Week 72- SEPTEMBER- You've Got Mail

Are those not the most beautiful words in history? Well besides the words "10:30pm" which aren't exactly words but you get my point. You know sometimes as a missionary you forget what "special" feels like. You know with the callused heels, holes near the bottom of your skirt (don't worry mom it's a black skirt no one can really see them) and the frizzy mass you call hair up in a ponytail because your ex-companion took her straightener with her home to South America, that word seems to get lost. Until one day you are at the mission office to pick up your new native companion and you hear an Elder say, "You've got mail!" So a shout out to all you Young Woman from Desert Hills ward, "THANK YOU!" Gosh it's weird to get a letter from your little sister and from first seeing the handwriting you think it's your mother. Tenaya! Stop growing up! It's creeping me out!
So yes, farewells were said to Sister Robertson as she packed up the explosion of what her life has been on a mission into 2 measly suitcases. We went together to drop off her suitcases at a hotel and said our goodbyes at the temple site, and then for the next 2 days was in a threesome with Sister Hardy and Sister Lee!

Don't mind me. I just had a little fun while Sister Robertson was packing

"Save my shadow. I can not explain. Sorry."

Thursday afternoon i was back at the temple site to pick up my new companion! Sister Litvinova! She is a native Ukrainian from the area of Lugansk or some of you would know the location better by Donetsk. She's 19 and an only child and her parents have also evacuated from their home to a different location in Ukraine. She sweet and timid, the most худинки (hoodinky=petite)sister i have ever met, she loves horses, and she LOVES corn on the cob!

"washing the temple, washing the temple, washing the temple" (think "swing'n the chain, swing'n the chain, swing'n the chain)

Our first evening out we stopped by an inactive and seeing how she wasn't home didn't take no for an answer and wrote her a little note on the most recent general conference and left it on her doorstep

This week we also FINALLY met with a girl that i talked to on the metro 2 months ago! We met up at Ocean Plaza, the most intense mall i have ever seen! Oh you know just an aquarium in the middle of the food court...

This door sounded like death itself...

A good ol' good cook'n Ukrainian cello meal!  We went out to a babushka who has a bad leg to go pull weeds for her, and she repaid us in mashed potatoes, a slice of soviet white bread, a carrot cabbage hash, and "spicy" salsa, but let's be real, Ukrainians don't know spicy

Did i say she loved corn on the cob? Or did i say she loves corn on the cob? It's the perfect late night snack!

"Oh where or where did the keys go?" This is a daily occurrence on our doorstep

And THIS is how Ukrainians do seat belts.

Well it's been a tough week. Oh boy has it been tough. But im alive. So make sure you stay alive too! Wear your seatbelt!

XOXOXOXO

-Сестра Ро

Week 71- SEPTEMBER- Where Is The Happinest Place On Earth? A Church Bathroom Of Course

...that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost. And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive." -2 Nephi 31:17-18-

I, Sister Roe, hereby testify that the title of this entry is true. There is no greater happiness (or squeals) than when you are hugging the newest baptised member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints while she's still wearing a 3x's too big for her wet jumpsuit. For being a lawer i have never seen her smile so big and squeal so much! It really is  hard to put words to feelings when you watch your investigator enter the waters of baptism, and coming out with....oh gosh im really at a loss of words! Just take a look at some pictures...

Left to Right: Sister Roberston, Me, Denis (baptised Andre), Andre, Ira, Elder Webber (baptised Ira), Elder Porter

Interesting story about Andre and Ira. They are very close friends, and one day Andre invited Ira to English and that's when they began to hear out spiritual thoughts and began to take the missionary discussions. For the longest time we thought they were dating only to find out they were not, BUT just last week Ira had to cancel a lesson because Andre suprised her with tickets to a concert and we happily obliged! Is that celestial wedding bells i hear? I couldn't help but laugh as i made the baptisimal programs and how they ressembaled a wedding invitation. I mean, come on now, how cute of a story would that be?!

Ira as she was watching Andre enter the waters

And as requested i brought brownies, if anything i got more complaints than compliments that did not bring more!

Our ward mission leaders son waiting to watch the font drain

Ira would kill me if she knew this was up but i couldn't help myself

Sister Parish is being transfered down to Odessa and combined that this next transfer is our last we discovered that this would be the last time seeing each other on the mission! And of course that called for a photoshoot

In the the moment the week just felt like sand slipping through my fingers in all the craziness, but looking back it feels like an eternity! I can't believe that it was just last Monday that the Sisters took us out on a, literally BLIND date, and suprised us with lunch! They found the FRIENDS cafe!

If you think missions are hard try eating this hamburger. 

It also feels like an eternity ago that Sister Roberston and I went out to celebrate an early 4 month anniversary by treating ourselves to an hot chocolate ice cream sundae. We had a little time on our hands while we waited...

And last but not least this week we got TRANSFO. You ready for it? Good, because im not and somebody needs to be. With Sister Robertson leaving to Argentina in 2 days there is no other solution than a new companion! I will be companions with Sister Litvinova, not a classic American name right? That's because she's Ukrainian! President Packer and the Lord have decided that they are ready for some laughs i guess and you can bet that they are going to get some! 

Have a fantastic week!

XOXOXOXO

-Сестра Ро