The Ukrainian Bear

July 29th- August 4th

Hello Family and Friends!!

Well I think that this past week was the fastest week of my mission so far. I feel like just yesterday I was here writing to you all. Well the mission is going awesome! Time is flying and I cant believe it is already August. That means that summer is almost over and soon winter will be here! brrr!! Well this past week was a little crazy. We had a lot going on and my companion got sick!!! He is better now! But my week went like this:

So monday p-day was good as always! Our Branch Mission Leader came to the church and we played some ping pong with him like always. He was on his game and beat me. It was my first loss to him. He was so happy. So every night we call him and report on our day and I called him was telling him that he was lucky and all this funny stuff. He then kept saying all this other stuff that I didnt understand but it was a funny conversation. Monday night for FHE we went to a recent converts house who invited over another family! It was way fun! We played a fun game and had some good food after! It was such a blast.

Tuesday was a bit crazy. We got a call early in the morning from the American man, Stan, that he needed help asap. He had already ordered the concrete man to come and his workers bailed on him. There was no way he could do it by himself! So we called a member and we headed out to his farm and helped him pour concrete for a few hours! It was way fun. We then came home and cleaned up and went and did some contacting until we got on a bus and headed up to Kiev for Zone Conference the next day. When we got to Kiev we ran to the big mall so my companion could buy some new pants. We then went to the Zone Leaders apartment to sleep. It was way fun because two other elders awesome cam so it was really fun to hang with all of them for a little.

So Wednesday was Zone Conference! It was so good! I first had an interview with President Klebingat in the morning. It was really good. He kinda spilled the beans that I am staying in Bila for another transfer after this one ends in 3 weeks! haha. During Zone Conference President taught us alot and then Sister Klebingat taught us alot about Russian. She is from Latvia so Russian is her native language! She is so awesome! At the end President took about an hour and told his whole life story with a power point! It was so amazing! He is such an amazing man and has such an awesome conversion story to the Gospel. After Zone Conference we hopped on a bus and headed back to Billa!

Thursday was a good day. It was kinda a slow day. We had a lesson in the afternoon with our investigator, Иван. It went good and we committed him to come to church and he did! After our lesson Elder Fisher was feeling way sick so we and got some meds and went back to the apartment he rested while I just studied Russian! I could use as much studying as possible these days! The language is seriously so killer!!

Friday was a better day. Elder Fisher was doing better. We had a lesson with recent convert, Сергей, Sergey. He is doing awesome. We gave him a Book of Mormon and challenged him to give it to someone before next Sunday! He said he would! We are way excited for him. We then had two lessons with families from the branch. We first met with the Tovmash's who are so awesome. I talk about them alot. They have 4 kids and the wife is pregnant. It Ukraine having just 2 kids is strange to non mormons! haha. The lesson went good and we told them to continue to share the Gospel. We then went to the Кофтун, Koftons. or should I say we ran. When we left the Tovmash's, it started to rain like crazy on us! It was so nuts. Once we made it there we had a very good lesson with them. We also gave them a Book of Mormon to give out to a friend. They were very accepting of our challange and are way excited.

Saturday was a crazy day. So friday night some members mentioned to us something about them shutting off the water in Bila. We didnt understand this to its fullest. So we woke up and took showers and while I was in there the water just slowly stopped working. So I got out and we realized there was no water at all. They had completely shut off all the water in the entire city of Bila Tserkva. It was so crazy. There were cleaning it I guess. So we went to the closest well and got some water in a bucket to wash our dishes and stuff. It was pretty funny. We then had English and Youth night like always. They were both very good. After that we went and taught our recent convert Дима, Deama. He is doing awesome as always! He is working with a friend at work to get him to come to church. We are way excited. The members here are just so awesome and always trying to spread the Gospel. So we got home and still no water at all!

Sunday we woke up and there was WATER!! The members said at first it will be full of Chlorine! They were so right! I took a shower and it felt like I was in a swimming pool. It was so funny! It got better throughout the day though. Church was way good as always. THe members are awesome and so nice to the us missionaries! We had a lesson at night with Брат Офечук, Brother Ofechook. He is awesome and doing so good. He is getting ready to go to the temple and be sealed to his wife and kid! We are way excited for him.

Well that is basically all for the week. The work here is Bila is going good. It could be better cause things are a little slow right now but we know with the help of our Branch we will continue to bring souls unto Christ through baptism. Well I hope you all have a wonderful week. I love you all and most of all I LOVE being a missionary in Ukraine! The church is true!

Love

Elder Grochmal