Week 24: Пасха!

Hello all! This week flew by and I'm not really sure what happened but it was full of lots of contacting, making balloon animals and visiting our branch members (and eating my weight in easter cakes here), so a solid week.

We were able to meet with some of our branch members this week and I was reminded again how awesome the people here are. We met with a member from center and she talked about how her son was inactive for a long time and she at first tried to force him to come to church and not smoke, but eventually she realized that ultimately it was his choice and that all she could do was love him and help him however she could. She said that through that experience she was able to better understand how our Father in Heaven feels when we make wrong choices. He is always there, but he will never force us to do something--even though it's hard to not intervene. Only when we are able to choose for ourselves are we able to learn and grow. Eventually her son returned to church and now he's active in the church. She said her joy could never compare to what Heavenly Father feels when we come back to Him. He loves us perfectly, and because of this, he gave us agency to choose for ourselves. But He also gave us more than enough help for us to return to Him.

We also had Zone Conference this week and we focused on The Book of Mormon and we all thought of questions that we've been asked and how we could answer them using the Book of Mormon. It was so awesome! The Book of Mormon can answer like any questions, it's so cool. I loved hearing all the references that people gave for the questions, but it also made me want to know The Book of Mormon way better than I do now! We also got smartphones this week and it is so nice! We got a call on Viber a day after we got them from a guy from Odessa that's living in Malta for work and he said he got a Book of Mormon a while ago and just now started reading it and he loves it! We're hopefully going to do a Skype lesson with him on Wednesday so that should be fun! Not going to lie, wasn't totally sure where the country of Malta was before then.

On Saturday we did balloon contacting in the park and it was so much fun! We had a lot of really great conversations with people about the church and I am now able to make a dog in like a minute--pretty proud. Pro missionary tip: people are way more willing to talk to you if you give their child a balloon first :)

On Sunday it was Ukrainian Easter (Пасха/Pas-ha) which is officially my favorite day now. They do a thing here where you say "Christ is risen!" to anyone on the street and they respond "truly He is risen!" and it is the BEST. It made me so happy! We also ate their Easter bread (which actually is super good. It's basically like a sweet bread with dried fruit in it). We also visited a Ukrainian Orthodox church and it was super interesting. They get their baskets full of food blessed by the priest and they light candles and it made me happy but also sad at how many people were there. The people here have such great faith--they just don't know where to find the truth. That's our job :)

We also ate at an investigator's home in center on Sunday and I had my first holodets (meat jello) and all I will say is it is by far the wierdest and nastiest thing I have thus tried in my life. I figured out a pretty good system of taking a bite, shoveling in some potatoes and then chugging some compote (fruit juice). Still didn't really help, but now I can say I've tried it!

We're going to meet with Zeena on Wednesday because she is finally back at work after being sick (yay!) so hopefully next time I'll have some more on her. I miss seeing her! It's been way too long. We're also still trying to contact Alina--hopefully now that we have Viber and smartphones it'll be easier to communicate with her even though her phone isn't working. Keep praying for them!

Thank you all for your prayers and love, things are pretty good here in Odessa. A trio is different but I love it and Sister Hatch and Sister Butler are so great and they make even the hardest days not so bad. I love them! And I love you all. Until next week!

Love,
Sister Kropelnicki

Week 23: 13 hour bus ride from *the place where Satan lives*

Hello everyone! This was a weird week and I think I spent more time out of my area than in it, but it was still a solid week full of great stuff.

Tuesday night Sister Hatch and I got on a 12-hour train for Dnepr and then went on splits with the Sister Training Leaders there after having a "train the trainers" meeting. It was super fun to be in Dnepr and Sister Kelly and I went on a 45-minute marshrutka ride outside of Dnepr to a little village with some Elders so they could interview someone for baptism. We talked to the grandma while her son was being interviewed and she was great. She had a lot of questions about the Book of Mormon and we taught her about the restoration a little. We also met with a woman from Nigeria who's studying in Dnepr and so we taught her in english and it was so weird to teach in english but also kind of nice because I could say everything I wanted to! Our lesson went really well and she wants to take all the lessons!

On Thursday Sister Hatch and I met our baby! Her name is Sister Butler and she is from California. She is totally fearless and during our first contacting together that day she talked to so many people and we get a contact as well! She is going to be such a good missionary. She is also hilarious so our trio is a party. Sister Hatch and her are so fun to be around!

After we had orientation together we got on a marshrutka for a (guess how long) 13-hour ride back to Odessa. WOOT. I can't really describe just how amazingly awful that ride was. We were crammed in this old Mercedes van with 13 other people, plus the driver's pitbull (he was friendly) plus old Ukrainian roads which are not the greatest. It was a fun night! It was kind of like a 13-hour rollercoaster ride in the dark (where the only bright spot was the bathroom stop) and all I can say is that I will never complain about traveling by train ever again because those old soviet trains are luxurious to me now! In all of this crazy, Sister Butler took it like a champ! We all agreed that we aged about 10 years on that ride but worth it because this is the best work! And it makes a good story (but still not worth it).

