Week 104 - A Week in Pictures

May 20, 2019

One of many birthday celebrations

Went to a very cool park

A birthday cake from Katya's daughter, Sophia

A little P-day service project - bus dropped us off here and we walked and walked...

...and walked

...to this place in the middle of nowhere

It looks creepy but it was cool

We chopped trees for the afternoon - at an investigator's property

It doesn't look like much, but that's a mountain of chopped trees

Got friendly with a goat

Walking back to civilization

Just a babushka and her cow...BEST pic ever

Week 103 - SO good

May 13, 2019

Hey Everyone.

Really quick. This week was SUPER good. Such a good week.

First and foremost Happy Mother's Day to the best mom in the world! I truly have a testimony that our Heavenly Father places us in the families that we really truly belong in so we can be taught the things that we need to know. So much of what I know and who I am I directly owe to my mom. She is an angel and I am so grateful for her in my life!! Happy Mother's Day to all the other women, moms and grandmoms out there. You couldn't possibly know the full impact that you have on the lives of those who surround you, especially those in your families. Thank you for all that you do. And plus, never forget who the stripling warriors in the Book of Mormon learned all that they knew and were from! 

Last Skype of the mission

We of course had Katya's baptism this week which was just SO good. God is so good. Covenants are so good. The Priesthood is so real and so true and just so good. God is so good to those that love Him and keep His commandments! We are so unbelievably happy for Katya and her decision to follow Christ. She is so elect and has so much in store for her and her family and their future. The Gospel does not only bless individuals, but is perfectly designed to influence and improve every single family to which it can be reached!

So much love for Katya

The best part of all this week and the baptism and confirmation was when I had a couple of small chances to talk to Katya about how she felt. She was GLOWING, just absolutely RADIATING with the love of Christ. You could see it, feel it, and hear it. She talked so much about just how good she felt. She truly felt so clean and pure and happy and full of the Holy Ghost! She said that she thought she understood how great it would be and that it would be a cool feeling and amazing and all that, but said that even after how much we would testify and teach her about how truly amazing it would be, she still didn't think it would be as good as it was. For every second that I saw her on Saturday and Sunday, there was not a moment when a smile wasn't on her face. I am so grateful to have been able to teach her and learn from her and see an example of real and active faith. I don't know if I have ever truly met and personally known someone who has taken as many steps of faith "in the dark" as Katya has. I'm just so proud and happy for her. Please be sure to share the Gospel as much as you can. I can promise that the SAME EXACT joy that comes from our own conversion and covenants is what we feel when we are able to take part and experience and see someone else's conversion. It truly is the best feeling in the world, above all else.

We did quite a bit of other things this week, but it will all be self explanatory from the pictures!

Have a great week everyone.

-Elder Stott

BOHDAN

Headed out on a journey with the Rivne crew

My comp, Elder T.

Tunnel of Love in Kleven - this is a functioning railroad track. Very cool. Very touristy.

No words...

Bottom center of the restaurant sign says, "tell him yes"

A little art for our cultural night

A cool auditorium - we came to support one of our members who won the "Golden Voice Award"

Week 102 - No Tip for the Barber

April 29-May 5

This week FLEW.

We had the Zone Leaders pop in for a surprise exchange for the other elders, cause they had to be here for some old document stuff in the city that they didn't finish the first transfer that they were here. haha. We had a joint lesson with all 6 of us and one of our investigators, and that sure was dope. We just had a testimony meeting with all of us and boy that was super spiritual and just so good!!! 

It's been pretty crummy weather all this week, but it's okay. Reminds me of home haha. 

We had a branch activity that had a whopping 4 people other than missionaries, so we moved it to Saturday, when we had WAY more people come.... Or not so much. It was still fun though. There were 8 people and 4 missionaries. It was kinda embarrassing and troshky frustrating, but no big deal. We had 4 non members, 3 of which were our investigators. Pretty sick. We made it fun though! I've definitely come to appreciate ward and branch activities way more on my mission.. Probably because I've had to lead and plan and clean and set up almost every single one on my mission hahahaha. Good experiences though. We had a picnic here in the building because the weather was terrible.

