Transfer to Lutsk

Sorry about the silence last week.  A bunch of family came in for the holidays and I just never found the time to post.  This week I found time, I'm just getting through illness and helping my kids and wife do the same.  So you'll get less commentary than usual.  Sorry.  Here's a pretty juicy e-mail, though.

"From: Grant Stoddard <gstoddard86@yahoo.com>
Date: February 15, 2006 1:36:09 AM AKST
Subject: Priveet z Lutsku

Hi everyone. 

Big News.  I'm in Lutsk now.  We had a funky deal happen called a mini transfer.  What it is, is right now is halfway through a transfer, and I got transfered...cool huh? 

Anyway, another new companion, new district, new area.  The great place of Lutsk.  I got here this morning at 9 am and I traveled all by myself...kinda spooky w/ 3 big suitcases, a backpack on a tiny little marshootka...not knowing exactly where you're meeting up w/ the other elders...it reminded me a little of the other side of heaven.  But...good news, they were there, we got to my new place and just kinda settled down and everything.  My new companion is Elder Kauwe, he's from Orem and he knows a ton about music.  It's way cool...so we might have some little discussions about music and what not now and again.Thanks again for emails...they're all wonderful, make me smile, and warm me up in this foreign ice-box.  Nah, it's not that bad...starting to warm up and get better.I had a whole bunch of new pictures, but this computer club is dumb and won't let me send them I think.  Sorry. 

Oh, quick request before I get to the heart of all of this...BRET'S EMAIL!  I want it badly...I had a dream he died last night and I need to make sure that he's alright...it was kinda funny too cuz I was at the funeral w/ everyone and Luke Kitchen's mom (who basically was Luke in a dress w/ longer hair and black lipstick) was there and that's the most I remember about it.  Weird eh... 

anyway, yeah...so get me Bret's e-mail...I wanna hear how the kid's doing...especially cuz he's been out for 6 months now! 

No packagages still.  I did get some mail...and it's weird, cuz I know it was all sent of after packages and whatnot (it was of 4-wheeling down at some dunes) and a card from Heidi from deseret book.  But that was it...I know there has to be more...but I've heard a rumor that the assistants to the president lost it...darn them eh?  We'll see...and have faith. 

So as for my week. 

Last week went by really fast...it was kinda hard to focus because I knew that I was just leaving the area behind...probably never to return.  But we actually had some really good things happen. 

Last p-day elder gashler and I went to the airport...he's a nut about that stuff..so we walked out there and it was crazy cuz here I was this 19 year old kid from Coalville, Utah...in the middle of Rivne, Ukraine, looking at airplanes from over a fence on the 8th of February...how many other people could ever claim to have an experience as random and interesting as that...(except maybe the Prophet Joseph Smith...but hey it all stems from that right?) 

not much the rest of that day... 

on Thursday had my last meeting w/ Oksana...I was actually on exchanges with Elder Kauwe from Lutsk...kind of a try before you buy companionship thing.  so we did that, a lot of tracting had a lesson with a guy named Vova (pretty sure about the gospel, just doesn't have a desire to commit to it at all or anything), then English...which was way cool, cuz it was the first time I taught by myself.  I taught the middle class, which was entirely in english and really cool.  I just told about myself and where I was from, some cool stuff I did back home and even about 4 wheeling...so wouldn't you know it yesterday I had pictures to show em of the sport they knew nothing about.  I also asked for any of them to bring me a Borsch recipie and they did...it was way cool. 

Friday was a whole lot of nothing it seemed...but we started teaching this guy named Clavik.  He's getting baptised on the 11th of March and all of his thoughts and views on religion...such as being baptized at a young age (which he was) all correspond with the message of the restoration.  He's so cool, and every lesson we've had just fills me with a knowledge that he is one of those people that is ready and is going to love it when he dives in. 

