20th email: Octobert 26th, 2009

famfamfamfamfamfamfamfamfamfamfamfamfafm!

What a fabulous week in Sevastopol! We started off with a family home evening with some members, natalia and youlia, and they invited some of their friends! oh i was so happy...we're really trying to help our members feel the joy of missionary work. I understand it's tough...i wasn't very good at being a member missionary before i left, so I'm in no place to judge...but i think once they experience it a little bit, they'll get addicted :)
We got this contact from church headquarters of this family that was in salt lake city...that they were really interested and wanted a book of mormon...ya hoo! well we finally got a hold of them and met the dad at his work...he ended up being the owner of this huge wine company...like big man rich guy..SO weird and different from what we're used to! He's read the Koran and a few other religious books and is anxious to read the book of mormon...i can't believe it! at the same time though, reading it without prayer is like showering without soap...We told him this, but we'll see. He said, "Ya know, you people have a real light about you...i can see it shining through your eyes." I'm glad I flipped my switch on that morning :)
Life is exciting with opposite extremes! We go from probably the wealthiest man in sevastopol to this run down dacha (a little house, not apartment, in the hills or out of the city) that hasn't been cleaned or taken care of for a billion years...but this is where our investigators mama lives. Irina, Oksana and Rosa...i think i mentioned them... but they really needed some help at the dacha on Saturday. I can't even describe this place...they kept on saying to us "Are you sure you want to come? You'll be scared!" Food everywhere, bugs and spideys everywhere, cats and dogs everywhere, and the cherry on top is a crazy drunk guy you lives there with the babyshka. So we tackled it! It was hilarious..Irina is SO ADHD and just talks and talks and starts doing 15 projects at once, Oksanas answer to everything we find is to throw it in the fire (that's how they get rid of garbage here...huge bonfires), and Cectpa K is fabulous, but such a girl. Babyshka was at the renok (market) and drunk man was drunk. So here i am, looking at this masterpiece of a dacha...and i remember back to costa rica construction, new zealand building, hugo...and have at it. We tore everything out of one of the rooms - carpet, furniture, the weirdest odds and ends, MASSIVE spideys! I was mixing some plaster and I felt what I thought was a hair on my neck...nope I pull out a spider as big as the palm of my hand from my shirt...ughhhhhhhh! But we scraped down the parts that were falling off the wall, repaired the holes, painted, (in the meantime oksana was burning everything we found...oh it was sooo funny :) Huge job but I loved it...even better, we were able to show irina and oksana they kind of people that we really are. They agreed to let little rosa spend time with us (she's 12) SHE IS INCRDIBLE! She came to our appt having read Alma 32 plus another 3 or 4 chapters...she marked the parts she liked and underlined what she didn't understand. We taught the plan of salvation...she asked questions like "So what if my dad, my mom, and me are all in different kingdoms? How can we be happy together?" She's a mature and smart girl...she really thinks about her life and her future and i know she will be a angel for her family. She already prays before every meal, tests in school..morning and night...she sets up her own appts with us...she loves the book of mormon and said when we asked her if she reads the bible, "Why? I have this!" She is just a breath of fresh air...she hasn't been affected by the filth of the world yet, shes open minded and strong...she's confident and smart...i am just beaming just thinking about her :)
We had family night with Ena (eena) last night with her two daughters and she invited her friend...so fun and lighthearted...we're here to bring together families! I hope she can she beyond our kind faces and god messages though and realize that this is her and her family's eternity!
Era. I'm learning a lot about her every day. She still smokes and I understand it's so hard to quit, but she won't try or accept help from us. She gets caught up in the complexity of the gospel, which does in fact exist if you see through the simplicity. She want's to understand everything, when we don't understand everything...faith would be pushed by the wayside if we understood and had proof for everything. We try and try to help her, but we can't break down her iron wall. I think we have to tell her she can't be baptized...we could continue to push back her date, but what would that be saying about these commandments and commitments that she isn't keeping? That we have all the time in the world to figure them out? It breaks my heart...Satan has such a hold on some of the people here that they can't even step back and examine their lives. My prayers for her will only be stronger and our effort will only be more...maybe telling her this will help her make some changes in her life.
Slavik (our baptism here) moved back to Hercon to the orphanage...he said that everyone there is giving him such a hard time and saying that he "joined some cult"...I hate satan. I hope he trips and falls and has a bad day. Aleksandra, the women who helped him, wants to take him to russia with her...we'll see.
Natalia, Sasha and Vladimir (that little miracle family we found) are moving to Russia. Slap in the face for us! It's better for Sasha there I guess...probably for his surgery or something...to tell you the truth, they are far from joining the church...but step by step...Natalia hasn't drunk for 2 weeks already...that's our miracle :)
Our Bransh President here is incredible...such a strong, hard-working christlike man...he's only been a member for 1 year. The Lord prepares people to be leaders! His son is the spitting image of Johnny...he's darker, but the same face, hair, body build, character...its crazy....
The weather is STILL warm! I wore a t-shirt and capris today... we went to фиолен (fiolen) so pretty... there are about 450 stairs down to a beautiful rocky beach...I love the black sea...i fell in it today...oops. haha...I was trying to block the elders from seeing the naked lady...haha....
MIssionary work...hmmm...you know I've made some goals for when I get home. I understand that I'm in the thick of the work right now and I love it, but keeping it alive and running is the key. It's acually our covenant with God. In Mosiah 18 it talks about our baptismal covenant...it's basically to represent God and help people that need it always...we made that covenant. So my goals are to be a ridiculously good visiting teacher...one on one service to gods children..thats how Christ did it, thats where miracles lie! Another one is to actually invite those people that I THINK about inviting to church or FHE or activities or whatever...thoughts are useless...actions are where the miracles lie! Another one is to seek out the broken hearted at church...I was reading to sermon on the mount yesterday and Christ himself lays it out...what benefit does it do to love your friends that already love you...to support your group that already support you? Seek out the little guys...thats where the miracles lie! So visiting teaching, inviting, and seeking out the broken hearted. Couple that with sharing what Christ shared and doing my best to be like Him... I think I might be able to keep the flame burning :) I'm trying my bestest to live by this now...I think our branch would really benfit from home/visting teaching...they don't want to do it...yet... :)
The gospel is true...the work is hard...it should be. because the reward is great! Have a happy happy happty holloweenie... send me pics! love you all so much... i hope you're all working hard...staying strong...sharing what you know. I'm bad at using words, but just pretent like I gave you all a massive bear hug...all better :)

