Hello Family,
Thanks for your letters this week! they were great to recieve! It is amazing to hear about all of the news back at home. I cant believe those different people are getting married! thats so great! So this week was a good week full of lessons but our investigators are 'running into walls'. AWW!! we lost a few but there is are still 2 more that have great potential but the we are having a hard time getting them fellowshipped in to the branch because of problems there in the foundation of the branch. The mission president is working miracles going about solving problems left and right but we need just about 10 more mission presidents hear and 100 more priesthood holders to keep our branch from going under. We are working on the hundred priesthood holders while the Mission president is taking the role of the 10 and we are hoping to see success. We also just had a young less active man get killed in our branch which we just met earlier this week. We recieved a call from his father early one morning on the way to a lesson we were having. He said his son was in critical condition and that he was in a hospital located near the church building. After finishing the lesson, we arrived at the hospital a found the father not doing so good, very distraught. We received the nurses permission to give the son a blessing and were given special clothing to enter that part of the clinic. We found the son and he was looking pretty bad, unconcious since he had been attacked knocked out by a beer bottle. We proceeded to give him a blessing and silently left, thanking the nurse. We left a Book of Mormon with the father and left. The next morning at church we learned that the son had passed away early that morning. After church we went with a few sisters and a counselor in the branch to visit this and offer comfort. We talked for a while and gave each of those in the family a blessing. We sang a hymn and prayed. The Lord loves his children, i know that without a doubt. It is in moments like these that i think that we feel christlike love the most. I have never felt it quite so strong as i have felt it with these deaths in both our last area and this area. It is an amazing feeling, something that you never want to leave. If i were to get nothing else out of mission, i would want to leave with that christlike charity that penetrates all darkness. I am so thankful for that wonderful oppurtunity for us to express such love. We will be attending the funeral in about an hour. We pray that the spirit will be their at that meeting so that all in attendance with take a part of that with them and let it change their lives. Thanks for all that you do for me family. Each and every day i serve, i realize just how rare it is to live in such a family as ours that loves eachother and cares for one another. I love you all with all my heart! Have a great week!!
With Love,
Elder Ostler
Monday, August 29, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
8-22-2011
Hello Family!!
Well, we have had another crazy week travelling two and from a city called Lugansk waking at 5:30 one morning and 4:00 another morning to make it to one of the few trains that travel to that city. Needless to say, im tired. We had a great time helping train the missionaries there and help spread what the mission president wanted them to hear. After doing all of these companionship exchanges, we had a great sunday at church, waking up early again to meet a mother and a father whom we have been teaching 2 hours away in a city called Kramatorsk. They have a daughter that just got baptized at byu and wanted to meet with us. They are so great and decided to make the long trip to church and it just happened to be the sunday when our Mission President, District president and counselor, and Relief society President all came and gave great talks and then took the following two hours to train the whole branch, trying to solve all of the misunderstandings and problems by sitting them down and teaching them what their role as members were in the branch, missionary work, and church as a whole. We heard it went really well. We were, at the time, teaching our investigators and answering their questions. Afterwards we realized they would have to wait for 3 hours for the next train to their city so we had them go up to donetsk to find a bus their instead, travelling with the District president! We were so happy that they did that for us and im sure it was so good for our investigators to feel that strength from those great people. We also had a great branch activity the youth put on and it was soo great. We had 4 investigators their and they ALL had a great time and participated alot!! It was soo good to see and it really helped the members want to do even more activities! We are excited for this branch and where it is moving.
That is basically what happened this week in our area because of our travels. I'm so glad to hear Stake conference went well. It sounds as if it was another great spiritual experience! You are all doing so great and im am glad to hear it. sorry if my letters kinda sound the same sometimes. Keeping a journal is a struggle for me but is something i want to spend more time with so i can share more of my spiritual experiences and struggles with all of you. I love you all and i hope you have a great week!