Random thought - that kid in my last pictures...Costea (the short name for Constantine) is like 14...yes I know he looks like he's 6 or something but he's almost a teacher in the aaronic priesthood.  He's also freakin' crazy and annoying. 

anyway...Also on friday I went over to the other investigator we have named Sasha's house.  There we taught him the plan of salvation...and he gave me some cool stuff like a book in Ukrainian and this light up Icon of the Nativity...it's pretty cool.  He also has a ton of music on mp3s (quick note on the mp3s here - they are EVERY album of the band on 1 cd) including...dad pay attention...Yes.  So he had every single Yes album on 1 cd...I took a picture cuz I wanted to send it, but again...the computer is dumb.  I also heard a U2 album there that was so freakin good.  but then we had to go...so yeah. 

I was so excited about all of this cheap music. 

then on saturday we had a valentine's day activity from the branch.  It was way fun, we did a board trick and just had lots of fun with the different people...they'd go around and give out valentines to different people based on the numbers we were given at the start of the evening...I got a few, but they were mostly from missionaries.  Which I guess is good (wouldn't you say HJ? :))  

Sunday - good church, lunch of homemade tomato soup...mmmmmmmand choir...also a lesson with Clavik...he's the freakin' man.  I'm stoked for him.Monday we had district meeting for the last time...really it was them getting the area ready for the new missionaries coming to replace me Elder Bowen and Adair.  all the veterans.and then a really difficult lesson with this guy named Sasha and his friend who wouldn't listen to us, but rather tried to disprove us and prove us wrong...lessons like that are really hard, because they are just not willing to faithfully find out for themselves simple truths and principles (which he kept repeating i.e. salvation through Christ and his gospel, but was too thick to hear what we were saying was the same) 

then Yesterday was a really good day.  had a lesson with Dima...last one, went to the church and had a good English lesson where I talked more to this couple about valentine's day traditions...found out that it's a really new holiday here, and that it's kinda similar with other countries...and also shared with them information about baptism.  they're really cool too, and I can see good things in their future...bummer I had to leave...they gave me a Borsch recepie too! 

Which brings us to today.  Got up and got on a bus at 6 this morning.  Came here, we've got Elder Kauwe, Elder Isaacs, and Elder Le Baron.  it's nice to have a young'un here w/ me from my group.  I really think I'm gonna like it here.  we've got a good group, plus it's always getting closer to winter ending.  although today is more cloudy than it has in the past little while 

I quit the diet...I'm sure you all had bets going against me...you all knew I couldn't do it...I decided it was way boring, and not all that healthy cuz their salads and soups aren't healthy at all.  so I decided to just eat healthy all the time...and wouldn't you know it, I'll be ok...diets don't work anyway. 

I saw a sign on the way to here today that said Kovel (it's kind of similar to coalville...it was how I pronounced it when I saw it) and it's a place so it made me smile.  I also saw horses pulling a sleigh as a mode of transport...cool cool. 

Anyway.  Things are really good here.  I have faith that this transfer I'll get my packages and mail.  I hope anyway. 

Everyone smile.  Relax, and realize that life is good.  Enjoy the olympics!  and love one another...having a great week this next one. 

Love ya all!--Grant"

Oh, and then there's this e-mail.  Thought it was worth including, too.

"From: Grant Stoddard <gstoddard86@yahoo.com>
Date: February 15, 2006 2:01:40 AM AKST
Subject: Freakin' Funny Language Mistake

K, so a story I forgot to tell. 

I gave a talk in church on Sunday...and I was starting out saying how every time I give a talk, I get a little nervous, and write down a lot of stuff, and fret for nothing, because I know the Lord's gonna help me out anyway. Well, that was the gist of what I was trying to say.  But, there's a word - pisaty...it has a friend - pisaty...they both are very very similar and the first one means to write...the second means to piss.   the difference is an accent mark change, and conjucation change.  to say "I write" you say...ya pishoo...and to say "I piss" you say...ya pisayoo... So I get up and say...it's dumb cuz every time I go to give a talk I piss...I caught my mistake as everyone started to laugh and I just had to back up and almost start over...it was way funny 

it's all because the way you conjugate I write is irregular and weird...it doesn't follow normal rules, so you just have to remember that...and I was thinking normal conjugation rules and forgot at the wrong time. 

so remember...every time I go to give a talk I piss.maybe that'll bring a smile to everyone's face.think of that in the most serious moments of the week and laugh!love,--Grant"