It has been a rainy, busy week in Rostov with it being the last week of the transfer!
Tuesday we got to do some service for Sister Pavlova, an active member. It had been awhile since we'd had been outside in our service clothes helping someone and it felt so good! She had approached me last Sunday and told me that she needed my height to paint some high up pipes. So we did that and moved some things in her yard and at the end she said, "for you this might feel like just simple service, but for me it is incredible. I have no one else to turn to for these things!" Service feels so good!
Tuesday night we were in the Kirokasyan home. The Kirokasyans are from Armenia and have a big, young family and they are so great to us. We talked with the kids about patriarchal blessings and one will be getting one soon, more on that later.
Elena is continuing to progress! She is getting towards the end of the Book of Alma already in the Book of Mormon and continues to make changes in her life to live according to the Gospel. She shared with us that she has been working really hard to improve her speech and she said that she feels so joyful when, at the end of the day, she knows that she went the whole day without saying a bad word. She is feeling the joy of repentance! She also shared with us that when things are chaotic or hard, she just opens up the Book of Mormon and she said it is like leaving the world behind and it brings her peace! Unfortunately, she was sick on Sunday and could not make it to church but we were able to go to her home last night for a lesson. She has a little home in her yard that she rents out to a women named Eriknaz who recently moved here from Armenia and is a member! Eriknaz is going to the Kiev temple soon so Elena had lots of questions about that and about family history so we had a good discussion about that and she is excited to look for her ancestors. She now has a baptismal date for April 8th and although we think she is already ready, she just wants some more time to get used to all of this!
Thursday we had District Meeting and I was asked to give a spiritual thought on charity and love, one of my favorite topics. We all know that charity is the pure love of Christ and my favorite example is from Ammon in the Book of Mormon in Alma 20:26 when King Lamoni's father sees that Ammon loves his son so much that he lets them go and eventually is converted himself along with his people who become the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's, the most converted of all people in the Book of Mormon! All thanks to the love that Ammon had for Lamoni. It is visible when we love others and it has more power than anything that could be said with words! Charity can only be acquired through prayer and action, and not just once or twice but constantly.
Thursday we also had our staff meeting and temple recommend interviews to translate for President Miner so we had a lot of time in the office! We made a monumental decision during staff meeting, though! We have been talking about technology for a while and how we could use it in our mission and President gave us the green light to get smart phones and test them out with the possibility of the whole mission getting them soon. It was quite the upgrade and we have been able to get in contact with some hard to reach members thanks to a texting app that everyone uses here and we can use the aaps as well in our lesson with Elena, we were able to pull up our family trees! We also got new computers in the office, so it has been a week of upgrades!
We met with Aleksander a couple times this week, he has been so busy recently with work that it has been harder to meet. He said that he just recently started paying tithing and has been blessed with a lot more work! He is going through a lot of hard things right now and we continue to testify to him and he continues to have hope that things will get better!
Friday we were in the office making travel plans for transfers! We had a power outage but were able to get them all done! As for me, I will be staying in Rostov with Elder Fisher for one more transfer! This will be my 7th straight transfer in Rostov, but will be my last. Still feels like I got here yesterday, but it was already 8 months ago! I am going to "leave it all on the field" as President Miner says during these next 6 weeks so I can leave Rostov knowing that I did all that I could here!
Friday night we had a great activity. One of the members that is an artist taught us all how to paint! It was really fun and she did a great job teaching us. I will send a picture of my work so you can get a good laugh. It is supposed to be a flower!
The main event of my Saturday was that I finished the Book of Mormon in English! I love that book so much and it really is true and I just want everyone to come to know that for themselves. It helps me so much, every day. There is guidance and principles on every single page that can help us all in our daily lives. It truly is the word of God and I know that from the Holy Ghost, the warm, comforting feelings that I have as I read. Read the Book of Mormon every day and feast upon the wonderful truths inside it!
Sundays are the busiest, most stressful days of the week as we manage our callings in the branch while still trying to minister to those that we are teaching as volunteers. We had the Miners with us on Sunday and they gave incredible talks. Our former investigator was there to get some bedding from us and he said that he liked that sacrament meeting more than any other and that it was really inspiring! It is always a special meeting when the Miners are in town!
This Sunday and last Sunday have been especially busy due to the fact that the traveling Patriarch is coming to Rostov next month. He typically only comes once every few years so when he does come, there are a lot of people wanting to receive Patriarchal Blessings. We were in charge of the interviews, scheduling everyone and making sure it ran smoothly. It has been going really well and there are already 14 people in the Center branch that have been interviewed and have their recommend to get their Patriarchal Blessings. I read my blessing just yesterday and was reminded of how blessed we are to have that guidance. One member last night said it is literally like scripture made just for you and I totally agree. It is impossible to not feel Heavenly Father's love when we read the scriptures and our patriarchal blessings!
Today starts a new transfer and I am excited to get to work! My theme for this transfer is to act (see 2 Nephi 2:14). Elder Nielson taught us, that leaders don't wait, they act, they make things happen. At the same time, though, I am striving to submit to the will of the Lord cheerfully and with patience in all things (Mosiah 24:15).
Love you all! Thanks for all the updates, love, prayers and support!!
-Elder Tucker//Старейшина Такер
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Pictures - District, Phone upgrade, Art Night, Said goodbye to my legendary winter boots (well worn) haha
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