My Branch Email-
This week was really good. I am just super surprised by how 
fast the days go by! I can't believe that in a week, I will be 
in Ukraine, sharing the gospel with people there! I can't 
wait until I'm there and can help them learn of Christ!
This week I had something hit me really hard. This is what
 I wrote in my journal, "During Personal Study today, I had 
the best study ever. I had been reflecting on how I could 
be a better teacher, when I decided to try and teach like 
Christ would. I found an article that taught about some of 
his teaching methods, such as Sharing Scriptures, Parables, 
loving them, Trusting them, asking them questions, and asking
them to testify. After I read that I was thinking about one of 
our investigators, Maria. When I was studying for her, I 
tried to use as many of the teaching methods that Christ 
would use. As I was pondering, an idea came to me to try 
and explain that Christ would help her with her burdens. 
So we came up with a object lesson explaining that because 
Christ suffered the Atonement for us, we are never alone. 
He will help us lift our burdens. We shared a scripture in 
Matthew that talked about our burdens being made light 
through him. When we shared this message with Maria, 
she felt the love of the Savior through us and through the 
Holy Ghost. I really felt like I taught like Christ would teach 
her in that lesson. My love for Maria grew so much during that 
lesson because I really wanted her to understand and feel 
of Christ's love. I realized that Christ is the perfect example 
to us, in every aspect. He was the perfect friend, perfect 
teacher, perfect missionary, perfect brother, and we can 
learn a lot by following his example. I want to try to be 
more like him in every aspect of my life."And it's true. I 
love my Savior and I know as I strive to be more like him, 
I can be a successful missionary! What a blessing to be able 
to be associated with him everyday. He suffered for all of 
us, and sharing the joy of that message is so much fun! We 
get to help others feel hope and joy, which is a HUGE blessing 
for us!The other thing that I noticed this week is how much 
I love my investigators. When I think about leaving them 
next week, I get super sad. I love them, and I just really 
want what is best for them. I imagine it will be so much 
harder once I get to Ukraine and they are real people!
So this week went by SUPER fast!! It seems like just 
yesterday I wrote home, and now I am again!!! Say What?!?!?!
I had a cold this week.  That is pretty typical, most people 
get a little sick right before they leave!  But I'm all 
good now!! :)
WE GOT OUR TRAVEL PLAN!!! YAY!! we are really leaving!































So we leave the MTC at 4:00 in the morning next Tuesday.  
We get to the airport at about 5.  We check in and then 
we can CALL HOME!!  There is no time limit and I can call 
home during our layover also!  :) Our flight leaves at 7:50 
and we fly to DC where we have a 2 and a half hour layover 
from 2:30 - 5:00 ish.  Then we fly from DC to Austria!!!  
Then we have an hour there and we fly to Kyiv!!! Our 
travel is about 24 hours!!  Fun!!! There are 18 missionaries 
flying to Kyiv, so it will be a PARTY!! or just a lot of 
sleeping, haha :)
 I will probably call about 5:30 SLC time (7:30 your time) and then at about 2:30 
DC/Michigan time.  So if you want to be prepared!! :)























This week, we weren't quite productive as week past.  
We finished our book so we have been doing a lot of 
review.  And review games.  We do a lot of basketball and 
such.  It is a lot of fun!  Also, a lot of contacting!!!  
It has been good practice! :)
















Russian mistake of the week:  So in Russian, the 
words for "man" and "car" are very similar.  Like 
one letter different.  So a lot of the time when 
we are teaching the Law of Chasity, people will 
talk about relationships between a man and a women 
but accidentally say a car and a women.  Our Elders 
did that in a lesson this week and their investigator 
was like on the ground laughing.  So I need to be careful 
about that one!!!
This week we have done a  lot of culture learning.  
It has been fun!  Russia and Ukraine have a sad history, 
so it is sometimes super sad to learn about.  But we are 
going to bring them happiness, so that is good!

















One highlight of this week was one of our lessons 
with Sasha.  Afterwords our teacher pulled us out 
of the classroom and told us how awesome our lesson 
was.  That was super exciting to hear!  We had our last 
temple walk on Sunday.  Which was sad.  I still can't 
believe that we are leaving!  Like, really leaving!  Oh boy!!!

















