settle down, it'll all be clear

fam bam.

pictures speak a thousand words. so i'll let them do most the talking for the past few months.

just a few things. we have our own apartment now! the remont (remodel) finished, so the elders finally got their apartment back and we now actually have an area and all. the apartment is the most beautiful thing, i don't really know what to do about it. and one room even has carpet. real carpet. not just a rug. yeah. it's exciting.

i love the metro musicians. i forgot how much i do.

we met with a member last week that is an artist. watercolor is his obsession. his art is beautiful. he gifted one of his paintings. i died. that was that.

it's been awfully cold for august this past week. i'm not okay with it.

my sister told me this week about a song that apparently is all the rage in america. and the words go like this, "settle down, it'll all be clear. pay no mind to the demons--they fill you with fear. the trouble. they might drag you down if you get lost, you can always be found. just know you're not alone. we're gonna make this place your home."

if you get lost, you can always be found. making this place my home. ukraine is my home. i feel as though i've never known another.

those are the words according to sister beaudin's memory. she has a beautiful voice. she sings it to us. i love it. clearly i have no idea what it actually sounds like it, but i love it, whatever it is.

we met with a less active couple this week named paulina and yegor. he's a funny old man. tricky. 'are we going to talk about heavenly father?' there was something so beautiful in the way he said that so simply as we sat down. he offered us in marriage. gave us best wedding wishes and his permission, so that's cool. duly noted.

i learned the word spark in russian this week. so that's neat.

on saturday we gathered with the sisters in kharkov - president and sister lochhead were in kharkov for the weekend. i love them. this mission in regards to sisters is so different from what it was when i arrived. almost unjustly so. we had a beautiful little meeting. i got to see sister bull again for the first time. i love her. so much. at next transfer, almost fifty percent of the mission will be in their third transfer or younger. so there's that. they say we're like daughters. we talked about goals. about how goal setting is the means by which the lord works. the true joy is in the journey. the journey that comes about because of the goal. that's his means. love, patient, kind, forgiving. that's the god we worship.

i had the most beautiful personal study today. d&c 88:67-68 and helaman 3:35. i love d&c 67 because it's grandpa hales's scripture, except none of the other references include the part at the end. "if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you." there shall be no darkness in you. to be sanctified, is to yield all things. sanctification through consecration. sanctification in order to allow our minds and eyes to be filled with light - single to god and his glory. no darkness. only light, joy, consolation. to see his face. for the veil to become thin. that purification and sanctification comes from consecration. yielding to his own time, his own way, and his own will. but how? fast and pray often. strength lies in humility. faith in christ brings resolve. stronger and stronger, firmer and firmer. the day will come. no darkness at all. sanctification through consecration.

anyway. just some little things.

hope all is well. happy new school year! september first is a holiday in ukraine. day of knowledge. develop knowledge.

much love,
cectpa em.