The Ukrainian Bear

September 16th-22nd

Dear Friends and Family!

This past week has been so amazing! We were very busy. Also I think that it just about rained every single day! I enjoy the rain alot except for all the mud here! It is so crazy.

So last monday was a good day. After email we went to lunch with two branch members. They are so awesome. One is 22 and preparing for a mission and the other is 15! It was way fun. At night we went to some members house for FHE. It was way fun and they fed us a ridiculous amount of food! It was so good! They fed us borsch and duck and other Ukrainian stuff! Delicious!

Tuesday morning we went out and took the big "Smile!" poster through town! It was way good and way successful. People actually talk to us because they just laugh and want to know who we are! It is such a good finding method. We then had district meeting. After that we studied and then met with a less-active. We just started working with him and he wants to quit smoking and come back to church. He is doing better. We then met with and investigator at night. It was a good lesson but things are just not progressing. She keeps saying she is too busy to read the Book of Mormon. We are really working hard and we are praying her heart will soften and she will accept our message.

So Wednesday was an ok day. We were supposed to have two lessons at night but they both called and cancelled so we just did some finding and then we had English. English was good and we had a way good turnout like always.

Thursday was supposed to be a way busy day but we had 3 people cancel on us! We still had two other lessons with recent converts. They went good. They are both doing awesome. We had one of the youth in the branch come and help us teach a lesson. We want him to practice teaching and learn more. We then took him and did less active stop-bys. It was actually way good because we had him with us. We stopped by this one family that we have tried before. Last time they wouldnt even talk to us at all. This time though she was way nicer and she actually talked to the member with us and it was a way better visit!

Friday! Today we studied and then we had to weekly plan! That always takes forever! haha. WE then had two lessons at night. We first met with a recent convert! He is so awesome. He reads the Book of Mormon every single day while he is at work and just loves it. He is such an amazing man. We then taught a less active. It is a different one that earlier in the week. He is doing good. He too is going through some tough times and we are just trying to help him get through them! I love the people here so much. They all just have such amazing hearts!

SATURDAY! Today was awesome! So for the last couple weeks we have been playing an Elder's Quorum activity to play American Football. So our branch president mentioned it to our mission president and President Klebingat said that 6 other missionaries from Kiev could come down and play so we could play Americans vs. Ukrainians! So saturday was the day of the big game! It was so amazing. So first we started out by playing some normal soccer because we were waiting for the Assistants to get here from Kiev. Obviously it was pouring rain... haha. So this was like legit. We were kinda warming up and my branch president yelled at me to come over to him and he had a stereo and he was like is this you song? and it was our National Anthem! So yah we lined up and we listened to the National Anthems and then we started to play some soccer. It was so fun we had 6 missionaries on my team with some members too. We actually only lost by one. It was so much fun! We had like refs and everything. So when the other missionaries showed up we began the actually football game! So the Ukrainians had no clue how to play football! haha. We had to explain it to them for a while and it took them a solid 20 minutes of playing to finally understand it. It was so awesome. I played QB the whole time. Also we had like at least 15 non-members that came. So with the 8 missionaries there we did alot of work on them in-between plays and after! haha. So after the fun and joy of a little football we then quickly went home and showered and headed to the church for a baptism! It was so awesome. A couple of the guys from the football came! Also President Klebingat came to baptize the family. It was such an amazing baptism with so many investigators there watching! Overall it was such an awesome day and we hoping that some good things come from it.

So yesterday, Sunday, was a good day. Church went well then we went to our Branch President's house for dinner and a lesson. It was way good. He is so awesome. We talked about the branch and less actives for a while and really set a plan to work hard to help them. Aftert that we had a missionary meeting at our Branch Mission Leaders house. It was really good. We went through the branch list and made point of all the less actives people. We set some goals to really work hard this week to bring them back to church. Just like in the Work of Salvation broadcast about missionary work we are first starting with the less actives and part member families. I know that this will really help our branch and also help bring other into the church.

Well overall it was another awesome week here in Billa! The people are doing awesome the church is true. I love the members here and I love to serve here. This will probably be my last full week here in Billa. Next week is the end of the transfer and I am unfortuanetly leaving Billa. I am way sad but I am excited to see what comes next and to see other parts of Ukraine and the people! Well I love you all! Thanks for all the emails that you all write me! I love them. Have an awesome week! Stay safe! Love you

Love,

Elder Grochmal