Haha – a christmas bush?! I died when I read that! Probably because we're searching our eyeballs out for a stupid christmas tree here...they just don't exist. Next plan is a little trip to the mountains with an axe.... ha...i'm joking mama. But good luck with the bush...I'm trying to figure our how you'll slap a star on the top...or throw the cherries... :) Christmas here is celebrated in on January 7th and is absolutely nothing compared to New Years. ALL types of fireworks are legal...no rules, just explosions everywhere...i can hardly wait! We're planning a Westernized Christmas party at the prixod on the 25th...and yes we tracked down a Santa Costume...and yes they asked me to be Santa....HOHOHO!!!!
Thanksgiving was great! We ordered pizza, watched “UP”, and played games in Sinferopol (center of Crimea) While the elders played footbal, cectpa K, Lav and I ventured over to some botanical garden that wasn't too botanical...all the flowers were dead...BUT there was this really cool and thick forest in the back and we heard from a babyshka that the squirrels will eat out of you hands! We frolicked over like little kids with our pockets full of walnuts from the babyshka...but I tell you...those squirrels are EVIL. They look exactly like the killer bunny on monty python except with a huge fluffy white tail...red eyes, huge ears...and they scamper around like humming birds. It was like being in a cursed forest....hahaha...oh Ukraine! Great thanksgiving...and you won't see pictures of me with elder anderson...he's up in Dnepr or something, and only Crimea got together for thanksgiving...sorry! Have you not gotten that picture cd yet? You should this week...well who knows actually...but I think it's coming! Woohooo!
I spoke in Church on Sunday :) It actually turned out a lot better than I thoughts it would. President gave me the topic of “The Blessing of Work”, a talk in the new Liahona that we only get in Russian...hmmmm...give a talk and my resource is only in russian... and speak for 20 minutes... hahah...no I worked through it and pulled together my thoughts. I think everything went well...people understood and I hope they felt the spirit through my mistakes. I love that topic. I promise you a billion times over that it's through OUR work that God can work. It's definitely not at the exact same moment for most things...to tell you the truth, I'm still trying to see how God will work through me to touch the hearts of His children here in Ukraine. I see it every day with my companions and I know I have the same calling they do...the same purpose and responsibility and support that they do...so I not going to quit working at it. I know that love and sacrifice speaks louder than any words ever will, so I'm trying to make that the center of my service here. I've come to terms that I'll never express with eloquence or depth, like my sisters, the beautiful blessings of the gospel in russian. I will always be the American missionary that came to Ukraine trying learn Russian to communicate with people...because I love the people here. I want to strengthen our little prixod so bad... I want to find someone that receives every ounce of Christ's gospel and loves it and wants to live it...I want our members to receive a stronger witness that Christ is our Savior and become more active in His church...so bad...I hope the Lord can use me. I know I've got to work a lot for it...so that I can be a properly welded, sharpened, strong, capable tool in His hand... I know it's not just “Alright Lord, I came on a mission...I suffered through the MTC...I can testify and contact in this language...I'll do what I'm told...ready go! Changes lives!” I have to change something and repent everyday of something I'm not doing right...every day! I know with my hard work and faith, I will be able to help someone come to Him...and stay with Him. I'm so grateful that you've taught me my whole life to work hard at everything I do...school, work, church callings...whatever...that is definitely a family learned trait from example and “contracts” and high expectations! Thankyou!
Speaking of investi-alligators...we have a new, fabulous lady that we are teaching. She was one of those, “Lets go back and talk to that lady” people that passed us on the street...on our way back, she turned around wanting to come back to us and was surprised to see us already half way back to her :) She had a lot of soul-searching questions...she felt guilty after her mother died because she was mean to her...she had no idea what to think about life after death...We met the next day...then two days after that, then the next and again tomorrow. She takes notes when we talk, reads what we ask her too, comes with questions, and PRAYS! We kinda don't know what to do with ourselves. It's like the dog that chases after the car and then finally gets it...and doesn't know what to do with it. Haha...no it's fabulous...the spirit is always there in our lessons. Cectpa K is the talkative powerhouse who loves to answer all the questions, Cectpa Lav brings in the spirit with her first word...she has a serious gift of sharing her powerful testimony...and I struggle through what I want to say, use a ton of scriptures (cause they speak better than I do in any language), and then look up at her understanding, but confused face and resort to my testimony. After I shared what I knew, she asked me, “So how did you receive your testimony that this church is true?” And it's funny how quickly and clearly I was able to answer her, without searching for words or organizing the order or conjugating... in short, we'll see. She's fabulous, but we'll see!
We are meeting with Era today for the first time in a month...we're either going to stop meeting with her, or seriously make some big steps. I pray for her every night...I hope the spirit can get through to her today.
Today we went to balaklava again...i love it there :) We went on a boat ride out in the middle of the Black Sea! Well not in the middle, but pretended...i sang yo-ho-yo-ho a pirates life for me! The whole way out...our captain thought I was weird. The whole way back, I took the ropes he uses for tying up the boat and held them like reigns and sang “On Dasher, on Dancer, on Prancer and VIXEN!” and so on...then he thought I was just crazy. I love the sea and the salt-water smell and the water and the sea spray...oh man...it's like heaven.
