Frozen Nostrils - Quite an Experience

Here's a real long one.  Oh man it was cold.  I really thought that my fingers were going to fall off.  I had people telling me that it was the coldest winter in 40 years or so.  It sure felt like it.  Not sure that Joseph Smith really said anything like I quoted him as saying, but I do believe that that principle is right.  Trust your gut and you'll be right most of the time.

"From: Grant Stoddard <gstoddard86@yahoo.com>

Date: January 25, 2006 1:18:45 AM AKST

Subject: Brrr from Rivne

Hi everyone,

Life is the coolest, biggest, greatest learning experience. I love it, I must admit. I quite honestly learn more daily from experience than I ever learned in high school - for instance I'm a hands on learner. The stuff I use regularly is the stuff I remember. Yeah I can do all of the bookwork and stuff and then when times roll around for tests or whatnot, I can cram and pass...but I soon forget that stuff and I haven't really "learned" it. I think it's like that with the language. I go out and talk and just do it and I've seen a fast, dramatic improvement. Elder Hassell, as he left, told me that my language is uncanny, and that I'm doing great. I always deny this at an attempt to have humility (everyone knows how hard that is for me) but I do see how well things work out as you try your best day by day and just do all you can to be a good person. It's interesting how views change constantly in some aspects and new things are adopted and discarded, and more understanding about everything comes day by day in an eternal progressive roller-coaster ride. 

Ain't it great? 

So anyway...thanks once again for everyone's emails, love, support, prayers, hard work, and simply being who you are. I've been very fortunate in my life to have wonderful teachers all around me, and I do even now...great person that Heavenly Father...he takes care of me. 

It has been insanely cold here! something like 26 below on the celsius side (17 below F I think) and alas, still no gloves, and still no boots...BUT, I'm getting some today so no more worries about any of that :) 

Hoar frost on the trees.  First time I'd ever seen it.  It was freezing! 

A random thought I just had right now, as I ponder people's emails, and such - The person the Lord wants me to be, and wants all of us to be, is the person that I want to be.

I had a breakthrough this week with an understanding of how I don't have to do everything perfectly for Him, or do all that He wants (or what I thought he wanted)...I have to do my best, love everybody (make em feel good about themselves), and be that awesome kid whom all of you love so freakin' dearly for some reason...oh that's right I'm FETCHIN' awesome. 

haha. 

Yeah, so my council to all you folks back home. Listen to your hearts...it's cool, the prophet Joseph Smith taught us that if we go with our gut feelings, 90% of the time, we'll get it right. That also goes as far as living our lives...do what feels best, what you should be doing and you'll probably be right. Don't do anything because you think others want you to, and will only love you for that, do the things that you feel good about, and if people don't love or appreciate you for that...screw 'em...the only ones who matter do (not just those people here on earth for that matter either). Just be you...that's the key.

Yeah, so...back to it being cold...IT HAS BEEN SO COLD. Just have to say it again. but, the sun is coming out more...at least for now, and everything seems to be warming up...funny how we as people are so like the seasons...something I've heard is that the work and the people here reflect the temperature...things are warmer when it's warmer...we'll keep praying for that. 

The week has been nuts. with Elder Hassell leaving, our work was a little crazy...I went on an exchange with elder McArthur in my area for a day and I got to be senior companion and plan everything out...it was way good, I had everything planned it was all gonna work...then like those horror, humbling stories everyone hears...everything fell through. even our tracting to make up for it sucked...so I was walking outside on the 2nd coldest day since I've been here all day. Bummer eh? 

Then, We had to get ready for this activity we were putting on for the ward - summer time in the winter - and I was on yet another exchange to gather up a bunch of stuff and get everything worked out for that...that was the coldest day, and again I was outside for quite some time. Saturday was good...had awesome service, in which I got to play with little kids and pretend like I was a dinosaur (how cool is that)... then we prepared for our activity, and had a lot of fun...I was in a skit w/ the other elders dressed up as a girl on a Dating Game for Elder Hassell back at home getting married...I was the big manly one who liked garlic and eating...What? :) 