Sincerely,
Elder Ostler
Well, we have had another crazy week travelling two and from a city called Lugansk waking at 5:30 one morning and 4:00 another morning to make it to one of the few trains that travel to that city. Needless to say, im tired. We had a great time helping train the missionaries there and help spread what the mission president wanted them to hear. After doing all of these companionship exchanges, we had a great sunday at church, waking up early again to meet a mother and a father whom we have been teaching 2 hours away in a city called Kramatorsk. They have a daughter that just got baptized at byu and wanted to meet with us. They are so great and decided to make the long trip to church and it just happened to be the sunday when our Mission President, District president and counselor, and Relief society President all came and gave great talks and then took the following two hours to train the whole branch, trying to solve all of the misunderstandings and problems by sitting them down and teaching them what their role as members were in the branch, missionary work, and church as a whole. We heard it went really well. We were, at the time, teaching our investigators and answering their questions. Afterwards we realized they would have to wait for 3 hours for the next train to their city so we had them go up to donetsk to find a bus their instead, travelling with the District president! We were so happy that they did that for us and im sure it was so good for our investigators to feel that strength from those great people. We also had a great branch activity the youth put on and it was soo great. We had 4 investigators their and they ALL had a great time and participated alot!! It was soo good to see and it really helped the members want to do even more activities! We are excited for this branch and where it is moving.
That is basically what happened this week in our area because of our travels. I'm so glad to hear Stake conference went well. It sounds as if it was another great spiritual experience! You are all doing so great and im am glad to hear it. sorry if my letters kinda sound the same sometimes. Keeping a journal is a struggle for me but is something i want to spend more time with so i can share more of my spiritual experiences and struggles with all of you. I love you all and i hope you have a great week!
Sincerely,
Elder Ostler
Friday, August 19, 2011
7-18-2011
Hello Family!!
Another week has gone by and im writing home again! Time is flying! We continue to work with our investigators but the progress of each is coming very slowly. We didnt pick up any new investigators this week but we did meet up with the mother of a member of the branch presidency who is not a member and she seems fairly interested in what we have to say. She listens to us very carefully and she has agreed to meet with us twice and has come to church twice in a row so we are hoping to see great progress soon. This last lesson we had covered alot about prayer. Many of the churches around the world use the Lord's prayer as their own and just recite it over and over. We helped show her that the verse before talks of 'vain repititions' and that Christ just gave that as an example, not to be used as a 'vain repitition'. We also talked to her about a habit she had of crossing herself and asked her why the priests taught her that if that was never taught in the scriptures. She told us she honestly didnt know, she just had always done that. She told us that she sincerely wanted to find an answer to know the truth and by the end of the lesson, we had her pray as instructed in the scriptures and as prophets have taught, using her own words and closing in the name of Jesus Christ. It was really a great prayer and she is a quick learner. The next step is getting her to do that all on her own! We committed her to do it and we will be following up soon. There are a few other weaknesses she needs to straighten out in her live but those will change as we teach her about each one. Many investigators and people in general sin ignorantly, having maybe a feeling that something is wrong but having not much else to confirm it and that is why we are here, to inform them of what we already now to be true and have tested ourselves. I was reading a section from The Miracle of Forgiveness the other day and it told the story of a ship that had been stranded off the coast of south america without fresh drinking water. All suffering from extreme thirst, they signalled to a passing boat to share of there water with them. The other boat signalled back, telling them to lower their buckets, they were in fresh water! Unknown to the passengers, their boat was at the mouth of the amazon! Just think of the millions of souls around the world, hungering and thirsting for truth but not really knowing where to find it. That is why it is every member's responsibility to share what he knows with others, that they may also feel the peace and joy that come from a knowledge of the gospel and how to apply the atonement in their lives. We also work with a young man in his twenties who experimented with different substances that were against the word of wisdom lets just say. He has rejected these different substances and gives us many examples of why he absolutly despises them. His parents are already under the influence of such substances and were not quite so lucky as to excape their grasp as their son. We continue to work with him and help him understand Jesus Christ's doctrine and atonement. We hope and pray that he will continue to make the neccessary changes in his life to trully come unto Christ and be perfected in him. Well, thats about it for the week! I'll let you all know more about some of the others we are teaching next week. I love you all and i hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Elder Ostler
