Hello from Brovary!!

Dear Family and Friends! 

HELLO FROM BROVARY! I feel like anytime I write Brovary, I just need to put a little heart right next to it. This little city is just so CUTE! I can't even handle it. I just feel like it was made right for me. We are emailing from the church right now and I look out the window to a TRACK! Like 9 lane paved track, with people currently training for speed walking, javelin, discus, and running events. As I'm typing this, they are filling up the Long Jump pit with sand. I really hope I get to watch a meet there :) Right behind the track is the beginning of Victory Park. It is a huge park, with fountains, statues, a lake and so many trees and grass and people outside. We can literally walk around the park for 3 hours and never have to leave. We also ALWAYS run into people from English and Investigators and Members there, it is really awesome! 

we got some cotton candy in the park

The new branch is also so cute! There are so many families and kids! It's bigger then Suvorovsky, but not by much. The members are all so nice and sweet, they were super welcoming. Sister Winsor and I did a musical number together yesterday and it was fun. I played the violin and now basically everyone loves me. Nice perk :) Also, people in Brovary are beautiful. Seriously. And they are always out running and walking. So healthy. 

cute welcome :)

 

Also my new district is super cute! I'm again with 4 sisters and 2 elders. The elders are also Zone Leaders, so they will be on exchanges a lot. Our district is super diverse, with one elder from Germany and one sister from New Zealand. But it's really funny, because I tell members that I'm from Michigan and they are like "WOW! I've never met someone from Michigan before, that is so cool!" and then they like freak out a little. it's fun :) 

So as far as this last week goes, it is crazy to think that I was in Odessa only a few days ago! I spent my last few days there saying goodbye to all of the members. It was really sad. I even got to go into Center and say goodbye to Katia, one of my favorite people from Odessa. When we were with there, I started with a prayer, and she said, "Sister Ford, your Russian is almost perfect! I'm so proud of you!" It was a huge compliment and it built me up! I love her! We also had a really fun game night! Those last few days were so crazy, appointment after appointment! I had everyone write nice things in my friend book, so now I will be able to remember them forever! :) 

 district pictures

I finally got a picture on the CHAIR! :) yay! Last day there! :)

But at last, Wednesday night, we boarded a train and got up to Kyiv. The next day was really fun because I got to say hello to everyone there for transfers! Also, someone was going to go to the temple at the last minute, but then she couldn't, so I got to go again! I am literally the luckiest! Twice in two weeks! that is like American style! I LOVE THE TEMPLE! I got to go with all the sisters from my new district :) they are all so cute! My companion's name is Sister Winsor. She is from Texas, is 21, has been on her mission for 2 transfers less then me, and has always been in Brovary. She is cute and funny and we get along really well. She loves Snickers (frozen...) and to cook. Which is nice for me. :) I'm excited to serve wtih her! :) 

Thursday we had english. Another thing about Brovary, so many people speak really good english. So english was a big discussion group and it was REALLY fun! I loved it! We do it a couple times a week, so I am excited for it! :) We also have a great Ward Mission Leader. He is so cool. His birthday is today, just by the way.... We all met together to talk about missionary work and it was really good. They also love to index here (like Family History)! So we help people learn to do that which is really fun.

There are 3 recent converts that I have met here, two black men from Africa, and one Ukrainian that speaks english. So we do a lot in english. It is so different! I'm missing teaching in Russian. But they are all so cool and solid. Also, every Saturday, there is soccer in the morning! So fun! I still can't play, but it was so fun to watch! 

soccer on Saturday

 

This biggest difference between Brovary and Odessa is the language. People here speak in Ukrainian. It weirds me out. In church they would be going off in Ukrainian and I would try to understand but wouldn't get it all, but then they would switch to Russian and my ears would be so happy :) I promised some members that I would learn some Ukrainian, so we will see how that goes. The other big difference is here everyone is involved with Maidan. Like our members go and are there. We have another recent convert that I haven't met that is living on Maidan. So different than Odessa! 

 

So yeah! I'm really loving life! Missionary work is awesome! I know that I'm supposed to be serving here right now and I love this work! I love the church and I know that it is true! :) I love you all! 

Love,

Sister Kati Ford