January 20, 2010

Hey Mom,

So I sent you a couple of emails, but I figure I would write a letter too. I want you to know that everything is going just fine. I can't express how blessed I am to be here and how grateful I am as well. You and Dad have done so much for me and I am so thankful for that. Remember that I love you and that I am always praying for all of you.

So I don't know if I ever told you much about my teachers. They are absolutely awesome. First, our tutor, брат палсен (Bro. Paulsen) is an awesome guy. He went to Kyiv for his mission and got back about a year ago. He is a lot of fun. We meet with him about 3 days a week. Next is брат уелз (Bro. Wells) who served a little before брат палсен but was his companion late in his mission. These two are a lot of fun and they are both really funny - especially when together. брат уелз tells us a lot about Ukraine and often gets side tracked, but he is also a very spiritual man. Last is сестра георієва who we know best because she taught us the whole first week while брат уелз was on vacation. She has so much faith and she never ceases to amaze. She is a convert of about 10 years now, originally from Eastern Ukraine. She is fluent in both Russian and Ukrainian and she is now at BYU for grad school. She served in Kyiv too and, as I have said, she pushes us so hard because she knows the important nature of the work. They are all the best teachers and they have helped me so much.

So I guess I will leave you with a quote from Elder Holland stressing the importance of the work. He said, "When you work, work and when you study, study and when you pray, pray. . . don't miss the chance to call down the blessings that God Himself decreed." Both you and I will be very blessed for this work. Remember that, and remember that when times get tough, Dad and the girls are there for you.

(He wrote this next paragraph in Ukrainian as well as English. It takes too long to try and type it out in Ukrainian (plus it is in cursive which I have a harder time reading) so you only get the English version.)

I know that Jesus Christ loves us. He is the Son of God. I know that the Atonement is real. I know that this Church is true and the Book of Mormon is also true. I love you. (Я люблю Вас.)

Your Son,
Elder Jones