I'm ticked about the game. I got like 80 texts from different elders and the senior couples with various stupid comments like “Sis. Jones, how bout them cougars” and “overtime...3 points...happy day...hows it feel?” and “merry christmas cectpa! Go BYU!” ugh... why are all missionaries byu fans. Haha..the rivalry is still alive and well and making me crazy here in Ukraine.
Thankyou for everything family dearest or as the say here in Russian, “family expensive”...I wondered how much I had to pay to be sent to you guys... couple thousand hriven probably. I'm doing great....having at least a couple hilarious adventures every day...depending a lot on God...being humbled a lot...cleaning my apartment with a branch witch broom, you know...the regular...HAPPY DECEMBER! Weird...i felt like a just barely left
с любовью всегда
сестра джонс!
Pssss – :)
Monday, November 30, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Sand Animation- Ukraine's Got Talent
This is incredible. Props to Richie for sending it to me. Maybe Kathy will learn how to do this on her mission.
Monday, November 23, 2009
24th email: November 23rd, 2009
Ok so I'm typing on microsoft word this time so I don't loose everything again...and it also explains why all my grammar errors are being corrected...stupid computer...let me make my own mistakes.
Ok...Cectpa Lavryenenko...haha...I just laugh when I think about her :) She's from Western Ukraine (where they only speak Ukrainian) and is a convert to the church. Her dad is a member, but not yet her mom...”yet” she emphasizes. She speaks english absolutely perfectly...she sounds more american than me...she basically is more american than me! She knows more about how to make american food, more about where cities are in Utah, more about our traditions...it's hilarious. Though she speaks english like a fiend, her and sister Kondratyeva yap yap gab gab in russian all day. It's great. I'm really learning a ton from listening to them. Sometimes I look over at them and I'm like, “hey, the sister misisonaries!” then I'm like...oh, thats me. Haha...being in a threesome is weird, but like I said...I'm learning a ton. Cectpa K will leave December 20th, so she won't be here for Christmas...so cectpa Lav and I will have a straight up Westernized santa down the chimney christmas...we've already talked about chopping down a tree. Cectpa Lav is a bit smaller than me, short dark hair, and a cute doll face...she's always smiling and laughing and she always wants to play cards and make tort (cake)...she's brought a lot of energy to our companionship! She's been out for a year now and will probably spend the rest of the time in Cevastopol...I think I'll be with her next transfer, but who know...President Nielson is ochin unpredictable!
Today we ventured to Bakchesirai, a sweet cave city in the middle of the mountains...oh what a breath of fresh air!!!! Literally, fresh mountain air is like oxygen for my soul...well it really is oxygen...stupid analogy...anyways...we wandered through the mountains and the city, stopping in random caves and pretended to be cavemen...we climbed up (safe-white-handbook-appropriate) to these cubby caves carved into the mountain, but when we got down, we kind of lost the path and ended having to climb through a barbed-wire fence and go down the side of the mountain. It sounds a lot more dangerous and risky than it was, but I loved it. I miss my random adventures...this satisfied my craving :) And on top of that, the weather was ridiculously fine...short-sleeves, and I'm pretty sure I got some sun...i love Cevastopol!
We're still working with Rosa and her babyshka, Valentina. They've come to church the past two sundays, and Valentina is actually, genuionly (whatever...the computer says I can't spell “genioun”...ughhhhh...go away little squiggly red line! В настоящий.. Haha...got it in russian) interested in the Gospel. Rosa is still a saint, but she needs support from home in order to be baptized. She's too young to venture down the road by herself...who am I kidding, she's already on it, but I think Irina is a little against her being baptized...Oksana is still with us. We have a hard time meeting with her, but she really loves and respects and trusts us. It meant a lot that she wanted to fast with us...Just Irina...We're praying that she can have an open, soft, and understanding heart to the faith and desire of her family. She likes us and our message, but I think she just thinks it's a little weird. I understand...we're a strange oversize brady bunch to the rest of the world...if they only knew how awesome our party is going to be in heaven, they'd leave their vodka parties and come to ours :) We have another great investigator, Olga. She's Enna's friend...enna just loves us and invites all her friends to our lessons, but won't progress a bit...how do you drop someone like that? Hard situation...but Olga is great...she's a happy, smiley, jolly women...she invited us to her perfume party...weird...i smelled like a mix of pansies and old ladies when I left...but what do you do? After we had a fabulous lesson with her about the Book of Mormon...no matter how awful we smelled! Era is making us crazy...it's been a month and she's flakey as ever. I really don't understand at all why she said (and continues to say) she wants to be baptized. Ugh...she has made my patience a thousand times stronger!
For thanksgiving, Crimea is getting together so the ELDERS came play football...lame. I'm planning on having a three on two game with the sisters, whether they like it or not :) imagine...me, two ukrainians, one russian, and one armenian, playing american football...in Ukraine. Just the idea gives me tingles :) We're watching “forever strong” at the prexod in Sinferopol and ordering pizza and playing games. Our district is having our own real thanksgiving dinner that night...pizza does not cut it! I'm making mashies (even though I won't eat them...i can't eat another potato for as long as I live...how cectpa k eats them breakfast lunch and dinner, i'll never know) and pies...haha...we'll see how that goes...the mission has made me a WORSE cook...if you can imagine. :)
Speaking of...papa, I need a cinnamon roll recipe...we want them for Christmas! And mom, chicken and broccoli cass. ...i found curry!
