New Transfer!!!

Dear Family and Friends, 

Today begins a new transfer! I'm excited to get to work in Suvorosky! I hope all is well for all of you! School is starting now...study hard! BYU has their first game this weekend, or so I hear! I'm cheering for them from Ukraine! :) 

 

 On my exchange with Sister Gillespie and Hunt! 

 

(My last day with Sister Hunt! I miss her so much! I was actually homesick for her this week! But I saw her today so all is good!) 

This week was so good! It was crazy because it was transfer week, but it was still really good! I spent a lot of time with various companions in various appartment because my new companion, Sister Nielsen was up in Kyiv sending Sister Busch home! Like HOME! AMERICA! So that was weird. But it was fun being with other sisters. One sister in our zone is Sister Gillespie. I hadn't really gotten the chance to get to know her super well but we were together for a few days. Turns out that we are RELATED! What?!??!? It's kinda random and long, but there. (Her mom's cousins and Lance and Heather Clyde...) We made the connection while riding on a Tram.  We were so excited but none of the Ukrainian people around us understood. 

 

 Saying goodbye to a less active member, Riasa

This week was also crazy because every morning and every night we travel an hour to get to our area. It's a lot of time on buses. Today my bus hit a car. That was unfortunate. For how crazy they drive, it's a miracle every time we get off one alive! :) 

 

 

 house sandels. They are a thing here. The sisters have them in their new apartment. I need some! haha

Everything has been splendid so far, at least as far as our companionship. We shared a room in the MTC so it is fun to be back together. We used to joke that maybe we would serve together and now we really are! So I'm happy about that.

 

 Walking to my new house. I only saw the outside though and couldn't take a pic! NEXT WEEK though :) 

The branch in Suvorosky was so happy to learn that they will have sisters all the time. I was told by several members that they have work for us to do! So I am so excited to help them and to help people there come unto Christ! We were able to meet with the Relief Society President this week. We told her that this transfer we want to focus on serving as much as we can. She gave us people to serve in the ward and then asked us, as a service to her, to try and think of a new and creative Relief Society Activity idea. We suggested doing a Question and Answer Discussion on how to be a good mother, and she loved it! It was fun being at church and hearing them announce that activity for the middle of September!  If anyone has any good activity ideas, let me know!! 

 

 and when we didn't have keys or a phone and I needed to knock on the door! Don't look down, 

it's like a 20 foot drop! All was good. And now we have our own keys!

Another goal that Sister Nielsen and I have is to do a creative finding activity every week. The one we tried this week was a Free Kompot table. We thought it went pretty good. We discovered that if the elders did the table with us, then no one would come up and talk to us. However, if it was just Sister Nielsen and I, people would come up and talk and we would be surrounded by people who wanted to talk to us. We discovered that people, once they discovered that we were missionaries, were more interested in talking about the church then the free juice and would often leave with a Liahona, Book of Mormon, or Pamphlet, but no juice.

 

 

 

 US going shopping this morning with SIster hunt and Gillespie. 

We headed out to 7k again! Still just as sketch haha :)

Something that I have become aware this week is the reality of the gift of tongues! I am serving with a sister and combined we have been learning Russian for less then 8 months. Yet we can go talk to people and invite them and teach them! We have had great lessons this week, and I know it is the Lord blessing us! He LOVES me and will not let me fail! :) The gift of tongues is real, otherwise I would not be able to be doing this work! 

I don't have very much time today, we went shopping this morning so now I am in a hurry but I love you all! I'm so grateful for all that you do! You are examples to me! Do missionary work! Enjoy school! and work...if you don't go to school. and home too! Enjoy everything! 

Love Sister Ford!

Transfers!!!

Dear Family and Friends and Everyone!

