You'll Never Guess Where He's From

It feels like it's been a really long time since I last wrote, but it's been the same as usual. Haha. It's weird how time works sometimes.

Last week started off with my companion leaving on Monday night. Then I was with Elder Jacob Hofeling on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. We had a pretty good time together. On Tuesday night we had English practice. Our mission doesn't do English practice anymore like it used to, but in our city now we are kinda teaching the Gospel in English and it's pretty fun. Members and investigators come. After the English we had a lesson and everybody stayed but one guy. Elder Hofeling speaks Ukrainian so I'm learning a lot more Ukrainian than Russian here. He turned the time over to me to talk about the First Vision. Honestly, it was the first time in a long time we've had a regular 1st lesson. It was awesome to be able to share that. I could feel the Spirit testify as I quoted Joseph's own words. I know that it is true. God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ truly appeared to Joseph Smith and Christ's Church has again been restored to the earth.

We got a referral from the Branch President a few weeks ago and met with her again this week. Her name is Inna. She has an 11 year old son named Pavel. She's a great woman. She's smart and she has tons of faith. She understand a lot of principles already and she prays morning and night, but she's looking for truth. She doesn't have a job though and she just does whatever she can to get money, mostly buying and selling things. She doesn't ask for anything, but sometimes she tells me about how hard it is. She just wants to help others and provide a good life for Pavel, but she can't even get enough money for food. She says her son's hungry. Pavel's eyesight is bad and she can afford to get him glasses because he just breaks them. It makes me sad to think about it. I just want to help, but we're doing what we can. Please pray for them.

On Thursday I found out my new companion and at 3 AM on Friday morning the two new Elders for our area arrived. Elder Johnson is serving with Elder Hofeling now and I'm sure that nobody has imagined who my companion is. I am serving with a mini-missionary now named Elder Lesley Davis. He is from... Ghana! Mini-missionaries are just locals who fill in for a short period of time when we don't have enough full-time missionaries. Elder Davis is 27 and he's studying medicine in a city called Ternopol here. There's an English university there, so he doesn't really speak any Russian or Ukrainian. He's actually trying to learn Ukrainian, while I'm a Russian-speaker. He's been in the country for almost 2 years. He lived in England for a couple years and then came here. I wouldn't be surprised if I'm the only missionary in Eastern Europe with a black companion. I have never seen another black person in this city. It's interesting how people stare at us even more than normally now. His Dad is a stake president in Ghana. It's definitely an interesting experience. We've already eaten a couple different Ghanain dishes and I'm learning some cool stuff. I love him. On the otherhand, I really have to just step it up. I'm the only one who knows what's going on, so I basically just have a tagalong. Everything is new to him missionary-wise. He didn't know that schedule at all. I'm grateful for his sacrifice to serve. It's really getting me ready because I'll probably train next transfer. It's funny that I'm serving with a companion now that is less prepared than most missionaries on their first day. It'll actually kinda be a relief to have a greenie in some ways. Haha. Missions are so cool and this is an interesting turn of events.

Our new mission president Klebingat will arrive on Thursday. Probably next Wednesday I'll get to meet him in Lviv. That's what I heard, but I'm not sure. I'm excited about the change. Soon it'll be a Ghanian and a Canadian serving under a German mission president in Ukraine. I love the Gospel. I know that I was called here by a prophet of God. Thanks for all the love and support. Please pray for us.

Love always,
Elder Mahoney

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Old Ukrainian Castle Adventures

One more week spent in the former Soviet Union. The weeks are pretty good at disappearing. I think I say that just about every week, but it continues to be true. My mind has just kinda gone blank. This area is kinda crazy with all the exchanges. My companion was gone from Monday night to Thursday morning again. We got 2 new investigators this week. One was a referral from the Branch President. She has some good potential and I hope we can set up another meeting with her soon. The other was a woman who lives in a rich community. We met her husband walking around out there and we came back. The 2nd time we came back she let us in. It's the nicest house I've been in here in Ukraine. 9-foot ceilings and real hardwood floors and stairs. She gave us some homemade apple juice which is super delicious. She's not super interested, but she's really nice and she read most of the Restoration pamphlet we gave her. She said she'd read the Book of Mormon. I want to meet her friends. I know that it how the work needs to be done here. We need to make friends and grow our circle of friends.

