Dear Family and Friends! 

The time has come. The end is near. This being my last email, it will be a bit longer than normal. I want to share an experience with you all and then a few thoughts. 

So first I want to tell you a story that happened this past weekend!

 

Thursday- we went out to Stan's (the American farmer living here in Bila) house to do some service. His mother-in-law has been living with them since the summer. She is pretty old and can not move her left leg on left arm. So she is in a wheelchair. The sister missionaries have been teaching her and she wants to get baptized. She been saying though that she wants to wait until she can walk to get baptized! So while out there we had a lesson with her with the sisters and us. It was awesome and we invited her to not wait anymore and to get baptized on SATURDAY!!! She agreed! This wasn't gonna be any old normal baptism. We made a big list with Stan of everything we needed to get done before Saturday! We has 3 game-breakers that would of stopped the baptism - 

1. rain (the main road to Stan's was impassable causing us to use the back road. If there was any rain the back road would not work either!) 

2. the water in the baptismal font (the past 2 baptisms have had freezing cold water. We couldn't have that happen again with such an old lady.)

3. transportation (there is a member with a big van in the branch. We had to make sure he was able to drive and pick her up for the baptism!) 

So we had our game-breakers and then we had another large list of things to do! One of the biggest things to do also was to make a contraption thingy that we could use to lower her into the water! So Thursday we got back to Billa and were able to find out the weather! They said maybe some clouds on Friday but sunny on Saturday! Great news! 

Friday - It was a crazy day. We got in touch with the member with the van! He said he had work but he should be able to get everything done and be able to drive us!! More great news!! So we started to think of how to make a swing seat thingy for the baptism! Stan called us in the morning and gave us a perfect idea. So we set out to make this thing. We went to a crazy random farm shop and bought a big feed bag that you use on a farm! It was about a meter long and half a meter wide! We then went to try to find a strap that we could sow around it! We went to an outdoor market and couldn't find anything! WE looked everywhere! nothing!!! Finally my companion was like lets go into that store. (D&C 11:12) Some random looking store! Sure enough right when we walked in, we saw exactly what we need. We got about 4 meters of the strap (seat belt material). We asked the lady where we could get in sowed together. She told us and we went to it. We explained everything to the lady and she said come back in 20 minutes and it will be done! Miracle! We did and it was perfect!! We then went to the church building and to our amazement the water in the building was hot!!! We don't know how because we don't use the church anymore because its our old building but some how the water was HOT!! Another blessing! So we started to fill the font because it takes forever to fill! haha. By the way the weather was beautiful all day! So Stan asked that me and my companion and 2 other men help Stan baptize Grandma! So we made 2 calls and sure enough bother said of course we will help! Everything was going so perfectly! We didn't run into any obstacles at all! 

Saturday- We woke up the sun was SHINING! In the morning we went to the church to check the baptismal font and all was well. Full and warm! We then met up with the member with the van and headed out to Stan's to pick up everyone for the baptism! Usually it takes about 20 minutes to get to Stan's but we had to take the back route meaning about an hour! It was such an amazing drive though. We went through so many awesome Ukrainian villages. We went through forests and farms! We then got to the dirt road that was about a couple miles long. Stan said it might be muddy still. We got there and it was perfectly dry! The whole road. Perfect condition! Miracle! We got to Stan's and picked up Grandma, Stan, and Stan's wife! We drove back to the church . We all got ready and had the baptism. Everything went perfect. The four of us helped carry her into the water and the baptism went smooth. The bag seat thingy worked perfectly! She was so happy and in such good spirits! We then finished up the service and headed back to Stan's to drop everyone off! It was a long drive but everything went fine! Also a side note, the weather was absolutely perfect on Saturday. We didn't even have to wear jackets over our suit coats!!!! haha. 

So that's my story. I still cant believe that everything worked out so perfectly. We saw miracle after miracle these past few days! I learned so much from this experience. I learned to have more trust in our Heavenly Father. (Proverbs 3:5) I will be honest I had lots of doubts on Thursday that we could do everything! God has a plan for all of us! This was an example of how God had a plan for Grandma to be baptized and that he led us and made it happen!! (D&C 6:36)

As my mission is coming to an end I have been trying to gather all my thoughts together and write them down! I want to share just 3 really short thoughts of the many many thoughts I have! 

1. God knows each and everyone of us perfectly. He loves us more that we could ever comprehend! 

2. The Atonement is something that is NOT scary. It is a beautiful opportunity for us to become better and to be able to live with our Heavenly Father again! The Atonement is so real!!! 

3. Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. I cant express the love I have acquired for him these past 2 years. He is the master and truly is at the head of this Church! 

I could go on for hours about everything I have learned but these are just some super short thoughts I wanted to share. I want to finish by saying thanks to all of you! Thanks for the emails and letters! Thanks for the support these past 2 years. I still cant believe it is almost all over! I love you all so much! Have a great week and see lots of you next week!!! 

Love 

Elder Grochmal 

 Everyone with Grandma!

 In the water!! 

 I love this family! They are so awesome!!! 

 My last district photo! 

 THis guy is a legen! STory will be told about him later!

 Driving to stans!

Our investigator Vitalik!! 

Dear Family and Friends! 

This past week was another amazing week! This past week our mission had a visit for Elder Porter of the Seventy! He is so awesome. He came here to Bila and gave an amazing fireside to the members. They loved it. We also had a conference up in Kiev with all the missionaries! It was such an amazing conference. I am so happy that my last zone conference on my mission was so awesome! The spirit was so strong. Elder Porter is currently the President of the Eastern European Area so he knows the area very well and what the needs of the people are! 

A few highlights from the week:

Our investigator came to the fireside with Elder Porter and loved it so much. We taught him the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He came to church yesterday and loved all of it. He is progressing so awesome and wants to be baptized soon! WE are so excited. Tonight we are going to a Family Home Evening at some members with him. It should be way fun! He is super excited for it! 

I already mentioned about the conference with Elder Porter but I want to say more. So he talked alot about the work here and how we can improve. He said that if we talk to twice as many people everyday that our baptism will double for sure! He invited us to everyday spend at least 3 hours either contacting or tracting, basically just talking with people. HE said that in the area that missionaries have slowly moved away from talking to peolple so they are making a big push. My companion and I have been already doing it and it is so awesome! Lots of good conversations about the Gospel have already came out of it! 

Well I dont have much time left here on my mission. Time is flying. I love serving here more than anything. I am so grateful for these past 2 years. I have learned soooooo much! I have become a completely different person. I love the Gospel. I love being a missionary! 

I hope you all have a great week! 

Love

Elder Grochmal 

 President Packer and our investigator Vitalik!

 Translating for Sister Packer with some Young Women!

 Elder Porter talking to our investigator! Such a cool moment!!!

  The Crew! From left to right: Elder Hunt, President Loboda (Mission Presidency), me, Vitalik, Elder Porter (Area President), Sister Porter, President Packer (Mission President), Sister Packer, President Genyadi (Branch President), Sisteer Olya (random member)

 Elder Weber and Roggow!

 Elder Weber's security guards!

Dear Family and Friends!! 

This past week was another greeat week!! It flew by! WE were very busy! There was another baptism here on Saturday in our area! It was such an awesome day. A lady got baptized that the sisters worked with. Her husband baptized her!! He had been a member for about 3 years now! It was so cool! 

So here is a rundown from the past week! 

We have an investigator that is just so amazing! We met with him a few times and he is really progressing. We had a great lesson about the Plan of Salvation. He loves the church and just wants to know more. He really is making a change in his life! He came to the baptism on saturday and then also to church on sunday! He loved both of them. 

We had some great lessons this week with members. We went out to a village far away to visit some members. It was way fun. They are so nice and gave me some presents because I am leaving soon!

Our english program is doing awesome. We have some amazing people coming that are becoming interested in the church. Like I said before, in our english classes we only talk about Gospel topics. It has been so awesome since making the change!! 

Lastly, so yesterday here was a big holiday. It was Women's day! It is basically their mother's day. It was awesome. So during sacrament meeting the branch president asked all the men to come and bear testimonies about their love for their wives and mothers and other women in their lives! It was not your typical sacrament meeting but it was awesome. So it was getting to the very end and I decided to go up there to say some words! I expressed my love for my mom and how two years without her is very hard! I said that I have 3 more weeks and I get to see her and if I had to stay 4 weeks I would probably die! It was funny! It got some good laughs and some tears!! I am so grateful to have such an amazing mom! Also I am so grateful for my sisters and sister-in-law! They are so amazing and have taught me so much in my life! And of course my amazing Grandma, my amazing Aunts, and my cousins!! I am so grateful for these women and for all that they have done for me!!  

Well that is it for my week! It was awesome! Have a great week you all. I love you! 

Love

Elder GRochmal 

Baptism!!

 Chopping wood at Stan's house!!

 We learned how to make Perogies!

 This family is so awesome!!!

 Little village!!

Somebody tagged the church and wrote Sect or Cult on our church sign!!