August 30, 2010

Hey Mom,

So, the Temple is dedicated now!  Everyone here is so excited about it and the members are now ready, and able to get in and do that extremely necessary work.  It was truly a great experience.  I was with my new companion (I will tell you more later) in the Chapel next to the temple where we saw the dedication broadcast.  It was so great to be there and to witness all the members who had waited so patiently finally see this temple dedicated.  There were three sessions and we were able to see two of them.  The talks given were so incredible and the Spirit was so strong.  The dedication prayer itself was full of great promises and gratitude for this event and the members.  President Monson was so loving and showed it to all those people that were there.  He is such an incredible man and he made it one of the most fun, but also Spiritual events ever.  He knew when he could throw in a joke, but he also knew exactly how to listen and follow the Spirit and that really impressed me.  I have no doubts that he is a prophet of God. 

The Cultural Celebration was incredible too, the night before.  The members did a wonderful job of putting it together and they showed how the land of Ukraine has been prepared by the Lord for this event which was really cool. They then had members from each of the different countries in the temple district perform cultural skits full of dance and song.  It was truly one of the most incredible things I have ever seen.  The culture here is so strong and it made my love for these people even stronger to see all their efforts.  Oh and just so you know, I saw the Shipps (a family from Salt Lake we know who also had a son serve in Ukraine) and got a photo with them so go ahead and talk to them when they get back.

Anyway, so as I said, I did get transferred.  They gave me a call and told me to bring all of my stuff into Kyiv and then on Saturday Morning, we had a big meeting of all the missionaries and President Steinagel named off everyone's locations.  I am now serving in a city called Ivano-Frankivsk with Elder Belashov who is from Eastern Ukraine.  I will also be with Elder Fesenko (also from Ukraine) for a week before he finishes his mission and goes home.  It is going to be a crazy experience serving with a native, but I am really looking forward to it so it will be fun.  They are so funny together and I know this will be a lot of fun with them.  We actually just got into Ivano-Frankivsk this morning.  It is a beautiful city in the Carpathian mountains.  The Shipps will tell you about it I am sure.  I am really excited to serve here and can't wait to be able to meet some of the members here.  It is going to be great to be able to work with them and help them to get to the temple so they can do their own work, and then do work for all those who are waiting.  (Here is where he is now located.)

Well I need to wrap up, but I just want you to know that I have no doubts that this is the true Church of Jesus Christ.  I have felt the Holy Ghost testify to me that this is true.  I know that He guides His church through a living Prophet, Thomas S. Monson.  President Monson holds all the keys of the kingdom of God on this earth and through him, God is blessing us and giving us an opportunity to learn and grow.  I know that temples are Houses of the Lord and that in them we fulfill all that need to be done to return to God.  Only through temples is this possible.  I know that there we learn about the Plan of Salvation and we enter those covenants that can bring us a fullness of joy.  I am so thankful that I can be here at this time, and that the Lord has sent me to Ukraine to be a part of this wonderful part of history and of His work.  Christ lives and loves us and He is the way to be happy in this life and forever.  I know this is true and I am grateful for this knowledge.

With Love,

Elder Jones