SO COOL!!!!
hyelo my familia! Wowee, so much to say! I'm here safe and sound, and too excited to have jetlag...plane ride? just fine...i didn't sleep a wink and we were stuck in the runway at new york for 5 hours...some medical emergency thing. We got to know the people on the plane really well. There were TONS of jews...they were going through vienna to jerusalem to study. five of them cornered me in line for the bathroom and shot question after question at me...haha, i held my own. They're respectable people...they really live their religion and respect us for living ours. So Vienna, meh, I only rushed through the airport and said "donkashern" to everyone i saw...but Dnepr! Oh! Such a cool city! The very first thing we went to the branch and the memebers had a little program for us. They fixed us borsche and pig fat on bread and kifel (it's like drinking fat thick rotten sour cream...mmmm) Then i spent the night at the presidents and the elders went to the APs...We woke up to a fabulous breakfast and studied with the APs and had an orientation meeting...I asked president neilson some simple questions like, "How many sisters are there" he said "jsut ten" then I said, "Oh, so what are the chances that I'll serve with a native?" he said "pretty high chances cectpa jones...you're the only american." Jaw drop. HA! All of my companions (unless i train) will only speak russian! so moving on to cectpa KOHDRATEBA (kondrateva) She is absolutely incredible! She's a fiesty little russian from st. petersburg. She comes from a strong family (he parents were temple presidents in sweden) and she has a fire for this work. My first impression of her was of utmost FEAR. We were going to our area and we walk up to this tiny little Marshrutka (what we ride every day) and she was like, "no. we are not riding that for ten hours with 6 missionaries and 10 bags." Next thing i know, after some yelling and really fast russian, not only does she somehow get all our money back, but we waltz up to this massively nice bus. How she did it, i will never know.
So we speak russian. She speaks english well, but she's adament on me learning this language. I am too! The most frustrating this is that I'm not yet understanding everything i hear. If I really focus, I can make sense by piecing the works i know together, but ugh...it's just a long and slow journey. I can't be too hard on myself though. I've only been here a few days!
Oh. And...so i am basically living every missionaries dream in Dnepropetrovosk. Not only do i have the hardest working native companion (she leaves in tolka 2 transfers, so she knows how to teach...wow) But I am being trained in paradise...oh yes. Not only am I in Crimea, but in the paradise of crimea, CEBACTOnOL (sevastopol) It is absolutly gorgeous here. We just got back from this little harbor town called balklava and we hiked (yes!) up to this falling apart war bunker tower thing and climbed up to the top where we could see just the bright blue and green "black" sea for miles. We scaled some rocks (missionary safe) down to the water which is as clear as glass...The beaches are mostly rocky, but there are a few little coves of sandy beaches...its absolutely gorgeous! From our apartment, we has a great view of the sea and our branch is right on the sea. Literally two seconds away. I'm really really lucky...it's really a mercy from the Lord that I'm here...that I was able to hike today and work outside for service on saturday and be in the heat around all this beauty...huge mercy.
The members here are hilarious! We get a lot more in the summer because our city is were everyone in eastern europe come for vacation, but we have maybe 15 active members. We've been teaching a lady and her friend, Ena and Galina, and they love us...they live in sinferopol, so it's hard to get out there every day, but they have a ton of quesitons. Cec. Kondrateva has me prepare for one section of the lesson so she can make sure that I can practice. I was able to teach about the atonement on Saturday. Obviously, I can only teach really simply, using the same words over and over again, but she said that we answered questions that she has had for over three years about the atonement. The spirit is real. I can't believe I'm here and actually teaching people the restored gospel...finally. I almost started crying in our first lesson with Ena...as a watched her russian mouth babbling away, I just felt so happy to finally be here! I am fully dependant on the Lord and on Cec. Kondrateva right now, but I know I'll soon be able to understand (cec. K said I'll understand everything in a month...oh...ha....) and soon i'll be able to help people better.