Happy Transfers! Well...maybe only for me! This week we got transfer information for the new transfer that begins next Monday! The good news is that I am staying in Odessa! But I am not however staying in Center and I will no longer be with Sister Hunt or Sister Leavitt. Instead I am OPENING a new area (Suvorosky) and finishing training a Sister that came in last transfer! In mission talk, I am "whitewash opening with a trainee". I'm a little nervous because I don't know very much Russian and she doesn't know very much Russian, and we are opening an area where Sister have very rarely worked, but I know it will be great! The Lord will bless us, I know it! 

It's going to be a little crazy though because our new residence in Suvorosky will not be ready for 2 weeks so I will be living in Center (in my apartment now) for awhile and riding a bus everyday for an hour! But when it is ready, we will be living in a HOUSE! Like a real house. And the Elders that found the house told me it has a swimming pool! CRAZY! Not that I can use it...but anyways. I can't wait to see it! 

My new companion is Sister Nielson. Sounds familar?? It should because we were MTC roommates! And we did splits a couple weeks ago! And now we will be together! She is from Cali, older then I am ( but only by 2 months). She is cute and I am so excited to serve with her! She was also trained by Sister Busch, so we have that in common! 

Speaking of Sister Busch... we said goodbye to her yesterday! She finished her mission! She leaves Wednesday morning to go to America! I can't believe it! It is crazy! I feel like I was just with her and now she will be gone! So crazy! 

It's been a lot of goodbyes this week, Sister Busch and also all of the members and investigators in Center. I have been thinking a lot about goodbyes and have become very aware of the fact that during my mission, I am making eternal friendships. The members I interact with, the companions I serve with, the investigators I teach -- These are important friendships and relationships that I am forming. I've been made aware that these relationships are special, so I wanted today to introduce some of my friends to you! 

 

This is Adele. Whenever I hear an Adele song from now on, I will think of her. She is the member that told me that my Russian was too bad to pray. Awkward. It was my goal all transfer to learn enough Russian and improve my accent enough so that I could talk to her and she would actually listen. I figure my goal was accomplished because she told me that she enjoyed my testimony (that I bore yesterday in church) and that she would miss me. 

 

This is Valia. She is so cute. She has been a member of the church for 15 years I think and is so strong. Her sons have served missions. She was always willing to help on lessons. When I said goodbye to her, she told me that she thinks I will serve in Center again. I hope she is right! She loves Sister Missionaries, and was always sweet enough to ask about our investigators so that she could pray for them!!!

This is Mya. She is a darling old lady. We did service for her, and after that she was always willing to help us on lessons and finding less actives. We would go over to her house and talk to her and she would help us with our Russian. So nice! One of the best things I heard this transfer was when she told me that my Russian was getting so much better! :) 

This is Yawna! She is one of the less actives that we have been meeting with this transfer. We met with her on Monday and she told us that the care that we showed her helped her decide that it was time to return to church. Her daughter, Veka, also has been coming back to church! It is so great to see her at church everyweek now! 

This is Yulia. She is an Returned Missionary and one of my favorite people in the WORLD! She helped me so much! She helped me with the language and just always encouraged me! She was so sweet and bold! I learned a lot about how to be a missionary from her! She was always willing to help us. She also talks REALLY fast.  They use kisses for greeting and wipe where they kiss and then wipe their lipstick off! :)

My miracle of the week! This is Olga! Last transfer we met her, but then her phone number stopped working. This week, she got on the same bus as us and RECOGNIZED us and asked to meet! It was so sweet! I was so happy! :) We've met with her twice and yesterday she stayed for church and stayed after for the lunch and then after that for a Family History Course. We asked her if she wants to be baptized when she learns for herself that this message is true and she said YES! I am so excited for her! :) She has a darling son, Pasha! We are teaching her again (probably my last time) tomorrow! 

