Week 46: Everyone Goes to Poland!!!

Hello everyone and happy Monday! Yesterday it rained Ukrainian cats and dogs which was awesome but made me miss Seattle!! This week was another great one, with some disappointments but in the end, everything worked out I think.

On Tuesday we went to the opera with our district for our "cultural activity" and it was so fun! Elder McCoard liked it but Elder Paine was SO bored, but he brought cookies to keep him happy and was a really good sport ;) Direct quote, "I'm glad I went to my first opera in Ukraine so that I never need to see one again." Haha, elders.

We also met with Niki, one of our recent converts who is getting ready to submit her mission papers and we talked about missions with her and ate lunch together and it was really good. She's worried about how her family's going to be while she's gone because a lot of her earnings go towards helping her family and without it it's going to be harder for them, but we talked about how we're promised that while we're on our missions, our families will be taken care of. She is going to be the bestest missionary!!

We also met with Ira and read Mosiah 4 with her and talked about what a great blessing it is that we have the knowledge that we have, but it's worthless unless we act! It can seem like there's a lot that we have to do in the church, but I think it's because we know that action is so important to our personal growth. You can learn anything, but actually doing it is the harder part! It was a great meeting and she is so solid!

On Thursday we also met with sister Loubov (Любовь) outside the city in her cute little home and talked to her about her family and how if everyone read the Book of Mormon every morning, everything would be so much better! Couldn't agree more. She also let me wear her giant fur vest so I wouldn't get sick because I didn't have a coat ;) That was definitely a highlight.

Thursday morning, a small panic session started when Maxim, Nastia's brother, told us that they were both going to Poland for 3 months and they would be leaving on Sunday!! :( It was disappointing, but we talked to Nastia and she said that she still wants to be baptized, it'll just be later. So we met with her on Saturday and finished talking about the word of wisdom and tithing and it was a great lesson. She is so amazing! She blows me away every lesson. When we talked about the fact that we don't drink green or black tea she was in shock a little but once we talked about it a little more she was like, ok yeah that makes sense, and boom all was well! Crazy. We'll miss her, but I really hope I'll still be here when she comes back. We also called her mom, who wants to get baptized with her and we told her that Nastia is getting baptized on December 28th now and her mom, Zoia, told us that she wants to be baptized with her on that date! So that was some great news!

We also met with Peter and Danna (Zhanna wasn't able to come) and we talked about prophets and the Holy Ghost and as always, he came with the deepest questions ever! Haha, for example, what is truth? But it was a pretty good lesson. Still are a little stuck with them, but it'll work out.

On Sunday our Relief Society president brought her son's friend's mom to church and it was awesome! She's from Turkey and just speaks a little bit of Russian, and she is so sweet! We sat by her and talked about church and we exchanged numbers and invited her to family night tonight, so hopefully she will come!

That is about all for this week! Sister Egbert and I are having a ball of a time together, it's like the chillest companionship I've ever been in, she's the best! And it doesn't hurt that we're serving in the best area of our mission ;) Seriously though, Kharkiv is the bestest and I am so grateful to be here.

Слава Украине!
С любовью,
Сестра Кропельники

Random angelic babushka we met on the street

Visiting Sister Loubov

Nastia and Maxim

At Sister Loubov's house in the slippers and fur vest she had me wear so I wouldn't get sick

Opera!

We met an American couple from Oregon at church! We ate lunch with them the next day.

Week 45: Slow Trains and Conferences

Hello everyone and happy Monday! This email is coming to you from a freezing cold missionary in northern Ukraine in the middle of September! I don't know what happened but this week as been SO cold and it even almost got into the 30s last night (wut). But good news because we figured out this morning that our air conditioning ALSO does heat (sort of) so we won't freeze while we wait for the city to turn on the heat (which could be in more than a month)! Blessed.

