The Power of Twins Week 4

Dear Family and Friends and Everyone else, 

I don't even know where to begin this week because I have so much to say!  I will start with discussing my debate over what to title this email...Wow, that sounded intense.  But anyways....

Option 1: I'm sick of being poked by drunk men on Marshootkas (Buses)

This was an option but it seemed a little too negative, and my week was to positive to have such a negative title.  Plus I thought maybe it would freak out my mom.  but seriously, it's annoying.  Everytime I get on the bus, some drunk man pokes me in the arm and tries to talk to me.  And mostly just to me!  I have never seen someone poke Sister Busch.  Ever.  She attributes it to the fact that I am a "Viking Princess". (More about that below).  But anyways...I just smile sweetly and say, "ya ne panemyoo" (on a random side note, it is really hard to write in Russian, but with the Latin alphabet) which means "I don't understand".  and then get as far away from them as I can.  But it is all part of the craziness of Ukraine.  and I love it all :) 

Option 2: With Love from the Viking Princess

So in the MTC (missionary training center, although there is a phone company by the same initials in Ukriane.  My MTC waterbottle makes me a walking advertisement for the cell phone company!),  They give us a book with common phrases and words to know.  It is called the TALL book.  One phrase in the book is "Who are you, by nationality?".  In the MTC, we all thought that was kinda a joke.  We didn't think people actually came up and asked that.   BUT, they do.  All the time! People come up and guess our nationalities all the time.  It is so funny.  Conversations, go like this:

Me -- "Hello, My name is Sister Ford and this is Sister Hunt and Sister Busch"

Random Russian -- "Hello,  Sister Ford you are from Norway, Sister Hunt from Russia, and Sister Busch, you are American" 

Me -- "Umm...ok..."

All the time. And we get different countries all the time.  Sister Hunt has recieved, Russia, Ukraine, Romania, India, Mexico, South American, and America. I've recieved - Norway, Ukraine, Russia, Ireland, England, Finland, Dutch.  I've actually never recieved America.  And Sister Busch gets American.  everytime.  Without fail.  It is so funny! 

But back to the Viking Princess.  Someone said, "you look like a Scandinavian.  Like a Viking Princess."  So that is my nickname now.  Anytime any creepy man creeps, or drunk man pokes my arm, it is because I am a Viking Princess. Obviously.  :) 

Option 3: Registration

So in Ukraine, you have to be registered.  In the country, in the city, in our apartment.  It's kinda a big pain.  We get phone calls and they are like, 'You will be here tomorrow" and we are like, "Ok" So we did that this week!  And by tomorrow I will finally be a legal citizen in Ukraine- well...visting citizen.  But it was joyful this week filling all that stuff out because we had to do it, ourselves, in Russian.  It may not seem that hard but when your address is Longjarovasky or something like that, it takes forever!  But it was an exciting Ukraine experience! :) 

 

 

Option 4: Things that just don't happen, Happen in Ukraine

This is a truth statement.  Several times a day, I look at Sister Hunt and say, "Did that really just happen???" Whether it is someone riding hanging off the back of the tram, the cats everywhere - dead and alive-, the dances in the park on Weekends, The neighbors and what they say to us, the amount of people that can fit on one bus (20 seats - 50 people, no big deal).  They are so crazy, but I really seriously love it!  I just want to bring all my friends back and show them all the reasons that I love Ukraine!  and the People! 

Option 5: Exchanges! 

We did a sister's exchange this week!  It was so fun!!! Sister Leavitt came and I learned so much from her.  In fact, let all of you know that my official guess for next transfer is that Sister Hunt and I serve with her, here in Center.  Just a guess...  But we had a great time!  We taught some good lessons, ate some ice cream (something we don't do very often around Sister Busch, see below) and really felt the Spirit strongly.  :)

Option 6: I prayed on the Marshootka. 

Someday I will be famous for this.  haha just kidding...but kinda serious.  Missionaries rarely pray on buses with people.  But you know, we do what the Spirit says :).  And it was great.  I was on this Marshootka, and a man poked me (sound familiar???) and started to talking to me a little.  I said, "sorry I don't understand" and then he started speaking in english.  He told me all about how he wanted to improve his life, stop drinking, stop smoking, have a better relationship with God.  So I gave him a Book of Mormon, invited him to English, and just talked.  It was so cool.  we said a prayer with him, blessing him to find time to read the Book of Mormon.  He told us about how he misses his family and we explaned eternal families.  It was so fun.  When we got off the bus, he looked out the window and waved to us.  It was so cute :) We will see if he can find time to come to english or meet with the Elders!!

