The Ukrainian Bear

Week of May 26-June 1

Dear Family and Friends!

This past week was so amazing! Like I mentioned last week we spent most of the week down in Odessa!

So last monday we boarded a bus and headed down to Odessa. It was about a 6 hour bus ride. It was way fun actually! Elder Knight and I of course made it fun!

So on tuesday we went on exchanges with the Zone Leaders down there in Odessa. I got to go with Elder Steinagel! It was so much fun! I have been on so many exchanges with him so it was good to be back with him! We had a great day together. We first had a lesson in the afternoon with a recent convert at the church. It was a great lesson. It was cool cause I remember the guy back from when I served in Odessa. At night we went over to a member family's house! It was so amazing! It was one of my really good friends while I was in Odessa! It was so good to be back with them and see them again! They are like the best family ever!

On wednesday we had a big zone conference with all of Odessa! President was there for it! he gave us about 30 minutes at the conference to teach! It was way good! We talked about self-responsibility as missionaries! We talked about how as missionaries we are given so many rules and stuff but it is up to ourselves if we actually with keep them and be perfectly obedient! I think it turned out very good! Overall it was a great conference with President! He did a little question and answer at the end which turned out to be so good! After the conference we headed down to Illyochovsk which is a little city about 45 minutes away from Odessa to meet with a family that Elder Knight and I both know! It was a great meeting.

Thursday morning we took some P-day time and went and did some quick shopping at this famous market in Odessa. It was so awesome. We found a guy selling ties for less that a dollar each. We bought a bunch! We then got on a train in the afternoon and came back to Kiev! It was a long train ride but once again Elder Knight and I had lots of fun! haha.

Friday we had to come into the office in the afternoon to catch up on some stuff that we needed to do. We were behind on a bunch of little things because of our time in Odessa! At night we went and visited a member! The husband of the member is not a member of the church. We talked to him for a while and are just trying to build a good relationship with him!

On saturday we had a big broadcast that we all watched at the church building. It was a big Priesthood broadcast for all of Eastern Europe. It was held in Latvia and Elder Bednar was there. Originally it was planned to be held here in Kiev but because of the situation they moved it to Latvia! We were a litle bummed but at least we still got to see the broadcast! It was so amazing though! Elder Bednar is so awesome and gave some great words for the members here in Eastern Europe! Saturday night we had a ward party for the international ward. It was lots of fun. It is so wierd sitting down with them and only speaking English! It honestly is very weird to try to have good conversations and stuff. It just feels awkward to be speaking in English with Americas!

Yesterday we had a great day at church. We had great testimony meetings in both wards we go to! The first was in the English ward. It was really cool to hear lots of the testimonies of the members because lots of them are going home for the summer. Most of them all work at the Embassy here in Kiev. Then in the next ward we had a great testimony meeting also. I love hearing the members bear their amazing testimonies of the Gospel. It always helps me and strengthens my testimony!

Well that is about all for this past week! Thanks for all the emails. I loved that all of my families emails to me started out with The Kings are going to the Stanley Cup Finals! I love it! Go Kings! hahaha. Well I hope you all have a great week! I love you all!

Love

Elder Grochmal