This week was kind of insane, but really really good despite the craziness. On Monday we had a lesson with Gleb and Egor on a bench outside because their parents weren't home yet. They are so smart! We taught them about the commandments but they already knew them all (and showed us all the cutest song to remember them) and we played a scripture chase game at the end and gave them candy so I think it was good:) Right now we're trying to also work with their dad who is a returning member so that he can baptize them when they finish the lessons. That would be so awesome!

On Tuesday we got 2 sets of bunkbeds from the Poltava Elders delivered to our apartment and luckily the Shepherds came and helped us take them up to our apartment and set them up (you are now looking at a pro bunkbed setter upper) and we then went to the train station to catch our train to Poltava to do an an exchange with the sisters there. Unfortunately, the APs got our times mixed up and they bought us tickets for Tuesday morning instead of Tuesday night! So Sister Egbert and I asked the ticket counter if there were any more trains that night to Poltava--and there was! So we bought them, so relieved that we could still do the exchange... until we got on the train and realized that our train would take 3 hours instead of the usual 1.5 to Poltava! It was a super slow, old, all night train that was going all the way to Odessa but it stopped in Poltava. Oh my goodness, that was probably the most stressful train ride (maybe when I'm home I can tell you all the whole story!) but короче we made it to Poltava, way late but we made it. Never buying my own train tickets again!

But! The actual exchange was great! I was with Sister Perry who is on her second transfer and beforehand we talked about what she wanted to get out of our exchange and she said that lately they've had a really hard time getting good conversations with people, and so we decided to talk to everyone we passed and we got tons of conversations! It was awesome and we had a good time. She knows Russian sooo much better than I did my second transfer, wowwy. Also, Poltava is so pretty! And we ate this Poltavian specialty called "galooshka" for lunch and it's basically bread balls in this gravy sauce with chicken and it was REALLY good the first few bites and then woah, it was just a little too heavy...

That night we took the train (normal) back to Kharkiv because the Poltava sisters had interviews, and then we all went back, now with the Sumy sisters and had a big sleepover the night before Zone Conference!

Zone Conference was SO good and we talked about The Restoration lesson in Preach My Gospel and how to improve how we teach people. We role played and Sister Egbert and I had to role play doing a 1-minute version of the Restoration in front of everyone and it went really good I think. President Wirthlin also talked about Michelangelo and how, when he sculpted, he was letting the person go from the rock. They were in there the whole time, and only he knew what a big rock could become. President compared that to Heavenly Father and how He is the master sculptor and knows what masterpieces we are capable of becoming. Sometimes we have to go through times when it seems like He's taking big chunks off, and sometimes he's just doing little things to make us who we can become. And as missionaries we have to see people as what they can become, and not just what they are right now. And that includes ourselves!

After conference we met with a recent concert, Ira, and read 2 Nephi 2 with her and talked about opposition and how much of a blessing it is. We also lost our keys that night because we gave them to the Sumy sisters to lock our apartment and then they left them at the branch building but they kind of disappeared :) So we also had to call our landlord that night so he could let us in!

Friday we had a really awesome lesson with Jannah and Peter and talked about baptism and what they thought about it, and religion and churches in general and we learned a lot about where they are at preparedness-wise and we extended the commitment for them to pray as a family every night about baptism. They were also able to come to district conference on Sunday and meet Elder Sumiken of the Seventy and President Wirthlin was there too and it was really great.

That is about it for this week! I love you all and I hope you have a wonderful Monday!!

С любовью,
Сестра Кропельники

Poltava exchanges!  Me and Sister Perry

Ditto

Pre-Zone Conference Sleepover!

Ukrainian wheat fields😍

Week 44: Trios and Saunas

Hello everyone! I hope everyone is having a wonderful Monday. Here in Kharkiv it seemed like fall came over night and all of a sudden it got cold and breezy which I am not complaining about--bring on the snow!!

