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
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