I'm thankful for all you all you all...I feel the same as basically every other missionary, and I appreciate my family a ton more now that I'm away... I realize how good I've got it. God's blessed me more than I deserve with my friends and family. I love you all and miss you a little bit, but my heart is here right now. Everyday I try to discuss with the Lord what needs to change with how I'm working. Everyday I feel like we talk with eachother and work out an agreement of sorts about what I'm going to do and what I need to do. It's really just what He needs me to do, but it's becoming what I want to do. Think of how unstoppable we can be if we align our will with God's! A- He's kind-of all-knowing, loving, and divine and knows what works the best for us and for those around us...and B – if we stop fighting against the grain and start moving with Him, we'll pick up the pace and He'll make us faster and stronger and happier than ever! If I want something and am trying to reach a goal, I want God behind me 100%... My goal is to bring souls to Christ, and I'm pretty sure He's okay with that :) I still need help figuring out how to do it most effectively with my little hurdles of language and satan and incompetency... but I know that as I live worthily for the Spirit to be with me, He'll guide my steps, my words, even my mood. Sweet. We have to ability to basically be walking forces of truth.
Welp love you all...i'm working harder than I ever have in my life and stupid satan is like a whip in my face, but my reliance and love for God is my rock...with Him, I cannot fai! I hope you're all so happy and working hard in whatever you're doing! Happy happy thanksgiving...tell everyone I love them and kiss the ground of zions for me :) And as you eat your delicious pumpkin pie or honeybaked ham...just think of me...and my pumpkin pie...that i'm planning of making out of REAL mashed up pumkin, with random alternative spices, and all in a pizza pan, with hand whipped cream... I already feel bad for my district :)
love you...thankful for you...stay strong!
Love cectpa jonesy
pcpcpss – mama...thankyou for sending packages...gorsh :) I'll let you know when they get here...do you want me to send home anything for Christmas? I have zero money, but I could send something small
pspspsps Happy birthday Taryn! You old hag :) hope it was wonderful! You're my companions age...weird! Give roy boy a kiss for me!
Spspsppps – LOVE YOU!
Ok...Cectpa Lavryenenko...haha...I just laugh when I think about her :) She's from Western Ukraine (where they only speak Ukrainian) and is a convert to the church. Her dad is a member, but not yet her mom...”yet” she emphasizes. She speaks english absolutely perfectly...she sounds more american than me...she basically is more american than me! She knows more about how to make american food, more about where cities are in Utah, more about our traditions...it's hilarious. Though she speaks english like a fiend, her and sister Kondratyeva yap yap gab gab in russian all day. It's great. I'm really learning a ton from listening to them. Sometimes I look over at them and I'm like, “hey, the sister misisonaries!” then I'm like...oh, thats me. Haha...being in a threesome is weird, but like I said...I'm learning a ton. Cectpa K will leave December 20th, so she won't be here for Christmas...so cectpa Lav and I will have a straight up Westernized santa down the chimney christmas...we've already talked about chopping down a tree. Cectpa Lav is a bit smaller than me, short dark hair, and a cute doll face...she's always smiling and laughing and she always wants to play cards and make tort (cake)...she's brought a lot of energy to our companionship! She's been out for a year now and will probably spend the rest of the time in Cevastopol...I think I'll be with her next transfer, but who know...President Nielson is ochin unpredictable!
Today we ventured to Bakchesirai, a sweet cave city in the middle of the mountains...oh what a breath of fresh air!!!! Literally, fresh mountain air is like oxygen for my soul...well it really is oxygen...stupid analogy...anyways...we wandered through the mountains and the city, stopping in random caves and pretended to be cavemen...we climbed up (safe-white-handbook-
We're still working with Rosa and her babyshka, Valentina. They've come to church the past two sundays, and Valentina is actually, genuionly (whatever...the computer says I can't spell “genioun”...ughhhhh...go away little squiggly red line! В настоящий.. Haha...got it in russian) interested in the Gospel. Rosa is still a saint, but she needs support from home in order to be baptized. She's too young to venture down the road by herself...who am I kidding, she's already on it, but I think Irina is a little against her being baptized...Oksana is still with us. We have a hard time meeting with her, but she really loves and respects and trusts us. It meant a lot that she wanted to fast with us...Just Irina...We're praying that she can have an open, soft, and understanding heart to the faith and desire of her family. She likes us and our message, but I think she just thinks it's a little weird. I understand...we're a strange oversize brady bunch to the rest of the world...if they only knew how awesome our party is going to be in heaven, they'd leave their vodka parties and come to ours :) We have another great investigator, Olga. She's Enna's friend...enna just loves us and invites all her friends to our lessons, but won't progress a bit...how do you drop someone like that? Hard situation...but Olga is great...she's a happy, smiley, jolly women...she invited us to her perfume party...weird...i smelled like a mix of pansies and old ladies when I left...but what do you do? After we had a fabulous lesson with her about the Book of Mormon...no matter how awful we smelled! Era is making us crazy...it's been a month and she's flakey as ever. I really don't understand at all why she said (and continues to say) she wants to be baptized. Ugh...she has made my patience a thousand times stronger!
