Weeks 67, 68, and 69 - January 12, 2020

 Y'all, what the heck is cookin же!

Things be good over here in Ukraine 🇺🇦.  Here are some fun updates... 

- We had an awesome exchange with our Zone Leaders the other week, so we drove to Kharkiv and spent a day and night with them.  Always good seeing missionaries, especially when you live three hours from the closest companionship.

- got our Zone to do a Kahoot game meeting together on Pday, it was lit.  I talked trash saying my comp and I would whoop everyone, and at one point we were, but then ended 4th of 7... What matters is that everyone did eat our dust at one point though, so amen to that! 😂

- I translated for part of Zone Conference, and that was challenging because you have to listen to the English, translate, and then still listen at the same time so you can start getting the next sentence out and keep up!  It honestly was really fun though, even though it FOR SURE was not perfect lol.

- our mission got Insta!

- I started sharing a verse a day to my stories with people here, so watch out for those!

- we got our boy Gennady some more tea and he was ecstatic! We hadn't seen him for a while because stuff kept getting in the way, so he called us up and said, "Guys, I miss you.  We need to meet."  HE'S SUCH A GEM!  BUT, earlier this week Gennady fell over and hurt himself!!  He about scared me half to death!  I was talking to him on the phone and go, "Well, how are you doing now Gennady?"  He responds, "Look at my face right now, I know if you could see my face right now.  It says it all! " 😂  We are seeing him tomorrow, luckily.

- Ukrainians celebrate Christmas at a different time than us, so we celebrated our second Christmas a few days ago!

- LAST STORY, and is for sure one of the best.  We went to go and bless the Sacrament for two bobs (grandmas) this week, and as usual, they were just the sweetest.  They are both talkers though, and one of them was taking up most of the stage.  So the other one, acting like her mom said, "Stop talking and eat your food, it's gonna get cold and it's my turn to talk!"  and this repeated, until eventually she said, "Go eat your food in the other room and come back when you're finished!" We were DEAD.  And she did it!!  Oh my gosh, I can't even put it into words, the conversations were just wild and we were just dead 😂.  On the way home, my companion and I were just talking about what spiritual giants the grandmas here are though.  They literally carry the church on their backs and are just next level holy.  Oh my gosh, there is nothing like it lol. They also just praise missionaries and literally go crazy when they see you.  They look at us and treat us as though we are just next level famous 😂.  Oh my gosh, we love them beyond anything haha.

Spiritual thought... I shared this with my mission family earlier this week, and wanted to share it with y'all!! 

When in Africa, we had the opportunity to visit an animal sanctuary, as well as a rhino reserve (particularly watched after a baby rhino was abandoned at birth).

 

These animals had been abandoned, hunted, injured, sick, shunned, etc.  You can even see the torn trunk of one of these innocent elephants as he walks by.  But what similarly related each of these animals was the fact that each was taken in and supported in their burdens.  They were all given sanctuary. 

Dallin H. Oaks speaks to this principle in his 2006 conference address, "He Heals the Heavy Laden." 

"Many carry heavy burdens.  Some have lost a loved one to death or care for one who is disabled.  Some have been wounded by divorce.  Others yearn for an eternal marriage. Some are caught in the grip of addictive substances or practices like alcohol, tobacco, drugs, or pornography.  Others have crippling physical or mental impairments.  Some are challenged by same-gender attraction.  Some have terrible feelings of depression or inadequacy.  In one way or another, many are heavy laden.

To each of us our Savior gives this loving invitation:

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30)."

No matter the burden we carry, Christ's loving arms are always spread out, patiently awaiting our embrace, ready to lift the burdens that weigh each and every one of us down.  HE is our sanctuary.

In his sanctuary, he will watch over and protect us from that which lies outside its walls, as well as heal the burdens which lie within. 

Thee who are heavy laden.  Seek his sanctuary, and I promise he shall give thee rest. 

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

Elder Wilde 🐘🦏