This week was kind of crazy but looking back I'm not really sure what happened... Usually the first week of the transfer (six-week periods missions are divided into) is kind of weird but nonetheless, was a solid week. And oh my goodness I love my companion SO much. Sister Egbert is literally the best!!! Some highlights:

From Monday until Friday we were in a trio with Sister Smith while Sister Bevzuk (her trainer) went to Dnipro to pick up her new missionary! So this week was a little different with being in a trio but super fun. We contacted a lot and helped the Shepherds (the senior couple here) get 7 mattresses delivered to all the missionaries around Kharkiv so that was crazy and a little stressful but went off without a hitch! And now we have new mattresses, woot.

We also did lots of planning for the rest of the transfer, and this week we'll be doing exchanges in Poltava and in a few weeks we'll be going to Sumy to work with the sisters there! This transfer is going to fly by!

We also met with a contact we got from the park and it was kind of a crazy meeting... she invited us to her house and she told us it was 20 minutes away but it ended up being outside the city around Novy Doma haha. They had an amazing house and a huge pool, sauna, garden, chickens, 2 cars (one was electric, what?) and in the end I think they were more excited to have people from Americn than to hear about the gospel. We did talk about what we believed and they were really curious as to why we were in Ukraine, and they made us some of the best bbq'd meat I've ever had (complete with their homemade apple juice), and they were really nice people. They wanted us to stay the night and sit in their sauna and swim in their pool, and they were more than a little disappointed that we could only stay for lunch :) We low key think that the dad works for the mafia though because they're loaded but when I asked her what he did for work she was super awkward about it and said she didn't know like 3 times... but it's all good. But anyways, their daughter seemed more interested than they were and she said she would come to english practice so hopefully we can see her again!

This week we also went down to Dnepr for MLC (mission leadership conference) and it was great! We planned out Zone Conference and talked about how to help the other missionaries, and we talked about the members in Donetsk and how we might start to do a pen pals thing with them with our smartphones! That would be so fun!

While we were in Dnepr we missed english practice so we missed when we usually meet with Janna and Peter, so we asked the Shepherds to have a lesson with them and it went super well! They started to go over the baptismal questions with them and it was really helpful to know what they do and don't know as well. We're planning on meeting with them this Friday and hopefully we can continue with that and see how we can help them commit to baptism because they are so ready!

We also had lunch with Niki, a recent convert and we talked about her mission papers that she's hoping to turn in soon. She is so excited and we are so excited for her! She wants to go to South Korea but she said that anywhere that the Lord wants her to go is the place that she needs to go to!

That's about all that happened this week... this coming week we have a lesson with Gleb and Igor and our exchanges in Poltava and Zone Conference, and all the senior couples are coming up to Kharkiv and we're helping them to get around and stuff, so we'll be busy! The best!

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

Me with my new companion! Sister Egbert

Mission Leadership Conference

The family we met in the park, who invited us over for dinner

Got some eggs!

Lunch with Niki!

Week 43: Transfers! And Nastia!

Hello everyone! This week was great and stuffed full of miracles and surprises. We had transfer calls on Saturday and Sister Rawlinson and I were not expecting to get a call at all but we did and she is getting transferred to be an STL in Dnipro! And she'll be companions with the sister she trained! So she's excited but really sad because this area is literally the best and we are teaching the coolest people right now. But I know she'll do so good in Dnipro! My new companion's name is Sister Egbert and she's on her last 2 transfers so she'll probably die in Kharkiv which she is really happy about because she served in Novy Doma at the beginning of her mission (so we're gonna be good friends) and loved it. We pick her up tonight and then Sister Rawlinson leaves tomorrow along with a bunch of other sisters (Like Sister Bevziuk--she's training again! And she'll be in a trio with her greenie and the sister that she is finishing training! She's a boss!) so we're gonna have like 5 sisters at our apartment tonight... fun stuff.