love cectpa jonesy

19th email: October 19, 2009

Привет возлюбленый семья!

Hey der lil famfamfamfam...it's me...cectpa kjonez...broadcasting from UKRAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIINE!! ha...i've lost all my skills of acting like I'm black. Every black person we see (MAYBE 4 in this whole time) we stop...cause you know they speak english...i told you about our brothas up in cinferopol. Don't worry, i'll get it back...a quick trip back to Chicago and it'll seep in like a sponge. :)
What a busy crazy week you had! I love business with a little dash of chaos...it makes life exciting! Grandpa's thing sounded like a blast! I haven't seen Dad's side of the fam for a while now! Ha - cectpa's talking to some guy about the book of mormon...just a sec. haHA! seems promising! I love it when people ask about US...we're calling him back later after he finishes reading about the restored gosepel pamphlet...
oh another greaaat week. Era came to church!!!!!!!! Like real church, sacrament, sunday school, the goods. She sang with me and participated in discussions and knew the answers to some questions which really helped her confidence. You know this is her first time at real church in 4 MONTHS of invesitgating??? It really is a miracle. Before church on Sunday I read that little book you gave me mom abou missionary miracles...I prayed for a miracle that day...That era would live up to her words and come...oh man! AND we started teaching Славик (Slavik) a guy we found on the street. He's paralyzed from the waist down but he OWNS on crutches... handicapped people here just beg on the streets...people dropping in a couple kopecks every know and then (like less than a penny) We walked right up to him, looked him in the eyes, and started talking about the gospel. I could tell that no one does that to him very often. He was a bit uncomfortable and taken back at first. But he came to general conference, he came to our appt. with the elders, he came to church on sunday, he played ping pong with us (he held the paddle while I played fetch) I think he's surprised that we actually care about him...that we want to meet with him...that we want to be his friends. I've never looked at people the way I do now...as children of God. Ive always understood this...had a testimony about it...but it's like...it doesn't matter if someone doesn't love exactly what you love. It doesn't matter it they're funny looking or smell bad (we still like dad)...It doesn't matter if they're ridiculously mean or if you think you have absolutely nothing in common with them. ya know? We're all children of God...brothers...sisters...and every person is actually really cool if you give them the time of day. Right now we're just Clavik's friends...but I know He can see a light in us...I know he feels something.
I think I told you about Ирина и Оксана? Well they're two sisters we've been meeting with for a couple weeks now...they are HILARIOUS...Oksana has a hilarious sense of humor, which to be honest, is hard to come by here! Irina is SO ADD, I love it. They are definitely a comic relief to our week...but also, they have a lot of questions about the gospel. Oksana right now said she's only living so that she can buy a car and an apartment, other than that, she doesn't really have a purpose. Ira lives for her little girl, Россия (Rocia - haha...her name is Russia!) They believe that like 6 generations ago, this weird lady put a curse on their family so that the men in their lives would either be awful or non-existent...and i guess so far its true :S Anyways, they brought Roca to our appt the other day and she was SO amazing....SO AMAZING...like she really accepts the restoration and that God loves her and really likes us and wants to continue to meet...I know she'll be a strength to her aunt and mom. Oh it's a miracle.
Era is still smoking. We don't really know how to help her. She's a stubborn lady and wants to do it all by herself, but after 25 years, I think this is proving a lot harder than she thought. We're trying everything we can, but I know we need the Lord's help more than anything. She needs motivation, self-control, a real deep desire to quit based on her love and trust in the Lord. She trys SO HARD to understand, but understanding isn't enough. I've learned it's actually not very important. Understanding comes after desire, faith, and action. I KNOW that. Help us pray for her to quit...
инна...eena eena eena...she loves the idea about family home evening. We're going to hold one with her this week. We've started meeting with her at her school (she teaches Ukrainian to kids) before class because it's too distracting at home. Kids here learn Russian, Ukrainian, French and English in school...and actually learn it!
Людмила (lyoudmila) an amazing lady in our branch, just got back from the temple this week. This was the lady we helped that one day to do all her temple names on the computer...oh shes still glowing. She gave a fabulous talk in Sacrament about how special she felt there. she expressed her want for everyone in the room, who hasn't yet, to get to the temple. She gave eveyone little rocks from the temple grounds to remember our goal...she's so solid.
Cectpa K is so funny...she's a little...oh i forgot the name, but she always thinks she's got some kind of disease. She lost her voice a little this week and i swear to you, we went to the Аптека (pharmacy) everyday to get some new herb or gargle or tea or syrup or pills or spray or rub...there were so many different things in her body, i'm surprised she slept at night! Actually she didn't...i woke up one night to find her bent over a boiling pot of water, baking soda, and herbs...just breathing in the steam...haha...i was rolling with laughter... ya know what worked? What i always drink when i'm sick? Sprite. Her voice cleared up an hour later. She's hilarious. She leaves a few days before Christmas, but I told her its forbidden to talk about anymore...haha...i'm scared to death to be honest...
We teach English twice a week now... we have a fairly good turnout, and a lot of people wanted to come on saturday...more crazy lesson plans for me! Cectpa doesn't feel completely comfortable teaching, so she translates (our class is on the ABC's) and I teach with LOTS of hand motions...we have a good time...
Ukraine is so beautiful right now...the weather is incredible and the leaves are all changing... the trees look like they're on fire! We strolled through the forest yesterday with some members before our lesson...it's so beautiful here. You gotta look for it, but when you do, you find it :)
Love you alllllll....stay strong, be happy...i'm doing my best :)
love cectpa jones