Another week has gone by and im writing home again! Time is flying! We continue to work with our investigators but the progress of each is coming very slowly. We didnt pick up any new investigators this week but we did meet up with the mother of a member of the branch presidency who is not a member and she seems fairly interested in what we have to say. She listens to us very carefully and she has agreed to meet with us twice and has come to church twice in a row so we are hoping to see great progress soon. This last lesson we had covered alot about prayer. Many of the churches around the world use the Lord's prayer as their own and just recite it over and over. We helped show her that the verse before talks of 'vain repititions' and that Christ just gave that as an example, not to be used as a 'vain repitition'. We also talked to her about a habit she had of crossing herself and asked her why the priests taught her that if that was never taught in the scriptures. She told us she honestly didnt know, she just had always done that. She told us that she sincerely wanted to find an answer to know the truth and by the end of the lesson, we had her pray as instructed in the scriptures and as prophets have taught, using her own words and closing in the name of Jesus Christ. It was really a great prayer and she is a quick learner. The next step is getting her to do that all on her own! We committed her to do it and we will be following up soon. There are a few other weaknesses she needs to straighten out in her live but those will change as we teach her about each one. Many investigators and people in general sin ignorantly, having maybe a feeling that something is wrong but having not much else to confirm it and that is why we are here, to inform them of what we already now to be true and have tested ourselves. I was reading a section from The Miracle of Forgiveness the other day and it told the story of a ship that had been stranded off the coast of south america without fresh drinking water. All suffering from extreme thirst, they signalled to a passing boat to share of there water with them. The other boat signalled back, telling them to lower their buckets, they were in fresh water! Unknown to the passengers, their boat was at the mouth of the amazon! Just think of the millions of souls around the world, hungering and thirsting for truth but not really knowing where to find it. That is why it is every member's responsibility to share what he knows with others, that they may also feel the peace and joy that come from a knowledge of the gospel and how to apply the atonement in their lives. We also work with a young man in his twenties who experimented with different substances that were against the word of wisdom lets just say. He has rejected these different substances and gives us many examples of why he absolutly despises them. His parents are already under the influence of such substances and were not quite so lucky as to excape their grasp as their son. We continue to work with him and help him understand Jesus Christ's doctrine and atonement. We hope and pray that he will continue to make the neccessary changes in his life to trully come unto Christ and be perfected in him. Well, thats about it for the week! I'll let you all know more about some of the others we are teaching next week. I love you all and i hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Elder Ostler
8-15-2011
Hello Family!!
Well this week has blown by! Monday we travelled back to Donestk for the 4 time within the last week to drop me off at the office to fill out visa papers. That night i was on a split with Elder Garlock, another elder from Mesa, Az and stayed at their apartment for the night. The next morning we called up a taxi and went to go pick up a sister who was coming with us and took off to the airport. We met with a member who works in the mission office got through security allright and made our way to Bulgaria stopping in Kiev to pick up some more of our missionaries and on through vienna where we went out of the airport to eat some McDonalds and returned for our final flight that evening to Bulgaria. The mission president didnt have time to meet with us or house us so we ended up paying for a few hotel rooms. Bulgaria was a beautiful place and was expecially great because of the american fast food resturants they have there that are not found in Ukraine. :) We had half of a day waiting for our passports and werent allowed to do any procelyting so we occupied the rest of our day with seeing the area. We travelled back to the airport the next day and made our way home. We have had a chance to meet with a few investigaotrs and one that is getting very close is a divorced mother named Yawna. She is very nice and knows english very well. She is moving right along and agrees with most of what we say and has faith to believe and find out the things that she doesnt. Its a great attitude to have and right now we are trying to get a member or two to friendship her on our lessons. We had a great sunday with 5 investigators at church and a few visiting members from past branches that i dearly love. They helped me so much in adjusting to my new area after being taken from Sumy. I was so great to see them! We had a few lessons after church which went fairly well with those investigators that attended and made some good progress with them in answering their questions. Those Sundays always feel so good and productive! We hope and pray for those kind of days and it came!
To answer your questions
1. Yes he speaks a little russian and can kind of understand. We went to school in Moscow a long time ago and that is where he learned. Our practices actually took place in english this time which is something different than what we did before. We found it was much more productive in finding mistakes and correcting them. I think the principle goes, if you cant say it right in your native language first, the odds are you probably wont in russian either. It helped alot and made for a much more comfortable environment for us to grow in.
