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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