So its hot, its fun, its tough. Oh! and goats just roam around here. One started chasing us yesterday, and when we turned the corner, we saw five more following this little babushka...haha...
Yesterday was independence day for Ukraine, but sevastopol (and crimea in general) kind of hate ukraine. They think their Russian and theres actually some dispute on whether Russian owns it or not. So they had a parade and some signs, but no one was really watching.
Oh man, diving into the work has been exciting. I'm stil learning and trying to learn the best way to communicate with these people, but it'll come. The Lord is on my right hand and left...and if I act, he will bear me up. I know that. This work is nothing like i thought it would be...it's 1000% better than the MTC, and you know I loved the MTC... so you can imagine!
Next time you send a package (maybe for christmas or whatever) throw in a couple loose short sleeve shirts that are kinda nice, but just breezy (that I don't have to wear a shade shirt with. It's hotter than haites down here and even up in Dnepr in the summertime...those would be good to have. I have to wear an undershirt with most of my clothes and its hotttttt.
My favorite thing so far is probably borche (beet soup...its delicious!)...or bliencheeky (kinda like crepes, but deliciouser) and oh the cok! I'm not much of a juice drinker at home, but this is not juice. It's is pure nector from the gods...thankyou zeus
There are blackberry bushes all around our apartment...mmm...we don't have any money yet, so we will be living on that for a while :)
Just send letters and packages to the mission office by the way...if anyone feels like writing. I think it'll just be easier...and that way i don't have to be distracted by our mailbox.
welp, love you all, work hard at whatever you're doing and you'll be happy...that's a constant truth for life...just make sure it's not drug dealing...
cectpa jonesky
ps - good luck at school everyone. Weird that summer is over! I feel like i just walking into the heart of it. schastleeva!
Monday, August 24, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Arrival picture!
Dear Jones’:
Attached is the arrival picture of Sister Jones with President & Sister Nielsen. Enjoy!
Elder Herron
email from office couple
Email we got from the office couple. She made it!
Dear All,
Thank you for sharing with us your wonderful young Elders and Sister. They arrived safely, had their first interview with Pres. Nielsen, and have now been assigned to their first areas. Their P-day is on Monday so expect to hear from them on that day. I have met them all and feel an immediate bond with them.
I am attaching the mail delivery instructions. Pouch mail comes in from Salt Lake City each week, but we no longer send out pouch because of the expense. Regular mail sent through USPS comes through very well and takes about 2 weeks for delivery, including packages. All mail must be sent to the Mission Office and then we send it out with President or Zone Leaders to the various zones. The missionaries do not have addresses that allow them to receive personal mail, so please send anything to Karla Marksa 27A 5th Floor, 49044 Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine.
If I can help you in any way, please don’t hesitate to write. Our mission address is 487406@ldschurch.org. President’s personal email address is dnielsen@ldschurch.org.
Love,
Sister Herron
Mission Office
Ukraine Dnepropetrovsk Mission
Does she look excited to you?
She looks excited to me. This was at 5 in the morning on the day she left. She got to put on her all-Russian name tag. No, I can't read it either. But I do know that the word after "Cectpa" (which means "sister") is how you say "Jones" in Russian. What a crazy language.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Dasvedanya... or however you spell that.
She left today. I took a picture of her but can't find my camera. I went to meet her at 5 in the morning like a good sister. I gave her a long tight hug. I told her to be good and work hard. Then I got back in my car and cried all the way home.
Yes, out of sadness. Happiness? That too. I'm really going to miss her... miss taking a break from work and walking 300 feet to the cafeteria to have lunch with her... miss her dropping by my classroom or desk to teach me some new Russian word that I would immediately forget... miss smuggling her in contraband items and not feeling remotely bad about it... miss her asking me for advice... miss asking her for advice... miss it even when she would only speak to me in Russian and draw pictures to translate. It was a completely unique experience having her at the MTC with me. And I will miss it.