2. We have 10 elders in our zone, soon to be 12 as soon as we open a new apartment.
3. We struggle with unity between members. Misunderstandings and past experiences with other missionaries from the past has given the members a kinda sour impression of the missionaries. Though greatly improving, their is still progress to be made. The missionaries are also working on showing their love and trust and devotion for the work and for all of our members and we recently had a fast for it mission wide, members and missionaries. We look forward to those relationships improving so we can so we can retain new converts better than in the past and also recieve new investigators.
4. All missions have thier own little problems and right now with ours it is our transition from one president to another. Their have been a few misunderstandings because of words that have been spoken that were not understood or explained very well. The mission right now is trying to get all of the missionaries and members looking in the right direction with the same vision in mind. That way we can focus on the Spirit of the law while still obeying the letter of the law. You can imagine how hard it is to get so many young men like us to a point where we all think the same way and come to agreances, positively including all opinions.
Well, thats all my time for today but i wish dad luck with Stake conference and i hope all goes well! I love you all and i hope all is going well for you!.
With love,.
Elder Ostler
How are the Koffords doing? In bulgaria we heard about a bunch of crazy riots going on in london. I hope all is alright!
oh, and Elder stradling from Mesa, Az who is sitting next to me said stake conference went well and that Dad did a great job or something (his mom said):) Keep up the good work!
Well this week has blown by! Monday we travelled back to Donestk for the 4 time within the last week to drop me off at the office to fill out visa papers. That night i was on a split with Elder Garlock, another elder from Mesa, Az and stayed at their apartment for the night. The next morning we called up a taxi and went to go pick up a sister who was coming with us and took off to the airport. We met with a member who works in the mission office got through security allright and made our way to Bulgaria stopping in Kiev to pick up some more of our missionaries and on through vienna where we went out of the airport to eat some McDonalds and returned for our final flight that evening to Bulgaria. The mission president didnt have time to meet with us or house us so we ended up paying for a few hotel rooms. Bulgaria was a beautiful place and was expecially great because of the american fast food resturants they have there that are not found in Ukraine. :) We had half of a day waiting for our passports and werent allowed to do any procelyting so we occupied the rest of our day with seeing the area. We travelled back to the airport the next day and made our way home. We have had a chance to meet with a few investigaotrs and one that is getting very close is a divorced mother named Yawna. She is very nice and knows english very well. She is moving right along and agrees with most of what we say and has faith to believe and find out the things that she doesnt. Its a great attitude to have and right now we are trying to get a member or two to friendship her on our lessons. We had a great sunday with 5 investigators at church and a few visiting members from past branches that i dearly love. They helped me so much in adjusting to my new area after being taken from Sumy. I was so great to see them! We had a few lessons after church which went fairly well with those investigators that attended and made some good progress with them in answering their questions. Those Sundays always feel so good and productive! We hope and pray for those kind of days and it came!
To answer your questions
1. Yes he speaks a little russian and can kind of understand. We went to school in Moscow a long time ago and that is where he learned. Our practices actually took place in english this time which is something different than what we did before. We found it was much more productive in finding mistakes and correcting them. I think the principle goes, if you cant say it right in your native language first, the odds are you probably wont in russian either. It helped alot and made for a much more comfortable environment for us to grow in.
2. We have 10 elders in our zone, soon to be 12 as soon as we open a new apartment.
3. We struggle with unity between members. Misunderstandings and past experiences with other missionaries from the past has given the members a kinda sour impression of the missionaries. Though greatly improving, their is still progress to be made. The missionaries are also working on showing their love and trust and devotion for the work and for all of our members and we recently had a fast for it mission wide, members and missionaries. We look forward to those relationships improving so we can so we can retain new converts better than in the past and also recieve new investigators.
4. All missions have thier own little problems and right now with ours it is our transition from one president to another. Their have been a few misunderstandings because of words that have been spoken that were not understood or explained very well. The mission right now is trying to get all of the missionaries and members looking in the right direction with the same vision in mind. That way we can focus on the Spirit of the law while still obeying the letter of the law. You can imagine how hard it is to get so many young men like us to a point where we all think the same way and come to agreances, positively including all opinions.
