22 JULY
Yes, yes we finally got them and we are loving it and it is paying off so much right now. We haven't been able to stay in touch with our recent convert much but now that we have these phones it's constant communitcation and the list just goes on and it's only been 3 days with these phones.Zone conference was great! President's segment was about repentance and what it really is and how we can teach it better. He shared a quote from Howard W. Hunter that I loved, "Repentance is the homesickness of the soul".
We had exchanges with the AP's the day before conference and I got to spend the day with Elder Eller. He used to be in our zone before he went to AP so it was good to see him again and serve with him.
The branch had a primary activity on Tuesday to celebrate pioneer day. It was small but it was fun. We had an awesome game night as well that night and so many new people came!
We started teaching another new Roman and he is SOOOO cool! He started explaining a 'what if' in his words about where God lives right now and how He has an influence on our world. He legit started explaining the Plan of Salvation and what prophets are as if it were an alternate universe. It was so cool! We told him that he is exactly right and that it is REAL! It's not just a 'what if'. It ended up being a super cool lesson!
Super, super busy but fun week. Love yall and have a wonderful week!
29 JULY
Sad couple of days because Elder McGrath was here and I had to say good bye. Weird seeing him and Elder Swasey go. It kind freaks me out watching these older missionaries leave, especially my trainer. Time is FLYING!We had exchanges this last week in Chernivtsi. It was where I was serving before I came here to Lviv so it was cool to go back. I got to serve with Elder Crabtree, from Tennessee. I loved spending the day with him and listening to his southern accent. We got to meet with Andriy, who Elder Tuttle and I had the oppotunity to baptize. He hadn't been coming to church ever since I left so we talked about it and he promised he would come this week. The worst part of this week was coming back from Chernivtsi. There was no trains and it's a 6 hour train ride which means a bus ride will take 8 hours but it was our only option. We bought tickets for the bus and when we went out to get on the bus we saw it was a marshrutka which is a super ghetto city bus. We both looked at each other with fear in our eyes. We had no choice so we got on. It was supposed to be 3 and a half hours to the city in between and it ended up taking 5 hours. So when we got to that city, which was Ternopil, where we've been a few times, we said bag it and we got off. We went to get something to eat and then found a train from there at 8 pm which got us into Lviv at around 11:30. So ya, it was just a really long day. I don't even know if anything I just said made sense but хай буде.
These last couple of days have been fun because it transfers and there is a lot of switching going on and some people getting stuck here in Lviv with us. I didn't get transfered and neither did Elder Blake so we are both staying as zone leaders here. We are excited because we have a feeling we are going to be here for a while.
I was reading in Alma 53 this morning and noticed something cool.Obviously these are the war chapter so it is hard sometimes to find spiritual things to take away which is what had been happening to me these last couple of studies so I asked Heavelny Father to just give me something this morning during Book of Mormon reading. Of course, the amazing Father He is, he gave me an answer in the 5th verse I read. Cap Moroni was talking about how he captured a lot of Lamanites and was going to use them as laborers "because it was easier to gaurd them while they were at labor". That immedietly hit me. It doesn't sound like something that you would immedietly think is like a spiritual revelation but I took it as one. I kind of related Moroni's situation to God and the laborers to ours. No, He doesn't force us to work but as we are BUSY and WORKING and MINISTERING, it makes it easier for our Heavenly Father to watch over us. It reminded me of the quote "an idle mind is a playground of the devil". As we stay busy in the work of the Lord as members of His church, He will continue to bless us. I LOVE this work, HIS work, and I love all of you. Have an amazing week.
5 AUGUST
This week was so good but so tiring. Mostly because we had to go to Kyiv and the travel there was not fun. Our first train was Wednesday night at 11 pm and it got in at 7 am Thursday morning. Then our train home was Thursday night at 11pm and we got back home to Lviv at 7 am. So ya it was a tiring couple of days but totally worth it.We were in Kyiv because we had MLC at president's house. We got to their house super early because our train got in so early and we felt so bad but Sister Kumferman is just the best and she made us four breakfast. MLC was really good. President's training for us was awesome. He focused a lot on going back to the basics which is "Our Purpose" as missionaries. It was really humbling for me to see how busy president is and how overwhelmed he probably is but for him to be so focused on us as leaders helping us understand that it all comes down to the basics was amazing. I love that he read from Matthew 28, the Great Commission, and he related it to us and exactly what we are doing. The work I get to be a part of is AMAZING!! That we all get to be a part of!
We also found time to go to the temple and man was I grateful for that. I definitely felt spiritually fresh and restarted for this next transfer.
We met with a kid named Ross who is about my age and he is awesome!! He came to English practice a couple months ago but then we lost contact after that. Out of the blue, 2 months later, he called me! He asked how I was doing and said that he wanted to meet. We taught him the message of the Restoration and he seemed very open and accepting. He mentioned so many times how much he loves to learn more and he asked so many questions and we are praying that he will continue to grow spiritually to accept the invitation to come unto Christ and His gospel.
We got to meet with our man Roman again and we discussed the Plan of Salvation. He was so into it that he stood up around the board and asked us to draw it out for him and he was so interested. He really seemed to like it and I was glad. At the end he mentioned how most christians believe that we were somewhere before this life and now on earth and after we will go to heaven or hell. Then he said, "That's what I know. Well I guess that's what I KNEW". SO COOL!
Really cool line that popped out while I was reading in Alma this last week was chapter 50 verse 19 "And thus we see how merciful and just are the dealings of the Lord, to the fulfilling of ALL his words unto the children of man". His word will ALWAYS be fulfilled. He has a plan and it's real. Love you all and have an amazing week.