Things changed a little from last weeks email. Natasha and Anya's baptism actually didn't happen. They both feel really good about the Church and everything they've learned they just started having some doubts about being baptized so soon. They're also afraid to tell their families. So we're still working with them and I'm sure they will be baptized in not too long. They have both burst in to tears while reading the Book of Mormon and had many other spiritual experiences, so it's just a matter of time now. Just hopefully not too much time. It's understandable that it's even tougher to join the Church here with only like 7 active members. I hope they can see some of the members in Kiev soon. Please pray for them. They're really cool.

Random thought: I read a cool quote in a talk recently, "If at first you do succeed, try something harder."

My companion is going home in 2 days. He'll leave for Kiev tonight and I won't find out if I've going to Kiev for transfer meeting until tomorrow. It's still possible, but they might just send the 2 new companions out here on their own. It's going to be and interesting period of time. I'll be on exchanges until Thursday, then I'll have a new companion. Next week well have a new mission president!

Today we took a taxi for over an hour to a castle in Kamyanets Podilska. It was pretty neat. I'll try to upload some pictures soon. Missionaries haven't gone there for a year or so. I like to do things that people don't usually do.

Time is running out. The Church is true. Our team wins in the end. Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the world. I know He lives. Thanks for all the love and support.

Much love,
Elder J. Mahoney

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The Mess-Up-Your-Fridge Button

Well, to start the week off with had a meeting with Elder L. Whitney Clayton and Elder Larry R. Lawrence and their wives, right after I wrote last week's email. It was a great meeting. Elder Clayton just stood up and opened the floor to questions. The entire meeting was just open and each of the leaders and their wives took turns answering. It was pretty powerful for them just to welcome and question and handle them so well. I must say again that the wives of these General Authorities are incredible. They speak with such power and they are all so wise. I want a wife like that. Elder Clayton talked about how priliveged we are to be serving in the country while the Church is still in it's infancy here. He talked about how we are laying the foundation for tremendous grow that will follow. When he went to Peru 40 years ago as a missionary there was 1 stake. Now there are 94. Now there is one stake in Ukraine. It's going to be incredible to see where it's at in 40 years. He told us 3 things to do: 1 - Know the doctrine; 2 - Master the language; and 3 - Overcome the fear of man. We definitely all have things to work on.

On Wednesday morning we were back in Khmelnitskiy. That evening we were observing how our fridge wasn't all that cold. I suggested we try to turn a dial or something. Elder Hafen investigated and found a button which he pressed, at which point the fridge stopped running. We went to bed hoping it would be fine and the kitchen welcomed us in the morning with a sizable puddle of water. Apparently said button is an irreversible defrost button. It wasn't until all the ice had melted in the freezer that it turned on again about 12 hours after pressing the button. I think all of our food survived and the freezer is a lot cleaner now, but I don't think I'll be carelessly pressing buttons in fridges in the future.

Other significant news: 2 girls that one of the zone leaders and I found are getting baptized this Saturday! Their names are Natasha and Anya. They're both 22 and they are elect. The approached us and we've seen them almost everyday since we met them. They come to all the activities they can and they already have testimonies of the restoration and the Book of Mormon. They even cancelled their vacation for the baptism. Natasha studied to be a singer and Anya studied psychology. Natasha is already directing the music for sacrament meeting because the girl who used to just left on a mini-mission. It's incredible to see people's lives change. They both said that they think they'd be interesting in serving a mission. I'm very excited for them. The work is interesting as you get to see miraculous lessons once in a while and then you have hours of rejection in between. I know that blessing will follow our work. It's awesome to be a missionary. I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am grateful for all the prayers and support. Thank you all.

Love,
Elder Jonathan Mahoney

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We're Here to Help

Missions have a lot of ups and downs. I feel like it wasn't a super eventful week. I've been having trouble with my attitude recently. I've been dwelling too much on the negative things. Yesterday I heard a powerful testimony of a missionary about to got home. He talk about how he has seen the people here suffer, how he has seen the pain in their eyes, the emptiness. He talk about all these people have gone through and where they are now. Then he said what we should all be thinking: what these people need is the Gospel. We are here to help them. The message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is what will change their lives for good. Even though on average I think our mission probably talks to close to 2000 people for every one person that gets baptized after running some rough numbers, it's worth it. We represent Jesus Christ in this country, in our respective cities. If Jesus Christ himself were here, even though he would be laughed at, spit upon, harassed, yelled at, etc, he would not give up. He would continue to live a perfect example and he would spend his days in the service of others. That's why we came here. That's what we need to remember.