Once we got back to Odessa we met with a sister from the Center Branch (Katya) and it was an awesome meeting (and a really good first meeting for Sister Butler--she bore her testimony and it was so powerful!). The sister told us about a time when she was really having a hard time in her life a few years after she got baptized and she prayed to Heavenly Father to help her and that Sunday she went to church and BOTH of the missionaries that taught her (they were both from America and had gone home a while ago) were at her sacrament meeting! One of the sister missionaries told her how she felt impressed to come to that branch even though they had originally planned to go to a different city that day. It was an awesome story. I know Heavenly Father knows us perfectly and completely! From just these past months on my mission I have gained a deeper understanding of just how much (hint hint it's a lot).

Sunday was Easter! In Ukraine they actually celebrate it this coming Sunday but we still had a special sacrament meeting and it was so wonderful! I love how Easter coincides with spring and new beginnings. And because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can all begin again.

This week was weird because we didn't really have any meetings with our investigators, but we've been keeping in contact with them on the phone and we're hoping to meet with Alina tomorrow and Zeena on Wednesday. I'm looking forward to this week because it will be our first normal week together and we can get back into the swing of things.

I love you all and I hope you have a wonderful week! Sorry this email wasn't super missionary-y, next week should be normal!

LOVE,
Sister Kropelnicki

My two new companions--Sister Butler in the middle, and Sister Hatch on the right.

Week 22: TRANSFERS and a hard goodbye

Hello everyone! This week was the last of 12 splended weeks that I've been able to be with Sister Larson and it was busy and very bitter sweet and also a little scary (so basically this week was all the emotions, but what else is new?).

We tried to meet with as many members and investigators as possible and it made for very good days, but nothing crazy interesting, just lots of lessons and spiritual thoughts and being fed mutliple times a day by our saintly members here. Its rude here to not eat everything that is offered to you so after this week I'm going on a diet!

Thursday was Sister Larson's last English practice so we had a little party and Sister Larson and I made some typical American food like root beer, brownies and maple syrup (the Elders supplied the pancakes) and it was a super fun english practice. A lot of people did not like the root beer but the maple syrup was a big hit (one of the people wanted us to pour it into his cup alone to drink. Can't say I blame him since they don't really do syrup here).

We also met with Alina and her Mom on Friday night and taught them the Plan of Salvation. It was a great lesson and they both had really awesome questions about how they could get nearer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ (which was a perfect segwey into baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost!).

On Saturday we had transfer calls and I found out that (buckle your seatbelts) I'll be staying in Suvorovsky and I will have TWO new companions and one of them will be a GREENIE (!!??)(aka new missionary, which I still feel like). My other companion will be Sister Hatch who was serving in Odessa Center so I already know her and she is the BEST. It's gonna be a fun and also crazy transfer. We also found out that we need to switch apartments with our elders because our current apartment can't fit three people very comfortably in it so Saturday was full of frantically packing up our whole apartment since we have to leave for Dnepr on Tuesday to meet our new companion (we don't know anything about her yet), and we'll be in Dnepr until Friday (more night trains woot).

Sunday we watched General Conference and it was such a tender mercy to be able to listen to the words of our living prophet and apostles of the church. I love how much they stressed getting through trials with the help of Jesus Christ. I have definitely felt that these past few months in Ukraine. Sometimes it seems like no one can meet with us or Russian will just not make sense, but I've found time and time again that those low moments are only springboards to moments of growth that I needed to have. It is through the hard times that we really come to know our Savior and can more fully appreciate everything He has done for us. Missions are hard, and I know this part of my mission will be tough without Sister Larson, but I'm ready to navigate this crazy awesome part of the world with my two new comps and find the people that have been prepared to hear the message of our Savior and His restored church.

I love you all so much and I hope you have a wonderful Easter!
Love,
Sister Kropelnicki

Week 21: Quest rooms, an angry man and some piroshki

Hello everyone! The flowers and trees are blooming up a storm here in Odessa and I am down to the final stretch with Sister Larson as my companion (ahhhh not ready)! Time is going by so fast and I feel like I still have so much to learn from her, but we still have a week, so I have time before I need to freak out (haha, jk sort of).

Last Monday we did a quest room with our district and it was actually super fun (even though it was all in Russian)! We had to make it to "heaven" and we started in "hell" (but it had no scary parts at all, it was a puzzle escape room--not one of the insanely scary ones that they also do here haha), and we're pretty sure that during a couple of the parts, the escape room workers just took pitty on our lack of Russian knowledge and just let us through haha.

We also had exchanges this week with our STL's which I was more than a little nervous for because it would mean nativagating crazy marshrutka's and knowing when to pay and get off for our meetings sans Sister Larson, but it went pretty good and it made me not so scared about when she will be gone (still a little scared though). We also did singing contacting in the park althogether and it was really fun! We sang hymns and tried to talk to people about the Book of Mormon. Singing's my favorite (name that movie)! We also made delicious apple piroshki with the STL's and I felt a little sick from all the piroshki I ate, but 100% worth it.

