". . . they forsook all and followed Him."

As we have become closer friends with the young men from Nigeria who play professional soccer here in Ukraine, we have felt that often they are at a disadvantage when it comes to being fellowshipped into the branch because of the language barrier.  (We unterstand how easily that can happen.)  Because of this we started the English speaking Sunday school class.  There are some English-speaking Russians and Armenians who attend, but the core group are these young men who speak Nigerean-English.  Even without much support Jehadi has been faithful and humble.  He always brings his scriptures to church and wears a white shirt and tie. . . . and he loves "The Word." 

Three weeks ago Jehadi was assigned to give our lesson in Family Home Evening and he did a great job, teaching from the scriptures how faith can conquer fear.  He shared with us stories about his background, how he was a very tough character growing up.  He told of the fear that he generated in even his own family members because of his very rough life-style.  Then he came to Ukraine to play soccer, and here he discovered the beautiful message of God's plan for us.  Here, his life was changed forever.  

As happens whenever we have a stewardship over some of God's children, Elder Hatch spent a lot of spare minutes here and there, pondering about those in his class, considering how he could bless them best.  And just as it often happens when we combine prayer with reflection and desire, he began to feel some strong promptings.  Over several weeks, thoughts about Jehadi serving as a missionary crystalized, and at FHE Monday night when he came early, Elder Hatch felt impressed to talk to him about a mission. Jehadi had thought of a mission.  It was an amazingly wonderful but currently impossible and far-away dream for him.  He was so happy to talk about the subject.  He had wanted so much to talk to Elder Hatch, but couldn't see how a mission would ever be possible.  In those few minutes before the others arrived, he was taught the process of becoming an Elder, mission preparation classes, application process  and temple preparation and was assured that it was very possible. 

"My Mother would be so proud of me," he said.  "Oh, how she will love seeing me in a white shirt and tie!"  During the evening Jehadi was deep in thought and was beginning to glow with the idea.

Before the closing prayer Elder Hatch asked if there was anyone who wanted to share some new plans with us.  Jehadi started with his humble shy grin and then told the group that he was going to go on a mission.  He will not renew his contract with the soccer club after he finishes this year.  He'll go home for Christmas to see his family he has not seen for some time, teach them the gospel, and be ready to leave on a mission the first of January.  He told the group that we are going to start the process now and he bore a powerful testimony. 

Edgar, who was just baptized two weeks ago put into words what we all could feel:
 "Wow, what a great teacher you will be!"

"Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord. . . "

Sunday we met for the first time since transfers with our new district. 

Elder Petersen on the right is the only carry-over from our old "District Three."

I have a feeling that this is going to be another incomparable District!

Elders Neil, Roberts, Shorthill and Petersen

Saturday Edgar was baptized!

Although it has been just two weeks since his own baptism,

Ashot was asked to speak and did an amazing job. 

Sunday Elder Hatch confirmed Edgar, and helped ordain Ashot a priest. 

At our Family Home Evening on Monday, Ani presented a beautiful and effective lesson

challanging each of us to discover our own recipe for happiness in the pages of the scriptures.

We spent some time on Tuesday with our good friend, Yana. 

We talked of thoughts and ideas from the scriptures. 

Yana leaned forward, drinking in the marvelous new ideas that Elder Hatch unrolled for her. 

"My goal", she confided, "is to come to really KNOW the scriptures. 

Sometimes I want it so badly that it feels like I am hungry . . . for more of those beautiful words."

Yana is reading them in Ukranian,  Ani reads them in Armenian, Michael, Paul and Chede prefer English, and we are trying to read them in Russian.   The familiar passages we have read many times before are beginning to glow with new, sometimes slightly different meaning when presented through this newly acquired vocabulary.  It is an amazing experience to feel the expanse of God's children pull close into family; brothers and sisters drawn together via the vehicle of His word.

For those who think eight Children are a lot care for . . . how about Seventy?

It is difficult to watch our boys fly out of our lives and back to the REAL world

but it is always a joy to greet new ones who arrive the very next day to take their place.

 

The young men who began their missionary sevice last week, newly assigned to the Ukraine Donetsk Mission had spent the previous sixteen to nineteen hours on an airplane.  They arrived in this part of the world at a time that their bodies tell them they should be sleeping.  

As a senior couple, our assignment at this time is two-fold: 

 to introduce them to this new world of missionary service, and

to keep them awake for another six hours to help expidite the process of re-setting their personal body-clocks. 

Despite the challanges this creates for them, this group was alert, attentive and respectful. 

We are still learning to match their faces with their names, but we love them already!

Sisters are wonderful things!!  They are a bright ray of sunshine. 

They are committed, hard working, fun and funny.  We love them. 

We have not yet had the experience of sending home any of our girls, but we were introduced to a taste of how we will feel when that does happen just this week when two sisters were transferred from Donetsk to Kharkov, a ten hour train ride away.

The week before the transfer, Sister Watts went to Makeevka, creating a temporary threesome with the sisters there while Sister Howell flew to Bulgaria to get her VISA renewed.  Sister Howell stayed with us the night before she was to leave for Sofia, so we got up at 4:00 to make sure that she would get to the airport by 6:00. 

