Week 2 in Ukraine! :) I love this country! :)

Dear Everyone, 

This week I have grown to love so much about Ukraine!  I want nothing more then to have all my family and friends come so I can show them everything that I love!  I love the beauty,

 I love the people,

 I love the stray animals,

 I even love the weirdness, 

the occasional ghetto-ness,

 and the scary moments! As I'm sitting here at the computer, I'm trying to think of something that I don't like... I think there is only one thing, the large amount that people smoke.  It is a little gross but hey, I can teach them all about the Word of Wisdom! 

This week I have so many miracles and little great things that happened that I don't even know where to start!  

I guess just with last Monday.  We had choir.  I think I might have mentioned how choir was scary because we didn't know what she was saying (The choir director is a recent convert named Cveta, we call her Cveta Music) and I guess Sister Hunt and I weren't singing super well... so she made us sing like a one-on-one lesson with her.  Super scary!  She has a love for long extended metaphors and when Sister Busch would try to translate them, we would die because they were so crazy sounding.  But anyways, after choir, we were supposed to have a lesson but the girl never showed up.  We had a member there, Masha.  Masha is AWESOME!  She served a mini mission in Kyiv and wants to serve a full time mission!  She speaks quite a bit of English.  Since our lesson was a no show, we went out and did some contacting for our English class! Masha and I did member splits together.  It was crazy!  She told me what to say and then I did it.  We got to the point (because my accent is pretty awful) where people would just come up to me and ask for a card because they could tell that I spoke English, not Russian.  It was so cool and we handed out every single English card we had.  I even had some teenage boys tell me that I was cool, which is a big deal.  They don't like to compliment other people here so a "Tea klasna" was AWESOME! :) So our awesome day of contacting made Monday awesome! 

The next morning was my first meeting with my new district. I feel like cards have been flipped because instead of there only being 3 elders, there are now only 3 sisters!  But we have an awesome district!  It is a great testimony builder to me to see and hear the testimonies of the Elders around me.  I think that our mission has the best Elders!  Seriously! 

The other thing that Odessa has that are awesome is a great YSA program!  Seriously! The youth here are so strong and I am so blessed that I get to see there examples!  They are super active and so sweet and nice!  They all want to serve missions and they all want to come out and contact and teach with us!  It makes missionary work so fun for us!  They invite their friends to all the activities so we always get to go and get to know them!  They are so eager to share this gospel! 

This week, we had a Patriarch visit Odessa.  The Church has traveling Patriachs that give blessings in areas that usually don't have a Patriarch.  So Brother Rogers, from Utah,

 came out and is traveling throughout our mission, giving blessings to the Saints here.  The rules for the church ask that a single woman isn't alone with the Patriarch so they asked us to sit in on blessings.  what a cool experience.  The spirit was SO strong, even though I don't understand the words.  It was so great to see Recent Converts and such receive blessings and come out with a visibly brighter light in their eyes!  There has been a big focus on patriarchal blessings recently and how they can bless your life when you receive them!  So it was awesome to be a part of that! It was also a great opportunity to meet strong members from the whole district! Also, on an incredible cool side note, Brother Rogers said that all of the 12 tribes of Israel have been found in Ukraine.  It is such a cool and clear gathering of Israel here! I am so blessed to be here! Also, I was able to help Brother Rogers (because he is quite old) do some of the electronic part of the blessings.  While I worked on that he observed that Odessa, more then anywhere in Ukraine, has super strong, motivated, missionary work focused members.  It helped me realized how it is a blessing to be here!  for sure!

This week we met with the ward mission leader!  I'm not sure it is possibly to be more focused on missionary work then we are, but if anyone can do it, it is him!  He is AWESOME!  We set up a program to encourage families to give away copies of the Book of Mormon, so we are excited to see how that works out!  But he is so excited to share the gospel!

Thursday the weather was crazy! 

