Week 22 - Chernivtsi, the Sister City

MAN, Chernivtsi is so sick!!!

There is so much to talk about!!

My last days in Ivano Flew by. I said all my goodbyes to some of the coolest people I've ever met. Hopped on a 7 AM train Tuesday morning all by myself and went 3 hours straight to Chernivtsi! Can't remember if I slept or not. But I got my very own super fancy room! 

I got off the train and immediately loved it here. Ivano is super flat and compact compared to Chernivtsi. There are so many hills (just ask my cramping calves) and sooo many good views. It's a much older city (609 years old) and a lot of the buildings are old and so beautiful! A lot less modern, but so much beauty here. We toured a really old University today. Legit Hogwarts.

This city is actually a sister-city with SLC! I have no idea what that means but you might think it's kinda cool. Basically I think it means they're kind of similar or something but Chernivtsi has received grants and financial support from SLC. They have some statues and monuments dedicated to SLC. You can even see the temple in the skyline. Super dope! (Salt Lake City established The Sister City Program 50 years ago, to promote international peace. There are currently 6 Sister Cities. Chernivsti was included in 1989)

My new comp is way different from my last. It's been a learning experience already. He is 26, another native from Mikolai, Ukraine. He's blind in one eye, so I always walk on the left side so he doesn't bump into anything. It's weird how weird walking on the right feels. haha. We both love exercise and eat really well. No more icecream shops for me. We don't talk as much as Elder Lukach and I did, but we're still really good friends. This is his last transfer, so I'm trying my hardest to make this the best transfer I can for him. I have found that when you try to be the best companion that you can be, you can check off the missionary box at the same time. They truly go hand in hand. Serving, loving, working and sacrificing... Including taking the tiny bed. I'm like Buddy the Elf, with his feet hanging off the edge. haha

My new companion - on the right

The work here is in a little slow spot! I forgot the word for it (yeah, that's happening now) oh it's a lull. The work is kind of in a lull right now so we have a plan of attack for this city! We have big plans and we're ready to hit the ground running these first weeks. We're going to try our absolute hardest to find people to teach, and boost the branch here so we can get them involved in the work with us. We truly need their help! And we need your help too - please pray for us. We need to find someone to teach...just ONE.

A small call to repentance to my family and friends in wards in the states. If you haven't been participating in the missionary work in your wards, please do. Set aside one hour. Let the missionaries bring someone to your home, or go somewhere with them to teach with them. Members make ALL the difference for missionaries. Help them find people to teach, and bless the lives of those around you. Having someone who seems a little bit more relateable can change the whole process of an investigator. The most success we have seen with investigators on the mission is when the members are actively engaged in the work with the missionaries. So, turn off the netflix and go help change someone's life. I promise you won't regret it!!

We have tons of work to do here. We're looking for people to teach almost nonstop. We haven't had much success yet, but we're not going to stop. These next five weeks are going to be full of growing pains. Just like when we exercise and feel the pain in our muscles, the pain is actually a good thing, even though it doesn't feel the best. But we know that when we hurt, it just means we're getting stronger. Just like when life is hard, we're simply in the middle of the growing pains. There is no progress when there is no struggle. 

Sorry for no stories this week. P-day got split up so everything is kind of jumbled right now!!

Have a good week!

Elder Stott