sometimes the pictures turn out quite scaryBECAUSE 6 day exachange #2long4me
Cold Kyiv, and the temple!!!
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| Bus ride home to Odessa from Kyiv |
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| Bus Ride |
Monday, December 14, 2015
more pics
December 7, 2015
So guess what?! It is cold in Ukraine. This is our FHE group every Thursday night. And I LOVE THEM. We had thanksgiving and this was what we wore for it. We taught FHE that night and me made them crepes. Silly I know but it was really fun. We had it with maple syrup something they have NEVER had before!!!!
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| Cold in Ukraine |
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| Our FHE group |
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| My sister! |
photos from the last few weeks of my life
December 7, 2015
Here are a few photos of the LAST FEW WEEKS OF MY LIFE. We get to use normal computers today in Center! SO this weeks email will be a bunch of pictures with little updates! I LOVE YOU GUYS. We went to the Zoo a few p days ago and it was so soviet visiable by the way the animals were taken care of and the security. I thought it would be really fun but me and the French girl both almost cried at the end because it was really sad. Thank goodness there were no hippos there so I didn't have to cry about them too.
PS: This is my favorite companion in the world. Just look at her. Admire this photo. LOVE SO MUCH!
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| Opera House |
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| #magic |
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| More Opera |
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| Birthday celebration for Sister Ivancovich |
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| Happy Birthday Sister Ivancovich |
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| Love this cute Beknozarov family. This little boy gets baptized Saturday! |
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| 155% love my Sister Ivancovich |
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| This just makes me laugh! |
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| Zoo fun epic PDAY |
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| Bowling with investigators Lena and her son Andrei and Miroslava and the member Dimitri! |
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| When we flew to Kyiv then missed our flight back down to Odessa. It was really fun. Until it wasn't anymore ;) |
Mission Newsletter
“Engrave His Image Upon Your Countenance”
Ukraine Kyiv Mission
Quote: “I say unto you, can you look up, having the image of God engraven upon your countenances?” Alma 5: 19
Dear Elders and Sisters
I, like many, have been studying the Savior’s birth and life during this season. I am so grateful to a loving Heavenly Father who prepared such a perfect plan for His children, one that preserves our freedom of choice and allows us to grow and become like Him by providing a Savior. Why did the Savior come in the meridian of time and not in the beginning? I remember this question was posed by the wife of a young family who missionaries were teaching. The husband, who didn’t seem very interested throughout the lesson, thought for a minute during the silence as the missionaries scrambled to think of an answer, and said, “I bet it is so that there were prophets that could testify about his coming.” I am sure that there are many other reasons than just this one, but this simple answer is powerful. All true prophets from throughout history have prophesied and testified of the coming and the mission of the Savior. People, before his birth, exercised immense faith and held out hope that a Savior would be born and would finish the atonement. Prophets foretold of signs and wonders that would be given at the time of His birth.
Many people, despite the signs, would still not believe. He came to His own and they rejected Him. These people were looking for deliverance from a King and did not seek Him in the humble circumstances in which He was born. The King of kings had a manger as His first bed. The greatest of all was born in a stable not a palace. These humble beginnings did not keep Jesus from accomplishing His divine destiny, but helped to facilitate it. He did something great despite the humble circumstances of His birth and life. This humble beginning is one of first lessons of the Savior’s earthly ministry. These circumstances and the events leading up to and after were carefully chosen and carried out by a Loving, All-knowing Heavenly Father. Once on earth, The Savior descended below “all things” as He suffered in Gethsemane and gave His Life for us on the cross.
We know that the resurrected Lord, with a perfect immortal body, kept the scars from the nails on His feet and hands and the spear mark on His side as a testimony that He is the Redeemer. Through His sacrifice, the Savior has literally engraved us on Himself. He prepared a way for us to return to our Father in Heaven and inherit all that He has if we will just follow Him. Twice in just a few verses, Alma asks, “And now behold, I ask you brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts? I say unto you, can ye look up to god at that day with a pure heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having the image of God engraven upon your countenances?” Alma 5:14,19 To engrave something requires work and signifies permanence. Why else would the Lord require that the prophets of old labor diligently to record the Book of Mormon on metal plates. He needed these plates to last for thousands of years, it required hard work but it was permanent.
