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....
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