ps...mama - i haven't gotten the packages yet but they've probabaly gotten to the mission office...next week is zone conference, so most likely then! MOM. what are you being for halloween?? i forgot to ask!
pspspss - give roy a kiss for me :) oh wait...you already do...

Мормони популяризують свою віру в Україні

Again, not a clue what they are saying unless the Elders are speaking English. But SO COOL! This is what Kaffers is doing. Sweet is the work.

Мормоны - Установка статуи Морония на Храме в Киеве

I know we can't understand this but it's about when they put the angel Moroni on top of the temple in Kiev on September 19th, 2009. Pretty cool to hear some of the language and see those people!

an apology

Sorry I've been such a slacker about keeping this updated. This last month has been a little crazy. I've been sufficiently chastised by my mom and will do better. But Kathy is doing awesome and we're so proud of her.

I really miss her sometimes... a lot. I still sometimes forget that I can't just pick up the phone and call her when I want to talk to her about something. I'll try to get her to send some pictures home so I can put some up. In the meantime, here are some I found of Crimea, the area where Kathy lives.







These last three are of the city Kathy is serving in, Sevastopol. It is right on the black sea.




She's got just over a year left! Weird...

Well, keep reading!

18th email: October 12th, 2009

hey der lil fam-damily ! wasn't conference amazing? We watched it just yesterday and the day before . We have to wait for the copies to be sent to boonville sevastopol. We thought up until the day before that we would watch it in Russian, but we were surprised with english copies from the office elders...better than christmas i tell you! Didn't even matter that instead of the prophets faces, we had flashing green boxes and the sound was just above the wisper...it was kinda precious...5 american missionaries crouched around a tiny ghetto laptop...haha...we got speakers later...it was amazing!!!!!! Definitely a theme of love, action, and being a true disciple of Jesus Christ by doing as He did. I'm trying to change my life to be more synonomous with the Lord's life. I think it takes a open heart, open mind, and open eyes...that's what I'm praying for right now. It's so easy to turn inward...think about what you want, what's comfortable for you, sticking to things you know...so I'm praying to be open. The Lord was open. I'm trying to be like Him! And I don't think anyway in the universe could deny the Book of Mormon after the witness and testimony of Elder Holland. Blew my pants off...well not really...i don't wear pants...i don't even OWN pants...skirts and overalls...and genie pants (thanks an)...i want to put conference on a massive big screen and blast it from the speakers at the center here...when I left our little prixod, that's how i felt. "So I just listened to modern day REVELATION from LIVING PROPHETS that lead and guide our RESTORED GOSPEL under the direction of GOD! Yeah that's right, drop that boolichka and come...be happier than you can ever imagine is possible!" The gospel has become more alive for me than ever before...it's beautiful, miraculous and simple...it's for the learned and the naive...for the Spartoks and the Natalias...for the successful and the handicapped...the Eras and the Claviks.... doesn't really matter who you are because the the Lord is the same, everlasting and loving Lord he was with Adam, with Noah, with Nephi, with Mormon, with Jared, with Joseph, with President Monson, with me! haha...wowweee.
Natalia and sasha are now in the hospital...sasha has bronchitis from their terrible apartment. Vladimir wants Natalia to get professional help with her mood swings...it may be the best thing for her. It's so hard to progress with her. She accepts our service, our help, our support...and of course we willingly give it...but she won't take the book of mormon again. She allows us to pray with her, but won't pray herself. We wont' give up on her...
