The Ukrainian Bear

August 26th-September 1st

Привет!

Hello Family and Friends!

This past week was a very good one! I still cant believe that it is already September! Well everything is going good here in Ukraine! So this past week I guess our mission had a big leadership council with all the leaders in Kiev. So we got a call on Friday night outlining some new rules/guidlines in the mission! So they decided for now on that the whole mission will speak just Russian from 9 in the morning to 9 at night! Crazy! So that mean that companionship study in the morning is in Russian and while we eat lunch we speak Russian. It is so hard. I now that is will help me learn the language faster but it is so hard sometimes!!! Well our week went a little like so:

So on Monday we just did our normal P-Day stuff and then for FHE we went to our Branch Presidents house. Well actually we went down to this soccer field cause his game wasnt over. He plays in like a league with about half of our branch. It was way funny. Also the 3 referees were all recent converts to the branch! It was awesome! The game ended soon after we arrived and we did a spiritual thought with them right there at the field! It was way fun!

Tuesday was our first district meeting with our new district! It was way good as always! After district meeting we met with a man we met on the street named Alexander! He was cool. The lesson went well but he is a very strong Baptist. He enjoyed our lesson and he said maybe he will be interested in the future! We also me with a different investigator named Sasha. He is from English and speaks English like a champ. He has been taught before and is doing good. He understands everything but just has a few concerns before he commits to baptism. We are really working hard with him! He is so awesome!

On Wednesday we started the day by doing a book table in front of our Church. It was way fun. We just brought out a table and a bunch of pamphlets and stuff and started talking to people. It was pretty successful. We talked to alot of good peole. On wednesday night we had a lesson with our other investigator Looda. She is doing great. We planned on talking about the Plan of Salvation but it didnt really happen! We ended up talking more about all of our beliefs and we read through the Articles of Faith with her. She was like way excited to read them because I felt like she wanted to like finding something to bash us on but she agreed with all of them! It was so cool!

Thursday was the first day since being in Ukraine that I put on a long sleeve white shirt! haha. I will admit it was a little chilly! We just had a couple recent convert lessons during the day and met with Brother Ofechook at night! He is doing better and not smoking. We love to go to his house and talk with him. He is so awesome and has such a strong spirit about him!

Friday was good. We spent a lot of time on the streets talking to people. We had a lesson at night with a former investigator. He is doing good! He likes the church but doesnt see the importance of church. We had a member with us and they talked for a while. I think that he is starting to understand better! I hope he does!

Not much happened on Saturday. We just had English and Youth Night! IT was fun! We had alot of people!

Yesterday was a good day! After church we had another lesson with Looda at the Tovmash's! She brought her sister along who has been taught before! So we actually taught the Plan of Salvation this time. She liked it. She is still having some troubles with accepting everything. We just told her that if she reads the Book of Mormon and knows that it is true than she will now that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that he restored Christ's church! So during the meeting I noticed the sister just like nodding and agreeing with everything we said! At night we got a call from Sister Tovmash saying that once we left the house the sister told her that she wants to be baptised! Yay! We are gonna meet with her on Tuesday and talk about it!

Well that was all for this week! I hope you all had a great week! I miss and love you all! Have a great week!!

Love

Elder Grochmal

After the soccer game. Branch president in the front kneeling. The three men the the right of Elder Fisher are all recent converts of 3 months or less!