I am the luckiest! :)

Dear Family and Friends and EVERYONE!

How is everyone doing? Today, here in Odessa, it is beautiful, sunny, and warm. People on the street are happy and smiling, and these two sister missionaries are just LOVING LIFE! :)
This last week was SO good. Ukraine is such a special place to serve. For the first time since January, Sister Lamoreaux and I and the whole mission worked ALL WEEK! No lock down! :) We hear that the tension in Crimea has calmed down alot, although nothing has really been resolved. Apparently, this Sunday is supposed to be a big day because of the election in Crimea and everything. However, I'm not at all worried because President Klebingat (Mission President) and President Bennet (Area Seventy) are both going to be in Odessa. Nothing scares President Bennet and I'm pretty sure that even less scares President Klebingat :)

But besides an up look on the Political Scene, this week was GREAT in so many little ways. I had some really special experiences! :)

our english club that we went too

First of all- I serve (and am concluding service) in the best cutest branch with some of the lovely-est people I have ever met. 

 Our cute Relief Society :)

 

This week we met with the other Sisters and Raisa and her grandchildren. We did a cute little theater and acted out Lehi's dream, the tree of life. It was the cutest. We had a tree and apples and an iron rod and it was just so special. At the end, we taped the meanings of the props to the props. Raisa had played the part of the great and spacious building, so we taped "pride" and "sin" to her. Sofia and Seva thought that was the best. They were laughing and laughing so much.

FHE with Raisa and gang :)

We also met with Natasha Kvacnitsky. She is the seminary teacher for the one active young women in our branch. That young women, Anya, was also there when we went over. Natasha was very sweet and told us all about the whole political situation. Although I'm not sure how sweet it really was because as a general rule, Ukrainians have a PRETTY grim outlook on what is going to happen. But it was fun. We had tea and cookies and it was fun. Anya told me an interesting story. About 6 months ago, we had a missionary fireside. She came and she told me last week, that after the fireside, she went home and prayed to know if she should serve a mini-mission (many youth here have the opportunity to serve for up to 6 weeks, so that we don't need trios). She told us that she received a strong answer YES! I'm so excited for her, as she prepares to serve a mini-mission in the summer. I'm grateful for the opportunity that we have to help the members here, I never would've guessed when we planned that fireside that it would give her the desire to serve as a missionary. The spirit truly works in special ways to motivate us to help others! 

 

MAIL! :) 

 

 

 EXCHANGES :)

 

Also, we had a GREAT meeting with lovely Sister Nina. She is older, very communist-ish in demeanour, but the cutest lady. We asked her to teach us how to make something Ukrainian and she agreed easily. We learned how to make a this bread treat, fried thing. I don't remember the name right now. But it was so yummy, and stuffed with apples, my favorite :) 

 Cooking with Nina :)

She has a daughter that is not active, and a granddaughter, Sasha. Sasha fell in love with Sister Lamoreaux and I. For some reason, I'm not sure why, she calls us Татя Форд и Ламоро which means Aunt Ford and Lamoreaux. It was super funny because I'm just "her favorite aunt" and Sister Lamoreaux is her "favorite black aunt". But she spent the whole meeting playing with us, hugging us and telling us how much she loves us. It was so cute! Another special moment was when I showed her my family picture album. I have a picture of our family in front of the Gilbert temple. When we got to that picture, she said, "храм! temple!" and refused to look at any other picture. How special is it, that even at a young age, she recognizes the power and special spirit that the temple brings! :)

 Sasha and I 

We also met with many less actives this week. Saturday was Women's Day, a very special Ukrainian/Russian holiday. that is like Mother's Day, but for all women. All day people congratulated us, simple for being women :) We got flowers and chocolate and it was special. It's a tradition that I will continue when I get home, for sure :) It is the smartest holiday I have even heard of! :) But we took cupcakes to lots of people in our ward, and they loved it!

cupcakes :)

One lady, Lydia, invited us in and talked to us for like an hour. She had been having a very hard day. Her children had been over earlier and they, as a family, had created a plan. All 3 of her children have military obligations, so they are all on alert for being called into service. Her children are all expecting the worse, so it was hard for her. It was very special for us to be able to share scriptures about peace and hope. We promised that everything would be ok and that God had a perfect plan for her and her family. That visit was somewhat funny because we knocked on her door, she opened and the first thing she said was, "Girls, brace yourselves for war. Come in" Sister Lamoreaux and I just looked at each other... we didn't even know what to say. haha funny...

giant dolls at the new mall!

caramel apples!