Era came to Saturday session of conference! The elders helped her son move that whole morning, so she was so open and willing to come, take notes, SING! She didn't come on Sunday...oh era era era...
We taught elnglish to two of our investigators (sisters) this week...thay knew nothing...nothing nothing...like not even abcs...haha..it was SO funny...it is physically impossible for russians to say "three"..."ffffffdddddrrree" ha...but then i just start talking and they laugh at me...
Thanks so much dad for sharing that story about josh...I wish Era could see his desire to be baptized and how he can't. We're trying to help her take whats in front of her with two hands...she's got to realize the miracle that is in front of her! She's such a tough strong lady.
Ya know, this week was landmark in russian for me :) haha... I understand! Cectpa doesn't talk in English anymore, I don't ask for a recap of lessons any more...i teach about things in accordance with what cectpa k actually says... wahhooo...the lord's helping me and strenthening me. I had my first conversation with someone without racking my brain about which case and v erb ending and sentence format to use... Russian is still a disease, mind you, but I'm not dieing from it anymore...
The weather is gorgeous here...i'm still wearing summer clothes...it's breezy and smells like apples and leaves :) We got to rake leaves at the old folks home (called internat...same word for orphanage...haha...sad...) oh how joyous it was...i wouldv'e jumped in, but it was infested with spideys...HUGE spideys...
I've added to my menu of apples and tortillas this week..tvorak! it's so good...it's like cottage cheese (which is also amazing here) but not at all... we buy it from the babyshkas on the street and mix it with cmetana (sour cream) and a lil bit of sugar... it's good cause it's got protein...mmmmm...so good. No I actually eat normally pretty much...lots of veggies and fruits and tortillas and blinchiki, and whatever cectpa k whips up...but we've stopped running...:( it was fun while it lasted...we saw the sun rise every morning.
Ukraine is the most beautiful country. I love it here.
I love you mama. You're my example, source of strength, and stability! Tonight we're talking with the Vinogradeva's about how God has a body, senses, a voice, flesh and bones (like Elder Hale's talk). In my psychology class, we talked about how we experience an object or feeling. When we use ALL our senses (sight, smell, touch, taste, hearing) our brain literally makes more nerve connections, giving us a more complete idea of what the object is. We're taking a boolichka (a warm delicious bread thing that everyone eats here) and having them "experience" this with all their senses. Compare that to just smelling it. Just touching it. Just hearing it. Whatever, you can't hear bread, you get the picture. Well this is why God knows us so well. He has all these senses. He's not a vapor or idea or in our hearts or icon or whatever. He is a glorified being who HEARS our prayers, SEES when we are struggling, He SPEAKS through prophets, and the way he embraces us is through other people...he really really knows us...spiritually and scientifically speaking :) But anyways, on that last point...we are the Lord's hands in this life. You know how important a hug is to me! You are evidence of the Lord's hands for me mama...not only my life, but the lives of all these people you write me about every week that you are helping...love you. I love everyone else too. love love love...it's the new shizzle-dizzle...
until the adventures of next week...as beckyfarley (meant to be said together) advised :) stay strong, be good...if you say swears repent...look out for the little guy... be the lord's hands :) thankyou for everything you amazing family you

love cectpa jones

ps. post script

ppss.. warm fuzzies...
pspsps. the church is true!

