Feta Cheese in Kiev

Another week in Kiev. 

This week we had our Kiev West Zone Conference. So that meant that we had interviews the day before and which means that we had to leave early Thursday morning to catch our train to Kiev.

The other elders had an exchange with the Zone Leaders this time on Wednesday to Thursday so they went up before us which meant that we rode up by ourselves. It was pretty awesome this time, we got upgraded to first class and it was pretty comfy. And there wasn't a whole lot of people which was good for me and there were comfortable seats which was good for Elder Clifford who is for some reason always so exhausted.

Interviews were supposed to be a little quicker this time as Elder Durstchi and I aren't getting interviewed until we leave and have our exit interviews. But as you probably guessed to opposite happened. Sister Kumferman had prepared dinner for us and it was very delicious as it always is. She is very kind. 

The next day we had Zone Conference which was my last one. It was really awesome. It was centered around Preach My Gospel chapter 11 which talks about helping people make and keep commitments. I think this is particualarly important right now as we are working with Nastya. 

For lunch we had one of my favorite things in Ukraine. Salateria. It is this salad with pasta and eggs that come in a box that you shake up after you put the pesto sauce on and tear the top off to reveal the delicious Salateria salad. This time it had a LOT of feta cheese in it. I am not against feta cheese what so ever but that day I found out what it means to have too much feta cheese. 

This week President Koshelev was out of town and it being my month to conduct sacrament meeting I was left basically alone to run everything. It was all right and we had good talks in fact. 

Nastya has been super busy with school and all of her exams and didn't come to church. I am confidant that she will eventually get baptized but the question of exactly when is still unanswered.

Not much else this week. Lots of time was spent in Kiev and traveling. It has been really hot lately and everyone is freaking out because it hasn't rained in a couple of weeks whcih means their croups aren'\t doing great. 

We have a sister in our branch here who is going to England on her mission and every week after church we have been teaching her the missionary lessons in English to help her out. She is kind of freaking out but she has a lot better English than she realizes.

Until next week,

Старейшина Класон / Elder Clawson

Night time view off our balcony.

Wehrwolf

06/04/2018

So we went up to Kiev again. And we we did go to the Temple again. Elder Durtschi found some family names and so last week when we were in Kiev with the recent converts, we did baptisms for those names and this time we did the other ordinances. That was my last time going to the Kiev, Ukraine Temple. I really love the temple. I will always remember the temple here in Ukraine. 

We had a mission conference where President Martino and Elder Callister came and taught us. 

We used our P-day time one Friday to go to the temple and after that we had some time to sight-see in Kiev. We went and saw lots of cool things and we all bought some vyshivankas (traditional Ukrainian clothes). 

Today we decided to take a trip a little outside of Vinnitsya and go see "Wehrwolf". During World War II it was Hitler's most eastern headquarters and at then end of the war they blew up the compound and all of the bunkers. Now there is a museum where you can go see the compound and all of the big pieces of concrete with rebar everywhere. We were told by some people we asked about it that it wasn't that great, but we went and it was super cool. For someone who doesn't like history it may be boring but for all of us it was awesome. Before the place opened, we walked around in the fields nearby and I made a flower crown and we gave it to the lady at the compound. She really liked it. 

We had an exchange with the other elders this week and while on the exchange Elder Clifford and Ulrich taught Nastya the Word of Wisdom. The lesson went well and it seems we don't have any problems in that area. The only thing that we are worried about is that Natsya hasn't had time at all, due to trying to finish school, to come to church. She is really great but needs to come to church. 

Thank you for your prayers and support. Also, while at Hitler's bunker at the site of his personal bunker I found a small piece of concrete and took it. Now I have a piece of Hitler's most eastern headquarters and a piece of the Kiev temple.

Старейшина Класон / Elder Clawson