The Ukrainian Bear

December 2nd-8th

Hello family and friends!

Well all is well here in Odessa. We got transfer info and I am staying here in Cheryomushki, Odessa for next transfer! Next transfer will be 8 weeks so I will be here for a while! I am staying with Elder Hess and finishing training him! I am so excited! Especially because of the weather we have been having here! Everywhere in the mission is getting destroyed by snow but we are good here. No snow yet. It is pretty cold but not too bad yet!

So our week was good! Tuesday was good. We had district meeting as always! It was really good! So tuesday night we had an appointment set up with a member and his family. So he lives, or we thought he lived, really far away. So we took about a 40 minute bus and walked 15 mins to his address on the branch list. So we get there and call him. He is like where are you! I tell him we are here and he is like where! I was like Your House!!! He then said what address so I told him and he started busting up laughing! Turns out he moved and lives right by our house! So lame! He didnt even tell us! haha. It was fine though! We just talked to some people around there and then headed home!

Wednesday after studies we went into Center Odessa because President Klebingat came down to do interviews with all the missionaries! It was way good! I love being with President so much! He is such an amazing man! I have learned so much from him on my mission already! I feel so blessed to have him as my mission president! So at night with had English! It was way good! So there a guy that showed up and wanted to know more about the church. So we taught him basically the whole first lesson after English. He is way cool and liked everything! We gave him a Book of Mormon and challenged him to read and pray. We are meeting with him again this week! He is so awesome!

So thursday we did a little service project for some members! They were moving from one apartment to another! It was a lot of work but very fun to be around the members! It was lots of walking up and down stairs! It was pretty crazy. Their new apartment was on the 8th floor and the elevator was really small so we had to use the stairs for the big stuff! So crazy!

Friday was awesome! So at night we went on splits with some members to help with their home teaching! I went with the district president of Odessa! He is so amazing! We went to a family in the branch. It was so much fun! We had an awesome lesson and got to build good relationships with them!

Saturday was good. We didnt do too much. We studied and then cleaned the church building cause they needed help! We then went to center for a pancake party thing! We had 2 investigators come with us so that was so awesome! They had a bunch of fun!

Yesterday, Sunday, was so amazing! I gave a talk in church! They asked me speak on obedience! It was way good I think! haha. I basically just told the members the obey the prophet and work more with us! haha. I was a little harsh I think but I know that it was needed to get the members going here! They here the leaders always saying it but coming from the missionaries was better! After my talk the members were coming to me and asking us to come over! haha. We set up for like everynight this week with members! So good! Defiently a first for me on my mission!

Well That is about it! The work is good! It is a little slow with our investigators but I know that this week working with the members is going to help us so much! I am so happy to be here! I have never been so happy in my life than right now! I love Ukraine and I love the people here! Life is good! The church is true! Have a good week! I love you all so much! Thanks for everythings!

Love

Elder Grochmal