17th email: October 6, 2009

What a crazy week of emotions and firsts and love and reliance on my Savior! And it doesn't stop here...i'm like a fountain of tears and my neighbors are a little concerned :) Thankyou so much for your letters this week! They are all such huge spiritual boosters for me...just knowing i have an amazing family and friends back home that DO live the gospel...that DO love me...and HAVE testimonies...and can't even say how much that means to me. A mission is all sorts of twists and turns with all sorts of things that aren't really in the job description. Remember that family we found? Well we called natalia and said we wanted to meet with her and help her. She was like, "alright, help me quit drinking". haHA desire! We agreed to meet later in the week. The next night she called us at 930 and said she wanted us to come and talk to her, but we're homebound by then. She told us that she was talking to her ex-husband that day and just felt so strongly that she "needed to talk to these girls...I need to listen to them" This whole thing is so miraculous. We met with her and her ex-husband said that the next three days she was on cloud nine. Then she called us yesterday on our way to internet and was crying and said Vladimir beat her and locked her out of the house. So we went to her...she was so drunk. We caught Vladimir leaving and he told us what happened...she was so drunk that she started hurting Sasha so he forced her off of him...He left and we went to her. I was terrified when she opened the door...she looked terrible and said through sobs "So you prayed again?" Their tiny apartment (smaller than our living room) was torn apart. A hammer throught the microwave, food everywhere, a bathroom that had never been cleaned, carpet with food smashed in it, the book of mormon and bible that we gave her were ripped apart on the floor...but sure enough there was Sasha smiling on the bed. Cectpa took Natalia in her arms and calmed her down and I took Sasha. We couldn't reason with her, but we scrubbed down their apartment, cleaned up all that she broke, gathered the pages of the Book of Mormon...we played with sasha as she threw up a bottle of vodka and wine...we cleaned her up when she was sober, made sasha some dinner, took their laundry to our house to do (they don't have a washing machine), and just prayed with them. I have never experienced first hand how drinking is such a serious disease...it's not funny, it's not a cool past-time...it's literally crawling into the hands of satan as her tears apart your life and the life of those around you. This family needs so much help...I keep on thinking back to Christ's ministry though. Nothing was too low for him...nothing was too much. I'm trying every day to do what He would do. We gave Vladimir, the dad, to the elders, and we'll work with natalia and sasha seperately. They need this gospel...sasha needs a supportive home...it says in the bible how without the word of christ through the prophets, we're tossed to and fro on every "wind of doctrine" with no stability. Pray for this little family.
Era is so slow...but we are being patient with her. She has started praying which is amazing! We've given her everything and every time she says the same thing "The hardest thing in life is to change"...this is true! But when we change our lives taking steps towards our Father in Heaven, he takes our hands. She will take those steps...
OK everyone is asking about the city and stuff...i'll do it...sorry i just get so distracted...my life is other peoples lives...ha...i love it...my life is so boring compared to Spartok's, for example...he runs so funny. He's a physist and speaks perfect english through his funny facial hair...his desire right now is to learn and says he's far from religion...but he came to church on sunday :) there i did it again...sevastopol is amazing! The coast in balaklava looks like hawaii. There's this really famous sailer school here so there are a ton of sailers. it's so funny, you get this little black and orange ribbon when you graduate i guess, and everyone wears it with pride...on their head, pinned in their marshrutka, on their zippers...i want one so bad, but it's kinda hard to swipe something off a huge russian head. Sevastopol is a Greek name...i think it was either invaded or founded by greeks...probably founded...i dunno, i'm not way into history. We eat all sorts of concoxtions...a lot of pellmenee (like pot-stickers) and cectpa loves kartoshkee (potatoes) ugh... haha...i dunno...i eat mostly fruits and veggies...their fruit stands are amazing here....and the apples are soooo delicous, but you've got to hunt for the good ones...i probably eat 3 a day...i'm trying to keep the doctor away forever :) grechka in the mornings (buckwheat) and maybe a parochkee on the street (just a bread something with something in the middle...right now i'm eating one with these black seed thingys, but they're sweet...maybe its fig...) People wear reinok clothes (a reinok is a huge market where you can literally buy anything) it's like crazy european style, but cheap...and funny shoes. Everybody takes marshrutkas everywhere...it only 2 hriven (like 20 cents) to anywhere! yesterday we bought 2 kilos of tomatoes for 2 hriven...20 cents of yumminess :) Everytime you go to someones house, you take off your shoes and they give you tapochkee...slippers...and then chai and cookies or bread...i dont know what elses...i just live here!
The language is crazy! I can understand people and can simply simply get a point across...i understand church stuff completely...i think thats an extra booster shot god gives missionaries :) I told cectpa that you thought she was a huge scary russian and we laughed so hard...haha...she is SUCH a girl and a little cutey misisonary...she is strong-willed though and a great leader and trainer. She eats more than 3 times as much as me and has 3 times as many clothes as me and speaks russian 30000 times better than me...you'd think she was russian :) I really couldn't have dreamed of a better companion/trainer...we laugh and play and we had to go to the doctor this week because she got a disease on her neck becasue she picks up and plays with every cat she sees...you'd think she was 12 not 24 ;)
I's happy you went to disneyland! haha... i didn't even know! hope you had a good time...and i hope you rode california screaming like 8 times...and ate just as many churros...mmmmm
It's still hot believe it or not. but this means i still don't have to pull out my nylons...so ZERO complaining! i'd take the heat over the cold any day.
The work in our city is slow compared to the rest of Ukraine and Crimea. We don't have the strongest branch in the world, but we're growing. Just ten years ago it consisted or 4 women...and now we have a presidency, primary, priesthood. The missionaries do a lot to support, but the members that are active and come are so great...I can't believe their strength and dedication in the mucky muck of the adversary...but anyways...the missionaries do a lot, but i'm happy cause we're busy and constantly thinking about how to be effective...
Welp...i'm happy, healthy, learning and growing...it's harder than anything, but funnier and more exciting than anything...keep doing what you're doing!! yOu'r love and support is like my gatorade for the week...prayer is my water...and as a babushka in our branch says "I'm all thumbs up with salt on top! " (imagine that with a thumbs up sign and her sprinkling salt on it... :) stay strong...cause the church is true!!!1

