A Fairytale

Wow. My last week in my last area of my mission is over. I honestly couldn't have imagined a better conclusion. This last week especially has been like a fairytale and I'm still having a bit of a hard time believing it. Most of it revolves around the investigator I mentioned a few times before, Sveta. So, at the beginning of the week we had already met with her many times and she had comes to several activities, including Home Evening at our senior couple's apartment, the Colvins. In our last meeting the week before we had planned to talking about a few different things including the Sabbath Day, since she'd missed the previous two Sundays due to work. She came with some concerns about a few verses in the Bible that her friend pointed out, so we ended up working on resolving her concerns the whole lesson and I think she was very comforted. Near the end of the lesson she had Elder Pace's Russian triple in her hands and she flipped it open. She then looked up and said, "That's it. I've decided. I'm coming to Church this Sunday." She opened right to D&C 59:9-10, "And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day; For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High." We had not mentioned Sabbath Day at all on the lesson up to that point. That was a miracle. She did come to Church and stayed for all 3 hours. So many miracles happened this last week that I can only touch on some of them.

On Monday, we had Family Home Evening at another member's home and afterward at the trolleybus stop I thought to call Sveta because we were standing at the stop where we had gotten on the bus we met her on. She asked what we'd been doing. I told her about the lesson. She asked what we talked about, "if it's not a secret." I told her we talked about the Restoration and watched a little video. She wanted to see it too, so I told her we'd let her borrow it. As we were walking home from the lesson, Sveta was walking home from work. We ran into her! I basically just said, "Hey, see you tomorrow." Then as she was walking away, I shouted out, "Wait." I gave her the video, The Restoration DVD, to watch. In less than an hour we received a text. She said, "I didn't think I would be so touched by it: Goosebumps and a feeling of excitement inside me. I haven't even finished watching it yet." In a few more minutes, another text from her, "Super, super, super!" We were excited too, of course. I thought about what to do and then texted her Acts 2:37-38

37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

She replied, "Thanks! Good night."

On Tuesday we had Home Evening at the Colvins'. Sveta came and we had a good time, as usual. Afterward we were walking home together along with a couple other members. I was able to walk a little bit further ahead at one point. We had been praying a lot about what to do because I knew that we needed to move on this. The conversation went to Priesthood authority, as she had just seen us give two blessing after Home Evening. I told her that as missionaries we are called to represent Jesus Christ and His Church and, "We invite you to be baptized by one having authority." She said she's not opposed to in, but she wanted to understand better what would be expected after baptism. She said that she's a woman of her word and if she says it, she will do it, no matter what. The other members split off to go home in another direction and when we got to her dorms we stopped for a minute. I told her, "We have been praying a lot about you and how we can best help you. This Saturday there will be a baptism at 2:00 PM. I know it is very soon, but I know you can be ready for that day. That is what we want to talk about tomorrow." We set up an appointment for the next day.

On Wednesday morning we met at 8:00 AM at the Colvins' apartment with another young member, Yulia. We taught her the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the final time I asked her if she will be baptized, she said, "Yes." She later told me that the words just came out of her mouth and she felt like it wasn't even her saying them. She just knew that it was right.

On Thursday, same thing, we met at 8:00 AM and covered several commandments and one after one she committed to follow them. We watched a talk by President Monson and the Spirit was very strong. She said she got goosebumps again and felt full of joy. I asked her what thoughts she had when she felt those things. She said, "I am just happy to know that there are people like me." She's already more of a saint that I am. Light attracts light. (D&C 88:40)

On Friday, at 8:00 AM again, we finished all the commandments that need to be taught before baptism and everything was just fine. The Spirit was present on all the lessons and really guided us. We reviewed the baptismal interview questions and she was ready as far as I could tell. I saw the Lord's hand make everything move. We ran into her on the street multiple times during the week. Everything lined up perfectly and she had just the right experiences, opened to just the right verses, and ask all the questions she had. The Lord blessed her so generously with spiritual experiences and confirmations that what she is doing is right. We could NOT have done any of this without Him. Throughout all of this she was calling all of her friends who sing looking for singers to do a musical number for her baptism. She invited so many people.