Option 7: Sister Hunt and I are crazy...

So...Sister Busch doesn't eat sugar.  Ever.  Weird, I know.  She misses out on all the good deserts here -- and trust me, there are A TON! They have ice cream on every street corner, for less then a dollar American ususally!  It's a great deal!  I get these chocolate ice cream cones that are amazing!   Plus chocolate and cake and pie and yum...so good! :)-- But anyways, Sister Busch doesn't eat it.  So one day, Sister Hunt said that she  wanted to try no sugar. And I was like, "No way, there is too many good desserts here and I'm only going to be here for 16 months" and Sister Hunt was like, "Let's have a competition to see who can go the longest without sugar"  And I like competitions, which is why we are now not eating sugar.  Hopefully it doesn't last too much longer haha :) I miss my ice cream and chocolate :) 

Option 8: The magic of weekly planning

This week we had a GREAT planning session.  We set some awesome goals, made great plans, and are so EXCITIED for this upcoming week! I can't wait to email next week and tell you about how great the week was!  Because seriously, it will be great!! I know it :) Expect miracles next week! Although we've already seen some as the results of this planning! :)

Option 9: The Power of the Twins 

This is the one I picked.  Everyone calls Sister Hunt and I the twins.  So whenever anything exciting happens, it is because of the twins.  This week we even did an member split and Sister Hunt and I were by ourselves.  We saw miracles, because of the power of the twins. :) 

Option 10:  Greenie Grace

This was the second runner up.  This refers to the miracles that the Lord showers upon new missionaries.  I mentioned up above that Sister Hunt and I were by ourselves.  Thanks to the power of the twins and greenie grace, I have a great thing to share....

WE SET A BAPTISIMAL DATE!!!! 

So...her name is Natasha.  And Sister Hunt and I did it without Sister Busch. Crazy, right!  The Lord blessed us.  Here is the story, Sister Busch stayed in Center to go to church and Sister Hunt and I traveled to Suvorvsky.  By ourselves. When we got to church, Masha, a member, leaned over and says, " I brought an investigator, you have a lesson set up with her after church" and we said, "ok!" So we meet with her (Natasha) after church and discover that she has met with the missionaries before but was dropped because she wasn't willing to change all aspects of her life.  But recently, she felt like something was missing.  She realized that she wants to change her life, make correct choices, and be baptized.  And we  were like. "ok" and like asked her if she understood what she wanted to do.  And she was like, 'yes!" and we were like "Ok we can help you!" and she is like, 'Can I be baptized on July 6th?".  and we were like, "oh yeah! We can work towards that".  And then she left and Sister Hunt and I looked at each other and said, "Oh my, did that really just happen?!?!"  And it did!  This is real life! 

We were so excited!  We were like jumping up and down and such... It was an awesome moment when we told Sister Busch, she didn't believe us.  hehe :) 

In our mission, when we set a date, we get to call President. So we got to call him too!  And then a text gets sent out to the whole mission.  So it was a party last night because we kept getting texts saying congrats.  It is way fun :) So I know the Lord is blessing us because we are trying...even though we don't know Russian and are brand new :) We are meeting with her again tonight and I am excitied :) Pray for her and that she can have the Lord's help in overcoming all she needs to for baptism :) 

 

 

 

This week I saw the Lord's hand in my life so often!  I love being a missionary and serving him!  I know that the Lord is hastening his work at this time and I am so blessed to be a part of it! What a blessing to be in Ukraine! People here are accepting the gospel and I am so blessed to be an instrument in his hands! Pray for the missionaries (that they can learn the language especially), pray for the members, pray for the investigators.  I know that your prayers are helping me and I am thankful for them! And lastly, share the gospel with your friends! This is a GREAT message!  It makes me so happy and I just want everyone to know about it!  Help the missionaries! 

Love you all, 

Sister Ford

Oh yeah--- If anyone is writing me, from now on, send letters just to Kati Ford.  No sister in front.  That makes them take longer...Also, letters sent this week will make it by tranfers :) Love y'all! :)