55th email: June 27th, 2010

Man!  Johnny cakes is growing up and I haven't even seen him.  UGH!  Miss you j-fus.  I remember trek.  I'll always remember the spirit of Martin Cove.  The veil is this there.  Good to hear that J is taking his place as a leader...where that boy belongs!  haha.  This is week is better.  People are still being way lame, but I tell you what... It was mos def MY fault for having a not so hot week.  When people argued with me, I'd fire back with argueing.  When people would bible bash with me, I'd fire back with the same.  You can't fight fire with fire...but I was trying to prove that wrong and just fight with BIGGER fire.  We were on our way to a lesson this week and this lady comes up to us and was like, "So you're Mormons, right?"  Ooo she had a fire in her eyes :)  I was like...yes...she started up the conversation pressing on the the usual sore spots...women and the priesthood, american religion, plural marriage, Jospeh Smith... and so it began.  I got the strongest feeling to just calm down and not argue.  I ignored it and got fired up a bit, but then I felt that prompting again.  I literally took and deep breath and just taught her.  I just shared our message about the basics of the gospel coupled with my testimony...and she listened.  The spirit was there.  And she argreed to meet with us tomorrow to learn more about the gospel.  Man.  I'm glad that I was able to feel the spirit through my thick layer of pride.  I've learned my lesson.  When I bash with people, I drop the the help of the Lord, and am left to my own merits which will NEVER be enough.  So...we live and we learn, we crash and we burn... :)  AND I found out why there were/are so many people harassing me... just so happens to be a massive Jehovah's Witnesses convention in Zaporozhia for these two weeks...haha... funny.  :) 
Cectpa Antonyouk is leaving early.  The mission is harder on her than she thought.  I know that she would serve harder if her conditions would permit, but what she's got is enough for the Lord.  And those who have a desire are called to the work...we repeat that every morning.  (D&C 4) I'm blessed to work with someone with such a huge desire.  But so yeah...ANOTHER mini missionary...haha.  man...  I'm used to it now.  I have no idea who it will be, but she'll be with me after I get back from Bulgaria.  Did i ever mention that I'm going to Bulgaria in a week?  Haha...it's me and 5 elders from my MTC group...interesting :)  But yeah, we're there for a couple days and then back to work.  I'm excited!  We'll have time to hang out in the city for a couple days which will be funny :)  I got my AIDS test this week and we are anxiously waiting for the results until tomorrow...dun dun dun...hahah... man... ukraine...aids test...that is an adventure.  There is a new missionary that should be coming in next transfer...so we should be back to normal and have a full time missionary with me by the end of July...but whoooo knows.  maybe i'll stay in Zap till the end?!  Doubt it, but that'd be great.
SEND ME pics of Roy Boy!  I saw him 2 months ago and thats a lifetime for little guys his age...Don't want his hair going gray on me :)  I love you guys...thanks for your support when i need it...and just always i guess..it was great to open my mailbox and see support letters from everyone :)  I should write about hard stuff more often :)  hehe...don't worry about me... i'm having the time of my life! 

Love Cectpa Jones

ps. Happy fourth of july!!!!!!!!! Are you guys going to Richfield?  Did you know 4th of July is my favorite holiday???  We're having a good ole American BBQ and playing some water balloon volleyball with the branch... And we're making home-made fireworks and bottle rockets to celebrate...just kidding...i wish. 

54th Email: June 21st, 2010

Hello there. 

