The Forbidden Question!!

Dear Family and Friends,

It has officially been decided that I can no longer ask myself, "Can my mission get any weird-er?" Because the answer is ALWAYS yes! This week being case in point. I think that without a doubt, I have had the craziest, abnormal mission that I have ever heard of. I mean.... can anyone argue with a broken back? But then it gets crazier... Let me explain!

So Tuesday was my first "normal day" (although we have only been doing like half days, and 3/4 days, but more everyday). It was a beautiful day, with sunshine and happiness! The zone leaders came down and together we had a little meeting and then did some finding together. Sister Lamoreaux and I role played the first lesson with one of the Elders and after asked for feedback. He started blushing and then said, with a SUPER red face, "Sisters, when you smile, it just makes me so happy. If you smile to your investigators there is no way they won't notice something special about you. You two have something special, I don't know what it is, but I can see it in you." It was probably one of the best compliments I have gotten in a long time! So sweet :) Then we did a finding activity. We decided to try something different, so we did it on the Word of Wisdom! Yay, so fun! :) People in Ukraine LOVE health and are always wishing us good health. So we made a poster that said, "For your health" - it's a common saying here, and carrot cake, banana bread, and oatmeal cookies. Healthy, right?!?! haha! It was fun! I sat down the whole time and so it wasn't that bad on my back.

 first day out! Our health table! 

 After that we went home and I rested and we got ready for KYIV! Woo-hoo! We were so excited! We packed all our bags and headed to the train station to catch our train. Our train didn't leave until 11, so we met with the Zone Leaders and the District leaders at McDonalds (It's right across the street from the station) and waited for our train. It was only 10 of us, headed up for training and a leadership meeting. Then finally we got on the train, and went to sleep (or tried to...haha). We had heard some rumors about trouble up in Kyiv, but had still been told to head up!

 

On the train, we were taking this pic right 

when we found out that we had to go back. 

 

Now maybe you are wondering how this turned out. Well... the next morning we woke up, and were getting ready. Finally we were about 15 minutes away (we had already passed the temple, you can see it from the train tracks) 

 as close as we got to the temple!

when we got a call from the APs (missionaries that help our Mission President). They said there was going to be a conference call in 2 minutes. So we called on the call and President Klebingat told us that the mission conference and the leadership meeting had all been cancelled. Then he told us, on the train, to get into Kyiv and then buy the first train tickets back to Odessa. So that is exactly what we did.  We bought tickets back, waited in the train station for 5 hours and then got on a train back to Odessa. While we waited in Kyiv, we went to KFC 

 KFC! YUM :) (notice I'm without nametag...) woah...

 

and Dominos... American food, got to LOVE it! :) They don't have that in Odessa. It was the highlight of the trip to Kyiv! Everything was super chill at the train station and we were totally safe! We made it back to our apartment that night at midnight, equaling about 18 hours on a train in 1 day. That is A LOT of hours haha!

The next few days we couldn't leave the apartment! Thank goodness for our 72 hour kits. 

 We ate lots of yummy food with

 our 72 hour kit! We ate well :)

I hear things were crazy up in Kyiv, but we don't really know much. The members tell us some things, but I never know if they are true or not. As sister training leaders, we would have Conference Calls with President and he would give us updates. Those were so nice, and I know that our safety was a big priority! They had several different plans to keep us safe!

Then finally on Friday night, we could go out again! Yay!!! So since then, I saw some members that I haven't seen in forever! That has been so fun to reunite with them! EVERYONE knew what had happened and they had been so concerned. They constantly were asking how I felt and how I was doing! It was so good and I felt so loved! I went and saw Vika on Saturday. She almost started crying, she was so glad to see me! I love these eternal friendships that I am forming! Zhenya, who is preparing to serve a mission saw me on Friday night, and ran up to me and gave me the biggest hug that I have ever received in my life (at least in Ukraine). Someday I'll tell him that he can't really give sister missionaries hugs like that...But it was so sweet!
They all just missed me! Some of them in their cute Ukrainian way. "Sister Ford, It is good that you broke your back, because now you are skinnier.." umm... ok... "Sister Ford, I have a friend that gives free massages." umm...no thanks... "Sister Ford, are you walking now?" umm... can't you see that I am? haha they are so cute! Ukraine has such a sweet culture!

