The Great Search for Grocery Bags

Heya'll!

I'm doing great here in Ivano-Frankivsk!

Things are going really well, and we've got a lot of work to still do.

Like always.

Today, really, has all of the best stories.  The rest of my week was just the usual... contacting, calling from the area book, meeting with some of our investigators... NOT meeting with a lot of them... so many dogged appointments.  

But no worries!  We are still going foreward with faith!  There are people in this city  who are ready to put the cleansing power of Christ's atonement to work in their lives!  We just have to do our very best to find them!

Okay, story time!

So today... we went grocery shopping at a place called Velmart.  Yeah... like Walmart.... with a Ukrainian accent.  

There, we bought all of our groceries for the week, piled up the wagon, and went over to the cashier!  Quick cultural note;  Most people buy groceries either every day, or every other day here.  It is strange to by a large mass of food.  Not to mention, we are already in our missionary gear, so we stick out as Americans throughout the entire store.  So, we get to the cashier, and start loading up the little conveyer belt with ALL OF OUR AWESOME FOOD.  It always brings a tear to my eye to see such a masterpiece.  My joy was cut short though... when my companion asks the cashier lady for 3 large bags.

"We don't have any bags...."

"Oh... should we ask the other lady?"

"No... we don't have ANY bags.... at all."

Awkward.

How are we supposed to get all of this food out of here??

I quickly explained the situation to the assistant manager, and after he finished laughing, he told me that he was sorry, but that he couldn't do anything about it...  

Erm... 

So we got a brilliant plan.  You know those drawstring backpacks?  I bought five of 'em.

Elder Stout just carried the massive new pot we bought and all of our eggs in his hands.  I felt pretty proud, no matter how ridiculous we looked.  It was a success.  

My companion, as I'm sweating and about to pass out under the heat and the weight of our weekly food, being as determined and harworking as he is, is still contacting people.

"Excuse me sir, do you have a second?"

"Look boys, just go home and eat your eggs."

Fine. We will, and we will enjoy them.

I talked to a man, and actually, just like a normal person, explained the hilarious story that just happened to us.  He immediately opened up, and we had an amazing conversation about the city, and about the reasons that we need God in our lives.  

I call it drawstring contacting.  *INSERT PATENT HERE*

I also had an interview with President Lattin today.

He gave me a lot of great insight, and I have a lot of great things to start working on. 

It was inspiring.  He's an incredible man.

I know that Christ is our Savior.  I know with all my heart!

Well, I'm having a lot of fun here being a missionary.  

This is definitely the Lord's work.

​I love you all very much!  

Elder LeBaron​