September 27th

Hello Grandma and Grandpa!

Well, I guess I have to start counting now too.  Only 15 more days left.  Scho take?  That isn't much time!  I have to get busy!  But, the Lord is filling up every day with miracles, and I am enjoying every second!  I love Sister Carpenter!  She has been sick and has not complained as I have dragged her sometimes without food or eating, better to say scarfing our lunch in 15 minutes - knowing well, that we would probably not eat until we got back at 9.  Poor thing.  Oh, I made borsch all by myself!  I made her sleep, so she actually had a few minutes to recover!  We normally eat lunch at 11 right before we go out, so we don't have to waste time going back to our apartment.  


So, I don't know what to say, I guess I'll be at church on Sunday.  Oh, I do want to go to the temple.  Can we go like the first day I get back?   I haven't been in quite a long time, AND I would like to go before I get set apart.  Is that possible?  I hope so!  Isn't it a blessing that we sacrifice to go to the temple!  I love every opportunity that we have to "sacrifice" for a blessing.  Because, we get way more out of it.  We could have a nice road trip!  What do you think?  I'll drive!  Oh, wait, I think my licence is expired. Well, I'll use Sandra's; she doesn't look quite like herself now anyways.

So, about those pictures on the board, I hope they are good pictures...If you know what I mean.

So, I probably will miss out on Conference this year.  ...I guess I'll read it.  Currently I am listening to Women's conference, but I won't get to listen to all of it.  

I suppose I can tell you about some of the miracles that happened this week.  Well, krim toho...besides the 12 lessons that we planned in vain...we still had many great lessons!  One was with a lady named Z...!  She is a great lady who we have had the pleasure of comforting her and using the Book of Mormon to invite the Spirit into her life so that she can feel the love of God.  She is very sincere, and we had a great time sharing our testimonies with one another!  

We also had some amazing miraculous breakthroughs in reactivation efforts.  I have been calling a lady almost once a month since I've been in L'viv...so maybe about 4 times.  Well, every time I call - she is not very pleasant and either hangs up or says...I don't have time...click.  Very nice!  Well, Saturday we had a great day working with less actives, and I decided if making phone calls were impossible why not go visit her.  It was a really fun adventure!  We wandered through parts of the city that maybe missionaries have not been for many years!  I felt like a pioneer.  We had many good contacts and even helped served one lady named A....  She recognized us right away as Mormons and had a complete change of heart.  It was great.  We carried her groceries back to her house.  She had a very big, nice dog.  There were actually many very "nice" dogs in this part of the city.  One even did some pretty tight somersaults as he barked and jumped and not only scarred us but a really large floppy-eared rabbit.  Well, we finally made it, more or less unscathed, with a bag of smachno cookies we bought from two really nice ladies who were really excited to meet us!  Well, Lecya came to the door and asked:  "Who invited you?"  and well, from there it only got better!  I'm glad, because if it got worse....she had two big holes already dug.  :) She didn't invite us in, but we talked about her past year - her husband passed away.  We talked about the gospel, and I told her how the gospel can fill holes (see above - it was a good analogy) in our lives that we aren't even trying to fill.  We even somehow managed to make her take the cookies!  We talked about the temple and what it really means for us.  We asked if we could serve her - fill her holes (literally!).  She is repairing some pipes.  Told about the branches.  It was fun and then we left!  And we were friends.  I was grateful for the excitement of that day...and then we did one more stop-by and found a great family to teach!  What a blessed day.  

Well, Sunday came - I love Sundays.  I love this branch - even if they cannot decide if they want me to stay or go.  They thought yesterday was my last Sunday, and I was super glad that it wasn't.  But, they said they love me, and they would find me a great Ukrainian man and all I had to do was stay.  I said...well, I won't tell you what I said!!  I told them I trusted them, but I am excited to see you, so, don't worry!  

Well, Sunday (after church of course) we had a few bumps in the road, but we didn't give up and actually changed our plans in the end - to just go out and find someone.  And, we did!  Her name is Lena!  She has a beautiful 4 year old daughter, and she and her husband read the proclamation to the family before the evening was over and even called us back before we could call them.  I love this work!  I love that the Gospel is for everyone.  We just have to move forward always.  Don't just settle, don't just be satisfied - search for more.  Be thankful, of course, but keep progressing!

I wish I could share with you everything...but...there are only a few more minutes left!

But,  I love you.

I love the Lord!  

I love this work!

I love Ukraine!

I love Sister Carpenter!

I love L'viv!

I love Borsch!

I love babies!  And I love that I'm going to be an Aunt Soon!

Well,

Have a great day!

Love,

SIster Murphy