Yesterday I went to church for the first time in 5 weeks! (Hello inactive sister missionary!) But they put me right back to work! I played to piano, gave a talk, and did part of a spiritual thought. I spoke in church about trials and was able to share about how I have learned about grown from breaking my back. I shared a quote about how the gospel provides peace and comfort during any type of trial. Our knowledge about the Atonement blesses us and gives us the ability to endure through trials. And then, when we have a tetsimony of the Atonement, we desire that others have the opportunity to learn of it as well! It was so good!

Then we had a spiritual thought after church before the desert hour. We spoke about missionary work and how everyone has different talents but all together, we can work together to bring about much good. We showed the "I'll go where you want me to go" video from Hastening the Work of Salvation Broadcast (http://www.lds.org/training/wwlt/2013/hastening/members-and-missionaries?lang=eng#media=) and talked about how the little things bring about something GREAT! :) It was so good! We had a Returned Missionary that came up to us after and said that it was отлечно which means awesome! It's a huge compliment coming from an Ukrainian! :)

My back is doing good! Still painful, but everyday I can do more and more! I'm grateful for a great companion and great doctors and members!

So I'm doing really good! I'm happy and SAFE! Pray for the people of Ukraine that they can work together to solve their problems! Have a great week! HAPPY BIRTHDAY ZACH! My brother is getting so old! Have a great day tomorrow! :) Read your scriptures and say your prayers!!!!

I LOVE YOU ALL! Happy March this week!

Love,
Sister Kati Ford

I'm Free!!!

Dear Family and Friends,

HELLO WORLD! Yes, I'm actually here at the email cafe, typing this email! After lots of discussion, we decided that email would be a good time to see how sitting, standing, and walking feels. And really, it feels not too bad. Just a little bit of pain, and a lota bit of discomfort, but my spiderman floatie is helping me out :)
This week was so interesting! Monday and Tuesday, I was in quite a bit of pain. But then Wednesday I woke up and the pain was almost completely gone! It has been almost all the way better since then. Starting on Friday, I would sit up a little bit or walk around the apartment, and yesterday, we even went on a walk around our building! It has been such a MIRACLE!!! Seriously!
Hopefully it just keeps improving! I am so ready to work and to find and teach and baptize and love and all that! And go to church. (I haven't been in 4 weeks- does that mean I am less active?!?!? hahaha) I am also so excited to go up to Kyiv (although it still stresses me out a little bit) and to go to the leadership meetings and the mission conference! And, oh yeah, Sister Lamoreaux and I will be going to the temple!!!! YAY! I can't wait! :)

I don't know that I have a lot to say this week. I just did a lot of studying!

 lounging around.

 I studied a lot about temples and I think that I want to go to every temple in the world. I don't even know if that is possible but I would love to try! At the very least, all of the temples in the United States :) One day this week we planned out a WHOLE BUNCH of temple trips... hehehe :) I don't know, maybe I could turn the trips into a famous blog of something. Who knows :)

 

С днём Святого Валентина! This week was also Valentine's Day! Yay! So fun! We had a really fun day! Sister Lam made heart-shaped pancakes and strawberry smoothies and that was way fun! We texted and called everyone to wish them Happy Valentine's Day! We made cute little Valentine's Day cards for all the sisters in our zone! It was such a fun, love-filled day! 

 

 heart shaped pancakes :) 

Cute Valentines that we made! :) 

 

We did another exchange with some sisters! It was so fun! We talked a lot and ate some yummy food and it was just so fun! It's been really interesting  being on bedrest because I get a really good opportunity to ask all the sisters about "how they are doing, emotionally" and then we get to talk about them and their growth as an individual. One of the sisters called it "reverse psychology" because I'm the one laying on the couch/bed and they are on the chair! But I think it is really good to take time and think about the sisters individually and I felt like it really helps them!

 yay for another fun exchange 

and awkward exchange picture :)

Sister Lamoreaux and I have had a really special experience in our apartment. We have spent a lot of time there together, and what could have maybe resulted in feelings of tension, impatience, or contention never did. We both were blessed to see this trial as an opportunity to learn and to grow. As we studied, and studied a lot, our love for the scriptures and for the word of God grew so much. There was always a strong spirit in our apartment, and at times the Spirit was so strong that we couldn't put what we were feeling into words. It made me think of the scripture, "Where 2 or 3 are gathered together in my name...behold, there will I be in the midst of them".(Doctrine and Covenants 6:32). I was so aware of the guidance and promptings of the Spirit and felt so much love for everything and everyone. We had a member walk into our home yesterday, and over and over again she kept mentioning the Spirit and how she had never felt the spirit so strong anywhere else. I know that Sister Lamoreaux and I can take that Spirit and use it to bless the lives of the missionaries, members, and investigators that we are working with! 