For thanksgiving, Crimea is getting together so the ELDERS came play football...lame. I'm planning on having a three on two game with the sisters, whether they like it or not :) imagine...me, two ukrainians, one russian, and one armenian, playing american football...in Ukraine. Just the idea gives me tingles :) We're watching “forever strong” at the prexod in Sinferopol and ordering pizza and playing games. Our district is having our own real thanksgiving dinner that night...pizza does not cut it! I'm making mashies (even though I won't eat them...i can't eat another potato for as long as I live...how cectpa k eats them breakfast lunch and dinner, i'll never know) and pies...haha...we'll see how that goes...the mission has made me a WORSE cook...if you can imagine. :)
Speaking of...papa, I need a cinnamon roll recipe...we want them for Christmas! And mom, chicken and broccoli cass. ...i found curry!
I'm thankful for all you all you all...I feel the same as basically every other missionary, and I appreciate my family a ton more now that I'm away... I realize how good I've got it. God's blessed me more than I deserve with my friends and family. I love you all and miss you a little bit, but my heart is here right now. Everyday I try to discuss with the Lord what needs to change with how I'm working. Everyday I feel like we talk with eachother and work out an agreement of sorts about what I'm going to do and what I need to do. It's really just what He needs me to do, but it's becoming what I want to do. Think of how unstoppable we can be if we align our will with God's! A- He's kind-of all-knowing, loving, and divine and knows what works the best for us and for those around us...and B – if we stop fighting against the grain and start moving with Him, we'll pick up the pace and He'll make us faster and stronger and happier than ever! If I want something and am trying to reach a goal, I want God behind me 100%... My goal is to bring souls to Christ, and I'm pretty sure He's okay with that :) I still need help figuring out how to do it most effectively with my little hurdles of language and satan and incompetency... but I know that as I live worthily for the Spirit to be with me, He'll guide my steps, my words, even my mood. Sweet. We have to ability to basically be walking forces of truth.
Welp love you all...i'm working harder than I ever have in my life and stupid satan is like a whip in my face, but my reliance and love for God is my rock...with Him, I cannot fai! I hope you're all so happy and working hard in whatever you're doing! Happy happy thanksgiving...tell everyone I love them and kiss the ground of zions for me :) And as you eat your delicious pumpkin pie or honeybaked ham...just think of me...and my pumpkin pie...that i'm planning of making out of REAL mashed up pumkin, with random alternative spices, and all in a pizza pan, with hand whipped cream... I already feel bad for my district :)
love you...thankful for you...stay strong!
Love cectpa jonesy
pcpcpss – mama...thankyou for sending packages...gorsh :) I'll let you know when they get here...do you want me to send home anything for Christmas? I have zero money, but I could send something small
pspspsps Happy birthday Taryn! You old hag :) hope it was wonderful! You're my companions age...weird! Give roy boy a kiss for me!
Spspsppps – LOVE YOU!
Monday, November 16, 2009
23rd Email: November 16th, 2009
I'm computer retarded and lost my email again...this'll be short, sorry!
I sent home a picture cd on tuesday and it should get there sometime in the next century...haha, who knows. Sorry I took so long...i just wanted to get my money's worth for the cd :) The biggest news this week came wednesday night...we were soaking wet and beat tired after our 10 flights of stairs up to our apartment and President called with a little surprise..."We're sending you Cectpa Lavryenenko!" Haha...we had no idea and she was coming the next morning...that's right...i'm in a fabulous threesome :) She is a little Ukrainian angel who is more american than i am :) She speak english perfectly without an accent and brought along with her all these american games and food (peanut butter, oreos, teriyaki sauce, wheatables, almond mm's, mint cookies...i died) She brings such a love and light to our companionship...i love her. In the process of moving our apartment around in preparation for her, our massive closet almost fell on me and one of our beds DID fall on me...i'm really good at moving furniture :) Rosa is amazing as ever...she came to church with her babushka. She (babushka) has been searching for truth her whole life and brought rosa, met with us the second hour with amazing questions, and then stayed for relief society and participated. We fasted with Oksana on Saturday (her request...she's having a hard time...haha...it's a miracle...she lives to eat :) ) I hope this helps her gain a testimony. gotta go, love you all so much...i'm happier than ever...the church is true, god lives, christ is our redeemer.
love cectpa jones
ps. mom, cectpa lav. doesn't have a ton of support from home...will you send her some christmas stuff? maybe send us some ms. clause pjs or something...like i said, she loves americans and our traditions...also my tape is the normal big size
ps/ thanks
pspsp alot
I sent home a picture cd on tuesday and it should get there sometime in the next century...haha, who knows. Sorry I took so long...i just wanted to get my money's worth for the cd :) The biggest news this week came wednesday night...we were soaking wet and beat tired after our 10 flights of stairs up to our apartment and President called with a little surprise..."We're sending you Cectpa Lavryenenko!" Haha...we had no idea and she was coming the next morning...that's right...i'm in a fabulous threesome :) She is a little Ukrainian angel who is more american than i am :) She speak english perfectly without an accent and brought along with her all these american games and food (peanut butter, oreos, teriyaki sauce, wheatables, almond mm's, mint cookies...i died) She brings such a love and light to our companionship...i love her. In the process of moving our apartment around in preparation for her, our massive closet almost fell on me and one of our beds DID fall on me...i'm really good at moving furniture :) Rosa is amazing as ever...she came to church with her babushka. She (babushka) has been searching for truth her whole life and brought rosa, met with us the second hour with amazing questions, and then stayed for relief society and participated. We fasted with Oksana on Saturday (her request...she's having a hard time...haha...it's a miracle...she lives to eat :) ) I hope this helps her gain a testimony. gotta go, love you all so much...i'm happier than ever...the church is true, god lives, christ is our redeemer.
