3 AM Train to Lviv

Sometimes is seems like preparation day was yesterday, sometimes a month ago. This time it feels like it was quite a while ago. We've had quite a bit of rain recently, but today it's sunny. The most significant thing that happened this week was meeting the Klebingat family. About half the mission met in Lviv on Wednesday to meet the Klebingat family. It was a great experience. I could feel the Spirit witness to me that the Lord has truly call them to serve here and Jorg Klebingat is meant to be the President of the Ukraine Kiev Mission. They have 3 children, Katja (17), Daniel (15), and Alexander (10). It is awesome to see the love and fun they have in their family. I want to have a family of my own like that. (Just with more kids.) It was really interesting to hear the story of how President met his wife, Julia, and how they've seen the hand of the Lord in their lives. I love everything he talked about. He didn't talk about numbers once that day and he really talked about faith and individual commitment to the work. That's really what it comes down to, all of us doing our part individually. I can tell that they love me and I already love them too. I've been praying for them for a while now.

To add to the great meeting, Lviv is a beautiful city. The rain cut out for long enough for us to go around and see a couple things. It was a good time. Our train times are ridiculous out of this city. We left at 03:00 to goto Lviv and got back about about 04:00 the next day. Oh well, we deal with it.

The rest of the week was fairly uneventful. We had a total of 2 lessons this week. That's not good. It's tough to keep up teaching skills when you don't have that many opportunities to practice. The work goes on though. I know that this is where I'm supposed to be. I'm trying to qualify for miracles and to get better at working with the Spirit. My Russian is getting a little bit better, one day at a time, but is still far from perfect.

Recently I heard of a dialogue. "Hey, how are you?" - "Great, thanks." - "Good choice." I really love that. It is our choice whether or not we will be happy or whether or not we'll have a great day. If you're not happy, why are you choosing that? I want to remember that and I'm working on applying it in my life. Sometimes this is a good place to practice. We manage to have quite a bit of fun as we joke around nonetheless.

I just found a quote: "Throughout history, nations have been able to survive a multiplicity of disasters, invasions, famines, earthquakes, epidemics, depressions, but they have never been able to survive the disintegration of the family." The latter is happening here and really the country's not doing that well. Sometimes I feel so sick of the evil I'm surrounded with here. I'm sick of the immodesty, immorality, alcoholism, and smoking. I'm sick of the corruption and dishonesty. The members here are an extreme contrast to most of what is seen around here. Meeting with the members is always the best part of any day for me. I love them so much. They are so strong to fight what they're up again.

Sorry for the somewhat disconnected email. I know that God lives. He loves me. Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the world. Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God. I love this Gospel. Thanks all for the support. Be strong.

Love,
Elder Jonathan Mahoney

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