However...
I know what she's in for. Now I don't know exactly what experiences she'll have and I know they'll be completely different from my experiences as a missionary... but I know how much my mission shaped and defined me. It made me who I am today. It taught me most of what I know about myself and my Father. It's something I've always wanted for her. So as I parked my car at my apartment at 5:19 in the morning and laid my head on my steering wheel and cried, I cried mostly because...
I.
Could.
Not.
Be.
More.
Excited.
My mission has meant everything to me and makes up a large portion of who I am today. It'll be nice to have a sister than can understand that in a way all her own.
So, she's gone. And I'm sad. But I cannot wait to hear about her challenges and successes, her trials and triumphs, her refiner's fire and her growth and maturity. I'm happy.
Look out Ukraine. Here she comes!
Yes, out of sadness. Happiness? That too. I'm really going to miss her... miss taking a break from work and walking 300 feet to the cafeteria to have lunch with her... miss her dropping by my classroom or desk to teach me some new Russian word that I would immediately forget... miss smuggling her in contraband items and not feeling remotely bad about it... miss her asking me for advice... miss asking her for advice... miss it even when she would only speak to me in Russian and draw pictures to translate. It was a completely unique experience having her at the MTC with me. And I will miss it.
However...
I know what she's in for. Now I don't know exactly what experiences she'll have and I know they'll be completely different from my experiences as a missionary... but I know how much my mission shaped and defined me. It made me who I am today. It taught me most of what I know about myself and my Father. It's something I've always wanted for her. So as I parked my car at my apartment at 5:19 in the morning and laid my head on my steering wheel and cried, I cried mostly because...
I.
Could.
Not.
Be.
More.
Excited.
My mission has meant everything to me and makes up a large portion of who I am today. It'll be nice to have a sister than can understand that in a way all her own.
So, she's gone. And I'm sad. But I cannot wait to hear about her challenges and successes, her trials and triumphs, her refiner's fire and her growth and maturity. I'm happy.
Look out Ukraine. Here she comes!
Monday, August 17, 2009
Some of the last day pictures.
She's leaving tomorrow morning at 5 AM.
We ate lunch one last time in the cafeteria and then took some pictures.
She's excited and a little nervous but mostly excited. And I'm excited for her...
...But I'm really really really going to miss my shissa.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
10th email: August 11th, 2009
Sorry about last week...we were having some difficulties...ha
SO...I'm leaving a week from today! We got our flight plans (probably the most exciting thing thats ever happened here...it's like opening another mission call...k not at all) But I leave here at 5 tuesday the 18th...i fly from slc to New York at 8:30 ish (about a 2 hour layover)....then from New York to Vienna, Austria (another 2-3 hour layover)...then from Vienna to Dnipropetrovsk! (about a 16 month layover) WAHOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! It's so crazy that it's finally here...that i'm going to be a real live missionary. talking to real live ukrainians.... ! So this week has been hard to focus, but we're still working hard. We're 100% russian, which is SO hard, but i know i've gotta do it...sacrifice now for those people...
I spoke in church on sunday! pa-roosky! (in russian) Pres. Callister does it Pres. Scott style where he just calls you right up from the audience...so he calls me and one of the russian elders...great. Ha, it was so fun though! I struggled through part of it, and was a bit slow when I read my verses (I spoke on Virtue) but I recovered every time bearing testimony. Sister Jensen (one of the branch pres. wives) brought her friend from Armania who has only been a member for a year...Antonia...she came up to me after, with her bright orange hair and big red lips...and she said "I can't believe you have only been speaking this launguage for 10 weeks! I just don't believe it!" OBVIOUSLY she heard the spirit and not me...ha...it was a good booster for me though.
