6-25-2012

Hello Family!

I'm glad to here Benjamin is settling down well in his new college life. He seems to be quite the social man these days:) It sounds like we will have quite the multi-cultural apartment, american, chinese, hungarian, and american/ukrainian. I've been pondering and praying as to what i can do to continue my work as a missionary back at home and i think this will be a great transition and oppurtunity to share the gospel. I love how the Lord blesses his children with the righteous desires of their heart. 

I was also thrilled to hear how well the DelBianco family was doing! I'm glad to hear Alyssa is doing well and that the baby is also healthy. And 10 fish!!! Jim has certainly got the touch. I remember going out on the canoes with him and i kept pulling in these tiny perch fish and he would keep pulling in massive bass! I look forward to him teaching me his secrets to fishing:) Michael sounds like quite the handy man and nicole is going to be the perfect mom. Jacob's decription you gave seemed to click in my mind! He's the perfect Jak-Jak:) 

This week in the field we continue to make progress with our investigators and in the branch. With our investigator Olya, we taught the 3rd lesson along with a few commandments and she is accepting it all very well. She is making so many great changes that will bless her life. She is also coming to realize that most of the norms of the world are far from the standard set by the Lord through his servants. She's willing been changing her dress, work schedule, and many other aspects of life to conform with what she feels is right. 

This week we also had a small miracle occur when we were doing our normal morning contacting and a man came running up to us from behind calling out for us. I was a bit surprised when he asked us for an flier we had with information about our church. He said he wanted to come sometime. He quickly ended the conversation and took off once more from where he came. My companion both just looked at eachother smiling, both knowing that this was just another tender mercy of the Lord and that he was once again working among the hearts of his children here in ukraine and through out the world.

We also had an experience with a man we stopped to talk too with his two dogs. He took a book as our conversation continued and promised to read it. We asked for a number we could call him at but he said he couldnt remember it. Usually when people on the street say this, they just dont want to give us their number and we left feeling like it would just be another one of those. Later that evening, we were surprised to get a call from the man who told us he was reading the book! Now we have his number and plan to meet with him further.

Thankyou all for what you do to keep our family as strong as it is and continuing to strengthing it. We were here among some members having a discussion about Dand C 121 and how we can support holders of the priesthood fufill their responsibilities and vice versa with the duties of the mother. They commented many times there and the next day in their talks in sacrament meeting of the strength they feel from the missionaries because of their strong family relationships and want ever so badly for their children to have the same. They talked about the shining in our eyes reflecting generations of love between family members who lived by the gospel of jesus christ. It was a really inspiring conversation and lesson and i hope to do my best to continue that long line of family love in my future home. What great oppurtunities we all have and what blessings await us all. This is the Lord's Plan!

I love you family. Have a great week!

WIth Love,

Elder Ostler

6-18-2012

Dear Family,

It sounds as if this was a week of many emotions. Congratulations Alyssa, Jim, and kids! Your baby looks great! I also wanted to share my love for Joe and Megan. I know the Lord loves you too and is aware of these hard trial you have been put through. At times like these its so comforting to know that God has a plan for every soul, even those who leave us earlier than expected. She must be a very special and valiant child of our Heavenly father.  

The Lord is opening the heavens to us, so much that sometimes it feels as if their isnt room enough to receive it! Just within this last week we received a referral from the Bailey's, senior couple who told us they had recieved a call from a young woman wanting to know more about the gospel. We contacted her right after getting off the phone. We set up a lesson for that week and had a wonderful lesson with her. We learned her vision is impaired but that hasnt stopped her from learning perfect english, getting a great job at one of the most prestigious hotels in kharkov, and contacting us to learn more about the gospel. SHE IS GOLDEN. She came to church and everyone loved her being there. They all kept asking us "where did you find her" and all offered her their hands and friendship.  That afternoon we had a lesson about the plan of salvation and talked about baptism to which she readily agreed!! This was all within a matter of a week.  There is such a difference in what we feel as we have been teaching her than in most of the investigators i have taught before. Truly the Lord blesses us for our dilligence in searching to find the Elect. She is planning on getting baptized in three weeks, on the 7th i believe. I talked to her just dismorning about her plans and we will be going to give her a blessing tonight so that she can feel all will be alright and gain more guidance in her life. It would be wonderful if you all could keep her in your prayers. Her name is Olya. 