Well, thats all my time for today but i wish dad luck with Stake conference and i hope all goes well! I love you all and i hope all is going well for you!.
With love,.
Elder Ostler
How are the Koffords doing? In bulgaria we heard about a bunch of crazy riots going on in london. I hope all is alright!
oh, and Elder stradling from Mesa, Az who is sitting next to me said stake conference went well and that Dad did a great job or something (his mom said):) Keep up the good work!
Monday, August 8, 2011
8-8-2011
Hello family!
Well, as Mom found out from our office staff, I am heading over to Bulgaria tomorrow to have my visa renewed for a few days and return. We also had transfer meeting which was a surprise and now I am surving in gorlivka, a smaller city about an hour outside of donetsk. I have also been moved to the Zone leader and have already been having plenty of experiences that come with this position. Elder McCaulloson is now my companion and has about two transfers left. He's a great missionary and i look forward to these following transfers. I am still trying to learn of all the responsibilites that are included in this position but im slowly getting the hang of things. We had Zone Leaders Training the day after tranfers took place and it was a great experience. It really opens your eyes to see and speak with your mission president on a more personal basis. We spent most of the day at his house speaking on the different topics of Atonement, the Holy Ghost in conversion, and the Book of Mormon in conversion. Our new president, president Compero also stresses the use of practice for 50 percent of the time which has proven to be very effective. Its usually kinda awkard in times past but when we do one companionship at a time and really scrutinize every move they made, their weaknesses and strengths, it was very helpful. What turned out to be the main topic that came to our attention from these practices was Love. President Compero is such a loving man. He gives us hugs whenever we see him and his wife is also just as sweet. They are perfect examples for us. Each time in our practices we would do it over and over until each companionship could recreate a perfect way of extending a baptismal and book of Mormon reading commitment and each time Love came up as the main concern. It became very apparent how much better the investigator would accept commitments and really have the desire in his/her heart to fufill it if we extended it with real love in our hearts and concern for them, not telling them that they were doing it for us, but that they would be doing it to please God.
Our branch here in Gorlivka is also great and has many good members. Like all branches it has its weeknesses and problems which we will be working to overcome as best as we can. Thus far we havent had much of a chance to meet with many investigators and it seems as if this area will be a bit of a struggle in that respect but it should pick up here soon their are great changes coming to all area's of our mission and it is exciting to see. We are stressing more organization and unity in our branches and more strictness in following the guidelines set forth by the church in order to see the bigger blessings. Thanks for your prayers on behalf of our investigators, they really need it. I havent heard much from my last area but i certainly hope and pray that little girl made it to church with her mom. Well, i hope you all have a wonderful week ahead of you. Thanks for your love and support! I need every bit of it! :)
Oh, and thanks for that photo of you all and the cousins! it was great to see all of them. You all look so happy together! I cant wait to start see a little bit of that here!
With Love,
Elder Ostler
Well, as Mom found out from our office staff, I am heading over to Bulgaria tomorrow to have my visa renewed for a few days and return. We also had transfer meeting which was a surprise and now I am surving in gorlivka, a smaller city about an hour outside of donetsk. I have also been moved to the Zone leader and have already been having plenty of experiences that come with this position. Elder McCaulloson is now my companion and has about two transfers left. He's a great missionary and i look forward to these following transfers. I am still trying to learn of all the responsibilites that are included in this position but im slowly getting the hang of things. We had Zone Leaders Training the day after tranfers took place and it was a great experience. It really opens your eyes to see and speak with your mission president on a more personal basis. We spent most of the day at his house speaking on the different topics of Atonement, the Holy Ghost in conversion, and the Book of Mormon in conversion. Our new president, president Compero also stresses the use of practice for 50 percent of the time which has proven to be very effective. Its usually kinda awkard in times past but when we do one companionship at a time and really scrutinize every move they made, their weaknesses and strengths, it was very helpful. What turned out to be the main topic that came to our attention from these practices was Love. President Compero is such a loving man. He gives us hugs whenever we see him and his wife is also just as sweet. They are perfect examples for us. Each time in our practices we would do it over and over until each companionship could recreate a perfect way of extending a baptismal and book of Mormon reading commitment and each time Love came up as the main concern. It became very apparent how much better the investigator would accept commitments and really have the desire in his/her heart to fufill it if we extended it with real love in our hearts and concern for them, not telling them that they were doing it for us, but that they would be doing it to please God.