Sister Larson and I tried really hard this week to push ourselves to get 10 meaningful conversations each day (one of our mission goals) and it was so cool to see the blessings of lengthening our strides. One of the evenings it was getting late and we had had 9 conversations that day and we really wanted to get 10 (you know where this is going). We found a lady sitting on a bench and we started to talk to her about the Book of Mormon and she was interested in learning more! We got her contact information and talked about prophets a little. It was great.

I also found out how to pick the best oranges this week from the nicest babushka at the gorcery store by our house. She started to talk to me and I didn't really understand at first and I told her I'm learning Russian and I'm from the US and she told me she has a daughter that lives in NYC and I told her I'm from Washington, and I told her that we're here as missionaries and that we also have a free english practice here and she told me she wants to learn! It was a cool conversation and one of the first that I've had not with Sister Larson by me. It gave me a much needed confidence boost and I'm grateful for babushka Anya. She also showed me how to pick good oranges so now I'm a pro.

Saturday night we got to watch conference at our branch building in Odessa center and it was the best!!! We're watching the rest of the sessions this Saturday and Sunday but I heard they're building another temple in Washington woooot. Sister Larson and I made taco crock pot chicken and cinnamon and orange rolls and the other missionaries brought toppings and other deserts and we had a party upstairs watching conference in english. It was so fun (but still a little stranged out that there was no "big" announcent because even our Mission President thought there was going to be one... but it's all good).

Sunday was THE best. We thought only Alina was going to come and were really worried about Zeena because she hadn't anwered our calls for 2 days (usually she's really good at answering) and we were worried that something had happened, but then she came into sacrament a few minutes late! And a less active member that we've been working with, Elma also came and bore the sweetest testimony about how her life and her desires have totally turned around for the good since she's come back to church. We also walked to the Opera House with Zeena afterward and took a picture together. It was doubly awesome because Zeena started to teach the lady that took our picture about the Book of Mormon! It was so awesome! Zeena is literally the best. I love her to death.

Random other stuff:
While we were trackting in an an apartment we had an angry man threaten to sick his dog on us. I feel like that has to happen to every missionary at least once on their mission.

This week after english practice, one of the people that comes, Larissa, gave us flowers because she is the sweetest, and we saw a cute Babushka and gave them to her on our way home. She started to cry and told us how we were sent from God because she has been feeling so lonely lately. I felt blessed to be able to help her, but also sad that there are so many lonely people out there that just need a smile or some kind words. Look for people that need some love! It will bless you as well as them. We need more love and kindness in this world. I'm so grateful to be able to be a repesentative of Christ and His infinite love for everyone here in Ukraine. It's the best work.

That is all for this week! I love you all!
Love,
Sister Kropelnicki

Week 20: Zone Conference and the Zeenacoaster

Hello all! The weather has been beautiful here in Odessa and today I actually wore just a sweater with my dress, no jacket and it was totally worth the weird looks from passing babushkas.

This week we had Zone Conference and it was an especially good one (well, as far as I know, it was only my 2nd one;) We talked about a ton of stuff, but I especially liked when we went around to all the companionships and talked about a miracle that we've seen since last zone conference. It was so cool to see all the awesome stuff that happens in the mission field every day! We also took some time to write out, in as few sentences as we could, what the doctrine of Christ is. It was such an interesting activity. I challenge you all to keep a piece of paper in your scriptures and write down what the doctrine of Christ is and then add to it as you read the scriptures. There is so much in our standard works about it and it seemed like every time I read the scriptures this week I found something that I could add.

This week all the kids here were on break and so we went to the refugee shelter and made balloon animals with them (they seemed to enjoy popping them almost as much as playing with them, but it's all good) and taught them how to say different animal names. It was so nice and they are so cute!!

So this week has definitely had its frustrating parts (as every week does). Long story short we had some amazing lessons with Zeena this week with Sister Raya helping us and on Thursday night Zeena agreed to be baptized and it was so awesome and then the next morning it seemed like all her old doubts and questions about it had come back and she told us she still knows everything is true but she isn't ready and doesn't know when she will be ready. It was tough and we met with her that day but nothing we talked about or read together seemed to change anything. We're not giving up on her though and I know she will be baptized, just not when.

This week we met with a lot of our banch members because Sister Larson goes home in 2 weeks (ahhhh trying not to freak out or cry about that) and got some bomb recipes from them for this delicious polish bread and borscht woot. People here are so generous and good, I love Ukraine! It's crazy but the best.

Random stuff:
Pro tip, do not give the tram driver your 5 greaven in coins because they will give you a 3-minute lecture on why they don't want it in coins and in the end you'll just have to pay with paper so save yourself the time and just start with paper money!
-We met with an American here that sister Larson met before I came here and his name is Drew and he served in like 5 tours as a marine and he is from the south and talked to us for like 2 hours about all his crazy stories of his time in Cambodia and Vietnam. He could seriously write a book and it would be a best seller I'm sure. He eats 3 big macs a day with 3 pepsi's and he doesn't have a microwave because he "doesn't believe in those" haha. He's hilarious. He also told us how he never carries a gun because he doesn't need one to defend himself as long as he has a pen!

That's all for this week, our district is doing a quest room today, so Sister Larson and I have to book it over there. I love you all and miss you more than you know! But life's good here in Odessa.

Love,
Sister Kropelncki