeling good at all. We called our senior couple out here and she made an appointment for us at the clinic. When we got there for the appointment the next day, we found out that it might be worse than we thought. We spent ALL day going to different hospitals and clinics and when we finally got to the end of the day, he was preparing himself to have his appendix removed. It shocked us all and it was a long process with a lot of opinions from different doctors but we finally decided to just have it removed rather than wait. We had our president there and even family of another missionary who had just finished her mission and her dad was a doctor and it was a huge blessing that everyone was in this city for this, we were very blessed. I left the hospital at around midnight and Elder Petersen had surgery until about 2:00 a.m. Everything went well and he is now recovering very well.

Friday we had zone conference and it went super good. President conducted an amazing segment on the Plan of Salvation and gave us so many new insights and ways to teach it. I also had my interview with President and it was very short because we were both exhausted and it was late.

We got transfer texts and I will be serving as the new zone leader here in L'viv with Elder Blake. I am so excited!! We got to spend a lot of time together this week because my companion was sick. But I am so excited to serve with Elder Blake and we already have so much planned.

It was a very long week just being stuck here in this city unexpectedly but I am so glad Elder Petersen is healthy and moving. We were sad we didn't get to do some of the stuff we wanted to do here but everyone is glad that he is OK.

Had to say goodbye to my old comp Elder Stott at 5:00 a.m. this morning which was super sad. Gonna miss that dude and some of the other elders who left. No worries though because I'll see them before I know it.


Love you all,
Elder Kenyon Matua

10 Months - 20 May, 2019

This a super, duper, crazy, out of this world, normal week. This was pretty much our last week of the transfer because we leave to L'viv tomorrow and don't come back till Saturday which is the 4th to last day of the transfer. So pretty much over.

We had a super fun game night on Tuesday. Our numbers are slowly growing. We had about 11 total and 5 were first timers. We played a bunch of card games and some ping pong. Don't wanna boast or anything but I still haven't lost....but I'll give it to em, Ukrainians are pretty dang good at ping pong. We also had a good English practice on Friday. We had the most people we've had all transfer. Our advanced group is small like always but we love it. There were 2 new people who were super cool. One is actually a former investigator named German. He is super cool. The other is Yaroslav and they are both interested in taking the lessons. We are excited to work with them!

Unfortunately we couldn't get very many lessons set up this week. Seems like the summer vacations have already started. But because we didn't have too many we got a chance to really work on our apartment. When I first got to Chernivtsi it was disgusting. We have taken President Kumferman's council and gotten it in good shape and we actually like it now. Sounds dumb but makes a huge day to day difference haha.

I was super embarrassed this Sunday. The branch president called me last Monday and said can you give out talks? I took that as can you give a talk? Shows ya how good my Ukrainian is. Haha no but I was so embarrassed because president walked up to me 30 minutes before sacrament started and asked me who was speaking. I said what??? He asked again and I just told him, I thought he said 'can you give a talk.' So luckily I had one prepared anyway and luckily I have an awesome companion who said he would give one. He is super awesome, whipped it up in five minutes and gave a great one. We both spoke a little about member missionary work and how they can help in our work and also about the Book of Mormon. Then the branch president spoke and low key called me out and then said that he was actually really glad he had the opportunity too. I thought he was just saying that but after he actually did mean it and we talked for a little bit. He is the best.

So excited for zone conference this week. We are all pumped. Favorite time of the transfer. At the end of my talk, I finished with sharing Moroni 10:32 and shared how we need to come unto Christ before we can help others do the same. Then we must become perfected IN Him. But not only IN Him, but WITH Him and THROUGH Him. I love this work and love that I am a part of it. I know what I am doing know is currently blessing my family and will continue to do so throughout our lives.


Love y'all have a good week.
Elder Kenyon Matua

Exchanges - 13 May, 2019

Eating 'real' stake after exchanges with
Khmelnytskiy Elders

We had a really good week. We spent some time in Khmelnytskiy on exchanges. I got to spend the day on Wednesday with Elder Frasier who is from Alpine, UT so we had a lot to talk about. It was fun talking about all the people we both know and just talking in general. That was our first exchange together and it was cool because we both remember when we found each other on Instagram before our missions.

We got into Khmelnytskiy on Tuesday night just in time for their game night which was super fun. They have a really good group there, a lot of young people our age so it was super fun. On Wednesday, Elder Frasier and I had 4 lessons planned. Unfortunately, we only had one of those, the other three didn't show up. It's unfortunate but we kind of get used to that out here. We helped a member family move their giant canvas printer while we were there. They were very grateful and I was too because if they had tried to move that while we weren't there on exchanges I don't know how that would've gone down. We finished the exchange with some super good, real steak. It was expensive but it was worth it. First time having meat like that since I left America.

When we got back to Chernivtsi we had the best English practice we've had in a while. We had around 20 people which doesn't sound like a lot but from the time that I first got here to Chernivtsi, that's a ton.

Doing service - moving a very large printer

Sunday was sweet!!! Our recent convert Andriy received the priesthood. I was so happy when I saw him walk up to church in a suit again and even happier when I saw how excited he was. I'm so proud of the steps hes taken and ahhhh, he's the best.

To finish of course, HAPPY MOTHERS DAY to my wonderful, loving, amazing, joyful, spiritual mother. Love you so so much. The last two days thinking about mothers day coming up, I was continually reminded of the the scriptures in Alma 56: "They had been taught by their MOTHERS, that if they did not doubt God would deliver them... They rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it". Now that last part I didn't like sometimes because mom would use that against me haha but you have taught me so much mom and I am so grateful for it. I am blessed day by day out here because of the things you have taught me. Love you so much!


Love you all,
Elder Kenyon Matua

Go-kart fun on P-Day

Another short week - 6 May, 2019

Playing tennis on P-Day

We did a lot this week but at the same time I can hardly remember any of it. Time is going faster and faster every week.

Last P-day we got a chance to play tennis! It was super fun. My comp, Elder Petersen played tennis in high school so he kind of destroyed me but it's all good. And they opened a new rib place here in Chernivtsi that we went too after playing tennis. Always weird eating food like we are back in America.

We started our English Club again and not too many people showed up because no one knew about it but that'll change. English practice was super good. Mine and Elder Petersen's advanced class played Kahoot. It was fun because they had no idea what that was but after they loved it!

Hangin in the courtyard

We talked a lot to Andriy, our recent convert, about the priesthood. He loved it and had some good questions and ended up meeting with our branch president. He is so ready and seems excited. We had a really good Sunday. The members were so happy and so welcoming to everybody and it was amazing. They actually like talked to us which was weird. lol. But they really went out of their way to talk to Andriy. There was also a family that the sisters have been teaching that came to church. The members were SOO welcoming to them. Everybody introduced themselves and the family looked so excited and said they would come next week.

I love the fact that I get to talk to my family every week and I realize how spoiled I am for that. I really enjoyed talking to them this morning and it really hit me how important our families are. We all know they are important of course but through EVERYTHING, they are there. Whether it feels like it or not. I feel so blessed to have such an amazing family and especially with Mother's Day coming up, such and amazing mother. I love you all and hope you can find some time to spend with your family this week because we are never promised tomorrow.


Love you all,
Elder Kenyon Matua

Lot's of pigeons everywhere!