This week, we were asked to start teaching temple preparation, speedy version, to Ira, a young women that had her mission papers in. So last week, we taught the first 3 lessons. So SPECIAL! The Spirit is always so strong when we talk about the temple. We were able to talk about why we go, why we need to be worthy, and what blessings come from the temple. I LOVE THE TEMPLE! And then, in a tender mercy beyond what I deserve, and in a very last minute way, Sister Lamoreaux and I actually got the chance to GO TO THE TEMPLE yesterday! It was so special :) 

 temple :)

 

We got to go do a session! I love the temple! I love the peace there and the specialness of being there! It is just so calm and peaceful. There is no worry about war or stress or the outside world in the temple. If you are feeling overwhelmed about anything, go to the temple- it will clear your mind and give you peace :)

In another miracle and tender mercy, while I was waiting in the church to walk to the temple, I saw someone very special! SISTER HUNT! She was there to go to the temple too! What a great reuniting that was! I LOVE HER! And then, in another special moment, while I was waiting for a dressing room at the temple, SISTER LEE AND SISTER BARNES from my MTC district also walk in! Oh my heart was so full of gratitude! Seriously, my favorite people that are also here in Ukraine, were at the temple too. With no planning. It was a testimony to me that the Lord loves me so much! :)

sister HUNT :)

Speaking now of transfers, Finding out that I was leaving Suvorovsky wasn't exactly a surprise, but still left me with a heavy heart. I know that everything will be great in Brovary, and I'm excited to serve there, but leaving somewhere after serving there for so long is sad. I really feel like I have special relationships with the members here. I bore my testimony in church on Sunday and told the branch how I have served in Suvorovsky for 10 months, longer then I've lived in any of my last 4 wards in America. I told them how I really felt at home and part of the branch. It was really special to testify to them that they were special people and that this church was true. I even started crying, which was slightly embarrassing, until I realized that about half the congregation was also teary-eyed. I'm grateful for the time that I had to serve here, because I was really able to see the results from some of the "seeds" that I planted in my first transfers. There were members that were barely active when I arrived, that are now completely active and inviting friends. There are recent converts with waning testimonies that are now awaiting mission calls. These little things that I have been blessed to see have testified to me that "no effort is wasted" and that the Lord puts us in a specific area to use our specific talents! This next week will be crazy saying hello and goodbye to everyone!

my favorite grandmas :)

But speaking of Brovary, I heard a lot about it at our meetings yesterday from other missionaries. And I didn't hear anything bad - which says a lot, people are honest in our mission. EVERYONE loves Brovary, the members, and the area. I am the luckiest to be transferred to such a special area. I'm excited, although slightly nervous for the new. oh, and the Ukrainian. Church services and singing and such are almost always in Ukrainian, Should be interesting. but an adventure :)

matchy matchy this morning on the train.

Poor last minute train ticket buying resulted in us 

sharing acabin with two men. Awk. haha... 

it wasn't too bad, it was only the last 2 hours.

Keep me posted on how everything is in America! Also, I want to see pictures from the cruise :) I love you all so much! I love being on a mission! I love this church and this message that we share! This church is true! :)

Love,
Sister Ford

PS- Maybe you are thinking that maybe my mission can't get crazier... Think AGAIN! I heard a rumor that anyone trained in Odessa will need to go on a VISA TRIP??!? Say what?!?! So if the rumors are true, Sister Hunt and I will be reunited to go to Bulgaria, Latvia, or somewhere else like that, probably in May or June. Guess we will see :) haha