On Saturday morning she already came to the chapel early to iron her baptismal suit and make sure everything was ready. She had her baptismal interview. It went great. Just after 1:00 PM the service started and it was one of the greatest baptisms I've ever attended. There were two amazing musical numbers. She sang soprano herself, a member, Liza, sang alto, and two professional singers sang tenor and bass. I was also recruited to tag along on the bass for the first number, Be Still, My Soul. Then they sang Come Thou Fount as well. They are so good. Wow. I was privileged to baptized Popovichenko Svetlana Viktorovna. It was amazing. She was so happy. I was so happy. Since it was also District Conference weekend, she was also confirmed the same day. The Spirit was strong and the blessing was very powerful. We had a member, who had been on a lesson, be voice. It was all a blur. Afterward, she stay for the Institute Open House, then watched a movie with the YSA, then stayed for the adult session of District Conference. When I called her after that she was in the store buying things, so she wouldn't have to should on Sunday. She became a very active member in a day. I talked to her later that night and taught her the importance of keeping a journal.

On Sunday morning she was a little late for the new members meeting and I later learned that it was because she was writing in her journal. She's amazing. She smiled all the way through the general session of District Conference. It was such a privilege to be a part of all of this. She will be a very strong member. One of her friends, who had "warned her" about us, called her yesterday and she told her about her baptism the day before. She said, "Though she was in shock, she congratulated me, and I told her The Church of Jesus Christ is true!" I look forward to seeing her married in the temple and her children going on mission. I think she's an angel. I could not have dreamed a better ending to my mission. I have loved the whole thing. The Lord has been so good to me.

I know that this is His Church and His work. It has been a humbling experience to feel the Lord use me as an instrument in His hand. I know that I am nothing without Him. I know that with Him I can do anything. I love my Savior and His gospel. I know he wants us to be happy and He teaches us how through living prophets. It's all true and Heavenly Father is ready to tell anybody if they just ask.

Thank for you everything. I love you.

- Elder Jonathan D. C. Mahoney

Apology

Well, I'm already coming into the final week down here in Odessa. The work rolls on. During the past week I have been able to feel the Spirit many times in different teaching situations. I can feel the power and authority of my calling. We're here to call people to repentance and it's pretty awesome to actually do that.

I'll share one lesson we've taught to several people recently. We ask people about their conversion and how they came into the Church. We ask more probing questions to learn more about all the details and their feelings. Then we read from 3 Nephi 23:7-13 when Christ was on the Americas:

7 And it came to pass that he said unto Nephi: Bring forth the record which ye have kept.

8 And when Nephi had brought forth the records, and laid them before him, he cast his eyes upon them and said:

9 Verily I say unto you, I commanded my servant Samuel, the Lamanite, that he should testify unto this people, that at the day that the Father should glorify his name in me that there were many saints who should arise from the dead, and should appear unto many, and should minister unto them. And he said unto them: Was it not so?

10 And his disciples answered him and said: Yea, Lord, Samuel did prophesy according to thy words, and they were all fulfilled.

11 And Jesus said unto them: How be it that ye have not written this thing, that many saints did arise and appear unto many and did minister unto them?

12 And it came to pass that Nephi remembered that this thing had not been written.

13 And it came to pass that Jesus commanded that it should be written; therefore it was written according as he commanded.

Then we ask them if they have written down what happened with them, their spiritual experiences. We've had some powerful experiences with it. We then sometimes read D&C 6:22-24 and talk about how it is easier to remember the answer God gives us if we have written them down. One of the first verses of scripture we have after the restoration of the Church is D&C 21:1, "Behold, there shall be a record kept among you." We need to keep a record of our own personal lives and experiences.

I wanted to apologize for not writing more in my weekly letters. We are usually in a noisy, smokey internet club with limited time and usually when I sit down at the computer my mind goes blank. Regardless of how much I've written or not written, I love my mission. I have learned a lot and met so many amazing people. It has been a huge blessing for me to serve here and invite people to come unto Christ. I know that this is His Church. He runs the show. Alone I am nothing, but with the Lord I know I can do anything.

