firstly, i don't have AIDS. there was this inexplicable anxiety in me that had me convinced that i had it. but it isn't true. I'm clean. and i can prove it. which means, I'm going to Bulgaria! tomorrow morning! its the best day of my life! last night i rode down to Donetsk on a night train with elder petterson, it was a good time. except for the night train part, those are kind of uncomfortable. so i fly to Bulgaria Tuesday, and don't get back to xarkov until Friday morning. then on Saturday is Igor's baptism! so this is, easily, the best week of my mission. who would have thought that i would get my first baptism and Bulgaria on the same week? its all downhill after this one. oh well.
HAPPY FOURTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GOD BLESS AMERICA, THE GREATEST OF ALL NATIONS, THE LAND OF THE FREE AND HOME OF THE BRAVE, THE PROMISED LAND OF MILK AND HONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! me and petterson on the way down pretty much talked about America the whole time. gosh its a great place. but i still love xarkov.
so on to the week. I've been working on meeting with more less actives, because I've kind of grown tired of contacting all day every day. i found 4 new inactives, who are all perfectly willing to meet weekly. just by calling people on the ward list. so that is pretty cool, somehow missionaries just lost track of them, because they used to meet with missionaries, and for some reason they just stopped. all the people we are now meeting with have potential to return, in my opinion. so we are going to be working hard with them. that is pretty much what we busied ourselves with on Tuesday, less active lessons. one was this mom and her daughter, both older, who were kind of crazy, but fun. they said: we are in active, and we won't tell you why. so... we'll work on that. the other was this lady, an inactive, and her 7th day Adventist husband, who study the bible together. so it was basically a bible bashing lesson, my first on my mission. i held my own, actually. even in Russian. there were a couple of moments when they just had no response. the first, i just bore pure testimony about the book of Mormon, and restoration, and they just had no response. then, they had a problem with us doing the sacrament every Sunday, rather than twice a year. i said, why do you have such a problem with us remembering our savior more often? actually it kind of worked, because they came to church on Sunday. late, but they came. i was surprised. on Wednesday i had a split with a new, Russian elder. he is kind of crazy... super judgmental and questions everything you do. and treats you like a five year old. it was a hard, long day, though it shouldn't have been. we had some time to contact, we had three lessons, we got fed twice! by members, and yet the whole day he was just acting like i was doing it all wrong. oh well. it's over. his poor companion, though.
Thursday was a good district meeting, then we had another new less active lesson with this way cool girl, who has a super strong testimony, but she says she is lazy, so doesn't come to church. but reads and prays everyday, and is worthy in every other way. I'm guessing there is a better reason, but i don't know it yet. we shall see. then the next day...i went and got my aid test results, and planned, and then met with Igor in the park. we went over the details of the baptism, and what was going to happen in the next week, and everything. the baptism is on Saturday at 4:00. he is way excited, and absolutely ready. still going strong, still reading the book of Mormon, he finally finished 2nd nephi. understands everything well, and is all set and ready to go. way legit.
Saturday was...normal. we had a lesson with this emotional member, and she fed us probably the nastiest meal I've had here. it was cold soup, made with mayonnaise, onions, cucumbers, dill, and lemon. i couldn't finish the whole thing, but i went a lot farther than my companion (who has been feeling under the weather). ew that was gross. then we had an interesting lesson with a new investigator, an old babooshka who is a referral from ali, a young black kid in the branch. she is white, and as we found out, pretty brainwashed by j-dubs. so we bible bashed for a while, and set up for next week. she was nice enough, but said straight up, i am not interested in changing religions. but we want to give her a chance, obviously.
Sunday was pretty busy. we went to church early, so that Igor could do his baptismal interview. it was testimony meeting, which is kind of crazy in this branch. everybody just talks about the temple the whole time. then this guy (the guy who won't let his kids get baptized) goes up and testifies about himself, talks about how he is a victim of the hatred of others, and that all he ever does is good. and told everybody that his father in law was evil, and hated him, and that everyone should join together against him so that he can go to the temple. he is an evil man. it was really awkward. after church we taught Igor the restoration again, made sure he understands everything. he does. then we brought the sacrament to alizaveta, and went home and packed. got on the train at about 10, and got to Donetsk about 6:30. its a party.
I'm going to fill out paperwork all day, and then leave tomorrow. we are going to make party so hard. so hard.
that is pretty much it. thanks for everything! have a great 4th! appreciate America! gosh its a great place. i love you all!
love, elderek
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