Wednesday, April 23, 2014

"I Love You Forever and Always"

Dear Family and Friends,
 
Wow!
What a week.
 
Our investigator, the photographer who we met in the hospital (the miracle guy)  AGAIN showed up to the Church miraculously, after we lost him for the 2nd time (the guy really needs to pay his phone bill...)
We taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and he agreed to be baptized again, this time by someone holding the proper priesthood authority, when he recieves an answer about the Book of Mormon being the word of God.  He's stellar, but now he's out of town for a long time, looking for a new job in the eastern part of Ukraine.
 
We have a lot of finding to do!  Luckily, we're in a big ol' city filled with God's children!  Woo! We're gonna see if we can't get some new investigators hopping about the learning train :)
This, of course, will mean trying every concievable method of talking with people, and praying our guts out.  I really am getting more hopeful as the days go by that something awesome is going to happen soon.  You can only have so many tough days before BLAM you have to have a contrast ;)
So, something incredible is on it's way, for sure.
 
Yesterday was one such day in which we were out on the streets, attempting to contact people.  With a destination in mind, we set out on the streets!  We were out to find anyone and everyone who was willing to talk with us. 
 
This is usually when we meet the most interesting people.
 
So first of all, walking along, we run into this nice fellow.  He was of a cheery disposition, and quite obviously had something to tell us, which I deduced by looking at the glimmer of light that shone from his eyes when he saw the two american boys walking down the street.
There is a common communication which I have become familiar with, which usually indicates intoxication by the means of alchohol...
 
"Are you americans?"
"Yes, we are!"
"I would like to speak with you!"
 
Bam.  He was off to the races.  You think a drunk trying to speak his OWN LANGUAGE can be nonsensical?  Try understanding to the blurb that we ended up listening to.  He was trying to use english words... I think.  Elder P kindly asked him to speak in Ukrainian, because we actually understand it...
Then the words stopped, he smiled, and just manage to sputter out (in actually understandable english), through his jagged brown and yellow teeth--
"I love you guys! Forever and always!"
 
So... yeah.  That's how finding went yesterday. 
I also had a man try to purchase a bible from me.  He would not take the free copy of the Book of Mormon though...
  *Insert downcast head shake here*
 
It hasn't been easy...
Finding the people who God has prepared is pretty tough.  But, there never was a good thing that I ever got without having to work hard for it. 
 
CONFERENCE!!!
 
I feel like I can't even describe my feelings for conference. Mostly because I didn't understand any of it. I may not have understand a word of it, but I got to watch it in both Ukrainian, and a little bit in GERMAN!  What?  The other Elder's here in Lutsk have an investigator who speaks German, a little english, and a messy blurr of russian.  Usually, he speaks all three together.  It's incomprehensible.... as was my experience with conference.  Only about 7 people from the branch showed up to watch it at the church building, which was a bit dissapointing... but we're going to keep working hard, keeping inviting, and keep showing them how much we love them! 
 
It's tough when the most steady church attending families get sick on conference weekend.  Oh well, they watched it online!  GO TECHNOLOGY!
 
Luckily, I have a disc with Conference in english on it.  I hope I will have time to watch it soon!  P-day time will be spent in the pleasurable experience that is General Conference.
 
Well, that's it from this part of the world.
Much love
and prayers.
 
Elder LeBaron


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