Tough week.  Satan keeps putting people our way to mess me up.  I feel like our companionship is such a target...an American and sweet little Cectpa Antanyouk.  I have never had so many people question my testimony or my validity as a missionary.  I have never been the one to get mad at people on the street or to bash with people, but man...some people.  They just don't know what they're talking about and are so closed minded and when they try to disprove the Book of Mormon by a wrongly-interpreted verse from the Bible, and top it off with, "moya sonlichka!" It means my sunshine...meaning that I'm naive...I lose it.  Now don't write back now with what Christ said in 3rd nephi about arguing and contention being of the devil...i'm full aware...it's my weakness and I'm trying to get over it.  I'm just kinda in shock at how it's been like every other person on the street.  A group of guys and girls that I invited to english went off about how girls shouldn't be preaching the gospel..."it's a man's job!  Remember Eve?" literally what they said. You can imagine how well that went over. The girls they were with just sat there and let their own friends degrade and disrespect them.  ...wish I could say I bore my testimony, smiled and walked away like President Nielsen tells us to do.  I'm used to having someone back me up with doctrine and testimony... I'm trying to teach Cectpa Antanyouk to bear simple truths as added support.  I remember what Dad said that I would never see such spiritual highs and such spiritual lows than on the mission.  Stupid satan.  He's really messing me up right now.  I wish my witness so as bright as the prophets in the scriptures and that it was just obvious to people the difference that we have.  That'd be nice.  But I have a solid testimony that we are blessed after hard, dilligent, tireless work.  I think the Lord accepts the fact that I stand up for his truths and his Prophets.  It's funny...a little while ago I was worried about being numb to missionary work.  Now that's impossible.  I'm forced to be sharp and ready and prepared daily as I walk out that door, whether I like it or not because of all these little angels that Satan is putting in my way.  Ugh.  no worries.
Sorry this letter is so weird.  haha...it sounds like I'm about to punch someone or something...don't worry...I'm not that hard core...all is well fer rizzle, just a little bump in the road that the Lord saw fit for me.  Life is good.  I'm learning to cook...kinda...haha...my companion doesn't like to cook :)  When I say I'm learning to cook, I guess that really means that I'm buying more cereal...good thing that's my favorite food!  Mom, will you send me some vitamins?  haha... actually, sister nielsen told us we need to take them.  This can be the last thing you send me, honest...and not a huge box like you usaully do... I already don't know what to do with all these hilarious toys :)  Keep on keepin on fam-damly of mine.  I love you guys and your support and letters mean the world to me. I couldn't do this without you!  Give Roy a huge kiss and bring my cardboard cut out on your fieldtrips :)  Be safe and send me pictures of summer stuff!  Love you all so much and I miss you guys...

Love Cectpa Rell

Ps.  Mom I talked to Sister Nielsen, and they said that you guys can come...she's probably just busy and hasn't gotten back to you...no worries there... when it gets closer, we'll figure everything out
psps...MOM HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! 79...wow time flies...How'd you manage having Johnny at 62?
psps... and Nat happy barfday...don't forget to tag suicide rock... :)

54th Email: June 21st, 2010

Hello there. 

Tough week.  Satan keeps putting people our way to mess me up.  I feel like our companionship is such a target...an American and sweet little Cectpa Antanyouk.  I have never had so many people question my testimony or my validity as a missionary.  I have never been the one to get mad at people on the street or to bash with people, but man...some people.  They just don't know what they're talking about and are so closed minded and when they try to disprove the Book of Mormon by a wrongly-interpreted verse from the Bible, and top it off with, "moya sonlichka!" It means my sunshine...meaning that I'm naive...I lose it.  Now don't write back now with what Christ said in 3rd nephi about arguing and contention being of the devil...i'm full aware...it's my weakness and I'm trying to get over it.  I'm just kinda in shock at how it's been like every other person on the street.  A group of guys and girls that I invited to english went off about how girls shouldn't be preaching the gospel..."it's a man's job!  Remember Eve?" literally what they said. You can imagine how well that went over. The girls they were with just sat there and let their own friends degrade and disrespect them.  ...wish I could say I bore my testimony, smiled and walked away like President Nielsen tells us to do.  I'm used to having someone back me up with doctrine and testimony... I'm trying to teach Cectpa Antanyouk to bear simple truths as added support.  I remember what Dad said that I would never see such spiritual highs and such spiritual lows than on the mission.  Stupid satan.  He's really messing me up right now.  I wish my witness so as bright as the prophets in the scriptures and that it was just obvious to people the difference that we have.  That'd be nice.  But I have a solid testimony that we are blessed after hard, dilligent, tireless work.  I think the Lord accepts the fact that I stand up for his truths and his Prophets.  It's funny...a little while ago I was worried about being numb to missionary work.  Now that's impossible.  I'm forced to be sharp and ready and prepared daily as I walk out that door, whether I like it or not because of all these little angels that Satan is putting in my way.  Ugh.  no worries.
Sorry this letter is so weird.  haha...it sounds like I'm about to punch someone or something...don't worry...I'm not that hard core...all is well fer rizzle, just a little bump in the road that the Lord saw fit for me.  Life is good.  I'm learning to cook...kinda...haha...my companion doesn't like to cook :)  When I say I'm learning to cook, I guess that really means that I'm buying more cereal...good thing that's my favorite food!  Mom, will you send me some vitamins?  haha... actually, sister nielsen told us we need to take them.  This can be the last thing you send me, honest...and not a huge box like you usaully do... I already don't know what to do with all these hilarious toys :)  Keep on keepin on fam-damly of mine.  I love you guys and your support and letters mean the world to me. I couldn't do this without you!  Give Roy a huge kiss and bring my cardboard cut out on your fieldtrips :)  Be safe and send me pictures of summer stuff!  Love you all so much and I miss you guys...