Our branch here in Gorlivka is also great and has many good members. Like all branches it has its weeknesses and problems which we will be working to overcome as best as we can. Thus far we havent had much of a chance to meet with many investigators and it seems as if this area will be a bit of a struggle in that respect but it should pick up here soon their are great changes coming to all area's of our mission and it is exciting to see. We are stressing more organization and unity in our branches and more strictness in following the guidelines set forth by the church in order to see the bigger blessings. Thanks for your prayers on behalf of our investigators, they really need it. I havent heard much from my last area but i certainly hope and pray that little girl made it to church with her mom. Well, i hope you all have a wonderful week ahead of you. Thanks for your love and support! I need every bit of it! :)
Oh, and thanks for that photo of you all and the cousins! it was great to see all of them. You all look so happy together! I cant wait to start see a little bit of that here!
With Love,
Elder Ostler
Monday, August 1, 2011
8-1-2011
Hello my favorite family in the world!!! :)
It was sooo great to hear of all of the great physical and spiritual experiences you have all been having! i really liked that picture of Dad and Benjamin in front of that canyon. You are all looking so great! We did a little "hike" too i guess you could say out to the sunflower fields and i came to a rather discouraging conclusion of my out-of-shapeness! I guess walking around in procelytes all day in temperatures over 100 and humidity at its max, its keeps your weight down for sure but doesnt quite gime me my cardio workout:) Benjamin and Dad looked like two workout trainers on the front of a magazine or something!:) This week i recieved my transfer call so i will be leaving marioupul this next thursday. Its a real bummer to leave an area after working so hard to pick up its work but im confident that the next elders who come in will keep moving it forward. We also found out we will have an addition of another apartment in mariopul meaning we will have a total of 6 elders in our satellite city! it was great news!! Our little investigator Nastia is back on date for the 20th and i really think she is going to make it this time. Her mom is back to the determination she had before and now we have a concrete plan of how we can help Nastia get to church, even when her mom has to work. It will be so great for the branch to see another baptism. It does so much to raise the spirits of everyone as a whole. Anyways, i thought i put some pictures up really quick before my time runs out. Hope you enjoy them and have a great week!
It was sooo great to hear of all of the great physical and spiritual experiences you have all been having! i really liked that picture of Dad and Benjamin in front of that canyon. You are all looking so great! We did a little "hike" too i guess you could say out to the sunflower fields and i came to a rather discouraging conclusion of my out-of-shapeness! I guess walking around in procelytes all day in temperatures over 100 and humidity at its max, its keeps your weight down for sure but doesnt quite gime me my cardio workout:) Benjamin and Dad looked like two workout trainers on the front of a magazine or something!:) This week i recieved my transfer call so i will be leaving marioupul this next thursday. Its a real bummer to leave an area after working so hard to pick up its work but im confident that the next elders who come in will keep moving it forward. We also found out we will have an addition of another apartment in mariopul meaning we will have a total of 6 elders in our satellite city! it was great news!! Our little investigator Nastia is back on date for the 20th and i really think she is going to make it this time. Her mom is back to the determination she had before and now we have a concrete plan of how we can help Nastia get to church, even when her mom has to work. It will be so great for the branch to see another baptism. It does so much to raise the spirits of everyone as a whole. Anyways, i thought i put some pictures up really quick before my time runs out. Hope you enjoy them and have a great week!
Beautiful Sunflower Fields of Ukraine!!
1531 Famous Marioupol Sign
1524 More Sunflowers
1495Provislavnic Church in the area
1530Another shot coming in from Donetsk
1479 We discovered a zoo park on p-day and had a great time there with the animals!
With lots of love!!
Elder Ostler
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