December 7: Second Email

I have a little more time to write:

 

How is life there?  Is everyone happy?

I hope so!  If not, do it right now.  Be happy.  It can be difficult.  Well, it is when you have to choose, but choose to be happy!

So, this last week I learned a lot!

On Sunday, I said that our Missionary Coordination Meeting was difficult and Sister Nakashyawn and I felt horrible.  Then Monday (p-day) after writing you and shopping at the market, we met our Missionary Coordination Leader and Liza (his 8 year old daughter).  His father passed away.  It was so sad.  We didn't know what we could do.

 

Then we had district meeting on Tuesday (another strange miracle...normally they occur on Wed.) where we discussed what we could do.  We decided in a last minute spur decision (after our meeting) to try to find him.  We knew the funeral would be that day.  So, we called everyone in our branches.  Now the miracle...only Sister Nakashyawn and I knew about it.  Crazy!  Each call led us closer to their apartment until finally we had to call missionaries who served here.  We were closer and then we saw a large group of people carrying flowers and a brass quartet.  This was my first Ukrainian funeral.  It was beautiful.  I won't describe it because it isn't one of the happiest ceremonies in the world.  But, it was a long day.  I am so grateful for the plan of salvation.  I KNOW that we will see our loved ones after death.  I know that there is a God.  I know salvation is possible and we can achieve happiness.  How do I know this—because of faith.  Many people do not understand this word.  Faith is spiritual knowledge.  It isn't something you can see but it is something you feel.  I have opened my heart, I have desired, and I have tested my faith in order to know.  Our faith can be strengthened by the power of the Spirit of God.  By this same Spirit and feeling I have come to know that the Book of Mormon is true and that God has restored His gospel in the fullness.  Because He loves us, He wants to help us.  He helps us through directing us through prophets.  Because I know that this is true I have chosen to represent Him and share this amazing wonderful news with the world.  I know that He chose me to serve in this wonderful country amidst these wonderful people.  I am excited to share with them evidence of God's love on Earth again.  We can hold it in our hands and analyze it ourselves as we read the words of the Book of Mormon.

I wish I could express myself better, especially in Ukrainian, but in my weaknesses the Lord can do great things.

We have a lot to learn during this life, and the gospel is what we need to have success and  happiness!  It's a blessing and a wonder for sure!  But, it's true and it's wonderful!

This week we had an exchange!  I served with Sister Movchanyuk again in my first area for a day!  It was so much fun.  The temple is progressing so fast!  They are laying the landscape and removing the scaffolding.  It's beautiful!

President Steinagel said that the temple is literally directing the people of Ukraine as they already use it for directions!  (It's on I guess what you would call an interstate around the city, a crazy busy street!)

The exchange was fun.  We did service in the morning.  People in Ukraine wallpaper everything.  (EVEN THE CEILINGS!  So, we wallpapered a former investigator's house (what if I didn't put the word house?  Would you have understood?  HAHA!  I almost forgot!).  She has a large family and no money.  So, the ward bought us the supplies and we spent a few hours in the morning gluing!  It was fun.  One of her beautiful girls was watching Madagascar, so we sang with her "I Like to move it move it...I like to move it move it...I like to move it move it...MOVE IT!"  That's one movie I'm going to have to buy in Russian!  Their father is in America.

They also had a gazillion cats...kittens and they were crazy!  It was fun trying to lay out wallpaper with goofy spunky kittens flying around all over!

My amazing trainer is an excellent cook, so we had some tasty pumpkin pasta!  You'll have to try that sometime.

Then we attended a baptism and I saw some former investigators, some of them progressing others not.  She is an amazing missionary!

Well, how are the Christmas preparations coming?  I hope swell!

I love you all!  I hope the season of Christmas is in your Hearts and you feel the Love of and for the Lord!

What are your Christmas plans?  I love Christmas and I'm trying to make the most out of it here, teaching my English classes Christmas carols and playing Christmas music for church.  It's actually celebrated here in January and they have 2 celebrations!  But, We have some fun service we are doing on the 25th.  We helped some women here make blankets for a women's psychological center and we are going to sing and deliver them on Christmas day.  This is what I want for Christmas: a picture of the family.

If you can!  Have you been doing any ancestry research?

Well, our time is almost up!  So, I love you.  I hope you are having a great day!  

Have a wonderful week!

 

Love,

 

Sister Murphy

 

P.s. Sandra and will, I'm glad you are having fun root beering it up and gingerbreading men!