interesting as always

family and friends!

Another week has gone by, and time is flying.  The work here continues on, and I love it.  I'm sad it's taken me this long, but I feel like truly, really, I love this work now and am adjusted to Ukraine.  Sometimes I still have little culture shocks here and there, but it keeps it interesting and exciting.  Life is never dull as a missionary here in Zap.  Let's just say, Saturday was an epic day.  We had no lessons, so we decided to go finding out of the area book.  We started out on the Marshutka and lo and behold, there was a tv on the marshutka.  So all the sudden, this Backstreet Boys music video "Shape of my Heart" (all you backstreet boys fans know what i'm talking about) and it was just fantastic.  Sister Swenson and I rocked out and it started the day off right haha.  The rest of the day wasn't a disappointment either.  We went to this dome (apartment building) and we went up a couple of flights of stairs to find a lady, and all of the sudden there is this sketchy gate with a lock on the floor that she lives on.  We didn't feel good about going to visit someone that lives behind a sketchy gate, so we bounced haha.  Then we go to this other dome and this guy is in the stairwell and he was fun to talk to and he goes to say goodbye to us and grabs Sister Cardon's arm and is like "whoa! you are strong!" and then goes around and squeezes all of our arms. haha. gotta love it! so in that same dome, we are heading back down after an unsuccessful finding experience, and there is this Babushka in the stairwell and so we say hi and smile, and she starts crossing herself and starts asking God for forgivness by being in our presence! Yep, apparently we are evil. 
Haha everything else is going well.  Nothing too new to report on investigators.  They are all technically progressing, but very slowly like a turtle.  One epic thing that happened last week--I FINSHED THE BOOK OF MORMON IN RUSSIAN!  Supposedly I'm fluent now haha.  But really, I have faith that it will help my language.  And once we all get the new translations of the russian scriptures in a triple combo, I will start it all over.  Also, our cute little investigator Dionna will be baptized this weekend, so that will be fun.  Other than that, it's work and life as usual as a missionary.  I love it.  I am so grateful for the opportunity and PRIVILEDGE to serve the Lord! It is hard, exhausting work, but I have learned so much.  I love you all and I'm grateful for your support!!! Keep living life and keep us missionaries in your prayers!

Cectpa DeMille