Week 25: Baptism in the Black Sea!

Hello all! Another week gone, time goes by so quickly on a mission--it's crazy! This week the weather decided to go back to winter for a little but Sister Hatch and I have stuck to our no more leggings pact (much to the worry of the nieghborhood babushku, we may become infertile as a result of not wearing them but we are sticking to it).

This week we met with some of our branch members (they gave us MORE easter bread (booyah), did some tables in the park and talked to people about the Book of Mormon, and also did more balloon contacting in the park (always a fun time. I now know how to make a sword, dog, and mouse, in any color ;) People never really believe that they are actually free balloons and it's perfect because as we make the balloon for their child, we get to tell them about our church and why we're here! It's the best.

We also have had really awesome luck (not luck, blessings!) this week with contacting on the marshrutka. One of the guys we talked to and then met with later just kind of wanted to go on a date with us (little awkward but he did take a Book of Mormon), but the other guys is really interested in the church and we met with him to talk more about the church and then passed him to the elders (hopefully he comes to church next week! He wasn't able to come yesterday because it was a big Ukrainian holiday). It was really cool to see how there are always people around you all the time that are interested in the gospel. It made me kick myself for all the times I just sat on a marshrutka on our way back to our apartment from center Odessa!

On Saturday we were able to go to a baptism in the Black Sea (because the one in our branch is being re-done) and it was SO cool. It was on a beautiful beach and it was just a great day. The Center Elders taught the guy (Sergey) and he was so happy when he walked out of the ocean!

We also were able to meet with Zeena on Wednesday and it was great to see her after so long but also a little rough. We asked her if she would be able to come to church on Sunday and she said that she loves meeting with us and always feels good around us, but she doesn't think she needs to go to church or be baptized. It was frustrating because she knows the Book of Mormon is true but she thinks that all churches are good and even though we've talked to her about the priesthood before, sometimes things don't seem to stick. But we'll stick with her, it might just not be her time yet. Keep her in your prayers though!

That is all for this week, thank your thoughts and prayers! I love you all!

Love,
Sister Kropelnicki