Wow,
Hello Grandma and Grandpa,
You eat out quite a bit! I'm glad you are having fun!! I have been eating well lately too! By that I mean I eat lots of watermelon! It's in season here and they are getting cheaper every week which means MORE WATERMELON!!!
Weird, we also talked about temple work in Church yesterday too! (well I tried to understand...it was in Russian.)
May I suggest a very interesting chapter to read? It's in Jeremiah 7:3-10. It talks about how people think "ALL IS WELL IN ZION... we have a temple here." In reality, they are not going to the temple or are going but for the wrong reasons. The prophet Jeremiah is prophesing to the people of their wickedness and to repent. He's also warning them that all is not well in Zion if they do not go to the temple.
I'm amazed at the people here. Many of them are coming to the ward (at great distances) to research their genealogy. It's so neat to see their Russian ancesteral trees on the newfamilysearch.com site. They are super excited! Have you been able to look at the website yet? That should be your next adventure! It gets complicated, but you two are the smartest people I know!
I'm glad you got my letter!! Yay! It took 2 weeks! I wish I could send you more candy but, I thought you would at least like those! I do too! Congratulations to Jacob Maple on choosing to go on a mission! How exciting! I wonder where he will go. The more I'm out, the more I am getting excited about being a missionary. But, in actuality I'm not very much different than I was before...(sad I know)
However, I do have a calling and authority to act in that calling. I have rules I need to follow (that are wise and safe and help me to be a better missionary) but, I've learned that missionary work is not missionaries work. It's the whole churches. It's our responsibilty together. The only difference is I am called - I am authorized to teach the gospel and prepare people for baptism. The finding, testifying, and experiencing the amazing joy that comes with building the kindom of Zion on earth is for everyone! Because I'm in Ukraine and don't know anyone, we often wander aimlesly among the thousands of people who live here. It's a challenge to look into the faces of complete strangers and share with them a simple message that might interest them into salvation. How much easier it is to touch the hearts of people I know and I can adapt the glorious message of the gospel to their needs.
So, I have come to the conclusion that missionary work is much easier for regular church members than it is for missionaries. CRAZY!! I know. All you have to do is share the gospel with your friends, bring them and show them how amazing the gospel is and then assist the missionaries in their conversion. If anything my mission has called me to repentance for not doing enough for the missionaries back home. New missionaries (like my companion and I FOR MY FIRST area and assignment, we were both brand new to the area) have no idea where to go, who people are, who wants to help them, who they can serve, what they can do, who they can teach, sometimes they (I) might not know what to say. I would think, that is a bit overwhelming (I CAN TESTIFY!!! IT IS VERY OVERWHELMING!!)
So, I'll end that tangent for now. But, I would (I'm learning this word in Ukrainian...so I'm using the english variant) EXHORT you (like Moroni says in chapter 10) to help your missionaries!!
Well, I got a little carried away! But my companion and I have been contemplating on how we had no idea what our poor missionaries had to go through.
Is Sandra making stuff up on the blog? Maybe it's the gift of twinship or something. She knows everything. I wrote her a funny story. She should get a letter this week that you'll really like!!
Well, I love you! I need to write to our Mission President!
I hope you have a fantastic day!
Love,
Sister Murphy
(Letter to Sandra)
Hello again,
I just wanted to tell you that I am having much more fun and it's because I learned to not get frustrated! My companion and I were not acting in unity.
AND THEN,
I told her, and about 2 minutes into our conversation I realized that it doesn't matter if I say anthing at all in a lesson. It doesn't matter what happens anywhere as long as the spirit was felt and someone's life was blessed. I can simply appreciate the miracle of being there!
So, we learned that I was frustrated because I didn't know what to say and when to say it. She was frustrated because she didn't know where to go and when to go, and we were both trying to be too independent. So, we have a new philosophy: WE ARE NOT GOING TO GET FRUSTRATED. It's been better ever since. SINCERELY! We learned from the example of a missionary who has been serving a year and still has some horrible problems with the language. He loves life and he isn't afraid to have fun. He is fun! And we both want to have fun too!