This is Ira! Ira is the relief society president in Center. I don't know why, but she LOVES me! Seriously! It makes me so happy! She helps us on lessons and is so nice and sweet! I think she will be one of the people that I miss the most. She is always looking out to help other people and does so much to help everyone else! I love her! :) 

Sister Hunt, Leavitt, and Busch. My companions so far. I have been blessed with great companions. I seriously can't imagine not knowing these girls! I can't imagine not talking to them. Although we hardly have known each other, I feel like I have known them forever! My companions and I have formed friendships that will last forever, the rest of our lives and beyond! I have been so blessed in that aspect! 

This is Neonila. One of our investigators. This is her on the way to a baptism that we went to. She is a character. She also has a crazy dog! But although she isn't really interested in the gospel, she always calls to check up on how we are doing, which is sweet. Scary moment of the week- when we were walking to the baptism, she just stepped out in front of a call, it almost hit her. Thankfully it didn't!!!! 

Sister Katia. I love this lady! She gives us referrals and feeds us Borsch. She told me she would come anywhere to help me if I needed it! She was always happy to help! She also wants to meet my parents (maybe on a trip to Ukraine...hmm...) She loves missionaries and always had referrals to give! I love her! She has such a strong testimony of this gospel! I was blessed to get to know her! 

Ukraine had great members of the Church here! What a blessing to be serving here! 

Also this week, we went to a mommy and child picnic! It was so fun and actually was with people from my new branch! I can't wait! :) 

 

 Typically ukrainian cat. Those are my shoes. 

Saying goodbye to City Park, with my ice cream :( 

 

 sister hunt and I matching

 

me and butterfly 

 doing service!

Love you all! Have a good week! Make friends with your missionaries! 

Sister Ford <3

ZONE CONFERENCE!!!!

Dear Friends and Family!

This week was Zone Conference! It was SO awesome! And not to be too crazy, but we found out that we will be having a MISSION CONFERENCE in a month! Which is awesome because I LOVED zone conference! I'll tell about it in little bit...

But first, this week was good! I am happy and healthy! It is HOT here, but the leaves are falling off the trees, which leads me to believe that at some point it will cool off! Who knows! 

 

ice cream with sister leavitt! Happy birthday!

This week we were crazy busy with exchanges and with zone conference! but It was good! On Tuesday, I was on an exchange with Sister Busch! Remember her??!?!?!? She goes HOME, like AMERICA HOME, in 9 days! Just over a week! I can't believe it! I'm going to miss her. So it was AWESOME to spend a day with her! We taught a couple lessons and we also just got to talk. I've thought a lot this week about how STRANGE it is that the church throws 2 (or 3) random people together, in a random country, for 6 weeks...and expects them to survive! And not only do we survive, but we become like BEST FRIENDS. strange. But REALLY awesome! What a blessing in my life! 

I also went on an exchange this week with Sister Goncharova. It was so fun! We went out searching for one of our less actives...

 mapping out less actives...sister leavitt thought this was "so darling"

 

we ended up walking like 10 miles. I felt kinda bad because she fell asleep during dinner. Poor girl. But that night, we met with Nina and Vlad for the last time.  :( Sad. 

 nina and vlad before they went home! :(

 

Before they left we gave them the pictures that we took. They gave us their address so I hope I can write them! It will be my language study! :) On their last day here, Sister Goncharova and I showed them the Ukraine Temple Video (watch it!- Liza is in my branch!) and we also talked about the Plan of Salvation! There was a really sweet spirit. We talked about how we can feel the spirit on our own by reading the scriptures and praying! It was aweosme! Sister G (Sorry, getting long to type!) and I also started a conversation on a bench with a lady named Oxcana. She was so nice! She was going to come to church yesterday, but had something come up, so we are going to try and meet with her this week! I REALLY hope that I can meet with her again! She really does love me! I called her on Saturday night and she was SO nice and sweet! So that was exciting to talk to her! Pray for her!