I, like many, have been studying the Savior’s birth and life during this season. I am so grateful to a loving Heavenly Father who prepared such a perfect plan for His children, one that preserves our freedom of choice and allows us to grow and become like Him by providing a Savior. Why did the Savior come in the meridian of time and not in the beginning? I remember this question was posed by the wife of a young family who missionaries were teaching. The husband, who didn’t seem very interested throughout the lesson, thought for a minute during the silence as the missionaries scrambled to think of an answer, and said, “I bet it is so that there were prophets that could testify about his coming.” I am sure that there are many other reasons than just this one, but this simple answer is powerful. All true prophets from throughout history have prophesied and testified of the coming and the mission of the Savior. People, before his birth, exercised immense faith and held out hope that a Savior would be born and would finish the atonement. Prophets foretold of signs and wonders that would be given at the time of His birth.
Many people, despite the signs, would still not believe. He came to His own and they rejected Him. These people were looking for deliverance from a King and did not seek Him in the humble circumstances in which He was born. The King of kings had a manger as His first bed. The greatest of all was born in a stable not a palace. These humble beginnings did not keep Jesus from accomplishing His divine destiny, but helped to facilitate it. He did something great despite the humble circumstances of His birth and life. This humble beginning is one of first lessons of the Savior’s earthly ministry. These circumstances and the events leading up to and after were carefully chosen and carried out by a Loving, All-knowing Heavenly Father. Once on earth, The Savior descended below “all things” as He suffered in Gethsemane and gave His Life for us on the cross.
We know that the resurrected Lord, with a perfect immortal body, kept the scars from the nails on His feet and hands and the spear mark on His side as a testimony that He is the Redeemer. Through His sacrifice, the Savior has literally engraved us on Himself. He prepared a way for us to return to our Father in Heaven and inherit all that He has if we will just follow Him. Twice in just a few verses, Alma asks, “And now behold, I ask you brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts? I say unto you, can ye look up to god at that day with a pure heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having the image of God engraven upon your countenances?” Alma 5:14,19 To engrave something requires work and signifies permanence. Why else would the Lord require that the prophets of old labor diligently to record the Book of Mormon on metal plates. He needed these plates to last for thousands of years, it required hard work but it was permanent.
To engrave the Savior’s image on our countenances also requires effort from us. Missions and life are tough.
They were designed that way. Following the Savior proves challenging because it requires that we have to learn to
forgive, to sacrifice, and to love unconditionally. Persecutions may arise, challenges my come, disappointment may
discourage, but it will all be for our good. Can we not take, as Elder Holland says, “a few footsteps” toward Gethsemane
so that we also can engrave the Savior permanently into our countenances.
Thank you for all that you are doing. We are seeing an increase in people found and taught. The members are very grateful for your commitment. They see and feel a difference in the missionaries. Sister Packer and I are so excited and proud. We love this work. We love the Lord. We love each one of you.
Full of Holliday Cheer,
Thank you for all that you are doing. We are seeing an increase in people found and taught. The members are very grateful for your commitment. They see and feel a difference in the missionaries. Sister Packer and I are so excited and proud. We love this work. We love the Lord. We love each one of you.
Full of Holliday Cheer,
Love,
President and Sister Packer
President and Sister Packer
Monday, December 7, 2015
Mission Newsletter
“Turn to the One Who Still Gives Light unto the World”
Ukraine Kyiv Mission
Quote: “Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be unto all people.” (Luke 2:10)
Dear Elders and Sisters
Below is a draft letter that we will be sending to the branches this Christmas season. There is much we can learn from babushky.
If you are ever on the roads in the early morning no matter how cold or how early, there can always be found a Babushka on the side of the road with a flashing light signaling to travelers a hot beverage is for sell. Even though we don’t drink coffee or tea, These Babushky deserve our love and respect.. Despite difficult life circumstance, including age, they have figured out a way to survive. What they do is not easy, but they do it. It is interesting that with these flashing lights in the dark and warm drinks Babushky serve others and those travelers who stop in turn serve the Babushky.