 It rained so much!  thank goodness for my rain jacket,

 although I didn't wear my rain boots that day.  Bummer!  But we headed out to our other area for the first time.  I hadn't realized how nice Center is, but it is super nice.  Suborskey is nice too, but not quite as nice.  We went to meet a less active member and because of the rain and the crazy musutka-bus ride, we were a little late. The lady FREAKED OUT.  Scariest moment of my life.  So freaky, but then she fed us and let us share a spiritual thought.  But that was freaky!

We also did service for a member of that branch.  She can't walk but her testimony is so strong.  We helped her clean her kitchen and talked to her.  On a side note, in the bedroom, where we put our coats, there was a TV.  When we were leaving, it played the Old Spice commercial- the I'm on a horse one- in Russian!  That was pretty awesome!

We also taught English for the first time!  It was SO fun!  I really enjoyed it! :) We just talk! We have about 15-20 people everytime which is an awesome turnout.  They are really hardworking dedicated people.  We always invite them to church and activities which is fun!  The younger ones always have questions about our missions, which are fun to awesome.  One day I had a group of like 8 people listening attently to about when I opened my mission call!  They listened to my story and then they asked me a lot of questions.  It was SO fun! There was two ladies there, Luba and Yula.  We invited them to a church activity, and they came-- I'll explain that story later!

On Saturday, we had the great activity to go to a district activity.  It was celebrating 20 years of the church being in Odessa!  It was so fun to hear from the first members, to see pictures and to hear musical numbers.  We sang in it,

 and despite our singing talents, it went really well!  It was really interesting for me because I had thought that it would have been fun to serve in Nauvoo because I love the Pioneers.  But now I realized that I am surrounded by Latter-day Pioneers.  I often look around me and am shocked by the grossness of society here.  It is worse then anywhere I have been before.  But these latter-day Pioneers have figured out how to wade through all the grossness and still have super strong testimonies!  I love them! 

 This was the activity that Luba and Yula came to.  I admire them, the activity was 3 HOURS long, but they stayed the whole time.  And afterwords, we were talking to them and one of us was holding a Book of Mormon.  Luba looked at the book and said, "Is that your book?" and we were like, "yes"  and she said, "I've read that book.  I believe that it is true, I want to be baptized."  and we were speechless. I've heard of things like that happening but I still can't believe that it happened to us!  She didn't even remember where she had gotten the Book of Mormon from!  We taught her yesterday and we teach her again tomorrow and are hoping to help her get a baptism date tomorrow!  They are both wonderful women! Yesterday we taught some of the first lesson.  Sister Hunt shared a super powerful testimony of Joseph Smith and then we talked about how we can know that the Book of Mormon is true through the Holy Ghost and Luba was like, "That makes sense".  She loved the promise in Moroni 10:3-5.  We asked them to read and pray together and they both said that they would!  it was awesome, we passed them later that night in the park and they were reading the Book of Mormon together! We are excited to teach them tomorrow! 

Also, all three of us spoke in church yesterday and we did a musical number.  Afterwords, a member of the District (Stake) Presidency stood up and said, "I hope you realize that this is historic.  We just heard from the first 19 year old sister missionaries in Ukraine, in Odessa, and in this branch.  This is a great time to share the gospel because we have these missionaries here.  Help them, help them with the language, give them your referrals, invite them over to teach others." So I'm basically famous...tell all your friends that you know the first 19 year old sisters in Odessa, I'm sure they will be impressed :) 

So anyways...I am loving Ukraine!  I can testify of the power of the gift of tongues and the power of the Spirit!  I love being a missionary and serving the Lord!  I know he is aware of me and is blessing me!  Everything that I am doing is only possible through the Lord!   Pray for me and pray for those that I am teaching!  Share the gospel with your friends!  It will bless their lives! I'm grateful for this opportunity!  I know this church is true and I love it! 

Love

Sister Ford

(random pictures she sent without any captions)

PS- my mission president letter:

Dear President,

This week was really good.  I finally felt like a "real" missionary which was nice, mostly because we had some lessons and spent some time contacting and looking for new investigators.  This week had some unusual things happen like the Patriarch coming but I feel like the Lord blessed us for the service that we did helping Brother Rogers. 