Yummy oatmeal cookies! :)

 

Can I just add a little plug for the importance of reading your scriptures and saying your prayers EVERYDAY???? Anything less then that is NOT enough! It is so important to have that habit and to watch your life be blessed from those "little things"! It may be hard, but it is a must if you want to have the Spirit with you and if you want to be really, truly HAPPY! :)

cute old companions and pictures. We gave us each 

a food. Mine is pasta sauce. 

and then it got cute when 

we could see it through the picture! 

 

Yeah, Ira came over last night to see me! It was so fun! She is the cutest! She told me that when she gets her mission call (anytime now...) that she is going to have me read it FIRST! Before she does! I can't believe it. I may be just as nervous as when I opened my call! Wooo! It should be really soon! Oh, I just love Ira! Another member, Isaac made me promise that I would be healed before his call came. So hopefully nothing else happens.... 

Ira and I! Yay!

 

Well...I'm happy and healthier :) I'm going to have A GREAT WEEK this week and I can't wait to tell you all about it next week! 

I LOVE YOU ALL! :) :) :) :) And I'm so happy to be out and about again (At least a little bit)  Have a great week!

Love,

Sister Kati Ford

Dear Friends and Family

Dear Friends and Family,

Happy P-Day! And happy Valentine's Day Week! I hear that Ukraine loves valentine's day- although since  I haven't left the house, I don't really know. Also from the view out my window the snow is melting. It is very possible that I could miss all of the winter -simply watching out the window.

I'll start with my back update. Last Monday, I went back & met with the Doctor again. He was concerned about the swelling that is still around & the pain so he prescribed some more medicine (including a super pain pill. I'll explain more about that.) He also taught me some exercises to do & told me to start doing electromagnet therapy. Hopefully I will start that today. He also prescribed 2 MORE WEEKS IN BED! I'm starting to wonder if I will ever leave. Everyone pray really hard that it will stop hurting!! Next week, I have a mission leadership counsel up in Kyiv and there is also a Mission Conference. They are all after I'm "off" bedrest so we are planning on me going. I'm not sure how all that will work out, especially because sitting is especially painful. Maybe the air mattress again?!? Haha just kidding. I'm not keen on having more members of the Seventy meet me on an air mattress. But I'm praying that my back can really start feeling better - and soon!

Let me explain about my super pain pill-it's for when the pain is bad. I took one Thursday. Oh my goodness, there was no pain. AT ALL. It was kind of confusing, especially the next day when the pain came back. But it worked. Now it just leaves me to wonder what is inside that magical little pill. Too bad it's written in Ukrainian. Hmm...

As far as other exciting news regarding my back, we got permission for sisters from our branch to come visit me! yay! Several of them said that they would come this week, I'm so excited :)

This week was transfers. I said goodbye to Sister Kelly, but since we are still in the same area, I've seen her everyday. I also said goodbye to Sister Hunt & Lee who both went up to Kyiv. I'm so grateful for the opportunity I had to serve with Sister Kelly. She is an awesome missionary & I learned so much from serving with her! She is already doing so much good with her new companion. We welcomed in a new district leader. His name is ELder Lindsey. He seems nice. There has been a lot of changes for the branches in our mission. The biggest being that branches will have an Elder in the branch presidency! They called Elder Martineau to serve as the 2nd counselor in our branch. COOL! I wasn't expecting to ever serve in a branch where a missionary was on the stand. It's so neat to work in a part of the world where the church is so new. We get to see first hand everything grow and understand a little bit more about the struggles & blessings that the early pioneers of the church had.

