Week 30: Allergies are the WORST

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Pday was postponed to today because one of the area authorities came and held a zone conference with us yesterday- which was really funny and spiritually uplifting. To be completely honest, I can't remember much of what happened this week.

We had a week long finding activity in the center of Kyiv to prepare for this big zone conference with a general authority (Elder Golden) and it was really fun. I talked to this babushka who walked up and asked what we were giving away so freely and so we gave her everything. She was so grateful, she told us she needed to give us some plums *whips plums out of nowhere*. She also gave me her number because we had become such good friends- I caved in and told her my name. We invited her to church and she said she couldn't go, she lives far away in Vinnytsya, where we happen to have sisters so I asked if I could give her number to them- she said honestly she might refuse. I told them to tell her Kaeleigh sent them. Hopefully they can get in.

Friday was Ukraine's Independence Day (You might have seen me speaking some Ukrainian on Facebook- I'm famous) so we wore vishyvankas to be patriotic and turns out we are more patriotic than the Ukrainians. I saw 4 other humans in traditional Ukrainian shirts. Our security guard asked us if there was a holiday! We were caught a little off guard, but it's alright. Baba Anna sent us shopping for her, which we gladly did. She asked for some cookies and juice so we got her her favorites and when we returned she said "Surprise! You just bought the treats for our Independence Day party!" She sure got us good! What a cutie!

One lady we are hoping to teach some more, Nastya the Baptist, found some Anti-Mormon literature this week and I don't know if there is a word in any language I know to describe my emotions about it. The closest might be awe. Anyway, she told us she found what we believe and being curious, we asked and she started relaying some false doctrine and blasphemy- the good stuff. She said she "verified" it wasn't an Anti-Mormon site, but she asked if we wanted to know what else it said. We said sure, so she printed two sets for us and charged us with the task of grading it for accuracy- which we did and the whole page is red-we can leave it at that. The world believes some pretty outrageous stuff and we had some really good laughs over the ridiculous stuff this site came up with.

It was one of our members' birthday this week so we had a party to celebrate- there is always something to celebrate in this country. Sister Moore was a dinosaur this week (see pictures).

On an ending note, allergies have hit me hard this week. I'm constantly sneezing and my eyes are itchy and it has been GREAT. I love it. But, I still get to do missionary work and that makes me happy! I hope all of you have a wonderful week!

Sister Vehar

 Happy 27th Independence Day Ukraine! 

 Sister Moore-the Dino

 Kyiv East and West Zone Conference

All the sisters in the mission, minus those in Lviv and Moldova

 I found Zac Efron selling computer assistance again but post HSM era- these phonies are upping their game

A great view from the 16th floor- no I didn't fear for my life

Week 29: English Music Is Everywhere

Happy Monday Everyone!

This week has been crazy long! I've decided I've lost all sense of time as a missionary. I can't tell the difference between one hour, one week and one transfer ago anymore. It really is a great sensation.

I've been exposed to a lot of worldly music this week, which I may or may not have enjoyed- they were some good throwbacks.

We chalk contacted for the first time with the elders and it was really fun cause we got a really good contact out of it and listened to a guy play La La Land on his guitar. I was light headed and my knees hurt, but I was really happy. I drew some really good clouds for the plan of salvation and wrote in lots of Russian.

We had Sister Moore's first exchange outside of our area- the first time she's left our area- and it was really fun. I was with a trainee who had been out for a week and might have argued with a guy about why we need scripture. It was kinda funny cause he said "All we need is love- not church, scripture etc." and the trainee didn't understand and kept saying “da” (“yes”) cause it sounded like doctrine, but I had to correct both of them and say we didn't believe that. It was wild.

We registered Sister Moore for Ukraine and the driver was blasting some 80s ballads and we were rocking hard. Also there was a huge storm and half the trees in the city were uprooted. Also, we witnessed a woman hop across the crosswalk on one leg in 4 inch wedges- needless to say we were impressed.

We visited our blind and deaf babushka, Baba Ana, and she said her sight and hearing are worse than ever and my little heart aches for her. She also spit cookies all over me when talking so I was grateful she couldn't see or hear my reaction to that.

I am honestly so happy to be on a mission in Ukraine. Sometimes I forget I'm in Ukraine, (very briefly most times until I see something that people could only get away with in Ukraine) but I literally love this people and country so much.

I love you all and I'll talk to you on Tuesday (We have zone conference next week)!

Sister Vehar

Our Plan of Salvation (we had some help)

I love the "graffiti" here! People just decorate buildings by painting them

More painted buildings

I got a package and I made a lemonade popsicle because of this dang heat!