This week we were still adjusting to the missionary lifestyle. I think Sister Hunt and I finally got to the point where we remember to take food with us when we leave the house so that we can eat even if we aren't home.  

This week I had a huge testimony builder in doing missionary work despite the other activities that we are doing.  Several times this week when we would be walking home at night, or today on P-day, gospel conversations start and we have the opportunity to share a message.  I'm grateful for Sister Busch because she is always ready to share the gospel.  One night especially it was a little bit past nine and we were trying to get home after a lesson.  When Sister Busch started talking to this lady, I was slightly disappointed because I didn't want to be late.  But then the lady committed to come to English, and even gave us her phone number to meet with her and talk about our beliefs.  So it testified to me that the Lord will place people in our paths no matter what we are doing and we need to be ready to share our message at all times! 

I think the thing that is stressing me out the most is the language.  I really struggle because I don't understand or know how to say very much and it is hard because a conversation will be going on and I don't want to interrupt it with questions about something that I didn't understand.  But the Lord showered me with tender mercies of people that needed help with the gospel, in English this week.  I had the opportunity to help a man named Isaac search the scriptures for scriptures about love (in English).  I felt helpful which was nice because usually I feel like I can't help much.  Something I did learn was that when I testify in Russian, the Spirit can testify to the people.  It always touches me when I bear my simple testimony and someone is really touched.  I realize that the Spirit is teaching them, I feel blessed that the Spirit can work through me. 

This week we meet a lady at English named Luba.  We invited her to a ward activity and after she told us that she has read the entire Book of Mormon and believes it and wants to be baptized.  So we are excited to help her!  We taught her yesterday with her daughter and we teach them again tomorrow! 

Anyway...It was a good week! I love serving the Lord in this beautiful city of Odessa! I feel so blessed! 

Sister Ford

First Week in Ukraine!!

(I did not edit for her so forgive the misspelled words)

Sorry no pictures this week :( I can't figure out how to send them and niether can my companions!  We will try again next week! I have like 50 to send though :( 

So I made it!! Thankfully!!! Let me explain some of my adventures that I had...

Ok so last Tuesday (can you believe that it was a week ago, already??) We went to the Salt Lake Airport, then onto the Washington DC Airport.  Flying was fun...I slept... Once we got to DC, I got to talk to my family, which was wonderful!  In DC, a worker from our airline came up and informed me that my carry-on was too big to carry on to the plane.  I was so nervous that they would make me check my bag but guess what?? They did it for FREE!  That made me so happy! :).  I was so grateful! So then we got on our airplane to fly from DC to Austria.  It was a little stormy in DC so we waited for an hour before we could take off.  NOT GOOD because our layover in Austria was only 70 minutes.  However the flight attendents told us that all would be good, so we relaxed. I'm telling you, flying across the ocean is actually pretty nice.  There are a lot of movies to watch and such...However, as a missionary, I tried to sleep the whole way.  I actually slept pretty well too! (about as well as you can sleep on an airplane)! They fed us some pretty darling meals, Austrian food.  The bread was super good.  They also have awesome muffins! :) So anyways... we got closer to landing and we realized that our layover was going to be close, so we told everyone that we needed to hurry...but the big problem was that some of our group was in the back of the plane.  So we got off the plane as fast as we could and ran into Customs. which had a huge long line. By the time we got through Customs, we checked in at our gate and were about to head down to the boarding area (downstairs, outside) when the plane called and said that they were leaving.  And we were stranded in Austria.  6 people in our travel group made it, 12 did not.  So we were stuck in Austria for 8 HOURS!  Luckily the airport was like a little mall so we bought some chocolate and explored a little bit.  Just imagine if IKEA built an airport, that is what this airport was like :) We originally were going to have a flight on our original airlines the next morning, but then we called President and he wanted a flight that same night, so we were rebooked on a different airline.  There was so much time to kill in the airport in Austria.  Sister Lee and I took like 2 and a half hours and gave each other make overs in the bathroom.  People thought that we were crazy!!  Kinda true...but... anyways... Finally we got on a plane (on a slightly scarier airlines) and fly into Kyiv.  We landed at like 8:30 and quickly realized that a few of us (Sister Lee, Sink and I) were missing bags.  We learned that they were in a seperate part of the airport (like a 5 minute drive away). So we went with the AP's to find our suitcases...Super sketchy luggage exchange. The AP's couldn't come back with us, but they let our driver come back as a translater.  Thank goodness because the luggage man was like yelling at us in Russian and we had no idea what he was saying! But we figured it all out and got our bags and finally (after eating dinner) made it to the hotel at like 1 in the morning.  It was crazy.  Sister Lee and I were rooming together so we dropped off Sister Sink then headed up to our room, which we couldn't actually get into.  So we ended up sleeping with Sister Hunt and Sister Clark.  They had both arrived on the earlier plane so they already knew where they were serving, but they wouldn't tell us ANYTHING! (Which is funny because that whole night, Sister Hunt ALREADY knew that we were serving together! and DIDN'T TELL ME!!) 