love cectpa jones
ps. mom, cectpa lav. doesn't have a ton of support from home...will you send her some christmas stuff? maybe send us some ms. clause pjs or something...like i said, she loves americans and our traditions...also my tape is the normal big size
ps/ thanks
pspsp alot
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Just missing Kathy...
Video with some scenes of the city her mission is named after, Dnepopetrovsk, or Днепропетровск in Russian. If you listen in the song, they'll say it for you a few times. Beautiful!!
Monday, November 9, 2009
22nd email: November 9th, 2009
The weather is definitely bipolar. Now its hot again and we're walking without jackets...november...во обшей! But I did by a coat and these awesome nylon/pants that everyone wears, and a hat and gloves and a sweater and these shoes insert things and socks...cectpa k knows what i need, so i was glad to have her. But everything was aroung $200. Sorry, i tried to get cheap stuff, but I also had to get good stuff. I look like a red marshmellow. haha...
I talked to a guy on the Marshrutka earlier this week that was really interested in religion and the Book of Mormon. His names Stepan. When he came and sat by me, he straight up stared at me, like I was painted blue or something. I was like "Страствуйте" and thought to myself, forget my nerves, i've got no choice but to talk to him! He was patient with my russian and we agreed to talk more about the book of mormon and the restored gospel another time...the miracle is that he came to our meeting with the elders, he took the book of mormon and said he'd read it. To be honest, we weren't too siked about him. He's kind-of a strange guy. Well, even though we passed him to the elders, he called us a couple nights ago and said, "I read your book, thankyou! I have some questions, lets meet." A-buh. Ha, we were blown away...he read the book of mormon in 5 days. We can't even get Era to read 5 pages in 3 months! We're meeting with him tomorrow, so we'll see...man...cool story.
We have a new investigator, Olga, and she's fabulous! She has to little boys, Женя and Дима (djenya and deema) 6 and 4, and they remind me so much of james and jakey...little stinkers, but you love them :) She's surprising us. She's got a chill and submissive personality, but she read the book of mormon and is really thinking about it. She's out of town this week, but we'll meet with her on Saturday. ooo..it'd be so great to help her family...our little branch would really really benefit!
Rosa is still on fire. She said this week, "Ya know, I know I've got to pray and ask God if this church is true. I've got to ask him if Joseph Smith was a prophet. I've never done it before!" She interupts the lesson all the time with comments like "Wait, so it's like this, yeah..." or "So if I ask God, he'll answer me, yeah?" She is incredible. She loves us and already acts like a member. She scolds all our young obnoxious english friends when we're giving our spiritual thought...it's awesome...who'da thought we need a 12 year old body guard...speaking of...did i mention that the elders are teaching the body-building champion of ukraine the gospel? hahaha...man...i'd love to have him in the branch :) how cool is that.
Cectpa and I are working really hard...we've picked up any slack that we've felt like we've had and are determined to do everything we can for our little branch...for the innactives...for investigators. This is her last transfer, and I'm so grateful that she wan'ts to go out with a bang...I've been praying for a boost in our work together. So we practically run from meeting to meeting, eat lunch and dinner on the go, plan on the marshtrukas and buses...it's hilarious and really fun. We find time to laugh and have fun while we're going too...I know that as we work harder, we see more success, but even better, we become sharper more pliable tools for the Lord. I know I can be better...it's a constant effort really.
Ct. Flewellen (our district leader) is leaving this week probably for Sinferopol to be zone leader. We'll really miss him...he's fabulous. We have 6 missionaries in the district, and all of us are in the same branch (theres only one) We see them a lot (at service, english, fhe, district meeting, joint lessons, church, sports day). We live 10 hours away from the mission home...boons...and we only see president and sister nielson and aps once a transfer at zone conference.
I took a bunch of pictures of my apartment and random stuff for you mamichka...cectpa is transfering everything to a disk for me right now and I'll send it home today. Sorry i'm so spacey about it. The people, to be honest, are typically unhappy, but we're working on that :) We're thinking my next companion will be Cectpa Zadyikan. She's an absolute saint (i was in the mtc with her) and I already love her. We'll see...you never ever never ever ever know :)
I got those packages before halloween...Спасиба :) And the food? Well there's not a lot of American type food at all...and especially because I live with a Russian and I can't cook, I eat russian food. When I'm cooking, I just make veggies or eggs. The milk here is really good and the smetana (sour cream) is heavenly...but you've got to buy them домашный or home made...I still eat like 3 apples every day
Things have changed a lot at home, I can tell...but its good. I'm glad people are moving forward to bigger and better and exciting things! As much as I'd love to freeze frame everything...haha...no, I'm glad everyone is happy :)
Have a wonderful week...work hard and stay strong. Try to follow what the Savior did and he will give us happiness (John 13:17) I know it.