love love love cectpa jones

ps...pouch mail doesn't really have to be pouch mail...i got mail that was normail style and came fine...just send it to the mission office!!

16th email: September 28th, 2009

Dear dear cemya -

What a week...ha...i can't believe I'm already here again typing away. They play really good music here...like modern day amercian music that I would listen to...I fell a little bit guilty, but at the same time, it's a mercy for me. I can only listen to so much russian disco. It's so funny. They mix in English and say funny phrases like "you are so delicate like the trinkets on a bracelet." and "I you love" for the WHOLE song...haha...
So we witnessed a miracle this week. Seriously. I don't think I told you about Cаша and his mom that we met on the street near our house. They passed by just like anyone else, but Cectpa K felt so impressed to stop her again (after she was far behind us) Her little Саша is about 6 and is handicapped. We told her again, that if she would just listen to us, we could help her. She said "You don't know how I'm feeling. You don't know what it's like to not have an exit from this (meaning Саша)" We explained that there IS a way! We can be happy! The Plan of Salvation is real! We agreed to meet later that day in the park...however I was a little suspicious because she said she didn't have a phone and didn't want to meet in her apartment. Lo and behold she didn't come. Cectpa K said she has never felt the spirit that strong when talking to someone, and when I got my first look at her little boy and his massive smile, the tears came. We both wanted to teach her...to help her so much, so why didn't she come? So we searched for her. We went to parks and stores and stopped people with children asking if they knew of her (she would stand out with her little boy). Many people knew of her, but didn't know where she lived. We asked all our investigators who lived around where we found her. We prayed together every night that we would be led to her. For almost three weeks we kept this up. We were waiting outside our appt with Алла on Thursday(she had canceled both tuesday and wednesday) because Cectpa was on the phone with our Zone Leader. I saw Саша! He stood out like a massive light on that playground...i basically punched cectpa in the arm and we hung up the phone and just stared for a little bit. You have to understand that we live in a huge complex with maybe 40 квартиры (huge apartment buildings where everyone lives) with 10 or so floors and 10 or so stairwells in each building...i can't describe it well cause i'm a horrible writer, but basically there are a ton of people where we live...the chances of us stumbling across one person are 0. So we gathered ourselves and built up the guts to go talk to them again (he was with his dad) We told him our story... that we have been searching for them. He was so surprised, taken back, open to us...it was a miracle. He used to be a successful businessman with a lot of money, but Саша was born and needed a lot of help and surgeries. He has three holes in his skull and the blood can't get to his brain properly meaning his developmental system is all wacked. He gave everything to help him and they're struggling to find money for one more surgery. наталя, (natalia) the mom, has a really hard time with it. She feels trapped and drinks to escape. Владемир (Vladimir) the dad, loves Саша, but only wants to him. They are still a family though, being held together by this little boy. He gave us his number, her number and said he would like to meet with us, but she doesn't know if наталя would be so open. We called her yesterday and just said we want to help...she agreed to meet with us too.....holy cow. I can see how much this gospel can help this family if they are open to it... I have never felt this much of a desire to help someone... I can't describe how close this little boy is the his heavenly father...he has this permanent smile on his face, though he can't speak, struggles to walk, doesn't understand... what a blessing for that family! I still can't believe we found them. Heavenly Father saw our faith, our desire, and he helped us. He is our real, loving, father in heaven....that's my testimony!