I gave a member's son a haircut and for the first time absolutely butched it.... it was soooo bad hahaha. The funniest part that wasn't so funny then but I can laugh about it now is when he went silent and his mom said "Mark, why are you crying??" I just said to myself... oh no.. here it comes.. I got chewed out by the mom a decent amount (I will say, that I did EXACTLY what BOTH of them told me to do, but hey, whatcha gonna do?? haha) and then the best part is when he ripped off the garbage-liner makeshift apron thingy that barbers use and hopped off the stacked chairs and ran off crying with his half buzz cut half bowl cut. The other missionaries heard about it and when they saw him had to hold in their laughs... it was just so cringy, but it's all good. 7 year olds are pretty keen for holding grudges, but hey. I've dealt with a lot of them and even act like one myself sometimes. So I chased him around the building and just played with him until he didn't hate me anymore. I may or may not have had to promise him a coke though. Hey, gotta do whatcha gotta do. 

Before the tears

We're SO looking forward to Katya's baptism THIS COMING SATURDAY!!! I'm so excited for her. There is nothing like starting life with a clean slate and the only thing written on the "fleshy tables of our hearts" is the name of Christ that we are able to take upon ourselves through sacred Priesthood Ordinances! And then the Ordinance of the Gift of the Holy Ghost right after on the next day. Gonna be a great weekend. Please still keep her in your prayers!! Katya is just a TROOPER!!

God is so real and God is so good!!

Have a good week y'all.

I love Rivne - cool park with metal statues and Ukrainian eggs

Old military equipment display

The ladies love Elder Cluff!

A very Russian park - don't get a sliver on the slide...

Week 101 - Best Text Ever.

April 29, 2019

What is upppp.

The first thing that I want to share and testify of right off the bat is the power of fasting. I've prayed a lot and fasted a lot, but man. Elder Thornton and I were able to do this together yesterday and it was an amazing experience. I've fasted and prayed for a lot of things, but this was probably the most specific that I have done in a long time. We've prayed a lot for Katya. For weeks, we prayed and prayed and prayed for Katya's husband to finally sign the paper of approval of her baptism, and I really realized what it means to fast with faith. For a long time I just found myself amazed at how hard it actually is to have in faith something that you know could come to pass only by a miracle. And I knew that it was a longshot still, with her husband being as against the church as he is. But, we received a text from her just today, the day after our fast: "My husband has signed the paper. You ask me how I know that God loves me. This is an example."

THE BEST TEXT MESSAGE I'VE EVER RECEIVED. Hands down.

I really truly know that fasting is of God. It is a KEY commandment in our day. Recently, I've studied about fasting a lot, and man. I never realized how important and powerful it is. For those who are members and probably view fasting the way that I viewed it for the longest time, I want to testify to YOU!! Fasting is NOT a secondary commandment. I feel like so often we view fasting as one of those things that we "also" do. By that, I mean that if you were to sit down and tell a non-member everything that members do, you would, probably near the end, mention something like "oh. and we fast too". I can honestly tell you that from my personal studies of the scriptures and through studying the studies and words of our current and modern prophets and apostles in our day that fasting is a MAJOR part of our religion and life. It is powerful. It works. We can fast for so many reasons. Together with prayer, fasting is one of the most powerful demonstrations that we can show and express to our loving Heavenly Father. I KNOW that it works.

Now this is amazing, especially after an entire WEEK of me being sick. Physically, I felt like a big pile of garbage this week. I've never slept so much on my mission. I was wrecked for about 5 or 6 days with a gnarly sinus infection that kicked me in the slacks. I'm feeling better already, and it seems that the cure wasn't Advil or sleep or anything else, but a simple text message lifted my spirits like nobody's business!!! Katya is getting baptized.

Have a great week everyone!!

Went bowling and to a park with Bohdan and his girlfriend

Elder Stott

Week 100 - Week ONE HUNDRED

April 22, 2019

What's up everyone.

We had transfers this week, but I figured out that I'll be staying here with Elder Thornton to finish out my last transfer here in the mish. Crazy that it's already here. Elder Blake is leaving and my second son Elder Howard is coming in to be in the district with Elder Crabtree! It'll be a fun district for my last transfer. We're all pretty stoked, but it's a bummer that Elder Blake is leaving.

We've met with Misha once or twice, and there is definitely a different vibe. Not sure how things are going to go in the future, but we still have high hopes and pray for him constantly. It seems just different teaching him now versus when he just started, but we can't really get the best read on him and the situation. Please keep him in your prayers!!

Katya, our other awesome investigator has been facing a lot of trials and complications with her desire to be baptized, and unfortunately is not going to be able to be baptized for a while. I probably won't be able to be here for it, but either way, I'm so happy and joyful for her desire to keeping enduring onward to baptism not batting an eye at all the trials that are thrown her way to overcome. I won't go too much into the complications because they are very personal, but please also keep her in your prayers!! She is so elect. It's amazing to teach her, because she always teaches US 10 times more than we teach her!! Man, I'm so grateful for her.