Pictures leaked from Ukraine

Sister Hawks returned to Ukraine to show her family where she served and her mother sent these pictures of Sister Vehar and Sister Moore teaching English class on Saturday afternoon. Fun to get a glimpse of Sister Vehar in action!

Week 28: Weak Things Made Strong

Happy Monday!

This week was quite interesting. It all started when we decided this week that our investigator, Olga, had ignored our calls too many times and we needed to stop by unannounced. We of course had to have a reason to get in. Brownies- the only thing everyone loves in this world and are quite rare in this country. You could call us the suppliers of happiness with the Gospel and brownies, all anyone needs in this life. Anyway, we left the brownies a little underdone and kept most of it for ourselves. We went by Olga's apartment and she let us in! We caught up forever and read the Book of Mormon together (during which she suggested that Lehi had to smoke something in order to have a vision- no, I wasn't offended at all) and we gave her homework of 2 Nephi 2. And then she told us on our way out that she can't believe in the Creation. Funny how that works out. She "coincidentally" cancelled our next meeting- I hope it's not because we gave her a whole chapter solely about the Creation to read.

This week Sister Moore and I had awful stomach aches. We couldn't figure out what it was. Some senior couples tried to tell us it was the raw egg in the brownies- I've never had a problem with it in my life. The brownies were actually so good that when sisters stayed with us twice this week, we hid them every time so we didn't have to share. Maybe not relevant, but it was a highlight of my week. We did eventually find the source of the ache as I tried to relieve the pain by eating a piece of rye bread and saw a flash of blue- WE HAVE BEEN EATING MOLD ALL WEEK as the bread was our go-to to relieve hunger and aches. It's okay we're fine. We feel better now! I actually drank sour milk today and my stomach is now invincible due to the conditioning I've put it through all week!

On Saturday we met with Nastya, a Baptist, for the first time. She's not an investigator yet, but she will be. She has lots of questions and they aren't your typical ones either- think more deep doctrine with not yet revealed answers. She will definitely keep us on our toes- especially because she speaks English and reads different translations of the Bible. Oddly enough, she helped me realize that I haven't been taking advantage of reading the Bible. It's an amazing source of truth. We are so lucky to have it along with the Book of Mormon in order to have the fullness of God's word.

I have been thinking about Ether 12:27 ("And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.") a lot this week with the many trials we had to face- but I can testify to you all that our Heavenly Father has a purpose for each trial we go through- even if it may not seem like it in the middle of the storm. They always end up strengthening us in the end- maybe for a similar, yet harder trial. Or maybe it takes me wanting to cry a whole lesson for the whole purpose of giving me a desire to read and better understand the Bible which could help me later. The point is, only Heavenly Father knows the purpose of each of our trials and we have to trust in Him, but I do know that each trial will strengthen us. I love this Gospel, I love this work, and I love each and every one of you. I hope you all have amazing weeks!

Sister Vehar

The second sunflower I've seen in this country. #citygirl

This country's sky looks photoshopped- never ceases to amaze me

Week 27: No water because: Ukraine

Happy Monday!

How is everyone? I hope the answer is good.

This week was really good. We didn't have too many appointments this week, but we got to do TONS of contacting this week and we handed out more Book of Mormons this week than I have my whole mission. None of them came to church, but yesterday we were walking on the temple grounds before church started because Sister Moore felt like we had to find someone. I was a little skeptical, seeing no one there, but we went because you can't argue with the Spirit. At about 330* around the circumference of the temple grounds we saw a grandma and granddaughter on a bench ready for church. They were the only ones on the grounds so we went to talk to them and they said they were visiting. We get a lot of visitors because the Kyiv temple is the only temple in all of Eastern Europe. I asked if they were members and they said "not yet". Sooo now we have 4 potential investigators because the rest of their family showed up and promised they'd come next week.

We also had dinner appointments this week and one family thought we had never had corn on the cob before, even though the meal was corn and watermelon- the most 4th of Julyesque foods I can think of. I assured them we had eaten it before and two seconds later Sister Moore ate almost all the way through the "cob" center so they think we lied to them. We had a really good laugh about it.

We had no water for three days for the sole reason that it was a holiday and the water people had a day off. Somehow that adds up to three days. We got spurts of water long enough to take a shower before it turned off again. It was very stressful.

Sorry I'm out of time, but I love this work. Heavenly Father loves and knows each and every one of you personally. Remember He is there for you. I love you!

Sister Vehar

 The heavens opening on the temple

The one sunflower I've seen in this city of Ukraine