Called to Serve

Called to Serve

Monday, May 28, 2018

Week 53 - The Phone Number


Hey fam. No time.

This week was super busy. We were all over the place. I'll just have to hit you with some of the highlights.

1. Found out that Lyosha and Yaroslav back in Uzhgorod blessed and passed the sacrament together for 2 weeks in a row! They're doing great. Man I miss them.

2. We have a BAPTISM coming up on the 23rd! Her name is Nadu. She is from Ghana and was introduced to the gospel by Samuel and Kaiser, the only 2 church members in Ternopil, a nearby-ish city that we visit 2 times a month. She's been going to institute, has read TONS of the Book of Mormon, and expressed a desire to get baptized! Such a miracle. We had a lesson with her in Ternopil on Saturday. We're SO EXCITED!

3. I also found out about 2 new baptismal dates back in Uzhgorod!! Number one is our investigator Vasya, the one who called God an awesome dude in his prayer. We contacted him our first week in Uzh. Now he's getting baptized soon!!! The second one is a crazy story. Long story short, my last days in Uzhgorod we had a taxi drive us home from the train station as we dropped off the branch president of Ivano Frankivsk there. We were running a little late so that's why we ordered a taxi. I sat in the front seat, and was so tired that I thought I was gonna fall asleep, and I was kinda in a bad mood for some reason. But I got an impression that I should really just talk to this man and testify of the Book of Mormon. We had a good conversation and I gave him a Book of Mormon, and invited him to church that Sunday, even though I wouldn't be there anymore. I had his number written down in my planner, but they didn't have it in Uzhgorod. Elder Mangum called me and told me to send them his number, and I just said yeah okay I will later. I thought to myself "ehhh it's just a potential investigator I'm just not gonna send it". I know that may seem super bad, but in all honesty, the phone number of someone doesn't mean a whole lot in missionary work here, so it seemed insignificant to me. So I decided ehhhh I'm just not gonna send it it's TOO MUCH WORK. hahaha. lol at me. But then I just felt deep down that I should send him the number right now before I forget about it and before he forgets about it too. Fast Forward 2 weeks to when I find out he has read a ton of the Book of Mormon, and tells his life story about how he's been searching for the true church for 15 years after having a dream where God came to him and told him to find the Lord's Church. So he's been searching ever since. The second he stepped in the building in Uzhgorod, he said: "It's so simple here, but there is such a strong spiritual presence that I have never felt before in my entire life." And after a powerful restoration lesson, he is getting baptized. His name is Ernest. The joy that I felt when Elder Mangum relayed this story to me was just the hugest testimony builder of the joy that the Gospel brings, and specifically the joy that SHARING the gospel brings.. I truly can't put those kind of joyful feelings into words.

4. I had the worst train ride of my entire life to Ternopil. It could be an entire email by itself. I'll explain another time. Then on the way back it was the worst BUS ride that I've ever had. Longest 3.5 hours of my life I'm pretty sure.

5. I hit my year mark. I can't say it's gone by super fast, but I guess that's a good thing because I am loving and enjoying my mission to the fullest. It takes a conscious effort to get as much as you can out of the goods and especially the not-so-goods. One more year of completely 100% devoted service to the Lord. Time to grind!!!

Love you all. Have a great week.


Cool domino-effect activity

My comp

Awesome sunset

I love K-Town


--
Elder Dillon Stott
Vul. Yabluneva 1
S. Sofiivska Borshahivka
Kyivska oblast 08131
Ukraine

Monday, May 21, 2018

Week 52 - Transfer to K-town


Hey everyone. Super quick. Not enough time for a long letter today.

This week was good. My new comp, Elder Corey, is a super good missionary from Orem, Utah. We have found that we have justttt about nothing in common, but we're really working on finding that unity right from the get-go.



K-town (Khmelnitsky) is super interesting. Super Russian. Super Soviet. It's the most eastern city in our mission, and you can definitely feel it here. And hear it too.


River clean-up service activity



The branch is good. about 14 people besides missionaries, with visitors. Lots of work to do. We're gonna dive into the branch and try to boost up the activity.




My birthday was awesome last week. I have the best family, and the best friends ever. The Lord has blessed me in so many ways.


Picked up my birthday package in L'viv on my way to my new area - was pretty happy about it
I can't believe I'm already going to hit my year mark on my mission.. I can't honestly say that time has "flown" by for me quite yet, but I'm aware of how the second year will sneak up on me quicker than I could imagine. Really trying to get as much out of these 2 years as I can!!