I was reading in 3 Nephi this week and something really hit me. I've been thinking about it quite a bit. In chapter 7 we read about Nephi having seen angels and hearing the voice of the Lord. He ministered with great power and authority. He "testified, boldly, repentance and remission of sins through faith on the Lord Jesus Christ." He ministered with such power that "it were not possible that they could disbelieve his words." He performed many miracles, including raising his brother from the dead who had been stoned to death by the people. It was not possible for them not to believe him. They knew his message was true, but still they were angry with him. Even after all they had seen, "there were but few who were converted unto the Lord." In his first year preaching, but few were converted. These are the first years of the Church is this country. The people are angry. They are hardhearted. But there are some who are ready and it will be said of them too that "as many as were converted did truly signify unto the people that they had been visited by the power and Spirit of God, which was in Jesus Christ, in whom they believed." Even if there were nobody ready here, we are here to be an example of the believers, to literally represent Jesus Christ.

These people need help and I have what they need. I'm sorry for being less than what I should be. I pray for the strength to press forward, to love the people and to serve them. I want to be here. I want to do as the Lord commands. I love Him and want to be like Him. Please pray for all the missionaries around the world. This is a marvelous work.

Our Branch President in Khmelnitskiy is awesome. The Area Presidency here has asked leaders to read the Book of Mormon 3 times in 2011 and President Megega is already reading it for the 4th time. There are amazing leaders in the Church here. It's an honor to be counted as a saint among men like this. We actually have 4 baptismal dates in our District for June. I think there's a good chance that they will all happen. Even though we've been privileged to work with some great people we have very few people to work with so you have a good lesson and then you have a whole day where you need to just do things to try and find people and it can certainly get discouraging. I'm trying to be more creative here. The way to these people is through their friends. It is very strange in this culture to just approach people you don't know with no connection to them. The results show that trying to do that yields almost nothing. Most people that get baptized basically come up to us. We need to work through the people to get to their friends. If they aren't ready it's okay, they can still introduce us to their friends. That's what I want to get good at. It will be fun and it will be effective. President Steinagel says, "If you're not having fun, you're not doing it right." If anybody has any other ideas for how to make the work fun, I welcome them.

Yesterday morning I got on a train at 04:00 to come over to Kiev. The whole mission gathered yesterday evening for a Family Home Evening with the Steinagel family as they will be leaving in about 3 weeks and a new Mission President and his family will replace them. It was so great to be around all the missionaries and to hear the testimonies of 14 missionaries going home in less than 2 weeks. Today we will have another meeting where President L. Whitney Clayton of the Presidency of the Seventy and President Larry R. Lawrence of the Europe East Area Presidency will address us. I'm excited for that. Then tonight we'll get on a train home at midnight. I love being a missionary. I am very grateful for all the prayers and support. This Church is true. Jesus is the Christ.

Love,

Elder J. Mahoney

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Sweaty Bus Rides and Baptismal Dates

Well the week started off with a sweaty 4 hour bus ride to a city called Zhytomer on Monday night were we stayed until Thursday morning. I went over there for exchanges with one of the Zone Leaders, Elder Hofeling. It was pretty good. I ended up serving both days with Elder Reynolds from Florida. He's Ukrainian-speaking. We didn't really have anything set up for Tuesday or Wednesday so we were on the street a lot. On Tuesday I'm sure we talk to more that 50 people and we got 16 phone numbers. I hope that something good comes out of that. I met some really neat people. I met a surgeon, an undercover cop, a trolleybus driver, a guy from Beruit, and plenty more. Wednesday was a tougher day. It seemed like nobody wanted to talk to us. We actually did have a meeting set up, but he didn't show up. It's interesting to see the ups and downs of the mission. So much of it is endurance. You just have to keep going, everyday, the same thing. We had another sweaty bus ride home and, even though I'd only be there for 8 days prior to the trip, it felt like coming home when we got to Khmelnitskiy.

By then the week seemed like it was practically gone. We're trying to do a lot more activities here to get everybody involved and have things that members can invite people too. We had 21 people at Church on Sunday! It was 10 three weeks ago, then 15, then 16, now 21. I don't know what the next number should be, but it's uptrending. =P We're here to build the kingdom and the numbers seem to indicate we're doing something good. One of the Zone Leaders and I met 2 girls at a book table last Saturday and they committed to come to Church. They did come to Church and several activities since then. Yesterday the Zone Leaders set baptismal dates with both of them for June 18th. I think they're both 22 years old. It's going to be really good to have some more young people in the branch. Awesome.

Things are up and down in missionary life. But overall I'm very happy to be here. Missions are awesome. They change lives. I know that this is the Lord's work. It's a privilege to be a part of it. Next week I'll be writing this email from Kiev where I'll be for a mission conference. I love you all. Thanks for everything.