Sunday was Elder Hassell's last Ukrainian church, and we had a lot of him saying bye to the members and stuff then we shipped him to Kyiv and I stayed the night with elder Bowen and McArthur...the crazy thing is McArthur and Pinkerton in all that suddenly were told to pack their bags and they were getting transferred on Monday morning...so we shipped them off... and were left in a Threesome all alone in Rivne, Ukraine. It was nuts...and somehow, by a miracle (elder Bowen's phone didn't work and I had to pick up some clothes to sleep over at his house, and that somehow put us the right spot at the right time...the Lord's hand in everything) we got a phone call telling us that tomorrow (Tuesday morning) at 5:00 am, my new companion was coming in. So we went to get him, his name is Elder Gashler and he's great...he's showing me all the fun you can have as a missionary like playing games while tracting and really lightening up and not taking life so serious...something I stupidly started doing on my mission...and for our first day, we had a lot of fun...it has also been really cool, cuz I was able to feel important cuz I had to lead him everywhere and work all that stuff out, I'm the one who knows it all now :)

That brings us to today...it was awesome, we got up and went running at 6:30...yeah I know...remember, it's freaking cold too...but it was great, something that we're gonna do more, and I loved it. I feel so good right from the get go and yeah...it's great.

today we're getting stuff to fix our showerhead, get gloves, boots, other random stuff like that, and I can tell things are picking up and gonna get going really well. I like Elder Gashler a lot. He's from Wisconsin and he really wants to be an airline pilot. Airplanes are his passion. He lived in Ukraine for 2 years prior to his mission, and knew Russian already and knows Ukrainian really well. He has about 3 months left and plans on living somewhere warm. Is that descriptive enough for everyone. It's cool, cuz we're kinda working to get to know a lot of investigators whom I heard about but never met with, and find some of our own and get a baptism for this month - that's a mission goal (baptism every month) so it'll be done, and I'm gonna have one heck of a good time too.

I got a bunch of mail - lots of cards from the ward for Christmas, a card from the Den Boer family with pictures of Heidi's baptism, and drawings from the girls. No packages yet :(, but oh well, I'll have faith that I'll get them sometime in the next year or so...if not, all is well. 

I love you guys. Each and every one of you who receives a copy of this email. You're all perfect the way you are, don't ever think otherwise. Remember that the Lord wants you to be who you are for a reason...and that the gospel isn't something to spite you or control you. It's a perfect plan devised by a perfect Father who knows and loves each of us, who knows how to help each of us reach their potentials. It's something, I've learned, that is for everyone, just in different ways, and at different times. However, don't ever forget that the Lord loves you, and that his hand is always stretched out waiting patiently for you to come to him and walk and talk. It's sometimes hard for me to remember that, and that not everyone is as enthusiastic about it all and that's ok because it's not their time. I hope everyone knows that I'm here to share my joy and love and excitement, because I know it can do the same thing for every person in the planet that it has done for me...it's all just a matter of timing and patience, and that includes members of my own family. Don't ever forget that I love you, that you're great the way you are...The gospel is set in place so as to help us STRIVE to be perfect, but no matter what we're all gonna fall short. Here's an awesome quote - don't be a pharisee. I love it. Be you, and simply do your best, and as you do (as with physical excercise) you become stronger and stronger, better and better. That's my great lesson this week, that and listening...it's amazing how as I listen more intently...truly listen (meaning I don't focus on what I need to get said when others talk) I understand more of this language, and the feelings of others. It's one of those great side effects of serving on a mission that I'm gonna come back and be better at...good news for all hooray! 

Anway...after that long old rant, I'd like to request pictures of me doing things at home...having fun, football, track...the people here are obsessed with getting to know you and where you came from, and I don't have any pictures of the cool stuff I've done in my life...it'd be fun to have...also of school leadership and junk. it'd be awesome.

Will everyone do me a favor and try to openly pray with someone else this week. I get assured all the time that I'm in everyone else's prayers, and I don't doubt that for a second, I thank you for that...but try something, try praying with someone else. Think about how the Lord listens to one of his children's prayers, how much louder is something when there's 2 or more? Couldn't hurt could it? I know that it's a cool thing to pray knowing that the other people are there hearing and adding their faith at the same time. We do it as companions and stuff. I know it works.

well, it's time to draw to a close. I love everyone, miss you all, but am figuring out how to live my life without you who I'm close to there to catch me when I fall. Kinda cool I must admit. 

Love one another,

--Grant

Elder Stoddard"