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!
No comments:
Post a Comment