- Elder J. Mahoney

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Elder Mahoney vs. International Soccer Player

It seems like I just wrote this yesterday and nothing has happened since last time. I'll see what I can come up with though.

Oh yeah, we went to stop by a less active girl on Monday night named Galya. We met a girl named Natasha who said she's been living there about six months and she thinks that Galya moved to Kiev. We talked with her for a little bit invited her to hear more about the message of the Restoration and we set up to meet her on Tuesday. She didn't show up on Tuesday and the phone number she gave us didn't work so we went over to see what happened. She said she was busy and she'd call us when she could meet. Then the next day we were talking to the Branch President Megega and he asked what she looked like. We looked at some Branch pictures and it turns our "Natasha" is actually Galya. She's the member. Kinda lame when people lie to us like that. I wish they'd just be honest. Funny story though.

In this area we have to do a lot of exchange because it's one of the most spread out zones and the Zone Leaders are the only other companionship in the District. They need to go out and do exchanges with the other District Leaders every transfer (6 weeks) so they split with us so that one person from each companionship is always in the city. Tonight I'll be taking a several hour bus ride to Zhytomer with one of the Zone Leaders and I'll come back Thursday morning. Next transfer I'll probably go to 2 other cities that are even farther. It's cool because Russian-speaking missionaries hardly ever goto one of them. I'll probably get to go to Lviv for a Zone Conference while I'm in this city too which is sweet because no Russian-speaking missionaries serve there. It's way out west.

We only had one new investigator this week. A couple week ago Elder Hafen was talking to some kids and he gave them all Family Proclamations. About a week later one of them came up to him on the street and said he read it and he likes our emphasis on families. He said he'd like to know more. We had a great meeting with him. His name's Vitalik. He's 15. Great, clean-cut young man. At the end of the lesson he prayed in Ukrainian and thanked God that he was able to find out the truth. We asked him if he thought he'd be able to make it to play soccer with us, he said he didn't think so, he knew so. We ended up playing basketball instead because the soccer court was busy. That reminds me though, we played soccer last Tuesday. I'm not a big time soccer player that's for sure, but there was this soccer trainer there with his trainee and we asked them to play with us. After like 15 minutes I went into nets which I don't usually do and it was kinda fun. That trainer was freakin' big. He's like 6'3" and he could seriously kick that ball. Kinda stings sometimes. He played international soccer before. Makes sense. Good times.

We actually should have had 2 more investigators this week, but the other companionship kinda stole them. It's kinda a challenge with 4 missionaries in one area because it's debatable who should teach who sometimes especially with so many exchanges. We were doing a book table in the park and 2 girls came up and said they were interested. They committed to come to Church and they did. Pretty awesome. We had 16 people at Church yesterday. I'm excited to keep upping that number. It's a privilege to be here while the Church is still so young.

I'm still excited about the first Stake in Russia being organized in a couple weeks. That is so awesome! I hope they come out with the new translation of the Russian Book of Mormon soon after that. I heard it might be December. I think it will help the work here. It will be more powerful.

I like this city. It's beautiful, very green right now. The people seem happier, cleaner, and a little healthier here than they did in my last area. I'm excited to be here. I love our District, probably the coolest in the mission. I also love my companion Elder Hafen. We're getting along great and we're just happy together. It's awesome. It's super nice to have a fridge. I've been eating a lot of eggs recently. It's nice for a change.

I know this is God's work. I am a representative of Jesus Christ. Everybody who can serve a mission should. God lives. Thomas S. Monson is a prophet.

Thanks for the love and support.

Love,
Elder Jonathan D.C. Mahoney

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The Smallest Branch in the Mission

I don't even know where to start this time. So, last week... On Tuesday, for my 2nd last day in Chernigov Elder Brinck and I went to the zoo in a town about an hour away with the Branch President and his wife and daughter. That was super fun. They had lions and leopards and pumas and kangaroos and crocodiles and bears... Lots of animals. It was cool. The leopards and the monkeys were really fun. A monkey grabbed my finger. One of the zoo workers also showed us that it doesn't hurt when the pelicans bite you, so that was neat. The same worker also went into the porcupine pen and snuck up behind them to grab a quill for us. He got 2 and asked if one each was enough and Elder Brinck said, "no, we need one more." Haha. I thought it would have been pretty funny if Elder Brinck was the cause of him getting attacked. He was okay though. There's also a bear there who bit off both of a kids arms a few years ago. I think they changed the caging since then. I like zoos. The seemed to treat the animals a bit better here than at a zoo I was in in Russia.

