Monday 27 February 2017

Goglia! Gogoglia!

Hi everyone!
It has been an awesome first full week here in Ukraine!! It feels like I've been here forever, but in a good way, it's so weird! Everyday is an adventure and so fun with Sister Bolingbroke and with the hilarity of Ukraine. Something funny that happened was on the way to meet the branch president and his family ( his wife and daughter are not members) to have family home evening  with them and the Sullivans ( the mission president) we were supposed to get off of the marshootka at a stop called something like Gogollia and we didn't know how to say it or where it was and it was so crowded that we couldn't ask  the driver so I started yelling goglia! goglia! kto nibood! (anyone) ahaha and it worked lol, a babushka said we just passed it aha.

Super cool we have two new investigators!

sorry I still haven't gotten the hang of writing in this time frame still. And the computer at the internet cafe even turned off on me! So I'll try something different next week!
Sorry!

 Heavenly Father is aware of us and loves so much!

Cectpa Xoph



Soviet commander E. G. Pushkin T-34 tank memorial

The ancient kurgan stelae near the Historical Museum


Cathedral of the Transfiguration 

Tuesday 21 February 2017

I made it!! I'm in Ukraine!

Jk! I have some pics from Morgan first! 

We had a super fun last p-day there! We went to RUSH again! (1) with our district and Sis Novotny came!

(2) Had dinner with Bonnie, I love her so much!


(3) Saying goodbye to President and Sister Jaggi who are amazing!  I haven't gotten a picture with President and Sister Sullivan ( new mission president) yet but I will!


Priviet everyone!!!
I'm finally here in Ukraine and I'm loving it! The flight was probably  the longest I've ever been on, totally about 2 days with the time change but about 18 hours of flying I think and alone. Haha, I tried to sleep most of the way. I had to change planes four times which was a pain with my (probably 40 pound) carry on etc. and went through security about 3 times, I had no idea where I was going most of the time but some how.. I made it here in one piece with all my luggage! Yay! 

My companion's name is Cectpa Bolingbroke ( pronounced like bowling and a brook) and she is so awesome! She's super funny and chill but a hard worker and teaches me a lot about how things work here and the language. She even made me green russian pancakes (basically crepes:)) for my first being a greenie! She's actually from Layton, Utah, so that's funny because that's apart of my Utah, Ogden Mission. She's a little bit of a prankster ahah. And so when her and her two previous companions came to pick me up from the airport, while they were bored waiting in the airport they thought of switching things up so the sister from Ukraine was the one talking to me and said that sister sevran was my companion but couldn't speak so she was speaking "sigh language " with her and Sister Bolingbroke just couldn't speak english... lol it was interesting but I think it didn't go as well as they planned because I fell for it, I was just super confused what was going on so, I just went with it ahahaha. I thought it was funny though! 

I'm living in the big city Dnepropetrovsk!( You can actually just say *Neper* now though, so don't worry about trying to pronounce Dnepropetrovsk) Aha actually it's just about half the size of Calgary I think, quite different though. It's been a fun time here! Even though I have no idea what anyone is saying I have already made a couple of friends:) The members are great here! super friendly! On the street... not as friendly... but I still think everyone here is just so much cooler then I ever will be haha. They all wear big winter coats, lots of fur here, big shopka (fur hats) and toques with big fur pompoms, even though it has actually been pretty warm (considering my face isn't frozen lol) the last couple of days! 

We are actually in 2 districts because we're over 2 areas so that's cool. More friends! All the missionaries have been super nice and welcoming. Something unique about Ukraine is the public transport system. There are little (and big) buses called marshootkas everywhere! There are mostly little ones and so they're basically big vans and tons of people just squish in so tight! I was surprised because you just pass the money up and say "peredightye dva pajalsta" and they pass it up to the driver and then they pass the change all the way. Everyone is very trusting!

I bore my testimony in sacrament meeting yesterday and everyone said I did really well so that's a good sign! I also gave out a couple of English cards out ( we teach free English classes)  so I'm proud of my first week being an extreme amateur in this cool country. Life is great. The Lord helps you when you pray! Pray always!

Dang I hate that I now only have 1 and a half hours to write!! There's so much to say and not enough time! I'll tell more about Ukraine next time! 

Love you!

Сестра Хорн

Sorry the pictures wouldn't download but I will take lots this week and figure it our next week!

