Big Changes

Time is going so fast! How is it March already? Transfers are this week. The sisters that came to Ukraine with me just walked into the internet club and they are leaving this week! Wow. I'm really happy I don't have to leave yet. I still have so much to learn. I'm sure they've already accomplished in 18 months what I will in 2 years, but I'm happy to stay. I need to catch up. Haha. I have news! President Klebingat called us on Saturday and asked to put him on speakerphone. I mentioned in a letter to him a few weeks ago that I love Chernigov and wouldn't be opposed to going back there at some point. He told us that they had already decided transfers when he received that letter, he got up to check the transfer board and they had already decided to send me back! That's where I began my mission. He told me I'm going back and I'll be training. It'll be a little bit weird because I've never been in the new apartment they have for us there and we won't have any investigators, but I do know the city. My companion, Elder Peterson will be staying here and training as well. There are 23 new missionaries coming to our mission all together this week! Wow. It's a pretty crazy transfer. There are changes in almost every companionship. For anybody who doesn't know, that is a lot of missionaries to come all at once.

I have bittersweet feelings now. I love my ward right now and I just felt like I was starting to get closer to a lot of the members and now I have to leave. I would have loved to stay at least one more transfer here. On the other hand I have wanted to back to Chernigov since I left and they want me to come back too, so I couldn't be happier about where I'm going. I just hope that I solidified my friendships enough here that they'll last forever. I love the people here and I feel like I have been really blessed with my areas and my companions. I love my mission.

It's been a great week. The biggest news was with the same woman I talked about last week, Oksana. We had a good meeting with her at a members home again and talked about Sabbath Day observance. Then she came to church with her 12 y.o. daughter Diana. It was so great. She clearly felt the Spirit and she loved it. We'll be meeting with her on Wednesday and I'm confident we'll be setting a baptismal date. It's amazing to see the gospel of Jesus Christ touch people and change their lives.

It was a really weird feeling to be in the Svyatoshinskiy ward for the last Sunday. It was a little bit surprising to me how much some people seemed to be bummed that I'm leaving. I'm bummed that I'm leaving them, but change is inevitable and I'm excited to move forward.

Oh yeah, neat story. We went to a ballet on Friday because it's been so long since either of us have done a cultural event. It was called Don Kihot. We went into were our seat was and a girl came in and asked in English is she was in the right spot. She was. I asked her where she's from and she said... Brazil! I was so happy to start talking to her in Portuguese. It was really hard to find words sometimes and I would think of them first in Russian, then a few times in Ukrainian before I could get them in Portuguese. If that didn't work, sometimes I had to try to think how to say it in French and go from there. It's going to be a real challenge to maintain all the languages I learn in my life. I'm pretty sure Russian is my 2nd language after English now. It's comin' along. I'm reading the Book of Mormon in Ukrainian now. Oh yeah, so the girl... She was here and in Moscow volunteering for 2 months, going around to schools telling them about Brazil. She had never heard about the Church before so I was able to teach her a little and give her some info. She said that she reads the Bible and prays, but doesn't go to any church. I really feel that it wasn't a coincidence that we went to the ballet that night at the last minute and sat right where she was. I hope to hear from her about her finding the Church back in Brazil. Her name is Erica. That was the first time I met a Brazilian in Ukraine, thus the first time I've spoken Portuguese in over a year.

Things are moving along just swimmingly. I feel privileged to live and serve here. I have a lot to learn and a lot of room for improvement, but I'm trying. I feel that I've left this area better that I found it and that's a really good feeling. I know that my Redeemer lives. This is His work and he's watching me and working with me. I love my Heavenly Father and feel His love toward me and toward those around me. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. This Church is led through living prophets and apostles. It's true. Thanks to all for the love and prayers.

Love,

Elder Jonathan Mahoney

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