Love Cectpa Jones
p.s. love you!! I'd love you to send me some of that utah snow...but blien...enjoy it
I talked to a guy on the Marshrutka earlier this week that was really interested in religion and the Book of Mormon. His names Stepan. When he came and sat by me, he straight up stared at me, like I was painted blue or something. I was like "Страствуйте" and thought to myself, forget my nerves, i've got no choice but to talk to him! He was patient with my russian and we agreed to talk more about the book of mormon and the restored gospel another time...the miracle is that he came to our meeting with the elders, he took the book of mormon and said he'd read it. To be honest, we weren't too siked about him. He's kind-of a strange guy. Well, even though we passed him to the elders, he called us a couple nights ago and said, "I read your book, thankyou! I have some questions, lets meet." A-buh. Ha, we were blown away...he read the book of mormon in 5 days. We can't even get Era to read 5 pages in 3 months! We're meeting with him tomorrow, so we'll see...man...cool story.
We have a new investigator, Olga, and she's fabulous! She has to little boys, Женя and Дима (djenya and deema) 6 and 4, and they remind me so much of james and jakey...little stinkers, but you love them :) She's surprising us. She's got a chill and submissive personality, but she read the book of mormon and is really thinking about it. She's out of town this week, but we'll meet with her on Saturday. ooo..it'd be so great to help her family...our little branch would really really benefit!
Rosa is still on fire. She said this week, "Ya know, I know I've got to pray and ask God if this church is true. I've got to ask him if Joseph Smith was a prophet. I've never done it before!" She interupts the lesson all the time with comments like "Wait, so it's like this, yeah..." or "So if I ask God, he'll answer me, yeah?" She is incredible. She loves us and already acts like a member. She scolds all our young obnoxious english friends when we're giving our spiritual thought...it's awesome...who'da thought we need a 12 year old body guard...speaking of...did i mention that the elders are teaching the body-building champion of ukraine the gospel? hahaha...man...i'd love to have him in the branch :) how cool is that.
Cectpa and I are working really hard...we've picked up any slack that we've felt like we've had and are determined to do everything we can for our little branch...for the innactives...for investigators. This is her last transfer, and I'm so grateful that she wan'ts to go out with a bang...I've been praying for a boost in our work together. So we practically run from meeting to meeting, eat lunch and dinner on the go, plan on the marshtrukas and buses...it's hilarious and really fun. We find time to laugh and have fun while we're going too...I know that as we work harder, we see more success, but even better, we become sharper more pliable tools for the Lord. I know I can be better...it's a constant effort really.
Ct. Flewellen (our district leader) is leaving this week probably for Sinferopol to be zone leader. We'll really miss him...he's fabulous. We have 6 missionaries in the district, and all of us are in the same branch (theres only one) We see them a lot (at service, english, fhe, district meeting, joint lessons, church, sports day). We live 10 hours away from the mission home...boons...and we only see president and sister nielson and aps once a transfer at zone conference.
I took a bunch of pictures of my apartment and random stuff for you mamichka...cectpa is transfering everything to a disk for me right now and I'll send it home today. Sorry i'm so spacey about it. The people, to be honest, are typically unhappy, but we're working on that :) We're thinking my next companion will be Cectpa Zadyikan. She's an absolute saint (i was in the mtc with her) and I already love her. We'll see...you never ever never ever ever know :)
I got those packages before halloween...Спасиба :) And the food? Well there's not a lot of American type food at all...and especially because I live with a Russian and I can't cook, I eat russian food. When I'm cooking, I just make veggies or eggs. The milk here is really good and the smetana (sour cream) is heavenly...but you've got to buy them домашный or home made...I still eat like 3 apples every day
Things have changed a lot at home, I can tell...but its good. I'm glad people are moving forward to bigger and better and exciting things! As much as I'd love to freeze frame everything...haha...no, I'm glad everyone is happy :)
Have a wonderful week...work hard and stay strong. Try to follow what the Savior did and he will give us happiness (John 13:17) I know it.
Love Cectpa Jones
p.s. love you!! I'd love you to send me some of that utah snow...but blien...enjoy it
Friday, November 6, 2009
21st Email: November 1st
So the shopkas are out :) Ha - the weather freaked out this week at it got SO COLD...remember last monday when I was in shorts and a tshirt? Well today I can barely type my hands are so cold! Ha...i love it...everyone in their furs and shopkas and boots. It was interesting for me cause all I have is summer stuff...but you'd b surprised how warm one can be with layer after layer of summer clothes :) We're going to buy winter stuff today at the Reinok (like the huge market) It's extra cold in Sevastopol because we're right on the sea...no snow, but windy windy! So today will be a big purchase day...fyi...don't worry, i'm frugal.