I'm sorry about your headaches...I think you are going through withdrawals, and they won't end until October of next year when I come home. So, stop these phony treatments and write more to your sister the real source for your cure!
and eat a watermelon!
(not the whole thing...Will can probably eat half!)
I have been getting Will's letters, and they make me laugh.
Oh, what analogies can you give me for teaching simple gospel doctrine?
Think about it and as you think of one send it to me. I'll be using them for a while so don't think this assignment expires!
I just wanted to tell you that I am having much more fun and it's because I learned to not get frustrated! My companion and I were not acting in unity.
AND THEN,
I told her, and about 2 minutes into our conversation I realized that it doesn't matter if I say anthing at all in a lesson. It doesn't matter what happens anywhere as long as the spirit was felt and someone's life was blessed. I can simply appreciate the miracle of being there!
So, we learned that I was frustrated because I didn't know what to say and when to say it. She was frustrated because she didn't know where to go and when to go, and we were both trying to be too independent. So, we have a new philosophy: WE ARE NOT GOING TO GET FRUSTRATED. It's been better ever since. SINCERELY! We learned from the example of a missionary who has been serving a year and still has some horrible problems with the language. He loves life and he isn't afraid to have fun. He is fun! And we both want to have fun too!
I'm sorry about your headaches...I think you are going through withdrawals, and they won't end until October of next year when I come home. So, stop these phony treatments and write more to your sister the real source for your cure!
and eat a watermelon!
(not the whole thing...Will can probably eat half!)
I have been getting Will's letters, and they make me laugh.
Oh, what analogies can you give me for teaching simple gospel doctrine?
Think about it and as you think of one send it to me. I'll be using them for a while so don't think this assignment expires!
I heard a good quote recently: "Everyone already knows the gospel is true. They’ve just forgotten. Help them to remember. The Holy Ghost will do that. He will help them get through the amnesia and the deception."
We have an investigator - Her name is Marina and she knows the church is true! She is getting baptized!
hahah quick thought...
I read a funny sentence in your letter: "church was ok today."
hahah quick thought...
I read a funny sentence in your letter: "church was ok today."
Well, church for 3 hours in SERGIC (1/2 russian & 1/2 ukrainian - which I still don't understand) is always awesome.
It's also funny, because I'm a missionary people are afraid to meet with me because I'll make them do missionary work. So, they walk away from me as I smile at them...
I hope this made you laugh and think. Sure, maybe the talks weren't great, like yesterday I didn't understand why we were talking about her neighbors dead dog for 5 minutes but, I took the Sacrament and I renewed my covenants. If everything else was horrible it was worth it!
Oh, the other funny thing in combined rs and priesthood yesterday, the first half was on temple attendance and then the bishop addressed some things in russian, (my companion filled me in later..)
One funny thing he said: DON'T read from the ensigns during your talks! We laughed about it.
It's also funny, because I'm a missionary people are afraid to meet with me because I'll make them do missionary work. So, they walk away from me as I smile at them...
I hope this made you laugh and think. Sure, maybe the talks weren't great, like yesterday I didn't understand why we were talking about her neighbors dead dog for 5 minutes but, I took the Sacrament and I renewed my covenants. If everything else was horrible it was worth it!
Oh, the other funny thing in combined rs and priesthood yesterday, the first half was on temple attendance and then the bishop addressed some things in russian, (my companion filled me in later..)
One funny thing he said: DON'T read from the ensigns during your talks! We laughed about it.
Oh, dear,
and so...it's been a week!!
Keep me informed!
I have to buy a new watch!
Thanks for all you do.
Thanks for being so special.
Thanks for being you!
And thanks for your righteousness and example!
I love you!!
Love,
Cectpa murphy!
No comments:
Post a Comment