As Christmas approaches the days get shorter; there is less and less daylight and more night. Celebrating Christmas at a time of year when the night is longest is the perfect time, because He is the light in the darkness of our lives. He overcame that darkness of death and the darkness of any sadness and sorrow. We experience in this life. A new star in the heavens was the chosen sign that the Savior was born. In the Americas, two days and a night without darkness was also a sign that had come into the world. The sign in the Americas literally saved those who were condemned to die on the very day if the sign had not come. The light from the new star served as a beacon for all those who would come to the Savior. The Saviors birth truly as the angel said, “Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be unto all people.” (Luke 2:10)
As the world around us darkens through wickedness, death, sorrow, and destruction let us turn to the One who still gives light unto the world. Let us remember Him who is the “Prince of Peace” and give Him room in our hearts. Sometimes we think that we cannot help another because in our own life circumstances we have so little strength or material means. Let’s take example and strength from the Babushky on the side of a cold early-morning road. No matter our life’s circumstance let us be the Savior’s flashing lights to life’s weary traveler. Let us light other’s lives by our words and deeds. Let’s warm hearts with the “good news” that “unto <us> a child is born this day...a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:12) As you serve others, the Christmas Season will bring you closer to Him and you yourself will find more peace, more strength, more joy, and more forgiveness. Your spiritual light will be illuminated by the Spirit of the Season.
Below is a draft letter that we will be sending to the branches this Christmas season. There is much we can learn from babushky.
If you are ever on the roads in the early morning no matter how cold or how early, there can always be found a Babushka on the side of the road with a flashing light signaling to travelers a hot beverage is for sell. Even though we don’t drink coffee or tea, These Babushky deserve our love and respect.. Despite difficult life circumstance, including age, they have figured out a way to survive. What they do is not easy, but they do it. It is interesting that with these flashing lights in the dark and warm drinks Babushky serve others and those travelers who stop in turn serve the Babushky.
As Christmas approaches the days get shorter; there is less and less daylight and more night. Celebrating Christmas at a time of year when the night is longest is the perfect time, because He is the light in the darkness of our lives. He overcame that darkness of death and the darkness of any sadness and sorrow. We experience in this life. A new star in the heavens was the chosen sign that the Savior was born. In the Americas, two days and a night without darkness was also a sign that had come into the world. The sign in the Americas literally saved those who were condemned to die on the very day if the sign had not come. The light from the new star served as a beacon for all those who would come to the Savior. The Saviors birth truly as the angel said, “Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be unto all people.” (Luke 2:10)
As the world around us darkens through wickedness, death, sorrow, and destruction let us turn to the One who still gives light unto the world. Let us remember Him who is the “Prince of Peace” and give Him room in our hearts. Sometimes we think that we cannot help another because in our own life circumstances we have so little strength or material means. Let’s take example and strength from the Babushky on the side of a cold early-morning road. No matter our life’s circumstance let us be the Savior’s flashing lights to life’s weary traveler. Let us light other’s lives by our words and deeds. Let’s warm hearts with the “good news” that “unto <us> a child is born this day...a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:12) As you serve others, the Christmas Season will bring you closer to Him and you yourself will find more peace, more strength, more joy, and more forgiveness. Your spiritual light will be illuminated by the Spirit of the Season.
We love and pray for each one of you! May the Lord’s choicest blessings be upon you and your families during this
Christmas season and throughout the new year!
With much Love,
With much Love,
Love,
President and Sister Packer
President and Sister Packer
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
an answer to prayer
November 30, 2015
Just a short one this week I am sorry. We have a 6 day exchange so it is going to be kind of crazy!
I miss you guys. I hope you are all doing well!
We were really busy this week and it was perfect time for Thanksgiving! We had so many experiences happen where we realized how many blessings we had! I am so grateful to be in Ukraine. It is my place. It is a crazy place but it is mine. We had a great zone conference and also we got dropped by one of our investigators and we are just trying to keep pushing through. I have seen so many amazing miracles this week and so many moments where my heart was just touched. I am grateful for these people and for the knowledge of the gospel I have. We are so blessed and so lucky! I hope everyones Thanksgiving's were amazing!
One answer to my prayers this week:
I felt like 2 of our investigators were not progressing like I felt like they should by now (I know everyone has free agency, but I started to feel like I had not really done anything to really help them come closer to Christ and I was feeling sad. We met with the member who gave us these 2 investigators to have a drop talk. When we were having our lesson with him, as he spoke I realized that he was truly converted. And at the beginning when I first started to talk to him he was VERY less active and ready to leave. All things I did not know. He read me and my sweet companion a poem he wrote because we were his angels and we changed and saved his life again. I had not known, but really the work I had been doing had touched someones heart and it was so nice to hear!
I have to go but have a wonderful week and I will update more next week!
I love you guys!!