Love Cectpa Rell

Ps.  Mom I talked to Sister Nielsen, and they said that you guys can come...she's probably just busy and hasn't gotten back to you...no worries there... when it gets closer, we'll figure everything out
psps...MOM HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! 79...wow time flies...How'd you manage having Johnny at 62?
psps... and Nat happy barfday...don't forget to tag suicide rock... :)

Kiev Temple almost completed!

Sorry about the lack of updates!

To compensate, I'm posting a picture of the nearly completed Kiev temple. It will be dedicated in August.

Also, my mom and I just bought tickets to go pick up Kathy in the Ukraine and we'll be going to Kiev to go to the temple when we're there in November. She's been out a year now!

53rd email: June 14th

so transfers were a huge slap in the face!  haha... but what do you do?  So as of the day before transfers, I was all hyped up and ready to train an American Sister Smith.  I was about to follow in the footsteps on Uncle Steve and Blaine Smith and become "Agents Smith and Jones"!  But yeah...the day before transfers, they called and said that Sister Smith wasn't coming into country.  Everything apparently went fine with the surgery and she went back to the MTC, but the day before, she got sick again or something...i don't really know.  The new elders here raved about her and said she was was sweet and hard working.. so i was bummed.  So yeah, President called me Wednesday and told me all this and so, another mini-missionary for me.  Yipee.  haha.  No it's fine.  But so President said that I would be going from extreme to extreme... from a Cectpa that served a full, strong mission and knows a ton about the gospel and missionary work, to the opposite.  My new companion's name in Kristina.  She's from Dnepr and was baptised about a year ago and is handicapped.  She has been dying to serve a mission, and President Nielsen has just told her over and over that it's not realistic and it'd be too difficult.  She went on the splits with the Sisters in Dnepr a ton and still bugged President about it.  She got her Patriarchal blessing on tuesday (our Patriarch comes every other year and gives 9 blessing a day... talk about draining) and it said that she would get the chance to serve.  Literally right after that, the APs asked her to fill Cectpa Smith's spot in Zap.  She was so so sooooooo excited and just bouncing off the walls!  She says that if you want something bad enough, and if you pray hard enough, the Lord will bless you.  So... Cectpa Antanook.  My companion for the transfer.  We are literally starting from square one not only in missionary work, but in the gospel.  She's a little slow in learning everything and taking it all in, but who wouldn't be if you have only been a member a year!  She tries hard.  President said that I'm going to have to slow down my pace a lot and try to schedule as many lessons as I can in the branch and at the Webbs.  She can't walk very well, so contacting and tracting is kinda a no go, but there really are more effective ways to find people.  We're buying chalk today and are going to draw the Plan of Salvation in the square across the street from us...I'm siked :)  and President said it was okay ...yahoo :)  so yeah, whole different load, but I'm confident that the Lord shapes the back for the burden He places on it.  President said that this will be one of the most growing and learning transfers on the mission and really in life... ugh... haha.... no worries no worries.  
So yeah...that's transfers... haha.. at least I know I'm in Zap for two more!  It's so blasted hot here... omigosh mom you'd hate it.  Yesterday it said 44 degrees C...all i know is that when i had a fever of 39.7, that was 103.9 or something.  yeah.  do the math.  we're cooking.  At least my naasty ukrainian grey skin tone is going away and the sweet missionary tan line is coming in...hahah..it's so funny.  Wish I had more time, but got to go... life is great and i'm pumped to see what this transfer brings!  and I'm so pround of Roy for sucking his thumb...atta boy :)  stay strong...love you...dont send me any more flight plans...haha