 

  When they finally got together again these two sisters had only a very short time to finish packing and have the apartment cleaned up before they were to board a night train to Kharkov.  We helped.  They finished just barely in time to meet the taxi driver.

 

When he saw the pile of luggage he shook his head.  So did the driver of the second, supposedly larger taxi.  One of the drivers called in for reinforcements and a third driver arrived in a hatch-back.  Even he shook his head in amazement!  After we paid him an extra 20 grevin he agreed to help the sisters get their bags to the train.  When they called us later to report that they had safely boarded and were on their way, they described their valiant, driver, red-faced and sweating as he finally got all of their suitcases up the two flights of stairs at the station.  They felt like he had more than earned another 20 grevin which they gave him for helping them.   In the process, the sisters dropped one bag -- the one that contained a special bottle of root beer extract (sent at Christmas from Daddy at home) and it broke, soaking coats and leaking onto the floor.  Someone gave them napkins, many offered help, and they made it into a great contacting experience as they took the opportunity to explain exactly why they were there and where they were going.  They were the last passengers to board the train, but They Made It!!   At 5:30 AM the next morning sisters Haymond and Karteshova met them at the Kharkov station and helped move all of the bags into another taxi and get settled in a new home.

We will miss having them close by.

We stayed late into the night and cleaned the apartment which was full from years of missionaries. We are closing the home and needed to redistribute all of the church furnishings and belongings.  Early the next morning we finished with the help of four Elders, then we took a load of beds and a washing machine to Mariupol.  One Elder living there has been sleeping of the floor for some time.  While in Mariupol we did apartment cleaning checks then traveled back to Donetsk, arriving home late.  That was a very busy two days!  Thank goodness we still have five weeks until the next transfer!

Baptisms are wonderful Things!

God smiled down on Donetsk yesterday!

Of all the important matters of State that may have occurred, or of all the turnings of the wheels of commerce, or the premiere

 showings of celebrities, or performances of athletes that may have occured, the very most important happening for the eternities to come centered in the decision of four to enter into a covenant with their Heavenly Father.  

"Behold, here are the waters of Mormon and now as ye  are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called His people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light; Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn;  yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and stand as a wittness of God at all times and in all places that ye may be in, even unto death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life- - Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have ye against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you." Mosiah 18:8-10 

I am sure Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ rejoiced. Ancestors who have prayed for this day rejoiced.  Future children who have not yet come to earth celebrated on the other side of the veil.  Faithful members in the church branches of Donetsk rejoiced and celebrated this great day.  And then there is another level of quiet rejoicing and gratitude we were wittness to: . . . A faithful excemplary wife of many years had her dreams and prayers fulfilled; a new bride can now look beyond to the sealing power which will bless their family, and a mother's tears through many years for a wayward son all have become worth it.  We saw and felt all this rejoicing yesterday.

             Паладейчук Василий Иванович                         Лещева Елена Станиславовна

             Palodichuk, Vasiley Ivanovich                                Lesheva, Eleena Stanislavovna

           Григорьев Андрей Валерьевич                                      Семонян Ашот Каренович

         Gregorev, Andrea Valerovich                                              Simonian, Ashot Karenovich

Today each was confirmed in their respective branches.  This most preceious Gift of the Holy Ghost  -- to comfort, to bring all things to their remembrance, to teach, to show the way, to warn of danger, to give peace, and to testify of the Savior -- was given to them.  Think of that great thought.  Through Priesthood power, I had authority from God to bestow that gift on Ashot.  That gift which came from God through the hands of an Elder of the church, has the power to get him back to his Heavenly home.  I was humbled and in awe of both the priesthood and the Holy Ghost today.

                                             It was a beautiful day of rejoicing and celebration in our district. 

Demise of District Three

Transfers are here again, and with them, Ukraine Donetsk Mission will be sending thirteen Elders home.  Of the Elders in our current "District Three", one is moving, four will be released and only one will remain.  Click the audio link below to join us in our last District meeting for this "District Three."

The past months in Ukraine for these young men have marked a season of growth.

They are not sure, right now, that they will miss us . . . but we know that they will.

And we will miss them!

Cucumber Boats and Priesthood Power

   GIRLS CAMP

                             

This week we traveled three hours to the northwest to visit eighteen girls at the Donetsk District Girls' Camp.  We spoke to them.

I told how, as a little boy, I would make cucumber boats

 with the too-old yellow, heavy-seeded ones; put a stick in for a mast and put on a scrap of a sail.  Then I would float it down the little stream.  I compared my little cucumber boat to  gigantic aircraft carriers that hold an entire city of 11,000 plus 300 aircraft.  Food, surgons, nurses, supplies, theatres, libraries,  power,  ability to repair holes in itself are all in this majestic ship.  There are radar, global positioning technology, radios, computers and sofisticated guidance systems.

I promised them as we sail the sea of life it wouldn't always be smooth sailing and romantic sunsets but there would come  storms and waves and rain to beat without on their ship.  One who had only prepared a cucumber boat, without learning to work, without kindness and consideration for young and old, without knowledge, without purity,  without power and without knowing how to comminuicate with his God,  would not be a very good captain to trust with their dreams.  Imagine as the little boat starts sinking in the tempest and darkness and there isn't even a place to keep your footing; there is not a shelter overhead.

