All scripture is given by inspiration of God

Dear family,

Well i guess i spoke to quick the last time i told about the weather, the last while has been really cold! I'm glad you guys were able to use the card for heather's birthday, i hope you enjoyed it too.

The presentation you talked about sounds very interesting, i would definitely like to talk about that when i return. One time my teacher at the mtc talked with us a little bit about some places he visited in that region and some other places in Central America that are connected with events in the book of mormon, all of it really fascinates me, maybe we can go on a trip and visit all of those places when i get home. So i have been reading parts of D&C and i really enjoy them, i feel like this is my first time reading D&C even though I've read it before. I really wish i had your commentary with me so that i could look at some passages and compare them with my thoughts.

So the language is coming along, each day i am able to speak and understand a little bit more, however, i am learning a lot about patience with a language.

Things here are going good, we didn't quite have the turnout we expected for english registration, however quite a few people came, a lot more than normal and maybe even some that are searching for the gospel. We will see how many more come tomorrow for the last day of registration before we begin our classes again.

The other day we met with Eefan again and we talked with him more about God and the restoration. We even watched the restoration clip in Chinese. Who would have thought that i would ever watch the restoration film in Chinese in Ukraine?

Everything is going well here, continue to to read the scriptures daily and do the small and simple things.

Oh i forgot to tell you...
Your story about you teaching Sunday school to the two young ladies from Guatemala. The other day we met a guy from Peru and we were able to teach him the first lesson and he took it all in with welcome hands, we were scheduled to meet with him again but it never worked out and now he has already returned to America where he is currently living. But It was incredible to teach him, i was able to teach in English since he didn't know Russian obviously, and he full accepted our message.

The next time we called him on the phone he said that he has been reading the Book of Mormon and that he really likes it. Who knows, maybe we helped him out just enough so that when he returns he can find the missionaries with the number we gave him and join the church.


Love Elder Ostler


"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."
2 Timothy 3:16-17

New English Class

Last weeks letter 2-16-09    
No, we're not allowed to talk about politics with people, but I learn little bits here and there from people. It's really interesting how people view Ukraine and Russia. Some want to be part of Russia, others don't care.  

This last week we had zone conference, zone conference was wonderful! So we are starting up a new program in Nikolaev, and I think we're kind of the pilot district for the new Program for missionary work here. I'm not completely sure how it is all going to work out but I will attempt to explain it. 

This Tuesday we are having a big kick off party at the branch instead of teaching English and we are going out into Nikolaev and handing out invitations to everybody we possibly can, except for we are having old English students do this, along with members of the church. And then on Friday and another day we are going to register everybody (this we haven't done) by doing this we have all of their information and then we meet with them in their house and tell them what we are going to be doing with English and then we're able to also explain why we are here as missionaries and then bring them to a family home evening each Monday with the senior Couple. We have been having a family night on Wednesdays for the past couple of weeks and we don't have a senior couple yet, but I guess they will be coming in a few weeks which will be nice. Also, we will be able to bring members to the family night, this way the investigators become better connected with the members and when the missionaries leave they still have friends in the church and are able to remain active. Sorry I know this is kind of hard to understand, I'm just typing my thoughts since I have to go in a second. But I guess they did something similar to this in Moldova and they had 1800 people show up the next day and missionary work really kicked off.  

Oh, Valentines was actually a lot of fun! In the evening the branch had a valentine’s play about Cinderella and the book of Mormon that the youth put on and a little party. The play/party was a lot of fun. We had a lot of people from English show up and I felt like we were able to get to know the members of the branch quite a bit better.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
The language isn't easy but last week I felt some stuff really click with the language and I can understand a lot more despite the accent I’m slowly getting used to. I feel very blessed with the language, I know that the Lord is blessing me very much and that he blesses me little bits at a time after I struggle and strive to learn the language.     
Love Elder Ostler

"Being blessed with hope, let us, as disciples, reach out to all who, for whatever reason, have 'moved away from the hope of the gospel' (col 1:23). Let us reach to lift hands which hang hopelessly down."     Elder Neal A. Maxwell
 

Braking and Entering

Things are going great, we had an incredible night the other day. So we decided to find two inactive member apartments, we went to the first one and only the daughter was there and she wouldn't open the door and said to come back later. Along our way we ran into a guy that said, "hey aren't you supposed to give me that book you promised?" I guess he talked with the missionaries once, and then we ran into another individual who asked for the book of mormon and wants to meet with us.

Following this we decided to visit the other member's apartment. After a while of searching we arrived at the right building and tried to get in, however the padez was locked and we couldn't get in. We waited for a little and then this babooshka came, we said hi, and then she shut the door on us! luckily I saw one of the numbers of the code and so we felt the buttons to see which buttons had been pushed the most. We pushed three buttons in and a miracle happened! the door opened. At this point we were ecstatic and went to the apartment number. We knocked on the door and we asked for the member, however nobody by that name lived there. WE talked with the guy who opened the door and talked with him about the gospel, we gave him the the church magazine, the Liahona, and we talked with him for a bit. He said that he has been researching religions and what not, we talked some more and gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon and bore our testimonies about the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.

Just when we thought our night couldn't get any better, we're walking home and we continued to simple say hi to people and this couple began talking with us and said that some sisters already gave them some stuff. (he was actually talking about the Jehovah's witnesses) and so we talked with them and they asked if they could read the Book of Mormon.

Our night was incredible and quite different than what we thought it would be, however, I believe that because we were doing what we were supposed to the Lord blessed us in a different way than we expected.

Oh so this week we have a companionship of three. The other elder's companion is gone to Bulgaria for a week to renew his Visa, so for the meantime he is in our companionship.

Love elder Ostler

"Personal, sincere involvement in the scriptures produces faith, hope, and solutions to our daily challenges. Frequently reading, pondering, and applying the lessons of the scriptures, combined with prayer, become an irreplaceable part of gaining and sustaing a strong, vibrant testimony." -Elder Donal L. Staheli