love cectpa jones

ps.  Shout out to Tiff!  thanks girl...i get your letters and I love you!  thanks sissay :)

pspsps.  Andrea...a fanny pack??  do you KNOW what that means in New Zealand??? ewww... say bum pack...haha...i laughed so hard when I read that. 

and ps.  matt jones.. haha, i don't know if you read this, but thanks for you letter :) Remember how you taught me, "Espero que tengas una bueno noche?"  So thats now the only spanish I can spit out without confusing if with Russian words... totally impressed a Latino the other day!

pspsp... Thanks Aunt Joanie for the Birthday Card like always... i don't know how you always remember!  love you!  

ps.  I'm in Mosiah in the book of mormon,... in russian... holla...k i cheated and started last month,, but still impressive.  
 
p.s. love you!

52nd email: June 7th, 2010

Mom.  I love you so much much and I miss you.  Probably cause it's Summer and we have so much fun in the summer.  I love it when you didn't have school and we would both get up at like 11 and I'd come upstairs and plop on your bed and we'd watch some stupid show or episodes of some stupid Law and Order.  Haha... I'm so proud of you for riding your lil bum off!  Good jobbies!  Keep it up and we'll go the whole 100 miles when I get home.  Transfers are this week...on Thursday...so I'll be getting either my lil greeny cakes, or someone else.  We're cut back to 8 sisters in the mission and had to shut down Poltava (just for sisters) which is sad...but what do you do.  More sisters just to get on missions.  haha.  I'd be fine with staying in Zap for the rest of the mission...oh that'd make me so happy...but we'll see.  I've got 4 more glorious transfers!  Oh.  So basically I don't know anything about anything about anything about you guys coming over and rules and what I want to do and whatever.  I got all stressed when I read you list of things that you want me to do, so I just skipped it and decided to print it and read it later.  haha...sorry.  but i did read the part about the travel office...i'd actually be more than fine not going home with you guys...i'd prefer it actually...ya know...have my missionary coming homing experience...so yeah...but call the travel office cause I heard they're buying our tickets soon.  I didn't know we were leaving so early monday, but that's ok.  We'll save on hotels by living on trains :)  Trains are fun... You feel like Harry Potter!  so Yeah...basically I'll get back to you with the rules and stuff, but just ask Lizzie and do what she says.  She'll know what's best better than me!  This week was RIDICULOUSLY fun and full of hilarious adventures and successes...first...we had a baptism...ok so maybe it wasn't into our church...and maybe it wasn't "our" baptism...but.. nevertheless!  We met these sweet "missionaries" from canada and america...they're called the "Menonites" and are a break off of the Baptist church, with Martin Luther's teaching, and they also say they started their church 7 months ago... so ...haha...but I like them.  We met Oren and he invited us to his baptism...and so we went... hahaha.. so interesting and just...haha.. they're super nice people that follow God and love the Bible...they have really chill doctrine and don't believe in denominations.  Baptism is a way to bring the community together and show yourself and your community your commitment to God.  We weren't allowed to proselyte, but we shared basic beliefs when they asked.  I think it was an effective activity..haha..and we broke our fast with their BBQ :)  I'll show you pics...so our daily thunderstorms have stopped and the hot sunshine is here!  It was 35 the other day...I think that's around 100 or something...i love it!  My grayish Ukrainian skin tone is slowly getting back to how it should be.  Oh i love summer..,. energizes me :)  Alyona is still great...we revived 2 old investigators this week and started teaching them again...we having 3 brand new investigators..and FINALLY our constant support and lessons and skits and science fair projects about the effectiveness of Visting Teaching is taking root!  The first counselor got up at the end our our fabulous lesson that sister webb gave (we translated for her) and instead of her usual, "Ok sisters, if you want to become a VT, just tell me"... she said, " I think we realize the importance of our calling as VT's.  It's our responsibilty and a commandment from God.  Let's all take this upon ourselves!"  something like that... they're in the process of putting together callings...i was so happy i could kiss her!  I think I did.  haha...  hard work pays off...i know it. 