But anyways, the next morning we got up and ready, and went and met our trainers. That is when I met Sister Busch, our AWESOME trainer and found out that I was serving in Odessa! Funny story about Sister Busch, in Russian there is no difference between SIster Bush and Busch so EVERYTIME she is introduced, they ask if she is related to President Bush.  Pretty funny! :)  We spent that day doing a lot of training.  The next day was the same, a lot of training.  Just explaining some about the culture of the mission, and our goals, and such.  It was super good!  I was jet-lagged so bad though!  Still am a little bit haha :) We also had the chance to take pictures by the temple and do a little bit of street contacting.  With the help of Sister Busch, Sister Hunt and I placed our very first Book of Mormon!! YAY!  It was fun!  I quickly realized that I don't know very much Russian!  I went up to a lady and said, "Hello, do you want to hear a message about Jesus Christ" and she said, "I don't understand you".  And Sister Busch started talking and asked her if she understood Russian or only Ukrainian.  and the lady was like, Duh, I understand both, I just don't understand her.  Awkward.  But I am learning!  I can talk more now, which is nice! :) 

At the end of the second day, we found out that instead of taking a train, we were going to take a Taxi down to Odessa with the 1 other sister companionship that was going down there.  So instead of a 12 hour train ride, it was a 6 hour taxi ride.  Super sketch but awesome!  No seat belts, possibly no speed limit, and a very bumpy road!  At one point, he ZOOMED over a huge bump and Sister Hunt and I (we were asleep) went flying and woke up.  It was so freaky!  We finally got to the apartment though.  Our first night, we spent with the other sisters, Their apartment in named, "THE JUNGLE" and has SO many plants everywhere! But we squeezed in there and went to bed.  There was a super bad thunderstorm that night.  It like knocked over trees and such.  Scary!  We also saw 2 cochroaches!  AND road in a super sketch elevator.  IT WAS SO COOL!! :) 

The next morning, we moved into our new apartment.  We are in a different area then the other sisters so we traveled to our part of Odessa.  We cover Center Odessa and Sueborskey, 2 branches out of the 5 in the Odessa District.  Center is the biggest one and yesterday at church there was about 80-100 people.  Our apartment is one the fifth floor and is up the Sketchiest flight of stairs EVER!  but the actually apartment is super nice.  It is really small, but clean!  No bugs! :) It only had 1 queen sized bed (but the mattress is divided in two pieces).  So sister Hunt and I each have half of the bed and Sister Busch is on an air mattress.  It is fun! Our kitchen in bright blue and yellow and has a nice quote above the stove that says, (In english), "When we are in love, we love the grass and the lightpoles"...Maybe someone wants to explain it to me because I don't understand...at all! :) We have a washer and a clothesline out on our balcony, (that was weird today, hanging our clothes to dry 5 stories up in the air, which clothespins!  Haha!  Other new experience include using a water flilter or not drinking any water, using a European toliet, lighting the stove with a match (that is a little scary but I haven't burnt myself yet!).  Anyways...home sweet home!