Thursday and Friday I was back with Sister Leavitt. But it didn't last too long, because on Saturday, Sister G. finished her mission and went home. She had to leave before the transfer ended because she had "Bookaviel". It is a big youth conference for everyone in Ukraine. It is basically just like EFY and this is only the 2nd year. It is a huge thing for the youth of the church here! They go all year without seeing many members and they look forward to this conference all year! I hear great things about it! But anyway...sister G left, so now Sister Hunt is back and we are trio for the next 2 weeks! It is going to be so good! 

 Also, because sister hunt and I and sister leavitt are back together, I went to suvorskey, where natasha is! Remember her?? She is doing great! A member moved in with her and... wait for it... they are living the mission schedule!!! They study every morning, separate and together. She is reading Preach my Gospel, she has a missionary planner, she is participating in church and it is her desire to help the missionaries every day. She talks to people about the gospel all the time! I am so proud of her :) Isn't that awesome :)

Saturday... ZONE CONFERENCE! I had no idea how much I would look forward to zone conference! basically it is like Christmas! The night before, we were so excited! We were like dancing around and planning what to wear and yeah....it was fun. Then the next morning, we got to go to the church, have interviews with President, see our mail! 

 MAIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOVE IT !

 

(Thanks everyone that wrote me, You are so nice!!!!) , and we even got ENGLISH LIAHONAS! -- so exciting! then we got to study for a little bit, then we had zone conference! 

President Klebingat talked a little bit about the signs of the 2nd coming, then we talked about our goals as missionaries, exact obedience, Russian, memorizing scriptures, our calling, and normal missionary stuff. Then we also got to hear President's conversion/life story. It is crazy! I don't have time to tell you all of it, but seriously it could be made into a movie! It could even be a romance because part of the story involves him selling his car to use ALL his money to fly from Idaho to New York to propose (using a 10 dollar ring) to a girl he had met less then a week ago!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Which, in case you were wondering, is Sister Klebingat today :) How cute! But basically, I learned that my mission president is like the coolest person in the world and this awesome leader! I am so blessed that he is leading and guiding me here! I know he is called of God!! 

Also, after Zone Conference was great because I got to open my letters and packages! Seriously, thank you so much! Y'all are awesome! I am so blessed! Seriously, the elders kept coming up to me during zone conference and saying, "Sister Ford, Congrats!" And I would be "for what?" and they would say, "the most mail!" and I would smile. :) It was a blessing! ;) 

sister hunt and I in a taxi! 

So I love you all and I am happy to be here serving with all my heart, might, mind, and strength! I love you and I am praying for you! Be happy! Enjoy the last bit of Summer! :) The church is true! I know it is! Do missionary work! ;) 

Sister Ford

 

 more birthday!

 

 last lunch pic- ALL THE sisters came

the menu!

Happy Birthday Sister Leavitt

Dear Family, Friends, Loved Ones, 

This week was EXCITING! Sister Leavitt turned 21 and like most missions around the world, we got the week off. We took a Black Sea Cruise and tanned at the beach most of the week, but also flew to Paris for a dinner. It was so exciting and relaxing! I am so...TOTALLY JOKING! :) But seriously, it was her birthday this week! It was on Saturday! But we celebrated today. We went out to lunch with all the sisters from our zone! We picked a really cute sidewalk cafe.  It was so cute! And the food was SO GOOD! Sister Leavitt and I are also planning on buying some ice cream later today to celebrate also! And maybe doing a little bit of shopping if we have time!

 

I don't know what this is, she was having computer issues and this is not the 

picture I am sure she meant to send. 

 line at mcdonalds

But the day of her actual birthday was crazy! For some reason, we were so blessed to have 4 lessons! That is so busy! We had 2 lessons with investigators and then one with a potential investigator and then one with a less active! The day was so crazy busy! Our first appointment, we were going to help our investigator clean her floors. So we go to her house (Neonela) and she sits us down, pulls out a piece of paper and says, "Girls, I already cleaned the floors because I have this list of questions. So now we have 2 and a half hours to talk about Spiritual Things". oh my. That's a long time! But we had a really good gospel conversation! But after her, we quickly grabbed a birthday lunch and then headed to our next appointment. Another appointment we had that day was with a less active named Yawna and her daughter Veka. We took a member with us and just talked to them. We invited them to church the next day. After that appointment, we had to hussle to make it home on time. When we were on the bus home, Sister Leavitt had her wallet stolen! So that was a bummer way to end the birthday! But overall it was a really good day! 