Exchange party with sisters

Also Sister Lamoreaux and I are officially companions! She is an angel & deserves an award for taking care of me. We are now living with just the two of us, so she has done a lot caring for me. I'm so grateful for her & her sacrifices to help me. We have had great studies together as both of us are hungry for gospel knowledge. I know that noone will be able to stop us when we finally get out and working. We will baptize the whole world. Seriously :)

This week was good in so many ways. I had a lot of good studies and we had a really great exchange with some sisters. But it was also hard in some ways. I'm really missing "missionary work" (as in normal missionary work) and in some ways, I feel bad for keeping others inside as well. But I know that I need to be resting. I just want to be better already! This is really helping me learn patience- the Lord has a reason why all this is happening and I am so grateful for all that I have learned so far. The Lord has blessed me so much. Maybe I can share just a couple of the lessons I have learned. I think they can boil down to four things:

1. No effort us wasted "Even when people do not accept...your service and words are evidence of God's love for them and may plant seeds that future Missionaries will harvest (PMG pg170) "And herein is that saying true, one soweth and another reapeth" (John 4:37)

2. The Lord has a plan for us. It is a perfect plan for our eternal happiness.

3."The tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom He hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty..." (1 Nephi 1:20)

4. The power of small & simple. "Behold, I say unto you, that by small & simple things are great things brought to pass...and by very small means the Lord...bringeth about the Salvation of many souls." (Alma 37:6-7)

These few things became very manifest to me through some experiences this week. The first story comes from my taxi ride to the Hospital last week. We got in the taxi and headed to the hospital. Our taxi driver was so cool. After offerring us candy to break the ice we had a great conversation with him. It was very natural & friendly. At the end of the trip, He waited for us to take us back (more than an hour). Sasha (taxi driver) was so nice; he drove slow to be nice to my back. We were able to give him a Book of Mormon. That experience touched me because first of all the Lord blessed me with the chance to share the Gospel, even on the way to the hospital. Second of all, the Lord does work through small means. All we did was give him a Book of Mormon and bear testimony of it. But we started the process for him. If he reads the book, it will bless his life in so many ways. It might take years, but we gave him the chance to find eternal happiness.

The second story comes from Sister Eivanook. Do you remember her? She is an old less active lady that we would meet with. She passed away this last week, giving me a lot of time to reflect on God's plan for us. I know this life isn't all and that she is in a much beter place, free from her physical & mental struggles. I felt so grateful for the chances I had to relieve some of her struggles for a moment through Hymns and the Spirit. I know that the "small and simple things we did for her blessed the last months of her life".

I had my first exchange as a sister training leader. The exchange went really well and I was just blessed to feel so strongly that I was using my talents to help the Sisters. It's hard to feel super helpful from my bed but during this exchange, I was able to share ideas and help uplift the sisters & talk with them. It was a tender mercy from the Lord that I was able to feel useful. I also felt strongly that uplifting the sister is a way that I can lift where I stand (or lie) while I am hurt. So that was a big blessing for me.

Just bummin

soup

The last story was the miracle of my week. The sisters that came to do the exchange were from Center where I served in addition to Suvorovsky during my first two transfers. We got talking about the branch and the people I worked with while I was there. I learned about how two of the less active women that we found are active and helping their families and friends learn about the Gospel. Then they told me about Nina and Vlad (Do you remember them? The mother and son that came to stay with a member?  Сгеу 11 year old that wants to serve a mission?) The sisters told me that from what they heard, the Missionaries found them in their little village & THEY WERE BAPTIZED and 2 more of their friends were baptized! What a blessing to see some of the fruits of my labors! My little effort to help the Lord in his work has helped people to come unto Him! I feel so blessed to have played a little part in their coming unto Christ. It fills me with so much joy & happiness that my heart is about to explode. The scriptures that talk about "how great shall be your joy" for helping people find the Gospel has had an increased meaning the last few days. I just feel so blessed!

I know this church is true! It blesses people and makes people happy! The Lord lives & He loves His children! I'm looking forward to my back healing so that I can tell everyone about this Gospel! I'll just close with 1 more scripture, "Yea I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in His strength I can do all things" (Alma 26:12)

It's true! All of it!

I love you!

Love,
Sister Kati Ford

p.s write me :) 

 

Part of the letter that Sister Lamoreaux sent to me about her and Kati!!

 

Sister Ford and I have had a lot of time to talk and to learn and grow together. I know that this transfer will be an amazing and uplifting one for me. Sister Ford and I both truly have sincere desires to grow in our scriptural knowledge and begin the quest of becoming a "gospel scholars". I have been so impressed with her and her dedication to study as she is set back right now with this trial. She is consistantly studying and reading, more than any person I have ever seen or heard of who is on bed rest, "resting"! Her mind is continually producing questions and she searches the scriptures and we talk about many gospel principles and doctrines. I feel so lucky to be her companion right now as I have so much of a desire and thirst for the gospel of Jesus Christ as well. We have much to do and I just know how we will be able to lift each other as we both have the same goals!

