The American

This has been quite an interesting week. I just want to start it off by saying that it has been hot - so incredibly hot. It's really humid here in Ukraine so I basically soak through my shirt every day because we're outside contacting so much. I enjoy it though which makes it a lot easier. I've been trying to just be the most positive contacter. I walk up to everyone with the biggest smile on my face and try to say hello extremely positively and try to stop them in a way that's exciting (but not overbearing). Honestly, it doesn't really make it any more effective but it makes it a much more positive and fun experience for me. 

Lots of members and people like to tell me that I am so 'American'. I think it's just because I fight really hard against the culture here and actually smile in public and try to be a really positive, outgoing purpose. I always try to because I think it leads to better relationships with everyone here when I just try to show my love for everyone outwardly, but I guess it also just makes me look very American. Doesn't bother me though, you know I'm proud to be an America. 

Something that was really interesting was the opportunity I had to be the senior companion for two days! My companion was very sick and another missionary nearby was very sick, so I went on a small exchange with the other healthy elder for two days. He's been in the mission for only 3 weeks, so it was a very interesting experience being the Russian 'expert' for two days. We did some contacting and taught a lesson and it was a challenge. Contacting wasn't bad, but man that lesson was very, very difficult. Hopefully, the man we taught learned SOMETHING from out broken Russian. 

One really interesting thing about Ukraine is the drivers. Driving laws exist here, but following them is really a lot more of a personal choice. Cops here don't really stop any drivers, so the roads are basically free territory. Because of this though, it seems to lead to many very attentive drivers and some very creative moves on the road. The only thing that really stands out to me is when we were leaving L'viv after a mid-transfer training conference. We were about to miss out train so we got a taxi and he was HAULING. He was driving so fast and swerving around so much and somebody tried to stop him and he screamed "WE HAVE A TRAIN TO CATCH" mixing many curse words in-between. He got us to the train station so fast, I was impressed. Parking laws also are completely ignored here. You can seriously park just about anywhere here and get away with it. People park on the sides of super busy streets, no problem. On sidewalks, on weird walkways, just anywhere they want. Nobody here will tell them no so they just go for it!

One amazing way that we have seen the hand of the Lord this week is through the blessings of contacting. Throughout the end of this week, we contacted so much. So very much. And we weren't really having much success. We kept pushing through it though having faith that no effort is wasted. On Sunday morning we were gifted with an amazing tender mercy. We were walking to the church to have a lesson before sacrament, but he texted us saying he wasn't coming, so we were pretty disappointed that nothing was working for us this week. As we were walking to the church however, this woman walked directly up to us and began to speak to us in near-perfect English. We were so surprised. She started explaining to us that she loves doing family history work and asked if we could help her get onto our church's website, family search. We told her yes, we absolutely could, and scheduled a meeting for her with our ward family history consultant. We'll continue to work with her and hopefully begin teaching her. It was a wonderful blessing and a great reminder that no effort is wasted - when we try our best to find those souls that the Lord has prepared, he blesses us in His mysterious ways. 

I love you all so much. I hope that you have a wonderful week! Love ya

District contacting this week