So needless to say, we are praying even harder now...for open hearts, willing minds... we're moving with зра... We have a lot more to work out than we thought. She want this, but she's not quite working for it yet. She dogged us a few times this week (however she did meet with us 3 times) including church. We found out today that she is still smoking, drinking cofee, and drinking a little bit. We had an intense lesson today. We copied the list in PMG of all the qualifications for those who want to be baptised (set out my 1st presidency and D&C 20) And went through each of them and told her that she will have an interview and needs to be ready. It doesn't matter that she won't be baptised this next week...we need to help her gain a testimony, act on her desire, turn towards god and stay there...she want's it, but she needs a lot of help. Goods news is we didn't scare her away and we're still meeting with her tomorrow :)
We finally started meeting wtih Инна again...I love her... haha, she is still really busy, but she's giving us 30-45 minutes a couple times a week. She said she loves when we come because we lift her out of the stresses of the world for a little bit... :) She calls cectpa K "Полинтчки" (Polinichkee - cutesy form of her name, Polina) and just calls me джонс "the jones"... our next goal for her is church...and daily prayer...
Ukraine is as great as ever...transfers are this week and we're losing Elder Belnap and Makloop. We found out that Cect. K will be her until she leaves (3 days before Christmas) meaning I'll be here for a little while after that...maybe... I already can't imagine leaving...i love these peeps...
We had a hilarious talent show on Saturday...there was a boxing match and screamo band out in the center (right outside the Приход ) but we were just pretending to be raindrops and singing funny songs inside... what a great contrast... I sang in 7 different languages (thanks beln) including lion kings "BAH SA VANE YA!" haha... it was embarrassing for me, entertaining for them. I bought a guitar (for way cheap) and it's been entertaining at the приход... President Neilson is so great...he's smart, strong, and understands missionary work. He is not overly strict, which is a blessing for me, but we live by the rules. Obedience is the price.
Life is so good...i'm trying hard to be as effective as a i can. The parable of the sower says is well... as missionaries, we're throwing seeds all over the place... I need to think about where I'm throwing though... just into the wind? just places where the thorns are too thick, where the ground is too rocky to take root, where the birds eat them up? Or am I taking care to place seeds in fertile ground and patiently wait and work for that seed to become a strong well rooted beautiful fruit bearing tree... it's true that missionary work takes strategy and thinking...god gave us brains, and we're meant to use them, not just waltz out of our apartment and toss some seeds around. The last verse of the parable says "and all who have ears to hear, let them hear" As far as I have seen, everyone has ears here...haha...it's easy to talk about it, but a thousand times harder to do...Heavenly Father expects a lot out of us, but he also provides a way to do it...I'm still seeking to be uncomfortable :)
Thankyou so much for sending packages! I won't get them for a while, but I look forward to them...I actually got Modern Russian at the MTC...the started giving it to missionaries because so many people wanted it...but no worries, I'll find someone, no doubt, that needs it!
I discovered that I can make tortillas...my tum tum has never been happier :) they're so easy! and i feel so domestic making dough...
I so excited to get those pictures of grandpa and lizzie skydiving (so dad went too?) i have the coolest family... sounds like a blast...I look forward to you letter gpa jones! Give roy boy a kiss for me...he's probably huge... ugh...wowo
congrrats dan and taryn on the house-diddly! i think you shouldn't make the neighbors pay you rent in money, but in horses...lets make roy into a cowboy...haha...i'm siked to see it :)
J-fus...you're becoming smarter than all of us...keep working hard... you'll be glad you did!
WElp everyone else, i'm happy as a clammmm...love you all...stay strong, don't say swears...

