surprise?

Hi!

An update: 

The bomb did NOTHING but make the pain a whole lot worse. It did not clear me out. BUT, I don't have parasites so that is a huge plus!

Sunday night I was in so much pain I woke up and just layed in my bed and cried. I said a little prayer and after my comp woke up and wanted to pray with me too. I was able to sleep and today I do not feel quite in so much pain. Which I am grateful for. 

Thanks for the prayers and the love and all the fasting for me. I feel a bit better today and that is something I am so grateful for. Sometimes on our missions we have little bumps in the road like getting a really sick stomach, but we just work through it with patience and faith and Jesus Christ does help us. Thanks for all the prayers, it is helping me!

Also the baptism we were scheduled to have this week did not happen because this girl dropped of the face of the planet. It was really sad but she obviously did not want it because she has not been back to church in 5 weeks. I started to lose the faith that bapstim can really happen but I know that is only bad!!!! SO I WORKED ON IT.

This week I mostly want to focus on two things this week:

We taught a little boy this week who is 9. His family is members but is parents are completely inactive and have a hard time caring for their children. The church has not taken much time to make sure he got baptized either and so this week in district meeting God just straight up told me "Get Roma baptized. It is salvation." So we began working with him. I will tell you some detail about this boy I love so much.  He is malnurshed and unloved by many. He comes with dirty hands and a dirt little face. All it took to get this little boy to open up was to smile at him and tell him I loved him. He gave me the biggest squeeziest hug ever. I thought my heart would break. This is truly the kingdom of God on earth-His little children. So we have begun teaching him. And that is a blessing from God. 

We also had an amazing lesson with an investigator named Larissa. She is 45 ish and an avid english comer and she really wants to change her life. She believes this is the right path and is willing to do anything to change. THIS IS REAL!!!! We set a date with her on Saturday night. October 3rd! Pray that she will be able to keep all commitments and to live the word of wisdom. It is going to be hard. But I HAVE FAITH THAT BAPTISM CAN REALLY HAPPEN!!! PLEASE PRAY FOR US AND FOR LARISSA. 

Also..

though some of this week was really hard for me, I did get to LAUGH this week. My comp and I were at a less actives house. She is old and her house is a GIANT mess. I can not even begin to describe her home so that you can understand. But we love her. And she does NOT want us to clean her house. we were sitting in her little closet sized bed room with her friendly pigeons walking around the room knocking things over. There was mystery juice on the floor and we were just sitting there when suddenly a giant gust of wind came through the open window and pushed some very bird pooped stained curtains straight into the face of my companion. and luckily this women was turned around and speaking lots of Russian because I silenlty lost it. I could not stop laughing. I love this women but the bird poop curtians in my comps face were the last straw. I had to physically calm myself down I was laughing so hard- silently, but so hard. 

that is my funny of the week. But I guess it also sounds kind of sad? dont worry it is just Ukraine and I love it. 

also... had this crazy ukrainian day where we met this old women in a grocery store and she instantly just loved us so much. she was so old and in a sun dress and a sun hat and spoke so much russian and had the best little laugh. well we took her bags to her house and then she made us march around the city for a couple hours with her. it was SO much old lady russian and she would cling to my arm with her little arm as we walked across roads and she asked me to listen to her phone call she has to make and squished both of our heads under her sunhat and would scold me and also love me. I LOVE UKRAINIANS SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!! BEST UKRAINIAN DAY AND SHE MADE ME LAUGH!

oh and I think she has potentially found me a ukrainian husband so there is that...

gave her a book of mormon and taught her how to pray because she did not know. it was great and we will meet to teach her the gospel. 

PS: I am now a brunette. Just because. 

OK AND GIANT SURPRISE OF THE WEEK IS....

I just got the news that in a week and a half I will begin training a new American sister. MY HEART IS READY TO DIE. It is 100% nuts. I really hope I do not accidentally kill her. I do not think I am ready at ALL!!!! please pray for this girl. SHE NEEDS A STRONG TRAINER and I DO NOT KNOW IF THAT IS ME. 

As for Sister McDermott she is leaving Odessa and going to Kyiv and she will become an office sister with Sister Rubio! WOW! We were not expecting any of this. ALSO all the elders in our entire mission even the 6 month old elder will be training, we have that many new elders coming in. And it is a good thing too because our mission has SO FEW missionaries.

I AM NOT A TRAINER AAAAAAAAH!

Well that about wraps it up for the week.

Love you and I am praying for you. I will be ok and take care of myself and I will train I guess. Sometimes God does some crazy things and we just need to align with His will. I am trying to learn patience and to listen and trust Him. BUT I AM A LITTLE BIT AFRAID!!!!!!!!

Love Cectpa Karren 

studying by literal candle light

Odessa

My cute comp and I <3