This City's Older Than My Country

So, since last weekend was messed up, it's only been 6 days since I last wrote. Time goes so fast here. I'm grateful for all who read my last email and I can feel your prayers for us.

We've been really trying to work harder on being missionaries all the time and talking to people wherever we are. I never really stopped talking to people, but I can be better at going out of my way to talk to them. It's weird, I think that part of it is me becoming more and more Russian. I start to do more and more things they do, and talking to people they don't know is not typically one of them. I guess I need to resist some of the cultural things, while accepting some. I want to be a better missionary and we really need to find more people to teach. We hardly have anybody right now and the new investigators aren't just lining up. Times are a bit challenging now, but I feel myself stretching. I know that these times are for our good. Today in the letter from our mission president Klebingat he said: 

Nothing great has ever happened in the Lord's work without there first being a trial(s) of faith. "I will try the faith of my people" (3 Nephi 26:11) the Lord said and John Taylor has shared the following perspective from the Prophet Joseph:  "I heard the Prophet Joseph say in speaking to the Twelve on one occasion: 'You will have all kinds of trials to pass through. And it is quite as necessary for you to be tried as it was for Abraham and other men of God, and (he said) God will feel after you, and He will take hold of you and wrench your very heart strings, and if you cannot stand it you will not be fit for an inheritance in the Celestial Kingdom of God.'" (Journal of Discourses, 24:197.) But hear this: You WILL see the blessings unfold soon enough if you only learn your lessons about faith! Please my good Elders and Sisters, be missionaries and be full of faith and allow Heavenly Father to help you fulfill your purpose.

I'm sure there's something we need to learn from these tough times. I'm trying to figure it out. It's awesome to be here anyway and to be put in these situations. We're trying to plan a little multi-branch YSA activity for the end of October to get things stirred up a little bit. Almost half of the members on our list are young adults and basically none of them are active. It's fun to do things that have never been done before. I like that.

Saturday was the City of Khmelnitskiy's birthday. It is 580 years old! Wow. It was pretty cool to see so many people gathered for the different events around the city. Fun stuff. It's pretty amazing how far the history of this country goes back.

I love my Lord and I'm honored to serve Him. I'm so excited for General Conference coming up. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet and that this Church, Christ's Church, is led by inspiration, by revelation from Christ Himself. Thanks for the support. God is good.

Love,

Elder Mahoney

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.