On Tuesday we had Mission Leadership Conference in Dnipro so at 6 am we met the elders and off we went in a little van. It was crazy foggy but that didn't stop our driver from going crazy fast haha. They drive that road all day every day so he could probably do it with his eyes closed (hopefully cause that's basically what he did). MLC was great, we talked about the new missionary standards book and zone conference and Christmas (!!!) and two of my old companions, Sister Rawlinson and Bevziuk were there too and so it was just a great day. This is also their last transfer until they go home which is soooo weird! It was hard to leave the mission office when we finished because it would be a while before I see them again!
Our Kharkiv district is also doing a Christmas fireside and President Wirthlin and Sister Wirthlin will be there and we as missionaries are singing some songs and the members are running with it and it's going to be so good!! There's going to be a live orchestra and its gonna be великолепно.
Sister Chen and I are also trying to get out of the city part of our area because we have a pretty big area and haven't been to every part of it. So we decided to go to the bottom part, to a seelo (village) called Babai and we did some good old fashioned tracting! It was actually kind of fun, and people actually answered their doorbells. It was kind of weird because the only tracting I've ever done is with apartments because that's all they really have in the cities I've served in, but it was my first time doing the typical tracting. People were interested in why the heck we were there, and that started some good conversations.
Straight from there we went to visit Sister Alla who has been sick lately and hasn't been to church for a while. We talked to her about Christmas and we watched the Christ Child and she really liked it. We also visited another babushka in our branch the next day, Sister Ludmila. She showed us her old Book of Mormon that the missionary who baptized her gave to her. It was so cool! The gold letters on the front were totally worn away and it was all marked up. You could tell that it got a lot of attention! Our members are amazing!
We also had a lesson with Peter and Janna and we talked about goals and what goals they have with meeting with us, and we talked about how they feel like their lives have changed since they started meeting with the missionaries. They said that they have noticed a difference since they've met with us, and we talked about some goals that they could set for this year and we talked about baptism and they immediately closed off (whenever we talk about baptism they kind of do that), but they are praying as a family now! So that's good, and they are going to read a chapter a day together from The Book of Mormon (because Janna doesn't really like reading). We still feel a little stuck with them, but they are making progress :)
We also had exchanges this week with the Novy Doma sisters and I was with Sister Smith! She is so awesome!! She is one of the most diligent missionaries I know and wow she was teaching me the whole time! We went and visited the parents of the first counselor in our branch. I've only met his mom, but this time his dad was there too and we had a really great lesson with them. We showed them The Christ Child (our mission has a goal to share it 10 times before Christmas :) and they really really loved it. We also invited them to the Christmas Fireside this week and they said they want to come. Cross your fingers!
Also random, but sister Chen ate a croissant that she dropped on the ground in the metro this week. She is a brave one.
And then today! We got a call from our mission President and he told us that for the rest of the transfer (three weeks) we will be in a trio with a sister whose companion is going home this week! Woah. We were a little surprised but we are so excited! I think I am destined to just be in trios half my mission or something hahaha. But it'll be a fun time, we can't wait.
This week I've been trying to really take time each day and really think about where I am and what I'm doing and put it all into perspective because my mission is going by so fast and I never want to forget this time, especially being Christmas time. We were sitting in Sister Alla's cute little kitchen and we were drinking tea and talking and laughing and it just hit me for a split second how much I just LOVE everything about where I was in that second. And there are so few other places that I would rather be. I am just really darn grateful for my mission and the good and the hard times. I wouldn't trade it for anything.
I love you all and hope you are having a wonderful Christmas time! This is the most wonderful time of the year because it's focused on Christ! And He is the source of everything that gives us true happiness and joy. Have a wonderful week! Merry Christmas!!!
Love,
Sister Kropelnicki
Kids in the snow!!!
We met with a super awesome member in our branch that just got married
Nutella things. Yum
Lunch with the Hongs
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