Halloween was a hit. They don't really celebrate it here, but of course we do...we had a fun party at the branch. Cectpa Kondratyeva and I were a ложка и вилка...a spoon and a fork! haha...the journey of making the cotume was SO funny...we hunted down some refridgerator boxes (like 8 or 9 feet tall and SO fat) and then had to take them home on the marshrutka...you can image how hilarious it was seeing two missionaries waltzing around town with two boxes twice as big as them and then shoving them onto the marshrutka (much to the dismay of the driver...luckily he was a nice one) and even better, once we made them, getting on the marshrutka as a massive silver spoon and fork. I'm getting used to standing out here :)
OK...my apartment...its great! it's probably as big as our first floor...minus mom and dad's room and j's room and the back bathroom. Kitchen, bedroom, front hall, bathroom, toilet, study room...not bad! Every apartment has a balcony were you hang your clothes to dry (i'm still trying to figure out how they won't freeze in the winter) we take showers with a hose, only use filtered water (when it works) and everyone in Ukraine sleeps on couches... well those bed couches...i forgot what they're called... loufans? boufans? whatever. Our apartment is bigger than most others...Инна 's apartment is just two rooms and the whole floor shares a bathroom and kitchen. We live on the 2nd to the top floor, so you can imagine how huge my calves are getting :) haha... We cleaned today. after 5 weeks mom...it was nasty. but now it's like heaven! It really really cold in the apartment. We turn on the fire on the stove and hudle around it...it's like our little fireplace :)
We see President and Sister Nielson every 6 weeks is all at Zone Conference. Thats when we get packages...THANKYOU!!!! Everything I needed, and the Vinogradyeva's will die over those uno cards! I got them right before halloween, so the little rings and paints were perfect. We devoured the chex mix within a day and I'll find someone to give modern russian too...it's a big hit with missionaries...thankyou so so much...it's so fun to get a little taste of home :) Do you send letters ever? I know you mentioned j wrote me one...don't worry about pouch...you can send it right to the mission office and I'll get them at zone conference or transfers. I might spend Christmas in Dnepr I found out. Cectpa leaves the 20th of December and I don't know if we'll have transfers right before Christmas or not.
OUr area is huge. Our apartment building is one of like 100 in the middle of no where...we do a lot of tracting (it's nice to get out of the cold ) Most grocery places are just little and have a couple things...there are a few big places in the center. The closest reinok is like 15 minutes on a marshrutka...it smells like cigarette smoke, bonfires, beer, and...marshrutkas. It's lovely. I'll do my best to let it all seep in to my skin so it stays with me at home :)
We had a great week of contacting and first lessons and new investigators...We have three new promising investigators which is an absolute miracle out here. Вита Ольга и Алёна (Vita, Olga, and Alona) We'll see how things go with them...i've learned not to freak out too fast when we have a good lesson...I kindof still do, but then I get sad when we loose them...all part of the work! Rosa is still amazing...I have two little 13 year old friends, rosa and veeka. Veeka is a sass-a-frass and is molding into the life of the world...she got a nose ring this week. But she loves us and her mom likes her to be around us. Rosa is the sweetest, strongest, most confident little 13 year old you've ever seen. She loves us and her mom likes her to be around us too. It's so interesting to see how quickly lives can change out here. Irina (rosa's mom) is HILARIOUS...oh my goodness...she was half clown, half witch for halloween..she thought she was so funny. I just die of laughter whenever she's around! Era finally accepted help from us this week to quit smoking...we prepared this whole lesson for her based on this program that the church set up to beat addictions. It works. It hits on the the roots of addiction and cuts them out of your life...so we did this whole lesson and we were so excited - and then she didn't come to church or our lesson. I'm so confused with her. It's like a rollercoaster ride of emotions. We haven't stopped praying and fasting for her this whole time and her progress is SO small if any...but she still wants to be baptised. She knows she can't with how she's living her life, but she still wants it. ugh...we really need the Lords help with her. But desire is first...and she's still got it.
Zone conference was SO great... theres a scripture, i can't remember where in the Book of Mormon...oh wait just kidding, it's moroni 6:4... but that we are numbered once we become members of the church...we focused on bringing back innactives. There's a scripture in Luke (4:33?) that says that what the Savior did was to bring back those that have been "bruised spiritually"...i can't think of a better way to describe it. Innactive members have a story and probably a testimony of our Savior, but something has happened that has hurt them, bruised them, and it's our responsibility really to do as the Lord did and put bandaids on them and bring them back. To apologize in behalf of the church and help them back to happiness. Just under 75% of the members in Eastern Europe are innactive. I can't even believe it. We need help from our members! I feel such a responsibility as a member to keep the Lords children in the fold. We covenanted to do this at baptism! I know I'm going to try harder. We're focusing this week on innactive member of our branch. I expect to find some people needing some bandaids...and I'm stocked...scooby-doo ones thanks to mama...