We've been doing a lot of our finding through English recently because it's our most successful and effective of finding people that we can consistently meet with. One cool thing that we've been doing for a while that I really like is we just take our dinky little chalkboard, write FREE ENGLISH TONIGHT AT 19:00 and just stick it there in the smack dab middle of the center of the city, and we stand around it and just go super hard handing out cards and talking to as many people as we can!! I actually like it a lot. The coolest thing is that you get peoples' attention in English, and then start talking to them in their decent, semi-broken, or completely broken English for so long until they don't understand something that you say, and then you whip out the Ukrainian and it sure throws some people for a loop. Always brings a smile to their face and mine!!

The Easter Program here was pretty good! I hope that everyone had a great Easter Holiday. It is one of the most significant holidays that we have, and as grateful as I am for Easter Egg hunts and Cadbury Chocolate, nothing compares to the greatest gift off the "egg that was empty". By that I mean the tomb that Christ Himself was laid in. One of the greatest, if not THE greatest knowledge that I have and the gift I can share with others is the knowledge and joy that Christ LIVES! He has already overcome everything that could possibly lie in the path between where He is, and where we are right now. One of the most comforting verses that comes from the New Testament for me speaks directly of Christ's Infinite Atonement and Infinite Victory over death and sin that is made possible for us as well!! John 16:33 states: "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world".

I KNOW that Christ lives, and did everything that He did not only for Humanity in general, but for each of us individually.

Oh and we made varenyky for a game night this week. Can't wait to show you Americans how to throw down in the kitchen like a Ukrainian Babusya.

My new favorite meal - Buckwheat

Have a great week!!

-Elder Dillon Stott

Week 99 - What are YOU going to DO about it?

April 16, 2019

Wow. I don't have a lot of words to describe this week. Without a doubt, this week was one of the best on my mission for sure. I have felt the Spirit so strong this week and just have seen my testimony be so immensely strengthened from day to day, and this week has just been so great!!!

We've been busy ALL week. We've been meeting with a few different people, and have been meeting with our newish not so newish anymore investigator Misha just about every day. He has now read the entire Book of Mormon, all of Doctrine and Covenants, and is now reading all the Teachings of the Presidents of the Church. He's already read 6 of them. Brothers and sisters, how are your studies going?? How hungry are you?? Misha has taught me what it means to FEAST on the words of Christ. As he's done this, God truly has shown to him personally all things that he should do, which includes being baptized!! It's been such an amazing experiencing teaching him, and he has accepted a baptismal date for the 27th!! It's still not 1000% set in stone, but it is what we are working towards and we know that he is going to be ready.

I watched the rest of General Conference this week, and man. That has been just an absolute powerhouse and energy booster for me that will have me hopefully just cruising through the finish line in 6 weeks. I don't have a favorite talk, because it's too hard for me to choose at this point. But what I will say is that there was absolutely an overarching them that connected every single last talk that was given, and I invite you all to find out what it is/was, and to find out what it means for YOU--what are you going to DO about it?? I know without a shadow of a doubt that prayer and fasting works. Especially when you do them together for righteous reasons. I came into this conference with several questions that for longer than a day I had been praying and pondering about. I really truly wanted to know and receive answers to these questions that came from my heart!! I can truly say that even after watching the very first Saturday Morning Session, I received individual and specific answers to each individual and specific question. Not one question was left unanswered after the quickest 2 hours of my life. Each following session was just spiritual "whipped cream" on top of everything that I had learned in the first session alone, which only enhanced my answers and helped me receive more personal guidance and revelation directly from our Father in Heaven!! I know that He works through holy prophets, apostles, and other leaders in our day because He loves us. Modern Day prophets and apostles is a gift amongst the biggest that the Father has to offer us, His children. If we heed their council, we can know with assurity that we are on the right path; the very path that leads us to eternal life and salvation!

It's been a great week. Lots more has happened, but simply put, there are things so amazing and so holy and so sacred that happen on a mission, that the internet is the last place you'd want to put it. You can always ask me in person about stories and experiences and I would be much much more than happy to share. I'll be available in a short 6 weeks!

I love you all and pray for you constantly. Please please please go back and review the things you recorded from General Conference!! Remember that the dullest pencil on paper is still sharper than the sharpest of minds! Write things down in personal places to show God how much you treasure His words and teachings that are personally tailored to your life and time.

Have a super good week everyone.

making my FAVORITE Ukrainian food ever - Varenyky

Week 98 - Favorite Conference Yet

April 8, 2019

Hey fam, not a ton to report on this week, but in short, we have been super busy!!!