Just yesterday as I spent the day inside with Sister Ford, we watched talks from General Conference, discussed the scriptures, wrote in our journals, talked about how we can better help the Sisters in our zone, etc. and as all this was happening I wrote down things I wanted to study and ideas that popped into my head. I kept thinking to my self, why cant time slow down! There are so many things I want to study today and I feel like there is not enough time!! My spiritual cravings for more of the gospel motivate me to study, study, study. AND I am inside all day today, how can the time seem to go faster than ever before??

I am learning and my eyes are being opened to a different level of knowledge about this gospel. Many of the conversations between Sister Ford and I end with one of us saying, "the church is just so true" "it is forever" "the gospel is so real"! I dont know how else to describe how amazing this gospel is besides that it is changing my life forever, more than I even thought possible. I started reading your book about scripture study, and with this weeks letter, Sister Ford and I will have a great week talking about learning and growing:) I am so excited!

 

Number Game

Dear Family and Friends, 
Happy February! Did the groundhog see his shadow? Does his decision affect the winter here in Ukraine? These are serious questions... I'm doing pretty good. But...I think I'm going crazy! I haven't left the house in so long! I seriously haven't left this bed! My back better heal quickly! To give you all an idea of what my life has been like, I thought I would share some numbers: So this 1 sister missionary has 1 broken back and 1 dislocated tailbone. Due to that, she hasn't left the house in 12 days, or 294 hours, or 17,640 minutes or 1,058,400 seconds. Of all those seconds, she has been lying in bed 98% of the time or about 288 hours. (The other time is spent showering and brushing teeth). She has been TIRED, so has slept for 117 hours. This 1 sister missionary has talked to the mission doctor(s) (there is a new one now!) 5 times this week, President Klebingat 1 time, and Sister Klebingat 3 times. Everyone is just checking up on me and my injured bum! This 1 broken sister had 1 awesome district meeting in her apartment. The 5 other missionaries are awesome, especially the 2 elders who made 2 grocery runs for us, as well as visiting 12 different pharmacies to refill my medicine. And then we have the 3 amazing sisters who have done 27 exchanges so that I always have a companion. They have made me 36 meals in bed and refilled my water bottle about 84 times. The medicine is crazy! This 1 sister has worn 12 medicated patches for 144 hours total. The total number of pills? 102! The sisters have been teaching a lot this week and everyone is still really concerned about my condition. I received 17 phone calls from concerned members and the sisters estimate that they have been asked how I am doing 75 times. What does a sister who has 288 hours in bed do beside sleep? Well--this sister has read 8 Liahona magazines, Jesus the Christ, 7 Teaching of President of the Church books and parts of Preach My Gospel, Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, and the Book of Mormon in Russian. That's 3,959 pages of reading total! In addition, I have memorized about 35 sayings/references for scriptures or Russian sayings, wrote 54 pages in my journal, and sang 80 hymns! I've read the first 150 words out of the 10,000 most commonly used Russian words and 3 chapters out of my Russian grammar book! Some random numbers. The doctor and Sister Klebingat told us to buy a donut floatie thing. Hardest adventure ever. It took 5 missionaries, 3 days, 6 members (including members of the Odessa District Presidency) and 10 stores to find! But now I am the proud owner of 1 spiderman floatie! Also we found 1 walker in the storage room of our apartment. The elders thought it was so funny. I've listened to 805 songs on my ipod, 6 hours of general conference, and watched 4 hours of church movies. I've been so BUSY! It's been crazy! In addition to all the things that can be counted in numbers, there are a whole bunch of things that can't be counted. Those include prayers from family and friends--both here and there. Thanks. That includes the increased testimony I've learned about prayer, obedience, and faith from all my studies. It includes the tiny tender mercies and miracles that I've still seen everyday. It includes all the ways that people have offered to help. And, of course, the "bummer" jokes. Those can't be counted because they happen ALL THE TIME! So although my back and bum hurt (and sometimes they hurt so bad), I'm happy! I'm healing and I promise that I'm taking good care of myself! Everyone is so helpful! I'm so blessed! I love you all! Stay warm! Hugs and Kisses
 Love, Sister Kati Ford
 ps--sorry this isn't super long, my life isn't super exciting.
 pps--also, tell everyone to keep emailing. It doesn't look like I will be able to leave my bed again this week, so I'm going to be REALLY bored next week! Also, I have ties so expect a package soon