Thats all...um...happy as a lark...and cold...but i'm buying a shopka today! I"M in Ukraine!!! love you alll...stay strong, be good, seek out those innactives if you can!
love cectpa kass-a-rella-stoopid-chile jones
ps...i dont have time to write a friend letter this week...i realized we've got to head a little early today...next week i promise...and I'll send a picture cd home this week... :)
Halloween was a hit. They don't really celebrate it here, but of course we do...we had a fun party at the branch. Cectpa Kondratyeva and I were a ложка и вилка...a spoon and a fork! haha...the journey of making the cotume was SO funny...we hunted down some refridgerator boxes (like 8 or 9 feet tall and SO fat) and then had to take them home on the marshrutka...you can image how hilarious it was seeing two missionaries waltzing around town with two boxes twice as big as them and then shoving them onto the marshrutka (much to the dismay of the driver...luckily he was a nice one) and even better, once we made them, getting on the marshrutka as a massive silver spoon and fork. I'm getting used to standing out here :)
OK...my apartment...its great! it's probably as big as our first floor...minus mom and dad's room and j's room and the back bathroom. Kitchen, bedroom, front hall, bathroom, toilet, study room...not bad! Every apartment has a balcony were you hang your clothes to dry (i'm still trying to figure out how they won't freeze in the winter) we take showers with a hose, only use filtered water (when it works) and everyone in Ukraine sleeps on couches... well those bed couches...i forgot what they're called... loufans? boufans? whatever. Our apartment is bigger than most others...Инна 's apartment is just two rooms and the whole floor shares a bathroom and kitchen. We live on the 2nd to the top floor, so you can imagine how huge my calves are getting :) haha... We cleaned today. after 5 weeks mom...it was nasty. but now it's like heaven! It really really cold in the apartment. We turn on the fire on the stove and hudle around it...it's like our little fireplace :)
We see President and Sister Nielson every 6 weeks is all at Zone Conference. Thats when we get packages...THANKYOU!!!! Everything I needed, and the Vinogradyeva's will die over those uno cards! I got them right before halloween, so the little rings and paints were perfect. We devoured the chex mix within a day and I'll find someone to give modern russian too...it's a big hit with missionaries...thankyou so so much...it's so fun to get a little taste of home :) Do you send letters ever? I know you mentioned j wrote me one...don't worry about pouch...you can send it right to the mission office and I'll get them at zone conference or transfers. I might spend Christmas in Dnepr I found out. Cectpa leaves the 20th of December and I don't know if we'll have transfers right before Christmas or not.
OUr area is huge. Our apartment building is one of like 100 in the middle of no where...we do a lot of tracting (it's nice to get out of the cold ) Most grocery places are just little and have a couple things...there are a few big places in the center. The closest reinok is like 15 minutes on a marshrutka...it smells like cigarette smoke, bonfires, beer, and...marshrutkas. It's lovely. I'll do my best to let it all seep in to my skin so it stays with me at home :)
We had a great week of contacting and first lessons and new investigators...We have three new promising investigators which is an absolute miracle out here. Вита Ольга и Алёна (Vita, Olga, and Alona) We'll see how things go with them...i've learned not to freak out too fast when we have a good lesson...I kindof still do, but then I get sad when we loose them...all part of the work! Rosa is still amazing...I have two little 13 year old friends, rosa and veeka. Veeka is a sass-a-frass and is molding into the life of the world...she got a nose ring this week. But she loves us and her mom likes her to be around us. Rosa is the sweetest, strongest, most confident little 13 year old you've ever seen. She loves us and her mom likes her to be around us too. It's so interesting to see how quickly lives can change out here. Irina (rosa's mom) is HILARIOUS...oh my goodness...she was half clown, half witch for halloween..she thought she was so funny. I just die of laughter whenever she's around! Era finally accepted help from us this week to quit smoking...we prepared this whole lesson for her based on this program that the church set up to beat addictions. It works. It hits on the the roots of addiction and cuts them out of your life...so we did this whole lesson and we were so excited - and then she didn't come to church or our lesson. I'm so confused with her. It's like a rollercoaster ride of emotions. We haven't stopped praying and fasting for her this whole time and her progress is SO small if any...but she still wants to be baptised. She knows she can't with how she's living her life, but she still wants it. ugh...we really need the Lords help with her. But desire is first...and she's still got it.
Zone conference was SO great... theres a scripture, i can't remember where in the Book of Mormon...oh wait just kidding, it's moroni 6:4... but that we are numbered once we become members of the church...we focused on bringing back innactives. There's a scripture in Luke (4:33?) that says that what the Savior did was to bring back those that have been "bruised spiritually"...i can't think of a better way to describe it. Innactive members have a story and probably a testimony of our Savior, but something has happened that has hurt them, bruised them, and it's our responsibility really to do as the Lord did and put bandaids on them and bring them back. To apologize in behalf of the church and help them back to happiness. Just under 75% of the members in Eastern Europe are innactive. I can't even believe it. We need help from our members! I feel such a responsibility as a member to keep the Lords children in the fold. We covenanted to do this at baptism! I know I'm going to try harder. We're focusing this week on innactive member of our branch. I expect to find some people needing some bandaids...and I'm stocked...scooby-doo ones thanks to mama...
Thats all...um...happy as a lark...and cold...but i'm buying a shopka today! I"M in Ukraine!!! love you alll...stay strong, be good, seek out those innactives if you can!
love cectpa kass-a-rella-stoopid-chile jones
ps...i dont have time to write a friend letter this week...i realized we've got to head a little early today...next week i promise...and I'll send a picture cd home this week... :)
Sunday, November 1, 2009
FINALLY!
A picture of Kathy! Her hair is shorter and looks darker but other than that, she looks the same. We'll try to get more.
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