Our firesides this week were awesome!  On Sunday 
night, we had our first repeat.  Mary Edmonds came 
again and was just as funny as last time!  I love her stories!!  
This is one joke she told,
"One day there was a mouse with her baby mice.  
They decided to go on a picnic.  When they were on 
the way, a big cat appeared.  The mama mouse jumped 
between the cat and her baby mice and said, "Woof Woof!" 
The cat ran away.  Then the mama mouse turned to her babies 
and said, "That is why you need to learn a foreign language."
haha... I just realized that maybe that wasn't super 
funny...I thought is was... anyway... haha! :)
Oh maybe I should talk about this...So remember last 
week when my foot was all bruised.  Well...It wasn't 
getting better...So I went to the doctor and they sent me 
to get X-rays!!! I rode in a car for the first time in 8 
weeks!! That was weird!!! :) But anyways...we went 
and waited (Mom- Doc was on the TV and I thought of you 
(: ) and then I got 3 xrays and then went back to the MTC.  
The other sisters in the car had to go somewhere else so we 
drove all over Provo!  Like all through BYU and by the 
hospital and stuff.  It was super awesome to see the real 
world!!!  I loved just looking out of the window!  It felt like 
home!So anyways...got back to the MTC and talked to the 
doctor... It isn't broken...thank goodness.  But he is 
concerned about it so he gave me a walking cast.  I will 
go back and get it checked on Friday and then hopefully 
I will still be cleared to leave!  I'm pretty sure I will still 
leave but pray for my foot!! :)
















Last night was our last Tuesday night devotional!  It 
was so good! :) He talked a lot in the scriptures and I 
loved hearing his insight on common scripture passages 
and how they applied to missionary work.  I think I will 
miss devotionals the most once we are gone!!! and our 
teachers, and our district.  Basically everything!! :)
So life is good and being a missionary is really good!  
Sorry my letter is shorter, there isn't a lot to say after 
8 weeks here! But I can say that I love the MTC!  I love 
the Spirit here and I love being surrounded by so many 
different missionaries that are from all over the world 
and serving all over the world!  I love the devotionals, 
I love my leaders, I love my teachers.  It is just so great!  
Someone said that, " The MTC is a haven for those that 
make it so" and that is so true! If you have a mind to 
love the MTC, you really will! And it is seriously great!  
I think I could spend 18 months just here...except I 
really want to start teaching people and making my 
own food haha! :) And if they had Cafe Rio haha :)
I have a few minutes, so just some advice to anyone 
that may be reading this that is going to the MTC soon:
1. Take short showers.  Keep the lines short!  We 
had a sister that would go around every morning saying, 
"Girl's camp showers, not prom showers"
2. Mail is so great.  Write your missionary friends often!  
They will love you for it!
3. ALWAYS go to choir. You will not have the full MTC 
experience if you don't go to choir!! Seriously!! And go 
early...There isn't always room for everyone!
4. Do what you are supposed to do, when you are 
supposed to do it!  Sleep when it is time to sleep, 
eat when it is time to eat, and EXERCISE when it is 
time to exercise.
5. Enjoy spending the time with the other missionaries.  
It won't be long before it is just you are your companion 
alone, all the time!
6. Have a good attitude.  No one wants to listen 
to a complainer! 
7. FREE BOX!!  I know so many sisters that have 
awesome stuff from the free box.  
Just a random little secret about the MTC haha
8. Enjoy the food.  It is American after all. My 
favorites and the gyros, biscuits and gravy, and 
anything Mexican.  They also have good soup!  
and if I can eat it for 9 
weeks, anyone can enjoy it for a little while!
9. Know that you are not perfect!  No one is perfect!  
As Elder Holland said, Imperfect people are all Christ 
has ever had to work with.  Just try your very best!
10.  Love your branch presidency and district and zone 
leaders.  They want to help you!
11. BE HAPPY!  This is missionary fun, not missionary 
work! ( haha I typed that out backwards first...I'm glad 
I noticed and fixed that!)
12. Sisters, be modest.   Everyone knows where 
their knees are! They should be covered when you 
are sitting and standing!  Just be smart! :)
13. Don't be afraid to share!  Everyone get sick of 
their own clothes.  There has never been a day when 
someone doesn't borrow something from me!  It's fun!
14. Love your district!  Be friends but also remember 
that you are here to work and learn! 
15. This is where missionaries are trained!  Become 
a better missionary while you are here and by the 
time you leave, your gospel flame should be burning SO bright so 
that you can share the gospel, get rejected, and still love it! :)
Love you all!  I KNOW that this church is true!  I know 
the Book of Mormon is true!  I know that through Jesus 
Christ, we can find happiness and joy!  I love this gospel 
and the joy it brings me!  I love my family!  I love my 
friends!  Write me, before Saturday or Friday with 
DearElders!  After that, send it to UKRAINE!  Next time I email, 
I will be in UKRAINE!  I CAN'T WAIT!
LOVE YOU ALL!
Sister Ford :)