Donetsk Zone Conference! WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SPRING DAY - SUN SHINING, PIZZA, SISTER LYDIA'S CABBAGE SALAD AND HER BANANA CAKE - WHAT MORE COULD THE MISSIONARIES WANT? THEY WANTED A SPIRITUAL FEAST AS WELL AND THAT IS WHAT THEY GOT! IT WAS AMAZING. THE ZONE LEADERS WERE GREAT WHEN THEY HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD AS THEY TALKED ABOUT CHAPTER 10 IN PREACH MY GOSPEL(TEACHING SKILLS). UNITY, USING THE SCRIPTURES, RESOLVING CONCERNS AND NEVER GIVING UP ON LEARNING THE LANGUAGE. PRESIDENT FRY SPOKE ON FALLING INTO THE TRAP OF SAFE REBELLION (A TALK THAT SISTER BEDNAR GAVE A FEW YEARS AGO). SWEET TESTIMONIES WERE BORNE FROM OUR MISSIONARIES LEAVING NEXT TRANSFER AND FROM OUR RUSSIAN SPEAKING EUROPE EAST AREA NATIVES. IT WAS INCREDIBLE!! I LOVE THESE MISSIONARIES!! THERE WAS SUCH A POWERFUL YET PEACEFUL SPIRIT IN OUR MEETING. IT WAS THE BEST FEELING EVER!!

Olya's Batism

This was a special day where a young married couple experienced great joy in their lives. Vitally baptized his wife Olya. Vitally has been a member for a few years now but hasn't come as often to church as he did at first, however, he continued to attend English class. He noticed a young woman attending for some time and observed her and was drawn to her. After several months he showed up at her house with some flowers, introduced himself and proposed! Olya had been selected(months prior) to be the Kinghorns interrupter. The Kinghorns are the Humanitarian couple in the mission. She was being exposed to the church bit by bit. She was drawn to the church and enjoyed the company of many CES youth as well as the missionaries(couples, sisters & elders). Vitally had started attending Church more regularly and was especially interested in preparing to go to the Temple. He wanted an Eternal Marriage and Olya was the one he wanted to spend Eternity with. She was very surprised to see him and didn't really know him. Her answer was "maybe we should date first." Well they did date and they were married and Olya was indeed ready for Baptism. She was spiritually ready and it showed in her countenance. It was indeed a glorious day! Every day a new soul comes unto Christ through the waters of Baptism is a glorious day! I will never forget this day. I will never forget the love that was shown between a husband and wife on this day. Just after Olya came up from the baptismal waters - she kissed Vitally as if to say "Thank you! I love you!"

New Missionaries March 2009

It's time for New Missionaries again!!! We love it when our newest ones arrive. They come with such a great spirit about them and it gives us "New Life" here in the mission. I am spotlighting Elder Shipp first: He is from Mesa Arizona. He enjoys wrestling, violin, choir, golf and rock climbing. He has served in various leadership positions in the Church as well as at school. His trainer is Elder McArthur and they will be serving in Novia Doma(Kharkov area). Next is Elder Hyer: He is from Las Vegas, Nev. He was the Valedictorian in his High School, an Eagle Scout and received many, many awards for high achievement. He enjoys tennis, volleyball and chess. His trainer is Elder Sutherland and they will be serving in Gorlovka. Elder Tillotson is last but not least: He is from Okatie, South Carolina. He enjoys lacrosse, cross country, hunting, fishing and Latin. He is an Eagle Scout and has served in leadership capacities in his ward. His trainer is Elder Hunt and they will be serving in the Novia Doma(Kharkov area). We love our new missionaries and are excited they are here!!!