In other transfer news, President opened Sumy for sisters!! That's the place that Sister Rawlinson and I went to for 4 days a few weeks ago to see if sister missionaries could be put there in the future and now there will be sisters for the first time in like 5 years (and before that like 10 years)! Ah the members will be so excited!!! That place is so cool. And that means that I can go back there once a transfer for exchanges! Woot.

Some other highlights from the week:
We met with a super solid member in our branch, Sister Alla, and also took Sister Shepherd with us so that they could get to know each other better. It was such a nice visit. She made us these little cheese-pancake things called сырники (seerneekee) that are kind of my favorite thing in the world, and she talked about her life and how when she was little she was taught that there was no God and that religion was useless and she talked about that her family always clung to their beliefs even when everyone was saying that God didn't exist. They have this saying here that I really like that's "hope dies last" and she talked about how the hope that they had for better times and in God is what got them through those times. So cool.

We also met with another member, Looda this week and we all left her apartment feeling so inspired and uplifted. She is one of those people that everyone wants to be around because she just has this light about her. She talked about how she wasn't always happy and open like that, but she realized that if we're going to be the same person after this life that we were on earth, she definitely does not want to get there and be unhappy! So she made a decision one day to be happy and look outside herself instead of just thinking about herself and the fact that she hasn't found a husband (she's in her 30's), and trust that Heavenly Father has a plan for her and she just has to be ready and worthy for those blessings. She is so awesome!!

On Saturday there was a baptism for a man who was almost 90 years old and he was the last person in their family to be baptized and it was so touching and sweet. Nastia, one of our investigators, was able to come and she loved it. She said she felt this indescribably wonderful feeling when he went into the water and we talked about the Holy Ghost and then we asked her if she wanted to be baptized and she said yes! She leaving for Donetsk soon to see her brother but we put her date for October 12th but it's basically whenever she gets back and we can teach her the last few lessons. It was a great lesson and we talked about commandments with her and she took it all in and loved it all! It's miraculous to see the change in her from our first lesson to now because she would always refer to the Ukrainian Orthodox church as "her" church, but during the lesson she was talking about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as "her" church! She was also (miracle) able to come to church the next day! She is so awesome and so ready to be baptized.

On Sunday Sister Rawlinson also said goodbye to everyone in the branch and it was sad but she's already planning a return trip with her parents for next summer so she'll be back;) We also superkontik'd with herbal tea with some of the youth after church and I'll just say I'm sticking with milk with my kontiks ;) But it was fun to spend time with all of them. On Sunday we also got to talk a little with the area patriarch who did blessings in Kharkiv this week. He is SO cool and I would give a lot to just talk to him for hours! We asked him about how sometimes it seems unfair that God seems to group people into different groups like Jews and Gentiles, and he said that ultimately the thing that really separates us is if we keep or don't keep his commandments. And He never will love any person or group of people more, but he does reserve blessings for those people that follow Him and His commandments because they are the ones ready for them. He also said he knew my Grandpa Conger when he used to be an Area 70 member so that was cool :)

Today for P-day we also went to a really cool free zoo here with our district and it was a lot of fun! We got some crepes before we left and Sister Rawlinson wanted one with kitkats and they were all out but the lady thought we were weird and cool so she made a special trip to get some more for us :) And it was yuuuumy.

Sorry this letter is a small book! If you've gotten to this point, молодец.
I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week!
С любовью,
Сестра Кропельники

Our district at the zoo

With the patriarch, Elder Neuenschwander

Shopping!

Sister Rawlinson and me with Nastia

Week 42: Raw Eggs and Picnics

Hello all! I can't believe it's September and that means it's the end of another transfer (six-week period) on my mission. That's crazy. Some highlights from this week:

On Monday night we had family night as usual and Vika and Veronica came from Novy Doma with their mom and brother :) It was awesome and we played foosball with them afterwards and they even missed their own metro train so they could stay with us! I know it's not allowed but I kind of want to take them home with me. They are the cutest!