So anyways, back to the beginning of this week. This week we had ANOTHER enxchange. I went to Illyschascov with Sister Nielsen! 

 ice cream on exchange

It was a really good exchange! On the bus back to their apartment. I sat next to this old man. We had a really long conversation. It was so funny! He asked me where I was from, why I was there, and then how old I was. When I said 19, he said, "I once read an article about a 19 year old in Africa that married a man that was 106 years old. I'm only 88, so I'm sure it could work". Haha So awkward. When I told him no, he offered his son. Also awkward. When I didn't get off on the same stop as him, he got to the front of the bus, turned around, and in a loud voice says, "Goodbye Katia - in Russian obviously" So funny! (BTW- when someone asks me my name, I almost always say Katia, the Russian version of Kati. So much easier to understand!) So that was a funny moment of the exchange! 

 Even in Ukraine... Will and Kate in the Soviet Times

One of the best parts of the exchange is that we went running down to the beach the next morning. It was beautiful! I wish I could've taken my camera with me because the sun and the water and the sand was beautiful! Sometimes Ukraine is such a pretty place! 

Another great part about the exchange is that I got to see a less active that I met with during one of the other exchages. We talked for awhile and then after, she told me that she didn't want me to leave because she liked talking to me. It was really special to feel like I would be missed! 

 MONEY rent and MSF... not as much as it looks

The other major thing that happened this week was that I was sick. The night after our exchange, I went to bed. Then in the middle of the night, I woke up and was freezing. So I grabbed my winter pajamas and put them on and then got back in bed, but was still like shaking and shivering! And it went on all night, with me not being able to sleep. Finally I pulled out my thermometer, to discover that I had a temp of 102.3! Opa! So I have been recovering from that. It really wiped me out for a day but now I feel so much better! 

my new shirt

Ok...now for the HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK!

The first would be the less actives that I mentioned, Yawna and Beka! They are a highlight because they came to church on Sunday! And the branch was so happy to see them and help them feel included! It was SO happy! 

A major highlight would also be Vlad and Nina, the mother and son that are here with a member. We taught them a couple times this week. They are AWESOME! One time we taught them, we showed them the Lamb of God! they loved the movie and expressed the desire to show it to their friends. So tonight (their last night here) we are going to give them all the movies that we have, so they can watch them and so they can show their friends! I am so excited :) we also gave Vlad his very own Preach My Gospel! It was so cute! We wrote our address and our emails and they promised to write! I hope they do because I will be so sad when they leave! 

The member that Nina and Vlad are here with is named Katia. She sends this message to my parents, "tell them that I love your daughters. Thanks so much for letting them be here. They are doing good work. I love them. Thanks for raising them to be so awesome." She is a sweetheart! She would definietely be someone who I would want my parents to met! :) 

Another highlight would have to be Laressa. She is a lady that loves the priesthood and general conference, but hasn't been baptized yet. We are trying to help her realized that she is ready and worthy to be baptized! So pray for her! She is a super sweet, humble, old lady. It is so much fun to meet with her!

The Colvins also fed us Dinner yesterday for Fast Sunday. It was basically the best meal I have had since coming to Ukraine! Enchiladas! YUM! I miss Mexican food sometimes! :) 

Also there is so much to look forward too! We have ZONE CONFERENCE this Saturday! Also, mail will come (first time this transfer) on WEDNESDAY! I can't wait! :) 

Love you! Write me! Pray for me!

Sister Ford