I don't have a ton of other stuff to report on this week. I have tons of pictures though!! Had to say goodbye to some of the coolest people I've ever met in Uzhgorod, but I'm ready to serve the Lord wherever he calls me to serve.








I'm really focusing on staying positive, especially this transfer. There are so many little things that we can so easily get caught up in, but there are so many little miracles around us that happen every day. It just takes a little searching and effort on our part. Someimtes we forget about our part after we pray and pray for good things. God isn't going to just hand us everything with a red ribbon all the time, every day. He rewards us through our hard work, our obedience, and our charity that we show to others. WE have so much on our plates to do.

Love you all! Especially my momma though.

--




Elder Dillon Stott
Vul. Yabluneva 1
S. Sofiivska Borshahivka
Kyivska oblast 08131
Ukraine



Monday, May 14, 2018

Week 51 - Happy Mother's Day!


We had the best visit with Elder Stott. It was especially awesome because I got to share Mother's Day with his Birthday.  He called at 8 am, his time on his Birthday (May 14) and it was still 11 pm our time here in Oregon on Mother's Day (May 13). Pretty cool.




He looked good and sounded so good, and happy. He did his job of calling all of us to repentance :) Lots of great stuff we can all improve upon. And as hard as it was to hang up after that call, it was so good for my momma's heart to see him and know that he's okay! Miss him so much.  

Here's his short email from that day...Made me cry again.


Sorry everyone I was Skyping with my fam instead of writing a detailed email! 

Tons of pics for this week though. 

Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes! 20 is weird. I already don't like it. Good thing I'll always be a 16 year old at heart. Immaturity hopefully makes up for the growing number!!

But more importantly, a shoutout to the best mom in the world that I could ever ask for. Happy Mother's Day Momma!! Don't forget that the Stripling Warriors were taught by their MOTHERS, and that's what made them such amazing young men. I truly feel like I owe it all to my momma. You're the best, Momma Stott!! 

The church is true everyone!!!

By the way this is my last week in Uzhgorod. I'm heading to Хмельни́цький (Khmelnitsky)! My brother said that the names of every city I serve in sound like you have to be dry-heaving to say it right. Welcome to the most beautiful language in the world, ladies and gentlemen.

Have a good week!! 

--
Elder Dillon Stott
Vul. Yabluneva 1
S. Sofiivska Borshahivka
Kyivska oblast 08131
Ukraine










Monday, May 7, 2018

Week 50 - A Sick Week...(Not the good sick)


IMPORTANT!!! My mailing address is now changed to the new Mission Office that's in Kiev, not L'viv, due to the combining of the L'viv and the Kiev Mission. Send a package of 1,000,000 dollars to see if the address works. Thanks!!!!

Welcome to my mom's super dope blog everybody. (I apologize for using the word dope all the time. My mom says that I sound more like a Blood than a missionary when I say it all the time, but I just can't hide my true colors I guess).

Elder Dillon Stott
Vul. Yabluneva 1
S. Sofiivska Borshahivka
Kyivska oblast 08131
Ukraine


Hey Everyone.

This week flew by.

I got food poisoning and lost 10 pounds! Shortcut for anyone out there trying to lose weight quick! I can make a trip to the toilet from any angle in our apartment blindfolded at this point. My comps took some pics at my expense. Also, I didn't shave for 3 days, so there's a selfie to prove that I can grow facial hair. haha








Lyosha and Yaroslav got the Aaronic Priesthood on Sunday. I was able to give Lyosha the Priesthood! What an awesome first experience for me. I only had to do it once too! It was super hard, but easier in a way to give him the blessing. The Restoration of the Gospel is SOO important and relieving to me to know that we are using the SAME EXACT Priesthood Authority that Christ Himself gave to his Apostles. What a blessing it is to have that in our day and time.

No one showed up to our Mormon Helping Hands Activity of cleaning the river even though we've been planning it for 4 weeks :( so we went out to eat instead. It was super tasty and I did my stomach a great service of Georgian food. (not the American Georgia)



We made, I mean tried to make our own version of the bean bag Cornhole game. It was so ugly hhahahah. The bean bags were hand-sewn out of macaroni noodles and old jeans. They each exploded during game night except for one. Innovation at its finest!!!

I can't believe I'm gonna be 20 in a week.. I don't want to get old haha. I always want to be able to make excuses for my immature actions and I'm just NOT READY for responsibility. But I'm so excited to keep progressing with more and more Gospel knowledge each year. Life is so much less scary when you know the REAL reasons of where you are and why you're there. The Plan of Salvation is truly life-changing and life-saving!!

Have a great week!