Love Cectpa Karren
Last week November 23, 2015:
Hi there. :)
This week was an adventure and a half. On Wednesday we got to go up to Kyiv by AIRPLANE for a specialized training conference for the sisters. Also we got to go to the temple and it was amazing to be back there! I miss going every week. SO the adventure part... We were headed back to the airport for our returning flight and with a combination of rain, slow taxi driver, traffic and road construction we arrived at the airport 10 minutes before our flight left. So we were running all over tarnation to get to our plane on time but then they needed us to print our tickets so we were running packages and all and THEN the man refused to print us our tickets because he wanted to go home, and we sat on a bench outside the security watching our gate and watched our plane take off without us in it. That was interesting... And it was already night and the last flight out. We got another taxi met the travel man in an alley and then we slept over at a sister in Kyiv and had nothing but my pencil skirt to sleep in. The next morning we got up early and found us a bus and rode it for 9 hours back down to Odessa. SWEET. We made it though! And we sure had some laughs along the way.
This week was awesome! I loved it. We met with so many people even with two days out of our week and I am getting SO SAD because I am almost 100% positive I am getting transferred in a little under 2 and a half weeks. Tairova has my people and it will keep my heart. I will miss my cute Danya's baptism because they are now waiting for Elder Kudibergen to come down and baptize him the weekend after transfers. It may kill me. I LOVE THIS FAMILY AND THEY HAVE completely changed their lives and they have changed mine.
Ok so this week we were walking along contacting. And we stopped this old couple who were holding hands and walking together. We started off by asking them if they would like to know about another testament of jesus christ? They responded with, "You are talking to the only people in Ukraine who don't speak Ukrainian." They spoke perfect english because they were from Canada. There was one more man with them and they told us they have been here for almost 3 months and they are training missionaries for some hope church. After that the other man asked us if he could tell us a story, we responded sure why not. He began to tell us a bible story. After this was a series of questions trying to get you to the point where you realize you are a liar, thief, and a bad person in God's eyes but that with faith and instant and complete repentance one time you can be kept out of hell. He described hell to us and it was SO scary. We listened as he then attacked our church, our beliefs, our message and told us that he would pray sincerely for our souls because we were on the wrong path that the Book of Mormon created a different and unreal Jesus and that we did not know who our Savior was. All we could do was stand there and take it. At the end we both bore our testimonies and we shook their hands and the old couple did not say ONE word the entire time the man talked. They looked embarrassed and we wondered how can they be from the same church and not believe the same thing? The man as we bore our testimonies with all the power I have ever had stood their and denied that we knew what we knew. He told us where we had made mistakes in our testimony and that he would just pray for us. I guess it was especially hard to hear in my own language. maybe that is one reason I was not sent somewhere where they speak English. We did not fight though we just listened. Smiled. We bore our testimonies that we know to be true and we walked away arm in arm. We couldn't help but tear up a little bit after. It stung and it was so sad to see these people so close yet so confused and so far away. We prayed for them that night.
MIRACLE. As we were walking away crying I was just wishing that we could have seen our investigators that day (their son was supposed to have an operation and I just wanted to know if they were doing alright but they had not been home). Suddenly we both felt two little arms wrapped around our waists and we turned around and our sweet little Zhenya and her mom and the grandma were standing there! They had just "happened" to run into us and they were our miracle from God. They came to church Sunday all on their own and Danya (the son) will have his surgery on his stomach today.
We could not stop thinking about the couple though. Because they didn't respond and just looked sad as this man preached at us. The very next morning our elders from the other city were walking to church and ran into them and stopped them to talk! They have been here for almost 3 months!! and we have never seen them. Then within 24 hours 2 different sets of missionaries STOP them on the street. I can only pray that someday their hearts will be softened and they will find the truth. I know God loves them and is working with them. It was a hard sad but strengthening experience and I am grateful for the knowledge of this gospel I do have. It brings light, love and hope into my life. I know my Savior and I know that He leads this church. I AM SO GRATEFUL. I love everything about where I am right now. I am so blessed. SO BLESSED.
I am hopeful you are all doing well too! Please keep sending me pictures I LOVE seeing everyones face. Have a wonderful thanksgiving and know that I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR YOU. I love you all so much. The church is true and we know it. Isn't that the greatest blessing of all?? I believe so. 2 Nephi 22:2 is my all time favorite scripture and it is so true. I know who my savior is. He is my salvation and now we will continue on striving to get better and better so that we can one day return to him. I await that day eagerly. I love Him.
Love,
Cectpa Karren
Our mission leader Valentin.
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| This cute girl is serving in Lviv |
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