THANKYOU always for the hilarious packages mama...you know me...mangos...mmmm...and tomatoes? haa...those ones were struggling...maybe try to recite some poetry to them like grandpa :)
Today we basically spent all day at the temple! We did a session early then we were able to do some family sealing with the russian elders and cectpas...SO amazing...almost my whole zone was in one of the huge sealing rooms and our sis. callister and pres. callister just owned as the couple the whole time, and all us kiddies took our turn for these missionaries families....wowee...pres. callister is incredible...he reminds me of a nine year old trapped in a 70 year olds body....he looks old, but I promise you, sister callister passes him cheerios during church.
before i forget, what up with my debit card? will you send me a dear elder this week (have some one help you mon - i love you but youre challenged) about how much is on there and everything...theres a possibility that i have to pay about $100 extra just to take a second bag...a new lame rule...so i want to make sure thats all squared away!
Becky Swim left for taiwan today! it's kinda weird, she's been my little buddy for this entire time...but i have never seen a missionary more ready to serve the lord in my life! Not only is her chinese amazing, but her faith in what the Lord WILL do for her is unmatched. Loverr...
We are the old hag missionaries here. We've hosted a billion times cause they don't know what else to do with us, and we watch all the cute new sisters come in with their newly pressed skirts and make-up and hair and smiles...and then we look down at our nylons with runs, constant pony-tails, and mismatched clothes...Ha...i love it.
I'm going to miss some things at the MTC, mostly just people, but I can't wait to leave...i've got flutterbyes in my tum tum... I'm SO ready to go... I know i've dont all that i can here...i've worked as hard as i could...i've got a lot of resources to give the Lord so that he can make me and mold me into the missionary those people need. I have a lot to learn...a lot lot... but don't worry...i got this. oh man alive, i can't wait.
Welp...remember i'm so happy...love you all! Next time I write I'll be in UKKRRRRAAAAAAIIINNNE!
stay strong!
c lyoubvoy
cectma jones!
oh and i'll probably call in the morning from salt lake, if not than from new york...i forgot when I'm there though...and i'll just call home...dear elder if you want me to call you cell
LOVE YOUUUUU!!! THANKS FOR EVERYTHING! HERE I GO! :)
SO...I'm leaving a week from today! We got our flight plans (probably the most exciting thing thats ever happened here...it's like opening another mission call...k not at all) But I leave here at 5 tuesday the 18th...i fly from slc to New York at 8:30 ish (about a 2 hour layover)....then from New York to Vienna, Austria (another 2-3 hour layover)...then from Vienna to Dnipropetrovsk! (about a 16 month layover) WAHOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! It's so crazy that it's finally here...that i'm going to be a real live missionary. talking to real live ukrainians.... ! So this week has been hard to focus, but we're still working hard. We're 100% russian, which is SO hard, but i know i've gotta do it...sacrifice now for those people...
I spoke in church on sunday! pa-roosky! (in russian) Pres. Callister does it Pres. Scott style where he just calls you right up from the audience...so he calls me and one of the russian elders...great. Ha, it was so fun though! I struggled through part of it, and was a bit slow when I read my verses (I spoke on Virtue) but I recovered every time bearing testimony. Sister Jensen (one of the branch pres. wives) brought her friend from Armania who has only been a member for a year...Antonia...she came up to me after, with her bright orange hair and big red lips...and she said "I can't believe you have only been speaking this launguage for 10 weeks! I just don't believe it!" OBVIOUSLY she heard the spirit and not me...ha...it was a good booster for me though.
THANKYOU always for the hilarious packages mama...you know me...mangos...mmmm...and tomatoes? haa...those ones were struggling...maybe try to recite some poetry to them like grandpa :)
Today we basically spent all day at the temple! We did a session early then we were able to do some family sealing with the russian elders and cectpas...SO amazing...almost my whole zone was in one of the huge sealing rooms and our sis. callister and pres. callister just owned as the couple the whole time, and all us kiddies took our turn for these missionaries families....wowee...pres. callister is incredible...he reminds me of a nine year old trapped in a 70 year olds body....he looks old, but I promise you, sister callister passes him cheerios during church.
before i forget, what up with my debit card? will you send me a dear elder this week (have some one help you mon - i love you but youre challenged) about how much is on there and everything...theres a possibility that i have to pay about $100 extra just to take a second bag...a new lame rule...so i want to make sure thats all squared away!