Ok so our first real day at work was Sunday.  We woke up, studied and such.  Our branch meeting house is this super cute place in downtown Odessa.  It is by this huge cathedrial and right down the street from the Opera House and Black Sea, (Both of which I have seen in passing).  It is super sweet and bright and yellow.  We went and met a lot of people.  People are always so happy that there is a trio and AMAZED as Sister Hunt and I.  We are the first 19 year old Sisters in Odessa so they get so excited and start hugging us and talking really fast and we just nod and smile.  All three of us bore our testimonies, which was scary but fun!  Odessa has great members, it was like a race to get up and bear testimony.  They are so awesome!  There are so many great youth especially! The center branch has like 3 or 4 sisters that want to serve missions pretty soon, so they love helping the missionaries! :) We helped in Primary which was exciting.  A recent convert taught the Primary (they all meet together), and she did an amazing job!  It was good.  Then we went to Relief Society.  One of my favorite parts of church was all the members would come up and say hi and give us a hug and talk to us, even though we didn't really understand.  One lady told me that I was super sweet and spiritual.  And she was crying, which was so nice! She was sweet! 

This Saturday is a 20 year celebration of the church being in Odessa so there is a big celebration and the missionaries are in choir.  So we went to a practice for that.  SO INTENSE!  The choir director was intense and in Russian so we didn't know what she was saying.  But still trying to sing.  Opa!  But we are super excited for this celebration this weekend!

Oh and last night was institute and seminary graduation for the district.  We went to that, and it was AWESOME! The future of the church in Ukraine is with the youth.  They are AWESOME! :)

Tonight we have a first lesson with a new investigator that we found.  Her name is Ledia and she seems sweet.  We don't know for sure if she is interested in the gospel or something else so hopefully we can find that out today! We are going to teach her some about the Book of Mormon.  We also have a couple other investigators that we are working on.  But then a lot of this week will be finding new investigators because we are in a new area so we have to find the people still!

Letter to President:

 
Everything is going good for me so far! I love Odessa! It has beautiful scenery, but I think the most beautiful thing is the members! They are so strong and willing to help. When we figure out the best way to use members to be more effective missionaries, the work will be so crazy! They are willing and excited to help! Right now we are focusing on a few people and also focusing on finding new people in our area to work with. 
Training is good great! Sister Busch is so helpful and pushing us so much (but not over any cliffs!) We have even done our first Russian phone calls which we were super nervous for!
Sister Hunt and I are working hard and excited to see Miracles!

Anyways, I love this work!  And I love Ukraine and expecially Odessa!  I am so blessed!  I have great companions, and I love being here!  It is beautiful here and reminds me of Europe (like Italy!) We are in the absolutely prettiest part of Odessa which is so fun! Pray for me to learn the language and to be safe! 

I love you! 

SIster Kati Ford 

I'm Here!!!

Hey,

Just so you know, I made it safely to Ukraine.  It was eventful though... we missed our flight from Austria to Kyiv, so we waited in the airport for awhile (8 hours) and then we made it on a flight to Ukraine.  Long day...once we got to Ukraine, I was missing one of my bags but then I found it so that was all good, but by the time I got to the hotel it was 1 AM.  I crashed for the night on 2 twin beds pushed together with 4 sisters!  It was a party! :) 

Today we had some training and we got our assignments!  I AM GOING TO ODESSA!!!  and I am in a tri-companionship with SISTER HUNT!!!!!  So awesome! :)   My trainer's name is Sister Busch, we are going to have a blast!! We are opening a new sisters area, so that will be exciting!  We will leave tomorrow night on a 12 hour train ride to get down there!  Should be fun! 

I'll tell you more information about my exciting travels on P-day!  I love you!!  Write me (Although, since I'm in Ukraine, I doubt I will hardly ever get my mail!-- Just get me a lot for transfers haha!) 

Love you, 

Sister Ford

PS - Kyiv is so awesome and pretty!!! :)