Sister Kati Ford...Happily Serving in Ukraine! : 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! :)