с любовью...счастлива!
сестра джонс

ps... don't forget about Obama in the garage...take him for a ride up the canyone or something...give him some fresh air...
pspsp - Sadie. haha. i love that dog. hose pictures of grandpa and lizzie skydiving (so dad went too?) i have the coolest family... sounds like a blast...I look forward to you letter gpa jones! Give roy boy a kiss for me...he's probably huge... ugh...wowo
congrrats dan and taryn on the house-diddly! i think you shouldn't make the neighbors pay you rent in money, but in horses...lets make roy into a cowboy...haha...i'm siked to see it :)
J-fus...you're becoming smarter than all of us...keep working hard..

15th email: September 21st

как дела у вас! Я так рада и в буквальном смыле, я никогда не училась так многа чем сейчас! How is everyone! I'm so happy and literally have never learned so much than I do now! Just today i finally learned how to switch the english to russian on the keyboard...so i'm going crazy...This week was a spiritual booster for sure and we needed it. We have really been struggling with Зра. She is just so so so busy and has dogged us for two weeks straight. We refuse to give up on her because she has the most important ingredient in the world...DESIRE! She doesn't quite understand everything and tries so hard to make sense of everything we say. She knows she needs to be baptised...she has faith that she can do it...she prayed last night that her daughter would come to her baptism.... but i really can't freak out too soon cause we have a lot of work to do. We pushed back her date to the 10th of October. We watched "Finding Faith in Christ" last night and talked about the atonement, testimony, and sacrifice....needless to say the spirit was strong. So were trying out sacrifice this week. She agreed to meet us every day before work just for 30 minutes or so. It's a sacrifice for us too, but I KNOW that as she makes this sacrifice, she'll see how God will make work and time work out for her...i know it. I've seen it in my life time and time again. She is such a good lady and tries hard to change...remember her in your prayers...she has a husband she lives with, but he offers no support. They live completely different lives...different money...different schedules. She's been seeking stability in places where it fails every time. This is why we talked about testimony and building your foundation on Christ. You can't fail. 100% guaranteed success.
We're hopefully meeting with Инна again starting this week. She has been working non-stop as contractor (my type of lady :) and finished the job today or yesterday. She wants this, but time is an issue. Why is time always an issue? ugh.
We also have Спарток! haha, (spartok) he's my favorite. A- because he's speaks english and he's been to salt lake B - because he runs funny C - because he says как бы every other word (kind-of) 11 - because he is open and patient and loves to learn! We meet with him with Александра, a memeber, and she is a talkitive lady (she was the one that was Славик 's adopted mom...our baptism last week) Right now he's just wanted to learn more, but we hope to help him understand that he needs this...he and his wife need this.
Of course I remember Amy mon! She is one of those people that is impossible to forget...we're teaching a lady that reminds me of her, Людмила (lyoudmila)...she's strong member of her religion "the light of life". She holds group prayer at her apartment once a week from 10-2 in the morning. They are good and happy and service oriented people. I can't help but thinking that the Lord prepares people in different ways for his restored gospel...sometimes all they need is a respect and a love for the members, and then things grow from there. Good work mama.
We had zone conference this week which was amazing...we talked about the atonement and desire....uh...power topics. We've got some great and intellectual leaders in the mission....i learned a ton. Even better, we are starting the first African branch here in Крым (Cream)! Well not really, but we will soon. We have a rule that we've got to talk to every African brotha we say A- cause they're few and far between... b- cause they speak english...k - cause they're hilarious. Theres a Medical University in Симферополь that they all go to. Just on Saturday they baptised Dr. Magic. Yes, that is his name. The first time they met, he was already testifying of the book of mormon, holding it in his hands and pointing to it saying "I know this book is true". Ha...our black brothas and sistas are believers...and who'da thought we'd find them in Ukraine? So they're teaching 4 more right now and have another baptism on saturday, Dr. Magic's friend. So cool.
But the Conference was amazing. I saw Elder Ku which was glorious...he doesn't speak a work of Russian, but he is happier than ever :)
I was reading the story of the good Samaritan and realized how much it is about the Atonement. The Samaritan is symbolic of christ's ministry...and how often do we feel stripped of everything, half dead on the side of the road. And the most glorified, perfect, least likely man to stop, scoops us up and gives us everything...and when he needs to go, he puts us in the care of a host, and gives him essentially a black check saying "anything thing you spend more, when I return, I will repay thee." The atonement is boundless...everything is taken care of. And as I read, I realized that as a missionary, as members of the church, sometimes we act like the host. Heavenly Father trusts us to care for his children when they need someone. He gives us the oppurtunity to do what he did, what he would do, on earth...to take part in his ministry in a sense! It got me thinking, what am I doing with this oppurtunity? With Зра it's especially hard because we try so hard every day to help her and she refuses...but the Lord said that anything we felt like we spent more than we have been given, when he comes again, he will repay us. Basically the Lord is the source of our strength...he'd do everything he possible could for her, so we've got to. They blessings from the atonement are too sweet to pass...in Mormon 9 it says that we can become spotless, pure, fair, and white...no matter how dirty we are.
Sometimes I feel like after a particularly tough experience, and I rely on Christ, then I say, "oh, NOW i know what the atonement is"...and then like two weeks later..."just kidding, NOW I get it" ....and so on...I don't think I'll ever fully understand how deep and complete Christ's sacrifice was for each of us, but I do know that he's our savior. I do know that the Christ's Atonement cleanses me! ohhhh, so much to say and remember, but i can only type so fast.... just know that i know that the gospel is true...every speck of it!

I pray for you all...remember to work and and stay strong. I'm so siked for you J-Fus...woo those ladies...tell steph nykamp hello...and I MUST HAVE PICTURES OF GRANDPA SKYDIVING! haha...oh man...i have the coolest family...

с любовью всегда!

сестра джонс

ps...mama i'm glad you wrote at night! we never go at the same time, so just always write the night before...

p0psss - do you have the write address for sending letters to the office? I did get a dear elder at zone conf...but it was the same one that I've gotter 4 times now...twice at the mtc, once in my arrival packet, and again this week. I will never forget about credit card stuff now...haha...i laughed so hard...mom... :) but make sure you have the right address...i remembered you said you sent some things and i don't want them to get lost! and it's fall now! crunchy leaves and a light sea breeze... our area is gorgeous...i'm gonna need to buy boots and a coat soon fyi...OH will you send my a splash guard for my nalgene? the marshrutkas are crazy...i need to stop looking like i peed my pants...sorry...wet my pants...and marshmellows and rice crispies...cectpa k wants to try the goods...and of course roy pics.... lov eyo always thanks for everything....