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!
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