Training 4 Ukraine : get close to those around you.

3/28/16

At the beginning of my mission I used to really wonder how I could ever become the missionary I dreamed of being and why it couldn't be faster? I now have seen that I have indeed changed. It was not all visible at the beginning and I would get so frustrated wondering why isn't my Russian ALREADY perfect? Why can I not convert 1000 people?! Why am I stressed and scared when I should just love it all and understand what to do and when to do it? I wondered what on earth the whole waiting process was good for and why I needed to wait for all of those things and not just BE THAT all at once. Didn't God want me to be all of those things perfectly so I could be the best I could be to teach these people? No. I was good enough for the people, I taught then in my weaknesses, and I am good enough now because we take this process of becoming perfect one day at a time, one step at a time. Everyday if I did all that I could possibly do in the state of understanding that I was in, that was good enough for the Lord to work with. We learn line upon line. We cannot immediately change from black to white, it is a process.

Through the Atonement we grow and we change. We learn throught those "growing pains". Without those growing pains the change would not stick and we would end up returning back to who we were before. That is not the point of change, is it?

I now see that the Lord's way was good. I know that I have changed and want to continue to change. I am grateful for the gradual progression. God will continue to work with me as I allow Him to and I will allow Him to, because His way is SO much better than my way.

This week we had a Zone Conference in Kyiv. We wanted to get our missionaries moving forward and feeling lifted and energetic. We definitely did that and they all left the meeting ready to GO GO GO and it was so spiritual and such a success. Just next time we need to make sure and ask President before we give them a commitment that we later found out was forbidden. no big deal he just called us into his office before we headed out and let us know that they were going to have to send out a mass text telling them not to do what we told them to do. That was funny and embarrassing. But we just changed the wording so that it would not be misunderstood and still sent out a commitment and we called all our missionaries on Sunday and they are really trying to reach out to more people and gather in Israel and it was really incredible to be a part in that. We are trying to hasten the work of the Lord. WHY? The Lord himself is coming. It is near. We need to be ready.

Something I have been thinking about a lot this week I think all need to hear:

I have a testimony of the temple. We SHOULD be going as often as we can. No excuses. Excuses do not help us to make it into the Celestial Kingdom. Excuses are for weak men and not people with the potential to become like Gods.

I have a testimony of the need of LOVE for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Even if it is hard our WARD is our responsibility and our extended family as much as God is all our Father in Heaven.

GET CLOSE.

Love them and lift them. We all need it a lot. There is a wonderful example of this kind of love for one another here in Bila. Families are celebrating each others successes and banding together to mourn with those that are mourning and praying with and for those who need. Please just LOVE each other. Forget about all the dumb things in the world that pull us apart. We are brothers and sisters and christ and we all are on the same path and we WANT to make it to the same place. Give more to them. And God will reward you. I promise it is worth it. Forgive each other. Love each other. no matter what. I feel that EVERYONE needs to hear this and work harder at this. We are our brothers keepers. Let us go forward with love.

We had such an amazing lesson this week with Larissa. She is living proof that God sends His angels ahead to PREPARE his people. She is ready and prepared by the Lord for the message we have to give. How amazing is it that I get to meet the elect! We talked about tithing and read some amazing stories in theBible and Book of Mormon and I used a story I heard from Nana a while ago. Larissa has READY faith. I do not know how else to describe it. She is already in Alma 14 last time we talked to her and she is just receiving light from God! She knows the Book of Mormon is true! She knows the church is true! She is progressing and growing closer and closer to God! She WANTS to pay tithing and to fast and she is just inspiring.

I love Bila. I have a lot to say and not a lot of time! I am grateful for this experience and everything involved in it! It is amazing.

I know that the Savior loves every single one of us. He loves YOU. He did everything He did, for you. I know that our Savior Jesus Christ, our Lord and Master and best friend LIVES. Everything is possible because of Him. That I know.

I love you. Be safe. Be happy. Let the sun shine through you so that everyone can see it. I will talk to you all soon! Have a wonderful week.

PS: I get a mini missionary for this week and guess who?! My favorite mini missionary in the world Sister Kokoreva!!!!

Love you all!

HAPPY LATE EASTER. We will have our ukrainian easter May 1.

💜Cectpa Karren

Ukrainian scarves over our noses because of so much smoke. When the driver that is supposed to take a bus full of people on a 1 1/2 hour drive that starts the ride off by smoking and entire pack of cigarettes = two Muslim Ukrainian moron sister missionaries :)

Baby goats I snuggled with.

Fun

Love my goats!

More baby goats

We rebuilt this little shed for this sweet old neighbor of Stan's. It was amazing. Dad Stan said you would be SO PROUD OF ME if you could see me.

I am learning life skills and I can now use a chainsaw and a handsaw and build a shelter. Wahoo! WORD TO YOUR MOTHER!

Stan and service projects in the snow.

Service Project

Dima made these paper ships and they were for each of us.

This is Dima's Wonderful reactivating Mom I am so proud of! She is ready to go to the temple!

Little Brother Dima and his sweet Mama

Me in a burrito! In English class we were supposed to think of a childhood memory. Sometimes on our mission we start to lose our minds and it is hard to remember life before. All I could remember is how Dad would come into my room to tuck me into bed at night and he would tuck me in like a Mexican burrito with all the blankets around me. So I told the English class about that and it was funny. Everyone laughs at me all the time. I don't know if that is a good thing...? Sister young then made me into a burrito that night and behold, here I am, a mexican burrito!