Updates: December 9th and 16th

9 DECEMBER

Surprise!!! Another exchange. This one actually was a surprise haha.

President Kumferman asked us to go to another city to help the elders out with their area. It was super unexpected but it went really well. We ended up getting on a train at 9 pm, got there at 3 am the next day, had the exchange, and then left that night at 9 pm, and got home at around 4 am. So ya, we were pretty exhausted.

The Hunters are awesome and had us over for dinner again. They reported on the invitation we gave them to find someone to invite to church while they were traveling around these last couple weeks. They ended up sharing tons of experiences and telling us about everyone they talked too. It was super cool.

We had a mini MTC for the youth in our branch and a branch from a different city. It was really fun. We even took them out contacting with us and it was hilarious. They did a really good job.

We were in the apartment the other night just sitting there and talking after lunch and I started juggling the volleyball with my feet. My comp thought it would be fun to try and steal the ball, but I'm too competitive and wouldn't let him have it, had to sauce him up a lil bit ya know? Ya no. We both went to kick the ball and let's just say I woke up the next morning with a black toe that doesn't wanna move. Lesson learned - don't play soccer in the house, especially when you should be
planning.

I was reminded of a quote from President Nelson this last week, "The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives." I've probably shared this before because I love it so much. It's a good reminder that the joy we feel in life is totally in our control. When we were are focusing on the Savior and His Atonement, we will always feel joy. Yes, trials and tribulations will come but if we are FOCUSED on the Lord, we will still feel joy! We are promised that by a loving prophet of God! I hope you can all find time to recognize the joy in your life this week and recognize the source of it.

Elder Kenyon Matua

16 DECEMBER

I about died this week.

There was so much traveling. We left Monday morning at 5 am to get to Kyiv. We got there and met with some friends and had lunch and we had a good time. Tuesday we had MLC which ended up being 7 hours. We left right after, got on a train to Khmelnytskyi and got in around midnight. Then we walked all the way to the apartment which took half an hour and we were just dead. Then came home from K-town Thursday and had a few meetings right when we got back.

Exchanges in Khmelnytskyi went really well. I got to be with Elder Pitcher who is from close to home and we know a lot of the same people so we had a good time talking about it.

We got fed by a couple of members this week and it was awesome! We are starting to see a lot of growth in the branch and how much they want to help out.

We met with our friend Andriy again and it went really well. He had read 2 Nephi 2 and had some really good questions about it. We are excited to keep helping him learn more about our Savior.

I don't have tons of time but love you all and have a great week.

Love you all,
Elder Kenyon Matua

Never Ending Exchanges

This week was exhausting!

We went to Kyiv on Monday to do Exchanges with the AP's and I woke up super sick and ended up sitting inside all day and sleeping. It was not fun and I missed out on doing a last exchange with Elder Jack before he goes home tomorrow!

We had a great Thanksgiving dinner with the senior couple, the Leifers. They fed us really, really well and made us feel right at home. That night we also took a bus out to Lutsk to have exchanges with the elders there.

I got to spend the day in Lutsk with my buddy from Tennessee, Elder Crabtree. He is such an awesome missionary and we had a really good time together talking to people and visiting less-active members from their branch.

We started teaching a young guy named Andryi who was asking questions about English that I could not answer to save my life. Luckily when we started talking about the gospel we had a lot more answers for him. He shows pretty genuine interest so we are excited!

I've been reading talks from this past conference and something Sister Michelle Craig said really stood out to me. She said that in first Nephi 3:7 it says that the Lord will provide "a way" not "the way". It is hard sometimes because I find myself praying and asking for God to guide me, and then, without thinking, I immedietly imagine what the answer is gonna be. I falsely set an expectation for the answer I am going to receive. I know we have heard it a billion times but we have to understand He will provide "a way" and it will ALWAYS be "HIS way". We cannot, as SIster Michelle Craig says, "miss or dismiss personal errands from the Lord", because we are stuck on "our way" or "my way". He will provide a way and it will always be the right way. Find time this week to discover what "His way" for you is.


Love you all!
Elder Kenyon Matua