Becky Swim left for taiwan today! it's kinda weird, she's been my little buddy for this entire time...but i have never seen a missionary more ready to serve the lord in my life! Not only is her chinese amazing, but her faith in what the Lord WILL do for her is unmatched. Loverr...
We are the old hag missionaries here. We've hosted a billion times cause they don't know what else to do with us, and we watch all the cute new sisters come in with their newly pressed skirts and make-up and hair and smiles...and then we look down at our nylons with runs, constant pony-tails, and mismatched clothes...Ha...i love it.
I'm going to miss some things at the MTC, mostly just people, but I can't wait to leave...i've got flutterbyes in my tum tum... I'm SO ready to go... I know i've dont all that i can here...i've worked as hard as i could...i've got a lot of resources to give the Lord so that he can make me and mold me into the missionary those people need. I have a lot to learn...a lot lot... but don't worry...i got this. oh man alive, i can't wait.
Welp...remember i'm so happy...love you all! Next time I write I'll be in UKKRRRRAAAAAAIIINNNE!
stay strong!
c lyoubvoy
cectma jones!
oh and i'll probably call in the morning from salt lake, if not than from new york...i forgot when I'm there though...and i'll just call home...dear elder if you want me to call you cell
LOVE YOUUUUU!!! THANKS FOR EVERYTHING! HERE I GO! :)
9th email: August 4th, 2009
welp...this stoopid computer signed me out after i wrote my entire email...so now i have one minute!! alls well ...i'm happier than ever...my tummy is full of sweet jamba from lizzie...i'm healthy, learning...and becoming closer to the savior!
love you mucho
cectpa jones
hi again.
now i have 30 seconds...missionary life is so fun...we only speak russion
i love you sooooooooooo mucho
o
love rella chile
yayayaya
love you mucho
cectpa jones
hi again.
now i have 30 seconds...missionary life is so fun...we only speak russion
i love you sooooooooooo mucho
o
love rella chile
yayayaya
8th email: July 28th, 2009
so. today was spectacular! It was four of our cectpas and four of our elders first time through the temple today...amzaing! I was Cec. Kukhta's escort... haha...me trying to tell her what clothes to put on all in russian...very funny. But the spirit was there. I realized how amazing and far reaching missionary work really is. These wonderful sisters, most of whom are the only members in there family, come and do the same thing for other people that their missionaries did for them. I love Lehi's Dream when he talks about trying to bring his family to him. He says repeatedly, i beckoned them to come the the tree "by which I stood" and to "come unto me". He said with a loud voice, pleading his family to come. As a missionary there is only so much we can do. We have what will bring anyone happiness, rest, purpose...100%...but we don't leave "the tree" so to speak and drag them up to it. We stay next to the gospel, and search and preach with ALL WE HAVE...and then the steps people make towards the savior are on their own. Just as I was cec. kukhta's escort today, thats what I will be for the next 18 months...escorting people, so to speak, to salvation...and just as we parted at one point so she could go on her own, so it will be in the mission. I am just an escort. This is their life! i dunno, this makes me work harde...I stole my little tag and put it with my recommend to remind me of it...i stole from the temple. great.
Seeing those cectpas come into the celstial was incredible. I told myself and God that this was my goal for the people that we bring unto him...celstial kingdom, nyet tolka kreshenya (not only baptism). Oh and I'm going to baptize, don't you even worry. The Lord has prepared THOUSANDS in Dnepr to receive this gospel and I will find them...mos def.
