Updates: 9 September - 23 September

9 September

MLC, BBQ and never giving up
Not much to share this week and not even that much time to share it.

We had MLC in Kyiv and we really enjoyed it. We are excited to apply some new additions to our mission. We also had exchanges with the AP's. I got to be with Elder Jack who went to Bingham. He is so awesome and I learned so much from him.

We played a lot of catch up getting back from Kyiv but we got in touch with a lot of the people we are teaching and we are ready for a good week. We did get to go out to our recent convert Roman and we BBQ'd with him and he loved having us out there and we loved being out there.

I was humbled by a scripture this week in Helaman 12:3. It says that the Lord chastens His people so we will remember him. I had been questioning a lot of things going on and why they were happening to us when we are doing so much good. I realized that my spirituality level was just down from what it should be. As soon as I asked Heavenly Father to give me strength and help me find the right path to have the Spirit bearing witness to me again, I was immediately blessed with just that. He is waiting to bless us. Don't get upset about hard times. They happen for a reason and we all know it. Just do not forget HIM! He wants to bless you so bad. Just be open and ask...then ACT!

Love you all have a wonderful week!

17 September

Street hockey, Artem and scripture power
Cannot believe this week has come and gone already. It was really good. Sickness and afflictions have been taking their toll here but we will pull through haha. We had a branch activity this last Saturday which ended with us playing street hockey with all of our friends from English and other members of the church.

Our friend Artem is back in town and he was so excited to meet with us. He started being taught almost a year ago but his parents were very against him being baptized. But over the course of about a year, his mom has attended church a couple times and he has talked to them a bit about the gospel! When we called to see if he could meet, he was so excited and he asked if we could have a spiritual lesson because he hasn't had one in a long time and hasn't been able to read the Book of Mormon. We had such a good lesson and read from Alma 47. He loved it and we were really able to relate it to his situation right now. I am so excited for him.

I was reminded of a promise that Nephi declared in the Book of Mormon this week. 1 Nephi 14:14 says that he, "beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb...they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory". Don't forget that the Lord's power is upon all of us. His power is with YOU. YOU are armed with righteousness. YOU are armed with the power of God. Live worthily of that power. Do not forget that He is working a marvelous work among us. He is using YOU to carry out that work. God loves YOU because YOU are His child. Love you all and have a great week!

23 September

Miracles, back aches and the Lords timing
This week was rough mostly because I was dumb enough to hurt my back a week ago so we were stuck inside a lot.

Crazy miracles have been happening here in western Ukraine though. We went from 1 baptismal date as a zone to 11 in exactly one week. Elder Blake and I were shocked and it was a huge testimony builder to see how much the Lord is softening the hearts of His children here in Ukraine. One of those dates came from a 16 year old boy we have been working with! His dad is a member who recently became reactivated. We had an FHE with them and we asked his dad to share his conversion story with us and man did that invite the Spirit! He became very emotional while sharing it and after we turned to Bogdan (his son) and asked him a lot of questions that eventually came around to us inviting him to be baptized. Without any hesitation he said yes! We are so excited for him.

Watching the new Book of Mormon video got me thinking a lot about Laman and Lemuel. We often think of them as being "the bad guys" right away. But how often do we act like Laman and Lemuel? How often do we complain because we don't know what is ahead in life for us? (1 Nephi 2:12) How many of us complain when asked to do something we don't want too? (1 Nephi 3:5) Do we often forget that the Lord's will will always be fulfilled on HIS timing? (1 Nephi 7:12) The list goes on and on. We need to continue to show our Faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ. Just as the revelation given to Joseph Smith for Oliver Cowdery states, "Look unto me in every thought, doubt not, fear not".

Love you all,
Elder Kenyon Matua

Updates: 19 August - 26 August

19 August

A Story Worth Reading
I dont have a lot of time today so I just wanted to share a story with you. Have a wonderful weekend you all.

There once was this turntable bridge which spanned a large river. During most of the day, the bridge sat parallel with the river, allowing ships to pass freely on both sides. But at certain times each day a train would

come along and the bridge would be turned across the river allowing the trains to cross. A switchman sat in a small shack on one side of the river where he operated the controls to turn the bridge and lock it into place as the train crossed.

One evening, as the switchman was waiting for the last train of the day to come, he looked off into the distance through the dimming twilight and caught sight of the train's light. He stepped to the controls and waited until the train was within a prescribed distance when he was to turn the bridge into position. He turned the bridge, but to his horror, found that the locking control didn't work. If the bridge was not locked into position securely, it would wobble back and forth at the ends when the train comes onto it. This would cause the train to jump the track and go crashing into the river. This train was a passenger train with many people aboard.

He left the bridge turned across the river, and hurried across the bridge to the other side of the river where there was a lever he could use to operate the lock manually.

He could hear the rumble of the train now. He took hold of the lever and leaned backward to apply pressure to keep the mechanism locked. Many lives depended on this man's strength.

Then, coming across from the direction of his control shack he heard a sound that make his blood run cold:

"Daddy, where are you?"

His four-year-old son was crossing the bridge to look for him.

His first impulse was to cry out to the child, "Run, run!" but the train was too close, the tiny legs would never make it across the bridge in time. The man almost lifted the lever to run and snatch up his son, and carry him to safety, but he realized he could not get back to the lever in time. Either the people on the train or his little son must die.

He took just a moment to make his decision.

The train sped swiftly and safely on it's way, and no one aboard was aware af the tiny, broken body thrown mercilessly into the river by the rushing train.

Nor were they aware of the pitiful figure of a sobbing man still clinging tightly to the lever long after he train had passed. They didn't see him walking home more slowly than he had ever walked, to tell his wife how he had sacrificed her son.

Now if you can comprehend the feelings, which went through this man's heart, you can understand the feeling of our Heavenly Father when he sacrificed His Son to bridge the gap between us and eternal life.

How does He feel when we speed along through life without giving a thought to what was done for us throughs his Son, Jesus Christ? Can there be any wonder that He caused the earth to tremble and the skies to darken when His........only Begotten Son died?

26 August

Interviews and Zone Conference
Had another amazing week out here in L'viv. We were blessed to have zone and district conference. It was my first time presenting something at zone conference but I think it went really well. It was really cool because President's segment, the STL's segment and our segment went pretty much hand in hand and it wasn't planned. We all talked about how we can work more with members and Elder Blake and I talked a little bit about unity.

We also had exchanges with the elders from Khmelnytskyi. I got to be with Elder Frasier and we had a blast.

I had a really long interview with president and we talked about a lot of neat things. He gave me tons and tons of advice that I cannot forget.

Elder Blake and I had a very interesting experience this past week. Lemme just tell ya my testimony of the Priesthood has been strengthened immensely. I will just share with you the end of my journal from that day: Through all of this, my testimony of this gospel has been strengthened. My testimony of the priesthood has been freshly renewed. My testimony of God and His timing and His plan and His hand in my life has been restored. I HAVE a powerful and lasting testimony of my Savior Jesus Christ and his divinity. And ONLY through the incomprehensible act of charity that he performed, the eternal and everlasting gift of the Atonement, do I know this is true. In HIS name, Jesus Christ, the Beloved Lamb of God, amen.

I know, I know it doesn't sound like me... because it wasn't. That night I had gone through so many emotions that it wasn't me writing in my journal but it was the Spirit writing in it so I will never forget what I felt that day. Jesus Christ loves YOU! Don't ever forget it. Please, please, please don't forget that He is there and WANTS to bless you. Have a great, uplifting week.

Love you all,
Elder Kenyon Matua