I'm in Ukraine!

I'm in Ukraine! We left early last Tuesday morning and drove to the

Salt Lake Airport. It was exciting to be in a bus full of missionaries

as we all headed out to our respective corners of the world. Our

flights were good - we were able to get a little sleep and also talk

to people. Sister Dimick and I had a conversation for at least an hour

with this Jewish man in the back of the plane on the way to Austria.

That was definitely an eye-opening experience for both of us. He was

completely floored that two young women were giving up their lives for

18 months (and paying for the privilege!) to go to Ukraine and talk to

people. He couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that we would heed

the call of a prophet like that. He wasn't interested in meeting with

the missionaries or learning more, but at least he's been introduced

to the gospel, and maybe someday he'll be interested.

It was really exciting to exit the plane in both Austria and Ukraine -

you don't go through a covered walkway like you do in America to get

to the airport, but you walk down a flight of stairs into the open

air. It somehow makes me feel triumphant, like a queen or somebody

arriving in a foreign land. That was fun.

Our mission president met us at the airport, along with his wife and

some of the missionaries serving in Dnepropetrovsk. They sent our

luggage to the mission home and whisked us off to begin contacting in

the streets. For culture-shocked, jet-lagged missionaries, that was

definitely an experience I won't forget. We set out along the streets

in Dnepropetrovsk, armed with copies of the Book of Mormon and some

info cards and began talking to people. In Russian. It's definitely a

little intimidating to stop people on the streets in Russian within

your first hour in their country. It was pretty fun, though. Most

people weren't interested, but we did have a couple people take our

information. It was kind of funny, because in the MTC we'd come up

with this hand signal that means you just got rejected (it began

because, being the enthusiastic, friendly person I am, I am always

excited to see people and shake their hands or whatever, but they

aren't always paying attention so my excitement goes waste when they

don't notice me. Sister Busch and Sister Dimick, when you read this in

15 months, you'll know what I mean.), and I came to understand that on

a whole new level Wednesday evening. :)

After contacting we went to the branch for our welcome meeting. Never

in my life have I been so happy to see members of the Church! It was

such a comfort and relief to know that there were people who believe

as I do in this foreign country. They greeted us in the traditional

Ukrainian manner with the bread and salt. We sang and had a mini

testimony meeting then ate borscht. It was neat to get to know the

members a little bit and some of the missionaries. I was surprised to

find that a boy I went to high school with is in my mission - Elder

Rodriguiz-Vargas. So that was really fun to see him and talk with him.

We spent the first night at the mission home then had orientation

there the next morning. We were all fighting jet-lag, but we managed

to stay awake most of the time. :) Our trainers came after lunch and

took us to our areas. I'm serving in the city of Dnepropetrovsk. It's

been my mission president's goal for a long time to have two

companionships in Dnepropetrovsk, so that's finally coming to

fruition. We live on the Left Bank side of the river, and we have the

second-nicest apartment in the mission (which makes the elders jealous

. . .). We live on the tenth floor, and we have windows facing both

east and west with beautiful views of the city. I love being able to

see the river and the city lights.

My first evening with my trainer (Sister Hooker - she's from Cedar

Hills and is super sweet!) we taught FHE at the senior couple's house.

A number of members/investigators came, too. I got to bear my

testimony in Russian and talk about how following Christ has blessed

my life. That was a neat experience. I enjoyed getting to know the

members a little bit more. I can't wait until I know Russian better so

I can really communicate with them! I feel such a love for the members

here, and I want them to be faithful to the Lord for their whole

lives. And I want to help them as best I can to do that.

On Friday, I had the opportunity to teach two lessons! (The sisters

did so much work here last transfer! They have five people with

baptismal dates, as well as a bunch of other investigators. It's

exciting to be able to get to work with these people they've found.) I

was surprisingly not nervous to teach - the MTC prepared me well for

teaching, for which I'm grateful. I taught Nina (who is going to be

baptized this Saturday!) about the Word of Wisdom. And I shared the

restoration story with Anya. It was incredible to be able to speak and

bear testimony of the gospel in Russian. I know the gift of tongues is

real. I love teaching! I love these investigators, and I can't wait to

get to know them more and help them come unto Christ. After leaving my

first lesson, I just felt so good - it feels incredible to teach

someone about the gospel and help them accept Christ.

Saturday we performed a service project with the branch. We cleaned up

a park, and I enjoyed getting to know the branch members more. They're

all so kind, and are patient with my lack of Russian. I am able to

understand quite a bit, though, which is really nice. It's always

slightly gratifying when the members speak through my companion to me

so she can interpret, but I understand in Russian. One sister asked if

I'd been in the country for three months, but that was probably more

attributable to my misdeclension of the word "day" for the number

three than to any linguistic skill I possess. But it was still

encouraging.

After the service project, the six missionaries in my district

(including Elder Fillmore from my MTC district!) went out to lunch

with a member. Ukrainian food is good - they have a lot of potato

dishes, which I like. As we were sitting there, one of the elders got

a call. Those of us missionaries who just arrived aren't allowed to

wear our nametags anymore . . . there was a mistake on our visas, so

while they're working that out we're technically not allowed to be

representing the Church, or something like that. We're still allowed

to proselyte, though, which is a blessing. And we have a great man

working on our visas, so they should get it all worked out soon. Until

then, it's a little weird to not be wearing my nametag. Especially

heading home after the service project - in jeans and without a

nametag, I almost felt like a tourist. But it's a good thing that the

power of a missionary is in the call, and not in the nametag.

Church yesterday was really good! There were maybe 30 people in the

branch (there are usually more, but it was their Memorial Day, so many

people were out of town). I got to stand and speak for a few minutes

about myself and bear my testimony. That was a neat experience - I

definitely am grateful for the gift of tongues. I love sharing my

testimony in Russian! I was able to understand some of the talks and

what was going on, which was neat. It felt a lot like my first Sunday

in the MTC - I understood some, but not a lot. So that was an

encouraging connection, and I'm confident that I'll soon be able to

understand almost everything.

My trainer is wonderful! She actually trained Sister Bates a couple

transfers ago, so it's neat to have that connection. She's studying

archeology at BYU. And shes 6'3", so she walks fast. :) She's a good

missionary, and I'm excited to be working with her.

Ukraine is very different from America, and I'm still very much in

culture-shock. But I love it here. I look at the people on the

marshutkas as we bump along the roads, and I am filled with love for

them. I feel like they are my people and that this is my city, and I

just want everyone here to know what I know. I want them all to accept

this message.

I'm grateful to be a missionary here. It's different than I expected

(but then, when is that not the case?), but I love it. I love being

able to serve people and talk to them and love them. Even though it's

hard (we may have now passed up o chem [organic chemistry class] in difficulty), it is

wonderful. I've already learned a lot, and I know these next 15 months

are going to be incredible. I know with all my heart that the Church

is true. I know that God lives and that Christ is our Savior. I know

that through the gospel of Jesus Christ we can be truly happy now and

in eternity. I am so excited to share that happiness with these people

in Ukraine!