This week we also were able to teach Igor and Gleb and we talked about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and we read in 2 Nephi 31 and had them mark where it talks about each part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (faith, repentance, baptism, gift of the Holy Ghost, endure to the end) in different colors. They loved it and even added some colors and marked some other unrelated concepts haha. At the end of the lesson we talked about baptism and asked them if they would want to be baptized and they said yes! Woot. So hopefully in 3 weeks! It would be SO cool if their dad could baptize them (he is less active) so we're working on that with our branch president.

This week was the last week of summer for all of the schools so it seemed like everyone was out getting the most out of the last days and it made for some really awesome contacting and it recomfirmed how much I loooove babushky. They are so sweet and good and will just tell you their life story and how wonderful you are and all the things they wish for you and I will forever remember the babushkies of Ukraine. They will also wish for you a good husband and lots of children and health every time without fail. It's the best.

Alexandra picked up her phone!! We haven't been in contact with her for over three weeks and we had basically dropped her because she literally dropped off the face of the earth, but we were doing area book work and I randomly had a thought to call her and I did, and she answered and said that she's been in the hospital. She said to call on Monday to try and meet up with us. Fingers crossed that we are able to resume teaching her. She is so awesome.

Met with a member, Sister Olga, and brought Sister Shepherd with us and it was a great visit. We also got to meet her daughter who is less active but really cool. We talked about her life and how she fled Donetsk when the war started and dreams of going back there when the war is over. She is a really solid member and she has an adorable granddaughter who let me hold her doll during our meeting :)

We also met with Пётр (Peter) and his son (his wife Жана is sick right now) and we talked about the priesthood and it was a great lesson. The Shepherds helped us on the lesson and it was really good. We talked about how the priesthood is used to help and bless other people and Пётр was super into the lesson. He is sooo coooooool!!!! And I can just see him as a branch president or area president, he is just a good man and has a good heart.

We also had English practice on Friday and we played a game where we taped professions onto people's backs and they had to ask each other questions to guess their professions...big success and we had SO many people in just the beginners class, like 27!

Saturday we had our branch picnic and it was a really good time. Nastia, one of our investigators came (!!) and really connected with the members, it was so cool to see. We played a charades game where people would act out a scripture story and everyone else had to guess. It was a lot of fun. Also funny (and palm to the forehead stupid) Sister Rawlinson and I were in charge of bringing 20 eggs to the picnic, not knowing that they needed to be hard boiled! So we made do without them and now we have eggs coming out of our ears so if anyone would like some eggs our apartment is near the train station, come on by :)  Nastia also came to sports night on Saturday evening and it was a lot if fun, we had almost 30 people come! She loves the people in our church and this week we are really hoping she'll be able to get work off on Sunday so she can come to church again. Her work schedule is insane though so pray for her!

On Sunday we had fast and testimony meeting and, not to brag, but my branch's testimony meeting is kind of the best. Our members are SO good at just bearing such genuine, heartfelt testimonies with no frills or huge stories. Just what they know is true and the spirit was so strong and it was wonderful to just be there and listen to their testimonies. The members here are so solid. Ok humble brag over.

After church our branch had a mini MTC activity for the youth and we talked about why we decided to serve a mission, what other returned missionaries that were there learned on their missions, and we answered questions that they had. It was great! Sister Rawlinson and I also set up for the area patriarch to come, who comes on Tuesday. We stole the carpet from the primary room so now the room he's using looks all homey ;)

My birthday was also on Sunday and it was wonderful! People called to wish me happy birthday, Sister Rawlinson made me brownies and the senior couple here in Center had us over for dinner! It was a great birthday. Definitely different from all the ones before it but still really nice.

That is about it for this week! I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week!
Love,
Sister Kropelnicki

Mini MTC!

Branch picnic! Nastia is next to me and next to her is Natasha, who was recently baptized.

Sister Rawlinson with Sister Olga's granddaughter