Most of Wednesday ended up being me packing to head out that night. We made our way down to Kiev and checked my bags at the train station then slept at a missionary apartment. Transfer meeting was in the morning on Thursday and I was actually in the first area he listed. I should say that all missionaries being transfered meet in a chapel with President Steinagel here and then he reads off where every missionary is serving. I have been assigned to serving a city called Khmelnitsky. It is the furthest west Russian-speaking area. The language is more and more Ukrainian the further west you go and we also have Ukrainian-speaking missionaries here. I'm serving with Elder Alex Hafen from St. George, Utah. He's on his last transfer, so I will be his last companion. He's district leader and we also have our zone leaders in this city. One of them is going on at the end of this transfer too, so I'm pretty young here and I'm the only one not a leader. Kmelnitsky has almost 300,000 people and has only been open to missionary work since 2006. It is currently the smallest branch in Western Ukraine. President Steinagel told me that we really got the work going up in Chernigov since they were worried about it before so that's why he sent me here. He said that it's a project and it's going to be a challenge.

Elder Hafen had leadership training on Friday, so we had to stay another night, then take the train on Friday night. Not too much happened for me on Thursday or Friday 'cause we were kinda on weird exchanges and nobody knew any of the Kiev areas, but we made it to the train station on time and rolled out of Kiev at about 20:30 on Friday night for the ~7 hour train ride. We went home and slept for a couple more hours and then got right to work.

On Saturday morning we had institute at the chapel so I got to meet most of the active members. It was a great class. I'd say it was one of the most spiritual classes I've had in a long time. It was so nice to see everybody so united and learning the doctrines of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. After institute there was a branch activity where we went out to the woods and made a fire to cook shasklik. It's kinda like shishkabobs. It was some beautiful meat in some kind of marinade. I thoroughly enjoyed it and got to get to know some of the members a little bit. I definitely love them already. The members are so awesome everywhere. I don't remember what else we did yesterday. Oh yeah, we got some groceries and guess what... We have a working fridge! To celebrate I bought yogurt and ate it the next day! I quite like our apartment really. It's pretty nice.

On Sunday President Steinagel actually came up to Khmelnitsky for Branch Conference with his driver/executive secretary Aleksei. That was cool. I got to chat with both of them a little bit. We have a great Branch President named President Megega here. Elder Dobry, one of the Zone Leaders, is 1st councilor in the Branch Presidency and my companion, Elder Hafen, is 2nd. Elder Hofeling, the 2nd Zone Leader, is the Elder's Quorum President. Yesterday I was called and sustained to be the Branch Mission Leader. There were 15 people at Church yesterday with 4 missionaries plus president and his driver and 2 non-members, so 7 members. It's really a privilege to be given this assignment. The active members we do have are very strong and it's going to be great to work with them. President Steinagel talk about keeping me here for at least 2 or 3 transfers too, so it looks like I'll be here for the long haul too. It's a beautiful city and I saw a lot of families on Saturday. Our Branch rents from a building on the city soccer stadium. It's above a sports bar and a night club. It's actually in the same door as the sports bar. Haha. I know we can do great things in this city and if there ever was a group of missionaries to do it, I know the other 3 missionaries here are part of it. I feel blessed to be counted among them.

My companion Elder Hafen is great. We're are getting along really well and he's definitely one of my favorite companions too. He's also clearly a good missionary too. Oh yeah, President Steinagel and Aleksei came over to the Zone Leaders apartment and we all had dinner together last night. It was really nice. Then we went on exchanges and I was on a lesson with 4 potential investigators and President helping. It was really cool. I heard the cleanest Ukrainian I've heard on my mission so far. It's a pretty language. I understand quite a bit, but I have learned more Ukrainian in 2 days here than the previous 6 months of my mission, I'd say. It'll be interesting to learn it more and more. I'll probably end up speaking decently. Today Wasn't entirely p-day because we actually had a combined district meeting today. President Steinagle was still here and missionaries from another city came too. It was a really nice meeting. We have some awesome missionaries here. I don't think I have too much more to say today.

I hadn't been in Kiev for like a month so I got a few nice letters. I'm very grateful for all the love and support. I'm so blessed in my life. I know that the Gospel is true. Jesus is the Christ. He lived and died for us and he lives again. I am happy to be alive and look forward to what lies ahead. The Church is true. I look forward to reporting further on the happenings of this city. I'm also still super excited for the first stake in Russia and I pray for the saints there. Hopefully a new translation of the Russian Book of Mormon comes out soon. I heard maybe December. That would be awesome.

Life is beautiful,
Elder Jonathan Mahoney

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