Week 38: The sound of running water in the Church

Hey everyone!! Exciting news this week in Nikolaev we had a baptism, from the other Elders his name is Sasha!! He was super super prepared! 
Other big events of this week we had mid transfer training in Odessa for all of us who are training/in training right now. That was super good!! I felt like there was lots of great instruction and many things that we learned, and then after that we had an exchange with the zone leaders! I was with Elder Hartmann who's from California he's got like 4 weeks left on his mission.

So on Monday we hopped onto the marshrutka that was gonna take us down to Odessa and got down there to be ready for the mid transfer training the next day! We got there right around 8 and got some dominoes pizza and then headed to the other Elder's apartment.

The next day we conference called in on the mid transfer training! That was really cool we all talked together over this company called zoom. It's like Skype but designed more for group calls that was really interesting it was something new compared to how in the past I've always just been in Dnepr and right around the mission office and everything was right there. It was super cool though that technology allows us to be connected in that way! 

After that I was on an exchange with Elder Hartmann and this member somehow met this school teacher who wanted to take his class and the other teachers on a tour of the church building. So he called us and asked to help and we gave a branch tour to like 20 people all in this group! That really enjoyed it it was super great! They all took Books of Mormon and Liahonas and different stuff they were super excited and asked awesome questions and our member there President Чернега was awesome he explained everything so well and it was just super cool experience and that it worked out. Then we slept in Odessa that evening and the next morning rode back to Nikolaev. 

Thursday was a super great day!! It worked out that we had 2 lessons scheduled! One with Tatyana and another one with Darina! They both went really good. Specifically the one with Tatyana was really special! We taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ and she really began to make some great progress the spirit was there strong with us and we all felt it. We talk about the great blessings and feelings of peace and comfort that we can be given as we truly repent and receive forgiveness as we prepare to and are baptized! We in turn invited her to be baptized! She wasn't sure at that moment but said she would pray and continue reading the scriptures and think about it! We are super excited for her and know that she will continue forward and make good progress!

On Friday we taught a lesson to a different Tatyana but this one is a member and this lesson was actually really good as well. She had some questions she wanted us to answer and wanted to know some things she can do to have the spirit more and more in her life. It was really cool as we testified and shared things that we can do beyond just our daily prayer and scripture study as well as going to church. That night as is friday tradition we went to the busiest street in Nikolaev and did some English Contacting with the other Elders.

Sunday was great that was Sasha's baptism. He was so ready! It was a super powerful experience and a wonderful moment to be apart of. After he was given he gift of the Holy Ghost and confirmed. I came up and gave him a hug and he told me how good it all feels! I'm so excited for him and know that he has started on this amazing and great journey! 

That gets me to the Spiritual Thought that I want to share with everyone this week!!

D&C 84:20 "20 Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest."

I know this verse is super simple but it is so powerful! As we were able to watch Sasha be baptized this is the verse that came to my mind. Truly the priesthood of God has been restored as well as His gospel and ordinances! We as the sons and daughters of God can enjoy all of the blessings our Father in heaven has prepared for us! I'm so grateful to be a bearer of this message and to be able to serve in this time of my life.

Love you all and hope all you are doing super well!
Elder Halls 

Fancy Odessa Pictures


 A nice shoe tieing break

Nikolaev street art

Sasha and his wife Nastya and son Ivan

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