Thank you all for the love and support. The Church is true.

Love,
Elder Mahoney

Russian, Arabic, and French

This has been a pretty busy week. It's hard to remember everything that happened. First off, Sveta continues to do very well. We taught her a great lesson and she came to a couple activities.

On one day this past week we gave out a Book of Mormon in each French, Arabic, and Russian. We met a very interesting woman on the street who is on a BBC documentary called Ukraine's Forgotten Children. She talked a lot about some bad things happening to orphans and handicapped people. I will be looking more into that after my mission. She accepted a Book of Mormon and we prayed with her on the street. We then met an African from DR Congo whom I'd met playing sports. I testified to him in French and gave him a Book of Mormon in French. We had a note in the apartment that a man wanted a Book of Mormon in Arabic. We called him up and he invited us over. The address was the Islamic Cultural Center here in Odessa, so we went in and he showed us around. He's a sheikh and the imam here. It was pretty neat. Very kind man. He wants us to talk to the students there about our beliefs. He's very into interfaith relations. We gave him the book too, of course.

We also did some service shoveling for a member in another area. On another day we went and helped do some work inside for a youth center for handicapped people. It's completely funded by the people and apparently the first of its kind here. It was fun to help a cool cause like that along with a few other student volunteers.

Time is going so fast. I'm very grateful to be here and serve the Lord. I feel the Spirit witness of our words when we teach and testify of truth. It's a privilege to help people come unto Jesus Christ. This is His work. I love it.

- Elder J. Mahoney

Past the Two-year Mark

Somehow it's Monday again. I had my first and last Zone Conference in Odessa this past week. It's always awesome to learn from our Mission President and his wife.

We taught Sveta again, whom I mentioned last week and I think the highlight of the week for me was probably on Saturday. On Friday we met with her and talked a bit about baptism along with the Plan of Salvation. I then invited her to a baptism the other elders here would be having on Friday. She went to check her planner then told us that she definitely couldn't come. They next day we went downstairs from the conference to the baptism and there she was! She didn't even let us know she was coming, so it was a pleasant surprise. She didn't make it to Church on Sunday, but I called and she said she was thinking about it all day and that in the future she thinks she will make it so she has Sundays off. Things are going pretty well.

I wish I could say more. I'm loving my mission. Elder Pace is a legit companion and I'm grateful to be serving with him for my last transfer. He'll be my second last companion in life. ;-)

I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Spirit witnesses to me that it is true. I know this is Christ's restored Church. It is a privilege to testify of it as an authorized representative of Jesus Christ. He lives and He's coming back soon.

- Elder Jonathan Mahoney

It's all true.

I can't believe how fast this past week has gone by. I know that I say that almost every week. I'm sorry for the repetition, but it's unbelievable. Some pretty exciting things are happening in the branch. I'm excited. The other 2 elders in our branch currently have 3 baptismal dates and we have some good things in the works. I have pretty good hopes about a couple of the people we're teaching.

The coolest story this week comes from Monday night. We had Family Home Evening with our branch president Glukhov and then on the trolleybus home I sat next to a young woman. I could see that she was kinda looking at me and the book in my hand so I moved the book a little so she could see it better. She kept looking, so I broke the ice by saying, "What street is this? Uspyenskaya right?" She answered and then started asking who we are and why we are here. We got off at the same stop and ended up walking in the same direction a little bit. I told her more about what we do and our message and gave her a business card and Family: A Proclamation to the World. I invited her to home evening at the senior couple's apartment on Wednesday, but I thought maybe she was more interested in us than the Church. Well, she came and she's legit. We watch a little video about the Church and she was active in the discussion afterward with many other YSA and youth. She said, "I don't know about other people in the room, but I really like that in the video the people don't smoke or drink." She told everybody she wasgrateful that she came that evening. She told me afterward that she looks at people in Ukraine differently know. She said she always though before that there aren't any good people here, that everybody smokes and drinks. She said, "I didn't know that there are good people in Ukraine." Well, there are and I'm excited for her. We met with her on Friday and she had lots of great questions. We taught her about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I read part of Moroni 10:3, "I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them", and asked her what she thinks it means "if it be wisdom in God." She said, "God brought me here." We talked a little bit about baptism and she came to Church on Sunday. I'm very excited to see her progress. She's in her mid-twenties, in the 3rd year of her 2nd music degree. She's studying to be a conductor now. I look forward to sharing more good news about her. Her name's Svyeta.