So cool you guys are reading the Book of Mormon in June.  i'll do it with you MOS DEF... I'll do my best to finish...if you really do save me some cinnamon rolls.  holla.. 

love you guys so muchos... much love... and grechka

love cectpa kjones

  p.s. try to find buckwheat there... if they don't have it I'm trucking it home! 

51st email: May 31st, 2010

Ponyatna... ipod over rella chile.  Thanks.  I swear you just got a new ipod?  What's with this young generation and all their electronics and toys...in my day we banged on pots and pans and that was OUR music...hehe

 

sososososo  hows the fam?  Hows salt lake?  still there?  I'm really good.  Just working to build up this branch as much as we can.  So apparently like 2 years ago we had 16 young women and now we have...dun dun dun DUN...one less active and our Alyona that's always there, but isn't a member yet.  Did you know that Ukraine is the highest ranking country for  drug and alcohol use for teenagers?  Yeah...tough place to live for these guys...but they're troopers!  I seriously look at the youth of the church here and want to kiss them... they're so strong and centered on the truth and the standards of the church.  Alyona had graduation this week and they do this huge all night party/banquet thing...and she was the only one with a modest, classy dress...dang I love that girl... seriously the values and standards of the gospel are just naturally engrained in her...that's how it should be!  She shines with the Light of Christ more than anyone I know... I pray everyday that I can see her baptised and maybe that's putting my will before Heavenly Father's...but I still pray for it.  At least I know in a small way I helped her get there. 

In my studies this week, I was reading in 3 Nephi 18...Christ's words.  He's talking to the Nephites about the Sacrament...like how to do it, why we come to church...but at the end, He talks about how to treat those who don't take it seriously.  He said in verse 32 something like Don't ignore them or cast them away...you never know when they'll come back and repent....... ok (this is me talking) so how do we help them out?  then He says something like, Come unto ME and I will heal them, but you'll be the means of bring salvation to their souls.  When I read that, I realized more that ever, that if we want success, we turn to Christ for counsel.  We are not the healers.  We aren't capable of that.  It's impossible for us to stoop down in a persons low places and pick them up with our own two arms and save them.  Christ can though.  We are just his means....i dunno this is a principle that I've learned, I swear, a billion times...but this scripture just bore it into my soul.  Sweet.  Scriptures are true!

I fell this way with Alyona and other investigators...almost helpless when I try by myself, but when humble myself and slowly step down from my hard core kjones pedestol ( the one in which I think i can spell pedestol without a dictionary) and turn to him in prayer, there is real, visable, measurable sucess.  

I love you all.  I love being on a mission.  I've grown more than I thought was possible... that's the glory of this gospel.  We are created to surpass our means if we only let ourselves :)

love cectpa jones

 

ps.  haha...i'm glad Hukill called you!  He'll try again probably.... he's a good elder and a good friend!  He likes black people like I do :)  

 

ps... mom... hahah.. glad I remembered... make sure we're flying out of KIEV.  We need to go to the temple there on our last day... and please send me your flight plans so I can let the office know...thanks mon 

