Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Words from Elder Shad Lindsey in the Ukraine

 

"This was another incredible week here in Ukraine. It really is so crazy how fast time flies over here, because it seems like just a couple days ago I last wrote you. I hope all of you are doing great back home or wherever you are. This week was a pretty challenging week for Elder Kerr and I. We had a lot of our appointments fall through, so we ended up doing quite a bit of contacting. It wasn't bad, it's just a little frustrating because we know that there are way more effective things we could be doing.


On Thursday I had a pretty cool experience though. I was on exchanges with an elder who just got in the country a few weeks ago named Elder Stradling. He is seriously the funniest guy I know. He is a big cowboy from Mesa, Arizona. All he talks about is his horse and his dog Hank. Well anyways, we were together and we felt prompted to go tract a big apartment complex. It was a miracle we even got in because it was a pretty nice apartment and they don't usually let people that don't live there go in, but for some reason this lady let us in. So we went all the way to the top floor and just started knocking on doors. After a couple floors of not having any success, we knocked on this one door and this like 25 year old woman stepped out and started talking to us. She said her name was Tatyana and she was the nicest person. She seemed kinda ad, so we asked her what was wrong, and she said that all of her friends were drunk, and that they were making fun of her because she didn't wanna drink with them. We basically just told her that it is better do the right thing and stand alone, then to do the wrong thing just because you want to fit in. I started talking to her about our purpose as missionaries and about the Restoration. I shared her Moroni's promise in Moroni 10:3-5, and after I finished reading it she said, "I absolutely know, 100% that that is true!" We didn't even know what to say at first, but the Spirit was so strong and we were able to get her number and now the other Elders (Elder Stradling and Elder Ball) are teaching her. A few floors down that same apartment building, we knocked on another door, and this lady and her daughter were there and we asked if we could share a message about Jesus Christ. She was just like, "ya of course come on in!" Elder Stradling and I were so shocked, because that really doesn't happen very often. The lady let us into their living room and let us teach them the whole Restoration. They were so incredibly nice, and they all said that they were looking for a church because the one they were attending wasn't satisfying their spiritual needs. We prayed with them and left.


It was just incredible, and I am so thankful to my Father in Heaven for those little tender mercies. I know that He loves me so much. And because of that, I know that He loves everyone.(1 Nephi 11:17). I am so thankful for the opportunity that I have to be serving where I am. Even though it is hard at times, I know that the Lord needs me to be here. I love you all and I hope to hear from ya soon!"

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