So the missions hard...only two people that I can think of actually told me that before I left (lizzie and heidi m.) It's joyous and building and spiritual, but ridiculously hard...and it's not jsut the language. Satan puts all these thoughts in our heads and are straight up stooopid...stupid satan...cec. kukhta today couldn't stop laughing at satan...i like her attitude :) But when i do everything that I absolutely can, than the Lord will pick up my slack...in all reality, he's there throughout the entire journey...his arm is always outstreched to us (thats a MASSIVE theme in the scriptures...its incredible...i think in the isaiah chapters and my fav. is D&C 123:17) So no matter what...no matter who is supporting and who isn't, no matter how tough my companion is, no matter how much my life has and is changing from 2 months ago...my father in Heaven is aware of all it. He's my source of strength, assurance, friendship, understanding. Prayer saves me every day!
Some random stuff that I know you love...we're on sto percent pa-rusky! 100% russian all the time...it's ridiculous...its great how saying "i will see you at the time time we eat food in the morning" counts for breakfast when you can't remember the word
i'm not gaining any weight...i'm probably loosing it...i'm never really hungry and the food is funny looking...but i love it! i make good food statues
umm...oh i found out that I'll be leaving in the middle of the mission to renew my visa somewhere...probably czech republic...woohoo!
uhm...andrea you are amazing...i'm going to go eat summer right now! thankyou!
brat pearce gets back tomorrow! he's been gone a week and a half...elder ku said he's like our mama bear and we're his little cubs....elder ku says weird things
love you alllll!!!!!
love me
Seeing those cectpas come into the celstial was incredible. I told myself and God that this was my goal for the people that we bring unto him...celstial kingdom, nyet tolka kreshenya (not only baptism). Oh and I'm going to baptize, don't you even worry. The Lord has prepared THOUSANDS in Dnepr to receive this gospel and I will find them...mos def.
So the missions hard...only two people that I can think of actually told me that before I left (lizzie and heidi m.) It's joyous and building and spiritual, but ridiculously hard...and it's not jsut the language. Satan puts all these thoughts in our heads and are straight up stooopid...stupid satan...cec. kukhta today couldn't stop laughing at satan...i like her attitude :) But when i do everything that I absolutely can, than the Lord will pick up my slack...in all reality, he's there throughout the entire journey...his arm is always outstreched to us (thats a MASSIVE theme in the scriptures...its incredible...i think in the isaiah chapters and my fav. is D&C 123:17) So no matter what...no matter who is supporting and who isn't, no matter how tough my companion is, no matter how much my life has and is changing from 2 months ago...my father in Heaven is aware of all it. He's my source of strength, assurance, friendship, understanding. Prayer saves me every day!
Some random stuff that I know you love...we're on sto percent pa-rusky! 100% russian all the time...it's ridiculous...its great how saying "i will see you at the time time we eat food in the morning" counts for breakfast when you can't remember the word
i'm not gaining any weight...i'm probably loosing it...i'm never really hungry and the food is funny looking...but i love it! i make good food statues
umm...oh i found out that I'll be leaving in the middle of the mission to renew my visa somewhere...probably czech republic...woohoo!
uhm...andrea you are amazing...i'm going to go eat summer right now! thankyou!
brat pearce gets back tomorrow! he's been gone a week and a half...elder ku said he's like our mama bear and we're his little cubs....elder ku says weird things
love you alllll!!!!!
love me
Sorry!
Sorry I've been so lame about updating this. I must think that since I see her every day everyone else must know what she's up to as well. She flies out on Tuesday and I'd imagine that I'll be more religious about updating her blog when I don't see her. Anyway, she's doing really well! Her teachers LOVE her and are really grateful for her. She's speaking Russian like a champ. Well, I don't know how well she speaks because I don't understand a word of what she's saying but it sounds legit. Anyway, I'd better post the last few emails and then tomorrow I'll give a good update with pictures and videos of when I say goodbye to her... something I am NOT looking forward to. :(
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