50th email: May 24th

Heya mama cakes -

 

sooooo...another week of goods.  good week.  draining week.  but really fun.  We've had thunderstorm after thunderstorm and we seem to always get caught in them!  I love it!  Of course I don't have an umbrella, so that makes things all the wetter...and better...cute i rhymed.  I still love my companion.  She's a dream to work withh!  I don't know what that letter from president was all about really...who knows if I'm training and right now I'm senior companion...haha...funny President...but he knows a thousand times more than us...we just work and see who gets sent our way!  Alyona is fabulous...she went to an activity for the youth in Dnepr this weekend and loved it.  She's so great.  This work would probabaly be ten times more frustrating if we didn't have Alyona.  We're just waiting for the go from her dad.  She wants to be baptized...and will be...but just...ugh...yeah...with time it'll all work out.  We have a new really humble really sweet investigator named Sveta.  Seriously, the begginning stages of her teaching is like textbook perfect...she's accepting commitments, fullfilling them, coming to activities, getting to know members, meeting with members...we are really hoping that things continue to progress with her.  I baked for the first time in Zap yesterday.  Well it was just the cake mix that Andrea sent me and Cectpa Kochet helped :) But I didn't burn it and it is a rainbow-chip miracle!  I met a lady this morning that told me that she gets nauseous when she looks at the missionaries...i knew that people felt the spirit differently, but nausea...that's a first...haha...weeeelll i already have to go...we have an activity with the YW...we're baking snickerdoodles at the Webb's...how domestic!  I'll take notes... i love you all alot!  Let me know if I can help with anything.............Happy birthday Roy?  weird!  that means I"VE been gone a year...what?! 

 

Love Cectpa Jones

 

ps.  PS!  hehe.. cover yous

49th email: May 17th, 2010

MOM -

 

How am I not supposed to press reply??  My other options are "send" and that would send a blank email..."save now" and that would save your email...or "forward" and I don't have anyone to forward you email to...haha...so I pressed reply.  Forgive me.... haha... I have a glorious new angel of a companion!  Her name's Cectpa Kochet and she's from Dnepr.  She just barely got back from her mission in February from the England Burmingham mission.  It's so nice to serve with someone that A- knows the rules and B - works the same as you like to...she is dilligent and brings in a lot of good ideas from her mission.  I love serving with her and am happier than ever.  I love being in a supportive, fun, and dilligent companionship.  The work is still hard, but the days are easier when you're equally yoked...i love her!  We went to Dnepr this week because Cectpa Kochet had to speak at District Conference.  It was weird not being in our own branch.  I think we invited like 4 billion people to church this week, and apparantly one kid actually came!  That was exciting to hear...the elders were able to meet with him after church... Alyona was there of course...she's so great still... I want to get her baptizeddddddddd... she needs these blessing.  Her whole FAMily would be wonderful. 

So we were contacting on the street the other day and I go up to this guy selling some books and was like, "Hey look!  We've got this great Book of Mormon!"  And at first I thought he was all interested, and then, like always, he asked if we were Jehovah's witnesses ( If I had a kopek for every person that has asked me if I'm a j-dub, I'd have a billion kopeks... I'm not even exaggerating) But we said that we were representatives of of our church and he just looks at me shaking his head then raises his hand up and I swear he was going to slap me across the face, so I kinda like dogded a bit...little did I know he wanted to BLESS me...haha...get that evil mormonism out of my head...man...awesome people here.  I just talked to a sweet australian man...he actually listened to us too...too bad he's leaving in two days. 

Sounds like you all are getting ready for summer...have you been up to the cabin yet?  Have you found Obama's key yet?  I'm sorry to hear about Johnny-cakes...that's the worst...But i did laugh so hard when you said it was Obama's fault...i thought you were talking about my white obama in the garage...haha...I think of him before our President... I was thinking, what did he drive the scooter to school or something and left his computer on the seat?  that's not berry smart j...haha.. i was befuddled. 

Welp...we're off to the reinok to buy some delicious homemade smetana.  Basically like the thickest sour (but actually kinda sweet) cream you can imagine and you spread it on the softest bread that exists...and top it off with jam from the babushkas ...and then your stomach is happy and full!  hahah...until next week...love you all...hope ya'll have so sweet plans for summer...but pretty sure my plans are bettterrrrrrr.... :) 

Love Cectpa KJones

 

P.S.  please pass the masla ... hehe...that means butter...someone said that to me and I just laughed to myself for like 5 minutes... pozhaloostah peredaeete masla....hahah...oh family dear i love you!

peace out stay strong...

