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

Monday Miracle

Another week has blown by! I hardly know what to say. I think I'll just share one pretty cool story. Last Monday we got a call during p-day. The man, Igor, said he met us about a month and a half ago and he wants to meet. I suggested meeting the next day to which he replied, "can't you do it today?" I said, "I suppose so." In a few hours we met with him. He's 36 and used to be a seaman. Three years ago he found a Bible in Russian at port in Australia. He started reading and believed. He didn't really have any idea what's different between this Church and others, so we got to explaining it. He asked, "How does baptism work here?" I explained how it works and what must come first, namely faith and repentance, then asked, "It sounds like something you're interested in?" He said, "Yes." I then simply posed the question, "Do you want to be baptized?" He again replied, "Yes." So, we had a great spiritual first lesson with him and it was a pretty sweet miracle. We haven't been able to get a hold of him since then and he didn't come to Church yesterday, but we have faith we'll be seeing some more of him. Not too many people have called us on my mission. I know that the Lord's hand is in this work. I can't think of anything else to tell about from this week, though we've been pretty busy all the time.

This is Christ's restored Church. I love it. It's a privilege to serve here.

- Elder J. Mahoney

P.S. Awesome new Mormon Message that everybody should watch, especially people preparing for missions. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoWRbNwClMs