During Daniel's mission, for any letters or packages, please send them to:
Elder Daniel Ostler
Prospekt Bogdana Khmelnitskogo 67A
Donetsk 83087
Ukraine
He's 9 hours away from the mission office, so he will only get mail about once every 3 weeks or so. But they ask us to send it to the mission office because that is the most likely way that the missionaries will actually receive it.
Thanks!
Monday, October 25, 2010
October 25, 2010
Hello Family!
Its been a great week here in Ukraine! I am absolutely exausted but i love it and would have it any other way. It becomes more clearer each and every day how much God love his children. There are really soo many good people here. So far it seems like many of the older generation are clinging to the first very well established church here callled the Provislavnic Church but only do so because they have never been questioned about why they do what they do and believe what they believe. Its just how they have been brought up so they dont feel any need to change. The younger generation, however, is much more receptive to the message we have to share because many of them have open minds still and are willing to get an answer for themselves. Its been really interesting! I really think in the upcoming years the church will just explode in growth here as this next generation grows up. Its exciting to be here for the start of it all. So one fun story from our travelling experience coming here happened at the very beginning when the bus from the MTC dropped us all off at the airport and left. They had us going to a few kiosks and when i got to the counter the man working there asked what was my final destination. Since this was Delta and we would be switching over to Austrian Airlines, I assumed the New York was our final destination with Delta. They took my bags and sent them off. When my companion came to the counter the man asked the same question but it somehow came up that he wanted our final, final destination in donestk. That presented a big problem since that would mean that my luggage would come out at the baggage claim and the JFK airport instead of to my next plane. The airport at JFK is crazy and i knew that i didnt want to have to go through security all over again since it might make me late to our next connection that gave us only 2 hours layover. Luckily some lady helping the lines move along saw that i had a problem and asked me how she could help. She ended up going back where all the luggage was moving through to grab mine before they got too far. She helped me check them in again and i was all set. It was a really great blessing to have her there and it just showed how much we can bless peoples lives when we go a little out of our way, perhaps a little further than we have been asked, to help someone. Im so grateful for people like that in this world. They are the ones that really make a difference in peoples lives. Well, that was my exciting travelling experience so i hope you all enjoyed. I am so grateful the Lord's hand is in this work and i am so grateful for the ways that he blesses us when we strive to do what he wants. We would really appreciate it if you could keep Nikoly, Nelli and Serg in your prayers as each of them are close to baptism. We can see satan really working on them right now when they are so close to being the most happy they have ever been. Nikoly didnt make it to church yesterday which was really too bad since he really didnt have anything to keep him from come. I know that our prayers on his behalf will really help him feel God's love and know that this is the right thing to do. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers! They are greatly appreciated here. I love you all and i hope all is going well! Im glad to hear your Mexico trip went well. It sounds like it was a really great and humbling experience. I'll talk to ya next week!
~Elder Ostler
Mom's note: Daniel has no idea what went through my head when he wrote "I'll talk to ya next week"! :) I'm sure he was just saying he'd email us next week. I can wait till Christmas...I can wait till Christmas...I can...
Its been a great week here in Ukraine! I am absolutely exausted but i love it and would have it any other way. It becomes more clearer each and every day how much God love his children. There are really soo many good people here. So far it seems like many of the older generation are clinging to the first very well established church here callled the Provislavnic Church but only do so because they have never been questioned about why they do what they do and believe what they believe. Its just how they have been brought up so they dont feel any need to change. The younger generation, however, is much more receptive to the message we have to share because many of them have open minds still and are willing to get an answer for themselves. Its been really interesting! I really think in the upcoming years the church will just explode in growth here as this next generation grows up. Its exciting to be here for the start of it all. So one fun story from our travelling experience coming here happened at the very beginning when the bus from the MTC dropped us all off at the airport and left. They had us going to a few kiosks and when i got to the counter the man working there asked what was my final destination. Since this was Delta and we would be switching over to Austrian Airlines, I assumed the New York was our final destination with Delta. They took my bags and sent them off. When my companion came to the counter the man asked the same question but it somehow came up that he wanted our final, final destination in donestk. That presented a big problem since that would mean that my luggage would come out at the baggage claim and the JFK airport instead of to my next plane. The airport at JFK is crazy and i knew that i didnt want to have to go through security all over again since it might make me late to our next connection that gave us only 2 hours layover. Luckily some lady helping the lines move along saw that i had a problem and asked me how she could help. She ended up going back where all the luggage was moving through to grab mine before they got too far. She helped me check them in again and i was all set. It was a really great blessing to have her there and it just showed how much we can bless peoples lives when we go a little out of our way, perhaps a little further than we have been asked, to help someone. Im so grateful for people like that in this world. They are the ones that really make a difference in peoples lives. Well, that was my exciting travelling experience so i hope you all enjoyed. I am so grateful the Lord's hand is in this work and i am so grateful for the ways that he blesses us when we strive to do what he wants. We would really appreciate it if you could keep Nikoly, Nelli and Serg in your prayers as each of them are close to baptism. We can see satan really working on them right now when they are so close to being the most happy they have ever been. Nikoly didnt make it to church yesterday which was really too bad since he really didnt have anything to keep him from come. I know that our prayers on his behalf will really help him feel God's love and know that this is the right thing to do. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers! They are greatly appreciated here. I love you all and i hope all is going well! Im glad to hear your Mexico trip went well. It sounds like it was a really great and humbling experience. I'll talk to ya next week!
~Elder Ostler
Mom's note: Daniel has no idea what went through my head when he wrote "I'll talk to ya next week"! :) I'm sure he was just saying he'd email us next week. I can wait till Christmas...I can wait till Christmas...I can...
Monday, October 18, 2010
Daniel's First Real Letter From Ukraine
Hello family!!
It has been an absolutely awesome, exausting experience thus far here in Ukraine. About 90 percent of the time i have no idea what is going on and its even crazier to try and talk back in my limited knowlege in this Russian language. I absolutly love it here though! The people are amazing here and mostly pretty kind to us. My trainer Elder Kofoed is a great guy and is really good at connecting with the people here. I think we will get along pretty well since both of us have a strong desire to follow the rules so we can have the spirit with us 24/7. So, my first transfer i am going to be serving here in суми(soomy), a smaller city in the mission that took about 9 hours by bus and train to reach coming from the mission office in donetsk. It is the most northern city in the mission and has more ukrainian speakers in it than any in the mission which is still a very small percentage. We have a branch of about 20 members here with 4 missionaries with a senior couple on their way here. I guess the branch here is struggling so the senior couple was coming up to add to its strength and give it some more priesthood authourity since there is literally none in the branch besides the missionaries. THey had me lead the music, pass the sacrament, and bear my testimony all in that first meeting there. It is amazing to see how much work needs to be done here and it is exciting that i get to be part of it in its youngest stages. I hope that i can work hard enough and really be a tool in the Lords hands here in this beautiful land and help bring this beautiful people to a knowlege of truth and be able to feel God's love. We already had a miracle last night while contacting on the street. One investigator Elder Kofoed had taught at least once before found us while we were walking down the street which was so strange since we hadnt planned on seeing him any time soon. We took him to the church building where Elder Kofoed taught him the plan of salvation while i testified. The man has such a strong desire to know the truth and has a very good heart. He said what he saw in us was what he wanted and that he knew that we had good hearts and that is what made him want to continue to meet with us. He promised to pray about everything we had taught him and i know he will receive an answer. He is having some struggles in his life right now with family so prayers on his behalf would be greatly appreciated. Anyways, things are going great, our apartment is pretty big so i'll have to show some you all some pictures once i get a chance to take some. The Mission president, his wife, and the APs met us at the airport to help us with our luggage. They took us all to the office. We were able to hand out some fliers here and there as we went from place to place and then to where we stayed the night. We did this each day until we had our transfer meeting and were shipped off to our fields of service were i am now. I am so glad to be here in Ukraine! the Lord blesses us so much when we try to do things his way which is always the best way. I love this gospel and I know that it is true. It becomes clearer and clearer each day and i am so gratefull to have a knowledge of it. I love you all and would love to hear from you when you have a chance!
Monday is now our preparation day just so you know since it used to be tuesday.
~Elder Ostler
It has been an absolutely awesome, exausting experience thus far here in Ukraine. About 90 percent of the time i have no idea what is going on and its even crazier to try and talk back in my limited knowlege in this Russian language. I absolutly love it here though! The people are amazing here and mostly pretty kind to us. My trainer Elder Kofoed is a great guy and is really good at connecting with the people here. I think we will get along pretty well since both of us have a strong desire to follow the rules so we can have the spirit with us 24/7. So, my first transfer i am going to be serving here in суми(soomy), a smaller city in the mission that took about 9 hours by bus and train to reach coming from the mission office in donetsk. It is the most northern city in the mission and has more ukrainian speakers in it than any in the mission which is still a very small percentage. We have a branch of about 20 members here with 4 missionaries with a senior couple on their way here. I guess the branch here is struggling so the senior couple was coming up to add to its strength and give it some more priesthood authourity since there is literally none in the branch besides the missionaries. THey had me lead the music, pass the sacrament, and bear my testimony all in that first meeting there. It is amazing to see how much work needs to be done here and it is exciting that i get to be part of it in its youngest stages. I hope that i can work hard enough and really be a tool in the Lords hands here in this beautiful land and help bring this beautiful people to a knowlege of truth and be able to feel God's love. We already had a miracle last night while contacting on the street. One investigator Elder Kofoed had taught at least once before found us while we were walking down the street which was so strange since we hadnt planned on seeing him any time soon. We took him to the church building where Elder Kofoed taught him the plan of salvation while i testified. The man has such a strong desire to know the truth and has a very good heart. He said what he saw in us was what he wanted and that he knew that we had good hearts and that is what made him want to continue to meet with us. He promised to pray about everything we had taught him and i know he will receive an answer. He is having some struggles in his life right now with family so prayers on his behalf would be greatly appreciated. Anyways, things are going great, our apartment is pretty big so i'll have to show some you all some pictures once i get a chance to take some. The Mission president, his wife, and the APs met us at the airport to help us with our luggage. They took us all to the office. We were able to hand out some fliers here and there as we went from place to place and then to where we stayed the night. We did this each day until we had our transfer meeting and were shipped off to our fields of service were i am now. I am so glad to be here in Ukraine! the Lord blesses us so much when we try to do things his way which is always the best way. I love this gospel and I know that it is true. It becomes clearer and clearer each day and i am so gratefull to have a knowledge of it. I love you all and would love to hear from you when you have a chance!
Monday is now our preparation day just so you know since it used to be tuesday.
~Elder Ostler
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Daniel Made it to Ukraine!
So i am now in Ukraine!! We had all sorts of adventures getting here that I'll have to tell you all about it when i have a chance. For now i just wanted you all to know that i made it safely here. I love you family!
~Elder Ostler
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Pictures From the MTC- October 2010
Edward Stevenson Residence Hall where Daniel is staying
Last trip to the temple for two years - with Zone 9
(Left to right: CT Reynolds, Young, Bounous, Scovil, Ostler, Bybee, Roberts, Tucker)
District 9A - Dressed to "save the world" :)
(Bybee, Bounous, Young, Roberts, Scovil, Ostler)
Daniel's New Missionary Tag
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
One Last Week in the MTC
Hello family!
How's it going? We just got back from what was probably our last day at the temple for the next two years. The temple is such a wonderful place and i will miss going each week and feeling the Spirit and God's love there. So, this week we got our travel plans!! It was funny because my companion and I went and picked up the mail and saw the travels plans that we were all expecting and anticipating. We went back to our room to pick up a little christmas tree we had and some streamers and took them to our class and decorated it before the others in our district got there. We all had a little celebration and it felt just like christmas morning as we gathered around the 12 in christmas tree. :) I think i will have the chance to call you once we get to the airport or sometime that morning one last time before i take off so just to let you know. Our scheduled departure is still the 12th of October, this next tuesday were we will fly Delta to New York and Austrian airlines to Vienna and on to Ukraine. It so crazy how time has flown here and we all are ready to start testifying once we get to that airport:) How did you all like conference? I thought it was all soo great! I really liked President Monsons talk about being grateful for everything in life and always seeing the good in life's experience's, whether a trial or not. Thats something that I really appreciated hearing. Its amazing to see just how much happier one can be when they face all adversity with a courageous heart and a firm trust in God, having a positive attitude that things will always work out and that it is all just part of God's wonderful plan for us. I love this gospel and guidance we can receive from our living prophet! It is such a wonderful blessing to actually have someone who is God's mouth piece and on whom we can really to counsel and give us guidance as we go through out life. That is one thing i hope i will never take for granted. Im excited to read over these talks again to gain further guidance. Conference was also great since we got to go sing in priesthood!! That was such an amazing experience! The choir sounded so good with the accoustics of that room. The organ was a whole different matter as it felt like we were being backed up heaven's angels as the power and spirit of each song touched each of us. When we were warming up, our director was talking about the how incredible the organ was and the brother who was playing the organ played its lowest foot pedal and it literally shook the ground where we were. It was so cool! It was also great to see the apostles and prophet of the church walk in one by one. It was neat to see them so close and see the spirit and wisdom each one had. Im so grateful that we are led by real men of God who our sincere in what they say and how they feel. I cant imagine being a part of some other church whose leaders may not have the God's will and people as their first priority. This trully is a marvelous work! Well, my times up but I hope you all had a great weekend and i hope you have a great week ahead of you! Love ya!
~Elder Ostler
How's it going? We just got back from what was probably our last day at the temple for the next two years. The temple is such a wonderful place and i will miss going each week and feeling the Spirit and God's love there. So, this week we got our travel plans!! It was funny because my companion and I went and picked up the mail and saw the travels plans that we were all expecting and anticipating. We went back to our room to pick up a little christmas tree we had and some streamers and took them to our class and decorated it before the others in our district got there. We all had a little celebration and it felt just like christmas morning as we gathered around the 12 in christmas tree. :) I think i will have the chance to call you once we get to the airport or sometime that morning one last time before i take off so just to let you know. Our scheduled departure is still the 12th of October, this next tuesday were we will fly Delta to New York and Austrian airlines to Vienna and on to Ukraine. It so crazy how time has flown here and we all are ready to start testifying once we get to that airport:) How did you all like conference? I thought it was all soo great! I really liked President Monsons talk about being grateful for everything in life and always seeing the good in life's experience's, whether a trial or not. Thats something that I really appreciated hearing. Its amazing to see just how much happier one can be when they face all adversity with a courageous heart and a firm trust in God, having a positive attitude that things will always work out and that it is all just part of God's wonderful plan for us. I love this gospel and guidance we can receive from our living prophet! It is such a wonderful blessing to actually have someone who is God's mouth piece and on whom we can really to counsel and give us guidance as we go through out life. That is one thing i hope i will never take for granted. Im excited to read over these talks again to gain further guidance. Conference was also great since we got to go sing in priesthood!! That was such an amazing experience! The choir sounded so good with the accoustics of that room. The organ was a whole different matter as it felt like we were being backed up heaven's angels as the power and spirit of each song touched each of us. When we were warming up, our director was talking about the how incredible the organ was and the brother who was playing the organ played its lowest foot pedal and it literally shook the ground where we were. It was so cool! It was also great to see the apostles and prophet of the church walk in one by one. It was neat to see them so close and see the spirit and wisdom each one had. Im so grateful that we are led by real men of God who our sincere in what they say and how they feel. I cant imagine being a part of some other church whose leaders may not have the God's will and people as their first priority. This trully is a marvelous work! Well, my times up but I hope you all had a great weekend and i hope you have a great week ahead of you! Love ya!
~Elder Ostler
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