so. haha. Zaporozia, the branch, the members, the blasted weather, my companion, my district, the city, the marshrootkas, the dogs, the stores, my apartment. All 100% different than Sevastopol...like fer reals...i'm blown away. They say that crimea is basically it's own country and sevastopol is basically Russia...and now i see that they're NOT joking. I love it here! I waltzed into the branch and full on gasped...it's HUGE! They have a blasted family history library! And enough members to fill callings! Oh Sevastopol...I keep on meeting all these amazing members and in the back of my brain i'm screaming "Move to Sevastopol! They need you there!" Like we were at a lesson with this innactive lady and who knocks on the door? None other than Anton, her home teacher. WOW. I have never met a member like Anton. He is a return missionary, probabaly 27 or something, and knows how the church needs to be run. He is ALWAYS willing to help the missionaries and is normal and full of energy. He lit up the room when he walked in Larisa's house. I later found out that we're in the process of setting up a real home teaching program, and that he just does it by himself. He just goes around and claims everyone as him home-teachie-homies...what. a. stud. I want him to move to Sevastopol so bad! haha...no...i'll soon see that he's needed here. But we have the resources and the members and the strength to successfully set up a program here. We're planning on holding a leadership training this month and set up some assignments. It's ridiculous how many innactives there are in the Europe-East area... 85% innactivity rate. It's tough. President Nielson said that it's because Satan has got such a hold on the hearts of these people because he knows that the potential here is so great. The people here are tough and strong people...we've just got to channel that in the right direction and the Christs church will THRIVE...I'm excited :) We're still in the building the foundation stage...but i already see the growth in Zaporpzia vs. Sevastopol. This is Christ's church. He knows how it needs to be run. He is our head, so it WILL not fail. We've got to sacrifice for it though.
So yeah, theres a ton of work here, and I'm in a awesomely strong district! I love it...I'm back with my brotha Johnson from the MTC! SO good to see him after almost 6 months...and we have a Senior Couple, The Webbs (yeah mom we're probably related) and they're just a bundle of lovin. I translate for mamochka webb during relief society...she SO wants to understand and talk to these members...i know how she feels.
My Companion is a little armanian angel. She doesn't speak english, and part of my assignment in coming here was helping her with that. President Nielsen is amazing. He cares about the lives of his missionaries, even after the mission. He wants her to learn english. haha...i tried to pray in english the other night...it was a car wreck...but she didn't know! My apartment is big and open, but SO dirty...i scrubbed like 6 years of grime off the countertops today...ugh...i swear sisters apartments should be clean. And thank the heavens, Cectpa Avetisyan is a lil gormet chef as well! The lord loves me...and my taste buds :) Another transfer of no cooking! I'll be with her for two actually...she's going home in two. What else...she's 25...joined the church when she was 18...she was baptist. Her sister is a member and also served a mission, her parents are not. Did you know in armenia missionaries can't proselyte? weird...she said that english is really effective. She's beautiful...she looks like jasmine and is a lil sassy dresser... we're a lot alike :) Her and my cec. lav are absolute opposites. Cec. Lav is like Haerre...remember my crazy friend Haerre? and Cec. Avetisyan is like...well...i dunno...i'll get back to you. but not like Haerre :)
It's freezing here. So cold. SO cold. My routine in the morning just doubled... :) we have a lot of lessons which is good...not so much time on the streets!
Mamochka, i'm so happy your coming for me! I told everyone in Sev that I'm coming back at the end of november...it's gonna be so so so funny! You'll love everything about it! And Lizzie, I'm sorry, but you have to come. Sell your car. Have a bake sale. Lemonade stand. You'll find a way :) But that's still forever away...no worries...but just know that I'll greet you all with a huge shapka...and a love :) I'm super happy here...we're headed to FHE at the Webbs right now...oh i love senior couples! Thanks for everything and support and putting up with me! more fun next week!
love cectpa rel..
ps. Ukranian handymen are crazy. We have no hot water, so handy man Victor came over and goes to work...so our apartment is really open and i glance over from the study room to the kitchen and he's full on changing into his lil jumpsuit...BIG MAN...ughhhhhhhhh.... he was not ashamed! He just waved and smiled...blah...i was ashamed...
psps. It's not as dirty as everyone says by the way! well maybe it is, but its constantly snowing, so i can't see anything...what you can't see can't hurt you... yayaya zaporozia! i'm in ukraine!
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