Wow. I’m still in awe at Dad’s email. Are you really doing Kilimanjaro??? MAN. Haha, you’re killing me. I feel like my family is finally coming alive after I leave! Good on ya… just keep it going when I get home dangit :) So big news of the week is that I’m getting transferred. Poo. We were not expecting it at all, ну ладно! Yesterday was my last Sunday in my branch…ugh I hated it. Well no, I loved it, but you know what I mean. And Lena! We had such a fabulous lesson with her this week. I asked President about the last lesson that we had with her. You know, in the MTC we were really pushed to talk about baptism like first thing…first lesson. In Preach My Gospel, we’re advised the same…but I think we can take this the wrong way and be pushy and intimidating to people. With Lena, I was getting a bit nervous cause it was already a month or so of teaching her and we had never challenged her to be baptized. I read a talk by Elder Scott and he said that when we don’t take advantage of the spirit that investigators feel early on in meeting with the missionaries, then they could loose that spirit. So we had a lesson, I challenged her to be baptized, and I felt so weird after. Like just…uncomfortable. Everything was great and our lesson was great, and she was fine cause she’s Lena, but I just felt so pushy. I was all confused cause I swear I was doing everything right…and I swear I was just trying to be a good missionary and help her. So anyways… :) …I asked President and he gave us some good tips. He said that we can forget that asking someone to be baptised, to make this covenant with God, is sacred. It’s not a step in the lesson proccess…it’s definitely not a goal to achieve for them to say “YES”…and then just mark it down on your little record… so we talked about how to bring it up with more of a sacred overtone and promise her blessings…and our lesson went beautifully! I wish I could say it ended up in a date with her, but almost better. She is sincerely searching for an answer whether or not this church is true. She’s legit and won’t say she feels something if she doesn’t…which is like a breath of fresh air :) I SO appreciate that she ‘s taking all this seriously… but she said she hasn’t received an answer yet. We’re focusing on commandments and I know once she sees that when we LIVE in the light of the Gospel, it’s hard to veer away from it. She’ll notice the difference that a lil bit of truth makes… she’ll get there….but I won’t be here for it which kills me. Such is life on the mission unfortunately! Mom, I’ve promised everyone that I’m coming back at the end of November, so I hope everything works out! You’ll love these members, they’re a riot…hahah…I sound like you…riot… So yeah I’m leaving my cectpa lav. Haha…to tell you the truth, it’ll be good for us. We getting along SO well but she gets SO distracted…it’s seriously is the most hilarious thing ever :) I’ll miss her cooking that’s for sure…and english. I know where I’m going but I’m not supposed to…hehe… I’m going to Zaporosia which is two zones north of my little paradise of sevastopol… i think my body will seizure when I get off the train! It’s back up to plus 15 today! So anyways, I have to buy boots today said cectpa nielsen. Mine aren’t waterproof and I can’t wear my shoes…dang. Remember when it was negative 15 last week here and I was dying? Lets just say its -30 there. Ughhhhhhhhh….hahah…it’ll be so funny…I’m planning on wearing everything I own every day….and I’ll take dad’s advice and stuff with newspaper :) I’ll sound all crunchy…
So yeah, Zaporosia. My companion is Cectpa Avetisyan from Armania and she doesn’t speak a lick of English :) haha…oh man alive this will be great! This is her last transfer, so I’ll only be with her for 5 weeks or so. I told one of our investigators that I might go to Zap and he was like, “Foo, it smells bad there!” haha…that city definitely does not get the same attention and love that sevastopol does…Sev is like the golden child, Zap is like the wayward weird smelly one. So basically I’m like sev and Danny’s like Zap…haha… I’m stoked :)
We have a sweet new investigator named Viktor. He’s an anesthesiologist, has a family, and is interested in the gospel…that doesn’t happen! When we contacted him on the street, he gave he a super snickers! He was like, welp I already have one and you look like you need a lil chocolate…haha… he owns and ping-pong and had a great time playing with the elders. We’ll see where he goes!
Welp, I’ve got my work cut out for me this transfer! The lord gives us trials, but He also leads us through them. The church is true. It’s ingrained in me now and I couldn’t get rid of that if I wanted to…I guess that’s a little success in and of itself, yeah? haha…work hard lil fam-fam of mine...sounds like you’re really enjoying to slopes! I can’t even believe you guys…you don’t sound like my family! I so happy we’re stuck together though…
Я вас очин люблю и скучаю по вам! Ну не слышком много…
С любовю всегда!
Cectpa Jones
Ps…happy bday papa bear
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