Tuesday 14 February 2017

My Visa waited for Tony to get Baptized!!! 😁🌈

"I like to look for rainbows whenever there is rain, and ponder on the beauty of earth made clean again. I want my life to be as clean as earth right after rain, I want to be the best I can, and live with God again." 🎶

^^ One of my favorite  primary songs ever! We sang it at my baptism when I was 8 and now almost every time I hear it, it makes me tear up.  On Saturday we sang it again because.. Tony got baptized!! It was such a happy day! :))  A lot of people came to support him, from his ward and also all our wonderful senior missionary couples who's sweet sisters have been a part of Tony's teaching process by always being so willing to drive to Layton and be with me for our lessons. I'm not worried for him because he has a great support from his ward. The bishop baptized him and the members he lives with each gave great talks on baptism and the Holy Ghost, in Russian which was good so Tony could understand... I didn't understand much except certain words but we could still all feel the spirit. 

I thought that song was also relevant because it has rained so much this week and warmed up so almost all the snow - the 6 feet high piles of snow - have melted away!! We can even see  some green grass here, coming out from hiding. The earth is clean. Tony has been washed clean, reborn in Christ and has entered the strait gate, and started on the narrow path that leads to eternal life. 

And me... I'm about to start a new journey as well! IN UKRAINE. Yup that's right.. I got my Visa! 

Everyone I hope you realize that you are witnessing a pretty awesome miracle right now. I don't know if I have ever seen the hand of God guiding His work, so apparent or clear before as I do right now. Heavenly Father knows and loves Tony so much. No it is not a coincidence that   my visa didn't come and I was sent to this mission a week before the missionaries found him. I was sent here to teach him. I know it with all my heart and I am so grateful  that the Lord gave me that opportunity. I'm crying right now as I write this because I have gained such a strong testimony this week that Heavenly Father is aware of us.

 He was aware of Tony and his willingness to accept the gospel but also his need to hear it taught in his native language. 

He is aware of me. That I really wanted to see Tony be baptized but also that I felt ready to leave and didn't know if I could keep my Russian for much longer. - Transfers were this last Wednesday and the Sister from the MTC who were going to my mission as well left on Tuesday. My mission President called us on Thursday saying my visa had arrived and he said that the travel people could have booked the flight for that day, FridaySaturday but they booked it for Tuesday afternoon. Allowing me to go to the baptism ( and I'll even be able to go through the temple Tuesday morning! :) )

I testify that Heavenly Father is aware of you. He knows you and has a plan for you. As you put your trust in Him he will lead and guide you. I know He is there, watching over us.

My time in the Ogden Mission has been amazing. I have learned and grown a lot. I have met so many amazing people.  Although I was a little upset upon finding out I wouldn't be going to Ukraine,  this entire transfer has been a miracle and I wouldn't trade the time I've had here for anything. I am going to miss the mountains and the people, those others who we are working with but I have confidence that the Lord, and Sister Tayco and her new companions will take care of them. I have accomplished what the Lord needed me to do here and now I'm looking forward to experiencing even more miracles in the land of perogies across the sea!

Happy Valentines!  I love you so much! 💗💗

-(Last time I'll be " Sister ") Horne


- Tony's baptism! 






- A couple of our senior couples whom we love




- Service at Bonnie's again:) ( I got to see bunnies!)



-  Beautiful Morgan Valley mountains




- Bye Sister Tayco♡♡





- all my name tags!



Tuesday 7 February 2017

Tony

YOOOOOOO, 

It has been a great week!! Sister Tayco and I are getting the hang of everything here but it has also helped that we've seen a bunch of miracles! So first is... guess what?! Tony is getting baptized!!! This next Saturday!! I am so excited for him guys. Even though his wife isn't here yet, he had been talking with her about the gospel and praying to know what to do. He knows it's true and has a strong desire to follow the example of Jesus Christ!  He decided that this is what Heavenly Father wants him to do and what he wants to do and since then we've been preparing for the 11th! He has such a strong faith in Jesus Christ, and everything just clicks with him, and he's so willing to obey God's commandments and, really,  the gospel is something that he knew before this life and we're just reminding him of it. I can see that. Tony is just awesome and I'm so excited for this next week to see him enter the waters of baptism! 

Yes, I'm pretty sure now that I will be staying here for another transfer. I mean technically if I get it in the next couple of days then I could still go but, I have a feeling I'll probably stay.

Another awesome thing is that we have a new investigator!  He's in our area now and speaks English haha, but he's a super cute little ten year old boy named James and he is also on date for a few weeks from now!! 

We went to a baptism on Saturday of the little eight year old daughter of one of the ward mission leaders  we work closely with. It was a really spiritual experience. I cried a lot haha. Even though I don't really even know her, they sang "Gethsemane " and that song always gets me, like I have no chance once I hear the chorus.. I'm gone.  Haha. Also it was really cool cause she was actually adopted from China and all the family has worked to learn mandarin after getting her so her one brother baptized her in mandarin. Also their oldest son is just about to leave on his mission to Korea so he was able to confirm her and give her the gift of the Holy Ghost. 

I know the church is true. I have received even more witnesses of it just in this week.  I love you all!

Сестра Horne

Our district!

 

Bowling on p-day:)