So I finished my first full week and it was crazy busy, but fun and enjoyable as well. I am lucky to be in a tri-panionship thingy for another week so that I can learn as much as possible from my two great companions. We are continuing to stay super busy and somehow we are also doing a great job of being an example for the other missionaries by bringing about awesome results. Even though we can't tract or contact which is a Rivne oblast(state) law because of what some missionaries have done in the past (one of two or three such cities in the mission I think), we are still finding tons of investigators and lessons each week and we are helping our mission to improve. The city is absolutely beautiful and it isn't even green yet. Hopefully by the end of April, we get the grass and flowers back. The weather has been wonderful since I got here and we only have had rain once. Temperatures are ranging between 7 and 15 degrees celcius and so I haven't really had to use my jacket much.
As for some of the questions that you sent me Mom, here are answers. Our Apartment is near the city center (I can't remember the address) so we are close to the Renok, which is the open air market, the transportation, and the restaurants and parks etc. We usually do lunch at the apartment early in the afternoon and then don't do dinner until we get back at 9pm. It has turned out well. We do a whole lot of walking - our branch building is a 10 to 15 minute walk from the apartment and many of our lessons are there and the center is about 5 minutes from us where we catch a lot of marshrutkas. We take those to get to peoples apartments scattered throughout the city and to get to the big mall where we shop. It is literally brand new here and it is just like a Target or Smiths Marketplace in the US. We spent about 15 dollars each on groceries and the rest goes to transportation and to snacks/restaurants. I pull out money every Monday, but I still haven't used all my money from my first week so we are getting by just fine. We do laundry in our apartment - we have our own machine - and then we hang things to dry. The food here is definitely amazing and the juices are by far the best drinks I have ever had.
The language is starting to come along and I understand more and more each day. It is still really tough but I am doing well. The hardest things is that I hear a lot of Russian with Ukrainian but that is helping me to understand each a little better and I don't need to worry about speaking Russian because everyone speaks Ukrainian. My companions are helping a lot with that.
The branch is really neat and there are a couple of awesome priesthood holders who are always willing to help. I want to get more of them though. There are probably four young families in the ward and around 8ish kids. The Dideshoks are the biggest family and the strength of the branch. Pres. Dideshok is our Branch President and he is probably about 40 years old and his wife is the Relief Society pres. They have three or four little kids. The Polyshuk twins are from Lutsk which is about an hour and a half away by marshrutka so they come down on Saturday and stay the night in our extra apartment (we have two because we are hopefully getting a new companionship here next transfer) and then they fulfill their callings. Sasha, the MCL (Missionary Coordination Leader and MCM is the Missionary Coordination Meeting), is a really cool guy. He served his mission in Moscow and just recently got back. Vova, is the 2nd counselor and is also great. He served in St. Petersburg. They really help the branch, plus they have callings in their branch in Lutsk, so they are really sacrificing to help us. Neither of them has a job right now, but I really hope that as they look, they find something good. Our branch meetings are just like anything at home - We have sacrament first, and then sunday school and priesthood. The branch doesn't have any active young men which is tough, but hopefully as we find more families, the branch will grow. Families are our number one priority, followed closely by priesthood holders. We are not even allowed to work with women right now unless they are older or have a family.
So that is basically it from this end. On P-day, we have a little time to get around. I haven't had much of an opportunity to take pictures and I tried to send some last week, but the formatting is weird so I will try again probably next week. Hopefully I can get them to you. I am out of time, but I want you to know that I am doing well. I am exhausted from the work but that is how I want it to be. The people here are incredible and our investigators are all so great. I will write again next week. Remember that I love you all very much.
Love Elder Ryan Jones
Sounds like he is doing great. I am assuming that marshrutkas are a type of public transportation? Michael doesn't spend his money every week either, and saves it for souvenirs or a food treat. Lately though it sounds like he has had to make some unplanned bike repairs.
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