48th email: May 10th, 2010

dorogiya semya moya!

 

so...weird...i just barely talked to you all and said basically everything...but here we go...we'll see what comes out of my little typing fingers... 

first of all ... good to see you all!  weird that you were all just sitting there on a saturday morning...just on the other side of the world hanging out...i still am in awe by telephone and skype and everything.  I just don't understand how a little microchip, or whatever it is, can just capture my voice and send it to YOU.  Weird.  But cool.  Yeah Roy's the best.  keep sending my videos and pictures of him if you can :)  I can't imagine him getting any bigger! 

The activity went really well on Saturday.  We really focused on the Personal Progress program so that the mom's knew what it was all about and could help their girls with it.  Great night.  Alyona and I played "Collide" together, which is her favorite song I've taught her...she's only been playing for about 4 months, and is already just about as good as I am!  But stress, so elder wilcox came and fixed her broken string while I was talking to you guys, and then later right after we finished practicing, her guitar fell and the string broke again.  she was upset, but played it cool and was just like, "Meh...we'll figure something out!"  I just gave her my guitar, and I played on hers just altering the chords a little bit so it didn't sound weird...everything was fine.  I love that girl.  She's a billion times more active than any other young women... and I'm pretty sure that Johnny's going to marry her...he better learn russian on the mission ;)  It was great to meet her mom...she's great and reallly liked the activity...step by step with them...step by step...

This was a really fun week and I forgot to tell you everything!  first we went to this sweet football game...no soccer game sorry... but it was zaporozhia's team against shocktor, their the best team in Ukraine right now...SO fun and intense and it just felt like being home at the Real games....oh i loved it.  Alyona found out that I really wanted to go, and got us tickets right before my birthday...SO fun.  Then we went with another investigator to a Horse Theater...it was hilarious...It was like old time ukranian comedy/horse tricks out in the countryside of Zap.  A - it was sooo pretty... and B - it was sooo funny  and last - it was really entertaining....they'd like ride upside-down on horses and do tricks with whips and stuff.  They callled elder Webb up to be an assistant and they whipped these branches out of his hands...then tried to get him to drink some kind of interesting unknown drink...hahah...i have not laughed so hard in such a long time! 

Today was had a branch picnic and played soccer and football and frisbee and the guitar...ooo so fun... i love getting to together and playing sports...we have this hilarious investigator George...he's like 50, but is just a kid inside...i was running for the football and he sprints over to try to get it from me and slips on the grass and eats it right in front of me...i look down and looking up at me is george's smiling face just laughing his guts out...it was soooo funny... i'll have you know that I got the ball...hahah...I also learned that Ukranians believe that caterpillars are dangerous today...i found a cute little guy on my shirt and they all told me, "quick, throw him off!"  hehe...

We have this new investigator, Olya, and she got our number from somebody that had one of our english invites...she called me last sunday during church and asked me when church was and that she wanted to come...I was like...ok!  right now!  welll,, she couldn't come "right then" but she came to english and to church on sunday and we met with her and did a short first lesson and she agreed to continue meeting with us and come to church!  So cool how she just showed up...and then....weird...but she had to leave after the first hour, but 5 minutes after she left, this guy was kinda looking into our sunday school class...so i go out to see what his deal is and he was like, yeah i just heard about this church and thought Id stop by.  Turns out that he lives with Olya...i don't know if they're like together or whatever...but weird...it was seriously like within 5 minutes of eachother...ha!  The Lords work is all exciting and mysterious... i like it :) 

I love you all suppper duppper much and i miss you in a healthy way....haha...don't worry about me...i'll be working my very hardest for my last LONG bit...lova you!!!!!

 

love cectpa jones

 

ps.  meg....... C dhyom pyatova maiya tebya!  happy cinco de MAO!!  however you spell may...hahah

 

pspsps. - my boss's name was Dave ...something... Call?  i can't remember...hehe...soweee