                                                                                                                  

How are you going to prepare in order to share the captaincy of, not a cucumber boat, but a mighty ocean vessel. 

Whence comes the power?

(You all know the rest of the story)

 The camp Constitution, schedule, assignments and menu

 How do you keep food cool in Ukraine?  You dig a big, deep hole, cover it over with poles and dirt, build a ladder, and put your food in.  Fortunately for me, this storeroom / refridgerator just happened to house a cumber-boat in the making.

Mom spoke first.  She talked about preparing now to enjoy Priesthood power as a vital part of a future family.  She was convincing and emotional as she told how a worthy, priesthood husband was directed to the very place a lost daughter would fall.  Because of this Priesthood she still has eight children and now a sweet little Violet.

(You know the rest of the story)

 Notice the value-colors on the neckerchiefs of girls deep in study of their scriptures.

The girls really loved your mother.

Friends bring new friends!

Paul brought Юлиа (Julia). 

We gave her a Book of Mormon. 

She really likes to learn about God's word. 

She said that loves what she heard. She told Paul she would like to be baptized.  

He suggested that she learn more first.  Chidi registered for new FamilySearch tonight.  He is anxious to go to the temple.  Vitali invited everyone to join the single young adults at institute and he announced the upcoming activities.  Paul also brought Michael.  They are roommates and all three young men play on different soccer teams.  Michael shared his testimony about the Holy Ghost.  He loves the Bible and is interested in hearing more.

The Elders gave a short lesson on the Holy Ghost and Sister Hatch told about great pioneers and how we can see living pioneers right here in Ukraine and "your children and grandchildren will look back and honor you". Julia and Michael each accepted an appointment to begin the lessons.  We still have soda left for our next visitors, but we ate all the popcorn.

On missions we make friends

It is amazing how the gospel does this.  Ani and Ashot, Chidi and Paul are our friends. Ани and Ашот came to dinner last Sunday.  We served very American roast beef and potatoes.

Friends bless each other.  They brought some of the world's best bread
-- Armenian bread -- to share with us.

They are helping us learn Russian.  Ani is very patient and speaks slowly to help us understand her Russian.  We are going to help them discover more about their ancestors so that they will be able to share temple blessings with deceased family members . We are helping them perfect English. Ashot will be baptized Saturday and we are all very excited.

Monday we had a great family home evening.

Elder Duke and Elder Hazen gave a lesson about missionary work. 

In the picture above, Paul is front right.  He taught us a fun game. It was like the old Mathew, Mark, Luke game where you would slap your thighs twice and then clap your hands in rhythm calling out some one else's assumed name at the perfect time.  Only in this game a motion or sign like an elephant, or butterfly or strong man or blowfish is assigned to each chair or position, and as someone makes a mistake and moves to the end of the line, you would move up the line of chairs, then the sign you must respond with changes.  Everyone had a great time.  For us, watching Paul make these outlandish signs in perfect rhythm with such fluid motions was especially fun.   For refreshments we served a food combination new to our guests: ice cream floats with cookies on the side.




You would all enjoy our new friends.


We teach an English-language Sunday School class.  Last week's lesson was on Priesthood and this week's was on temples. Chidi, another Nigerian socccer player friend whom you have already met, was a fantastic participant in the temple lesson. He is not well today and we gave him a Priesthood blessing.  Tomorrow is Monday night again and we think there will be at least one new visitor who is not yet our friend, but will be by this time tomorrow.



Our First Ukrainian Picnic

Saturday we were invited to join the Obyedeyoni Branch on the other side of Donetsk for a Branch picnic.

You have already met Sister Yana who extended the invitation.  She is our hairdresser.  She met us at the the big bus terminal where our knowledge of the end of the earth ends, and went with us on another bus out into the country.  On the bus ride we were visiting together in English and a white haired man who had been sitting on the far end of the bench, scooted over to join the conversation. 

He said, "I know a little English."  So we began to converse.

We would say something in Russian and he would answer in English.  As he learned we were from America, he told us of a church he knew from Salt Lake City in America.  He could not remember it's name.

Sister Hatch pointed to her badfge and said in Russian,
"Церковь Иисуса Христа Святых Последних дней"
(Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)?
He shook his head trying to think more.

 I said "Mormon?"

Yes! That was it!  Several years earlier he had attended a church meeting in Ukraine.  He liked it, he said.  The people seemed very nice.  We continued visiting and had a good conversation, ending with an invitation to join us at church.    




 

The people in Ukraine do not speak English, but they act the same way at picnics as do people at home.

 

This is a nice, recently returned missionary throwing the younger little pests into the drink.  They had been throwing water on him.  (Maybe you noticed that the little pest in pink is not really THAT much younger...)

The appetitzer was a mushroom sandwich - a roll cut into sections, each section had a dollop of mayonaise on top with  mushrooms poked in.

The main course was the sausages. 

My favorite was the whole little cucumbers and tomatoes.

The picnic was great but it was the people that were terrific!!