Training 4 Ukraine : CRAVE the REJECTION

FEAR IS A SICKNESS!

And LOVE IS THE ANSWER!

Those are the two biggest lessons I have learned this week.

I am running out of time so I will just write real quick about one day from this week:

We decided we needed to do a big day of finding and set out to go contacting and tracting and it was Sister McDermott's first time. We started knocking doors in this giant home from the top floor to the bottom, and one old woman opened and when she found out we were missionaries panicked and slammed the door then yelled at her son because they were both really freaked out (oops I didnt think I was that scary). We continued down to the next floor and the next person to open up was a much calmer woman, but then freaked out just as bad. she was like, "Nope, I don't want it. I want you to get ont hat elevator, take it down to the first floor, leave this Dom and never come back!" And then she watched us to make sure we called the elevator and she went back inside. But then the elevator was taking a really long time so she came back, called it again, then RODE down with us. It was the most awkward elevator ride of our life. Then she yelled at the front desk lady for letting us in, so it was a pretty intense tracting experience. We got kicked out! After that, we went to a park and tried contacting. All the women there were like NO WAY. We continued trying and nobody not one person was having it that day. We went to the church to meet with a women who had already said yes to meeting and waited, and waited and waited. She never showed up. So we called many potentials and every single person told us they did not want and to please not call again. After that we went to another womans house who also told us we could meet that day, but she was not home and wont answer her phone then we again got escorted down the stairs by some man who did not want us to be there. IT WAS CRAZY.

But the point of me relating this tale is not just to talk about how bad the day was or how hard the work is. The point is that night we sat down and started to think about the miracles we saw that day. (We do it everynight.) And we saw that God had given us so many miracles that may not have seemed obvious at first but they really were there. There were more miracles listened that day than for any other this week. When things seem hard we just have to remember that God is there. He loves us and He does not leave us alone.

I am also learning to crave the rejection. It means that, that many more people are seeing us. The are one step closer. They have their freedom of agency, but one way or another they will someday ALL admit that Jesus is the Christ. And with every door we knock on, every person we talk to, we are preparing this world for the coming of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And this is our work. And I love it.

I want to ask you all to pray for our investigators:

Vika is an 18 year old girl who has a baptismal date for September 5 but she also did not show up to meet with us this week and did not come to church. So we need SO MUCH power from Heaven to help this girl. Her one desire is to get baptized but something is not quite right, at this moment and she needs prayers.

Alica 30's a wonderful women who loves to play lawyer and grill us yet loves us and wants to know more but needs to do a lot of changing in her life

Larissa 40's darling women who comes to english practice and is Russian orthodox. She is our new investigator as of today! (We got to meet with her in the middle of email time that is why this is short.) She loves God so much and will be an amazing member if she chooses this path (and with God and faith I believe she will.)

Please pray for the gift of tongues. It is so hard but we are trying everyday to help God do this work.

A funny mistake of mine this week (please feel free to laugh):

Just the other day we thought this man was asking us if we were sent from black Obama and I was like "nope we aren't sent from Obama, we are missionaries for the church of jesus christ of latter day saints." And he looked at me and was like "ALAMABA where there are a lot of black people." and I just stared at him like. what the heck are you talking about? That thought must have been really great, but I am so lost. "Have a good day!" It's just my life.

I love you all so much and I am so grateful for your support and prayers and love. They are the power behind this work. God loves his children. We are here to bring them home!

Love always,

Сестра Кэррен

PS:We get a mini missionary from CHERKASSY tomorrow! I KNOW HER. I AM EXCITED!!!

(also we cleaned our nasty apartment and now it is so great!) Hooray!!!