I love my mission. It's a privilege to serve under our inspired mission president. He's constantly pushing us to be greater each day. The gospel is awesome and when I live it I'm happy. I'm a son of a King, a son of God, and I know that I can return to live with Him and my family through the mercy and Atonement of Jesus Christ. Life's pretty cool. Thanks for all the love and support. Please keep praying for us.

Sincerely,

Elder Mahoney

Short, but sweet update

Times goes too fast. We went down to Kiev last Wednesday, on the train all day, and picked up our new companions on Thursday. I'm happy the trainers meeting wasn't quite as long as before because it's a little boring the 3rd time. All other trainers had also trained 2 or 3 times before except one. My new companion is Elder Stuart Pace. His parents are mission president in Barcelona Spain, so he just turned 18! His sister is on a mission in Norway too. He way cool and is already doing very well at Russian. I'm impressed as are all the members. I'm excited to get into this last transfer and do work with him.

We got home on Friday night after another all day train, about 11 hours. I learned to make vareniki on Saturday. They're perogies in English. That was way fun.

I wish I knew more of what to say. I know the Church is true. My testimony keeps getting stronger. I feel the Spirit as we teach and testify. I love my mission.

- Elder Mahoney

7680 stairs.

I suppose there actually have been some pretty interesting things this past week. On Tuesday President Klebingat was down with his wife for a Relief Society meeting. On Wednesday morning he invited all the missionaries here to run. (He's a marathon runner, by the way.) I'll copy what he wrote us in his weekly letter:

"The real you - your spirit or mind – is designed to have dominion over your physical body which ideally means that what the real you says and desires is what your body should help you accomplish. "Your mind is in charge; your body is the instrument of your mind" (Boyd K. Packer, 2009 October General Conference). Just as a car can still go many kilometers even after the light has come on and the fuel gauge shows empty, so you can push your spirit and your body far beyond what you think was possible. An active – not theoretical - faith in Christ combined with a healthy dose of willpower can work miracles in your life whereas "in the absence of willpower the most complete collection of virtues and talents is wholly worthless" (Aleister Crowley). 

"An impressive display of this and the fact that "great souls have wills; feeble ones have only wishes" (Chinese proverb) was observed while I was in Odessa last week with Sister Klebingat. As per tradition, I met the missionaries for an early morning run at the top of the ominous Odessa Harbor stairs, the goal being to beat the new mission record of 15 rounds, set by Elder Shurtleff. Accompanied by Elders Schultz, Michels, Christensen, Perkins, Thatcher, Detro, Mikhailovsky, Dutton, Mahoney, and Stroud I took off believing that with time and pain natural selection would take its course and decimate the group (Sister O'Neil – WAY TO GO – joined us a little later for much of the experience!). To make a long, wonderful experience short, I was proven wrong as we all stayed together finishing 20 rounds (5.6 km/3.6 mi, covering 540 m/1,771 ft of altitude, and a total of 7,680 stairs – 3,840 up and 3,840 down)."

Pretty cool experience. President and his wife also came to our District Meeting which was fun. It's always cool to spend time with them. I got another surprise call from President on Friday. He asked me to train again for my last transfer. I was really expecting that, but at the same time I've kinda gotten used to unexpected things happening. It'll be great to serve with another new missionary. Hopefully I can help him learn something, but I'm sure that his fire will help me finish this last transfer strong. My companion, Elder Schultz is moving to another city and I'll be finishing here in Odessa.

Things are going well. I love serving here. The truly is Christ's Church. I'm learning everyday.

Thanks for all the love and support,

Elder Mahoney