First and foremost, happy birthday to my sister Mallory! I can't believe she's already 18. That blows my mind.. I hope you have a good one you full-fledged adult! Love you Mall.

Conference was SO DOPE. It's easy to know when you are a missionary, because each time you watch conference, it becomes your new favorite General Conference Weekend instead of the previous one you watched just before. So now my 4 favorite General Conferences are the 4 that I've seen as I've been on my mission. I'm bummed that it was my last one on the mission, but I'm also excited to see what it will be like watching it at home again with a completely new attitude towards watching it and feasting on every single word that is spoken by them and the Spirit.

We also had exchanges this week and I got to be with Elder Crabtree in our district. It's his first transfer but he's already a pro. He teaches so well and is such a solid missionary! It was fun to serve with him for a day.

I don't have any pictures from this week because we were so busy!!!

It's finally Spring though, and it's so much better to be out and about when everything is turning green and there are blossoms and birds and all that sweet stuff that nature has to offer. Haven't worn our coats all week!! Still got the sweaters though.

Have a great week!!

Week 97 - Raking, Learning, Teaching, Testifying

April 1, 2019

Pryvitchyk.

Happy birthday to my best friend who is ever so conveniently my older brother at the same time!! Love you, big guy!!

So yeah, his week went by super duper fast! It was one of the faster ones, but longer ones at the same time because we were just all over the place!! It was super good though. We had 3 different conferences!!

On Tuesday we did service all day at a member's grandma's property on the outskirts of the city. I have literally never raked so much in my life. It was pretty good though. The weather was decent, and it only rained a little bit! It was fun to help her out though. They fed us some of the most Ukrainian food ever afterward and it was soooo tasty. Lots of good kompot, and some other super classic foods. Traditional Ukrainian food might actually be my favorite food of all time. We each took a shot at pickled whole tomatoes, and just popped em in our mouths and went at it. It was so rough hahah but a classic experience. It's one of the only Ukrainian foods I don't like!! But I got it down okay. You get weird and super useful blessings like being able to down almost any food as a missionary.

We had a Mid Transfer Training that was super duper good and uplifting! Then the next day right after, we had a Zone Conference. They were both so good. We talked a ton about the Great Apostasy, and I learned so much! I was surprised about truly how much prophets have testified of the apostasy. The Old Testament is full of prophecies of the Great Apostasy to come after the death and resurrection of Christ, Paul in his epistles talks a lot about it as it is currently happening, and we have prophets and apostles in our day, who testify that it once was! It's so important to understand and know how to teach the apostasy, because if there was no apostasy, then there would be no need for a restoration. The better we understand the apostasy, the more we appreciate and understand the Restoration of the Fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in these latter days! It was so good.

We also talked a lot about our studies, both personal studies and companionship studies, and man. Those are 2 of the most important hours of our days here as missionaries! I'm super excited to take the studies I have left on my mission and just juice the heck outta them. 

Probably the highlight of the week is this guy Misha that we are meeting with. Teaching him is so cool. It's just like a Gospel discussion with one of your buddies. We just sit, talk, teach, pray, read scriptures, and testify! He has read the Book of Mormon like a madman!!! He always has sooo many questions about it, many of which are comparisons drawn between it and the Bible. We spend a lot of time on each lesson teaching doctrine from the Bible and making those vital connections in the Book of Mormon that fill all the gaps and answer the questions that come up when we study the Bible alone. He read the entire Book of Mormon in about 5 days, and we got such a dope text from him that said that he read the entire Book of Mormon, and wants to know if he can become a member of the Church, and how to go about doing that. I was absolutely floored. That kind of thing has almost never happened on my mission. Of course, we'll be working with him very closely this coming week! Thank you so much for those of you that are keeping him in your thoughts and prayers!! Please keep praying for him, he needs it now more than ever! It's so cool teaching him, because I learn so much myself looking for scriptures and doctrines in the Bible and Book of Mormon that answer so many important questions. The Book of Mormon really truly DO testify of one another. I'm so blessed to have that knowledge, and even more blessed to share that knowledge with everyone that I can here in Ukraine!

Back in Rivne, we had branch conference. One thing that I've seen in the last while on my mission is that there is something to get out of EVERY talk, every segment, and every discussion that we have at church, or conferences, or anywhere and anytime. It doesn't matter who is talking, or what the topic is. All you have to do is pray and pray and pray some more that the Holy Spirit will inspire you and teach you from what the speaker is saying or teaching! It's such an amazing experience.

That's all from me. You're all the best!