July 12

Well, Good morning!

What a wonderful way to start a perfect week of missionary work!  Hearing from my amazing family!  I love you all!  I'm excited for your week of travels!  It's been a great week!  Filled with all kinds of interesting stories...from re-writing songs about missionary work as a district and companionship...asking thoughtful questions to complete strangers...getting caught in the rain...and singing "Baptize me in the Ocean...in the sea...in the warm baths of a spa...just baptize me with authority!" (to the tune of my bonnie lies over the ocean!)  BAPTIZE is what we are working on!  We don't have much time.  THE PROPHET!  He is coming!  I just look at these men of God and I am so thankful for there unwariness and dedication to the Lord.  They are doing all they can to serve!  Me too!  Well, I'm trying!

So, we also had a missionary activity after our last branch yesterday.  There were a few who stayed and a few less who were inspired, but, I know that the gospel is true!  So, when the missionaries ask you who do you know....NEVER EVER say no one...NEVER EVER say...we've already talked with everyone.  Because, out of all the finding that we are doing as missionaries the only time we have success is when it is with the help of the members.  Well, in Ukraine...it is a whole other country!  You know that right!  It is for sure different than America...but...the principles are still the same!  The gospel is true no matter where it is placed!  Great news!

Sorry this is so sporadic...I'm actually exhausted!  We worked hard but with all our efforts this week...

well, I'll just simplify a lesson I've learned a few times during my lesson!  When you put in everything...the Lord blesses you!  Even if it isn't what you had been working on.

So, this week I felt like I called every interested person (Former, Recent, and those we just met).
We scheduled lessons with anyone anywhere!
We planned to find!
And, We planned to be bold and to baptize!

Well, we did our part!  I am thankful for the energy and the help of the Lord.  Fortunately for me and unfortunately for all those who are choosing WRONGLY we all have are agency.  (on a side note, I also make a lot of wrong choices...and make unwise use of the great gift of agency...however, I have chosen to learn about the Lord's Gospel and have CHOSEN for my OWN FREE WILL to follow it! and be blessed!!!!) 

Does that sound a little exasperated.  Well, we had great things happen!  We learned there are still 100,000 (that is a statistic I got from Will) we need to talk with!  And that we have to keep working and never stopping!  

Sister Robinson and I had a pretty fun and bold week deciding who was close and telling them...boldly...that this is what they had to do...to be happy!  I know I am just a 23 year old girl...and it might seem silly to trust me...but...I am actually a representative of Christ.  This is His message to them...it's not from me at all.  I did nothing.  I did not create it.  I'm even embarrassed that I have to be the one to share it...I am not that eloquent...I'm feeling more and more like a Moses and less and less like an Aaron every day.

But, I want to help the Lord.  I want to serve the Lord, and I'll be an instrument in His hands to share His message.  

However, I have some good endings!  Well, Sunday finally came and we had tried every lead...and were pretty much relying on the Lord for success  (as in investigators actually coming to church).  They all pretty much said no.  I sat down next to my past companion (Inna - Sister Yarova) and talked about her week and her really cute orange skirt!  No investigators.  (Insert sad face here)  

But, I love Inna!  She is such an amazing girl!  (She also gave her first talk yesterday about the scriptures!)

Well, I go up to direct the music and in walks a member with three strangers.  (Insert a look of bewilderment and shock and a HUGE smiley face)

The song ends and I begin to return to my seat when brat Volodimir grabs me and tells me to make friends!  Well, I happily sit down and try not to be too disruptive...

Basically, to make long storry short - two of the three are not members!  One is a beautiful mother who wants to learn all about the gospel!  They were found through a member in North Carolina (He is actually from L'viv and was visiting this week...but now lives in America....He found the church in New Mexico on an Indian Reservation!  He was at a stop and found "Another Testament of Jesus Christ!")  Well, he was later baptized in Las Vegas...and loves the church and has the most solid testimony I've ever seen!  He is just so certain that the church is true...he came back to Ukraine and just radiated the gospel so much he found 2 people to bring to church with him!  So, they came!  I was just floored.  The women's name is Kristina and I have never met someone as curious and willing to meet as her!  She has a beautiful 10 mo. old baby and is going through a divorce.  She is beautiful and I don't even care how many times I tell  you! 

Well, what a miracle!

THEN, we went to visit a less active member who just makes me humble!  She is an angel.  She has a broken arm and the doctor's don't know how to set it.  She's had it for at least a year.  

Well, we were reading the scripture in Romans about nothing can tear us away from the love of God and she told me that only we ourselves do it.  And I thought about how profound that was.  How many times do I doubt or let unbelief take over and forget to rely on the perfect love of the Savior?

Well, I love you!  I am so thankful for you!

You are amazing!

I hope you have a great trip!

Give sandy and will a big hug for me...but don't squeeze sandra too hard...we don't want anything to pop out too early!

Love you!

Love,

Sister Murphy