Just yesterday i felt the prompting during sacrement meeting to call up our Elder's quorum president to go with him hometeaching to Lidia Ozervo, the mother of the girl who lived with G and G Ostler. He gratefully agreed because his companion couldnt make that night so we went over together. We soon found out after arriving that Lidia's mother is getting very ill and that she will probably pass away soon. We blessed lidia's mother to have comfort in her heart and body so the pain would leave. We began a fast together for her peaceful passing away. There was such a wonderful spirit in that room as she talked about her life in her ukrainian tongue. It was difficult to understand but one could feel that this was a good woman and just watching Lidia and how much care she had for her mother was inspiring and brought peace to all our hearts, that this family would live together again. It is always so beautiful to see the Gospel Plan at work, comforting those who are standing in need of comfort and edifying all those involved. I love this work! 

I hope you all have a great week and i hope all is going well for you up there at BYU Benjamin. Let me know how its going up there! I hope Caleb and Mom are having a wonderful time in North Carolina and i hope Dad is too lonely back at home!:) I love you all!

With Love,

          Elder Ostler

6-11-2012

Dear Family,

This week consisted of moving to a new apartment in a place called "new houses". Though the name of the city doesnt quite match its appearance, it does have a great feeling to it and will be a great area for training in. We met many wonderful members at church on sunday as the branch presidency was redone and we had a chance to help establish our desires with him and in return hear about what he expects of us. It was a very good beginning and i think that this branch will do great as the work moves forward. Though the goal of 300 for our mission did seem to weigh down on some of the leaders, i think they will be surprised with just what the lord has done and will do for them as they press forward in faith. Just this week we had a call from one of our senior couples in center kharkov and give us a refferal of a lady who would love to talk to us about the book of mormon. We called her right away and she seemed very kind and was open to our message. She let me know her sight isnt very good so we will need to help her around but she seems golden. I also just got a call from a short term missionary from our area who is serving in Marioupul and tell me that she wants to send a letter through me to her mom who isnt a member to give us a chance to get into her and speak with her. Please keep us in your prayers as we move forward with these two people. I get the feeling that they will be ready. We have also been getting used to our new area, using the underground metro system which makes life sooo much more convienient. It is a great blessing. We also held a meeting with our district during the week and we set some goals which we felt would greatly improve our relationship with members and take us a step closer to finding all those who are waiting to hear the gospel. Each of us are trying to make sacrifices that will help the work along. We plan on doing more creative finding activities on the street to make that time more effective and also use much more time going finding with members. All the missionaries seemed like they would be willing to give it all a shot so we will give it our best this upcoming week. This work is so invigorating and yet so tiring, it still never ceases to amaze me! I love it! :) 

I'm glad that all is going well back at home! oh and Caleb has BRACES!!! He actually looks pretty good with braces! I hope they dont hurt to much!

I love you all family and i cant wait to hear from you next week!

Elder Ostler

6-4-2012

Hello Family!

My new companion has arrived!! For my remaining transfer's i will be training a new elder named Elder Sanger from Oregon. He already has great speaking skills and will do so well. I now live in Kharkov which is our second District to the north in our mission. I've never served in the Northern half of our mission besides Sumy my first transfer so it will be a very new great experience for me. I am so pumped to be out again spending my full time finding and teaching. It is a great feeling. We will see miracles. We will baptize. My heart just seems so sure of it right now and i know that the lord will honor our righteous, sincere desires. I want this to be the time to make great change, not only in myself but the mission as a whole. I feel like we are all just waiting for a missionary to lead the way in devoting everything they have to the lord. I feel it will take first myself stepping up to the plate which will require more change and dedication spiritually, mentally, and physically. I want to be the best I can be and know it is possible. I cant think of a better environment in which to do so, new area, new companion, and never having been so advanced in the language and teaching skills as before. Please keep me in your prayers. I feel that satan also has concluded to make this time game time and is going to do all he can to stop this mission. But, he's already too late. Our misionaries are amazing and will continue to get better and better. As long as we do our part, the Lord will do the rest.

This week at district conference i finally met the woman i have been searching for my whole mission. The mother of the girl who stayed at Grandma and Grandpa Ostlers a while back. She approached me at the meeting and i immediately felt it must be her. She is such a kind lady. It turns out that we may be switching to a different apartment and going to the very area in which she lives. What a miracle. I'm excited to be able to do some missionary work with her because im sure she is a great member missionary.

Thanks for sharing those experiences you all had a camp. What a great oppurtunity for spiritual feasting and a lot of fun!

I love you all and i hope you have a wonderful week!

With Love,

Elder Ostler