Faith, Hope and Happiness!

Family!
  It was great to hear from everyone today, I love you all so much.  The wedding is on the way and I'm sure that is a cause for much excitement. Its so great to see everyone moving and progressing, the same is happening here with me in Ukraine.  Its crazy that I'm even here...in Ukraine of all places.  So the update on my mission life....things are great.   In one year, I have had the opportunity to shake the hands of many General Authorities who have personally come and counseled us (with some chastizzzzzment) They have been: Elder Randall Bennett, Elder Larry Lawrence, Elder Gibson and Richardson (Young Men presidency), Elder Ronald Rasband, and Just yesterday Elder Don Clark.  Its been the coolest experience to see the church so young here and the Brethren send some "assistance" here to get things moving.  Well, the Clarks were here for a few days and conducted a District conference and also a Zone Conference for the missionaries.  Elder Clark said that he was on a special assignment to come to Donetsk from the Prophet, why?  I have no idea but I'm so blessed and happy that he came to us.  I was able to go to the priesthood session of District Conference and here are somethings that might be interesting (slash absolutely AWESOME) to you all. Why do we even have the priesthood? for a number of reasons but our purpose for the priesthood is to bless the FAMILIES of the earth.  How? with the priesthood we now can 1. preside in meetings that help bring to pass God's work and glory, 2. To perform ordinances, 3. to Serve, 4. to preach the gospel.  The most important organization is the FAMILY.  The next holiest place after the temple is not the Chapel but the HOME (he made sure we understood this). The most important meeting that we can attend after the Sacrament is FHE.  It makes so much sense to me that the priesthood is used for blessing FAMILIES.  Family, I know its not the easiest thing to do living apart from one another but you have GOT to try and do some sort of FHE with the people and resources you have.  Work hard to have strong family relations, it is one of the reasons you exist!  The priesthood is such an amazing opportunity to help someone else,  Start with the family them move to others!  I love the Gospel.  Also, our convert (Artur) showed up to the priesthood session, he was baptized a week ago, and Elder Clark made everyone stand in the room who did not yet have the priesthood and when he asked Artur why and found out he was baptized 8 days ago, he thanked him and said some way nice things to him in front of everyone (and this meeting was being broadcast everywhere), THEN asked him to bear his testimony in the general session...Artur showed up in a suit and a tie and sat on the stand with the mission president and Elder and Sister Clark and bore his testimony in front of EVERYONE...it was so awesome!  He was nervous so he asked me for some advice and its was awesome!  When he bore his testimony, the spirit was so strong and when he sat down he was just beaming...he also committed twice to serving a full-time mission.  He will change lives.
  Then yesterday was Zone Conference (as to why I'm writing a day late) we had an AMAZING time. I received the HOPE that I was needing to continue on.  My mission has been very difficult for me and I had lost hope in the future that I was going to be able to accomplish my goals and be able to do the things that God wants me to do rather than the things I want to do. And I have been struggling with this for a while now so I started studying up a ton on hope and how to get it and then USE it.  So on Sunday I decided to fast b/c this is something that I really really want.  After studying I found that when you have real hope (especially in the resurrection that you will in actuality be lifted up) you receive happiness.  And I realized that I haven't been very happy lately, so I fasted b/c I want to live after the "manner of happiness"!  Well,  after an awesome meeting, one of the assistants told me that Elder Clark wanted to have an interview...with ME!  Out of all the missionaries there, he interviewed 3, and for some reason I was one of them.  The Interview was great and nothing TOO crazy haha, but the fact that he was on a special assignment then interviewed only 3 of us...that hit me hard.  I had fasted the day before for hope b/c I was not happy, and then God answered back by giving me a very special opportunity.  God loves me.  I know he does.  I know that He sees our struggles and what we are going through.  He gave me the hope that I had been earnestly searching for b/c He loves me and wants me to be happy.  And He wants me to be successful (temporally and spiritually) so He has helped me out.   I'm am happy again, and I am determined to stay like this.  This was a weakness and now I am going to, through the Grace of God, make it a strength b/c I will not stop working on it until it does.   I love the Gospel b/c It pushes me to be better and to work harder and be more efficient.  I will be a DOER.  I am someone who Acts and is not acted upon, and I will determine my future.  This lesson that I am now applying in my life will greatly help me and my future family.  It will allow me to fulfill all of my goals  and I am so grateful to God for the opportunity learn and grow.   I love the Atonement and I love my Savior who gave  His life for me that I could come to this realization, that He descended below everything, and If I will submit my will to God's I can believe on the Words of Christ and maintain the hope (with action)  that it takes (for me) to receive all that the Father has.  The gospel is so awesome.  have a great week!

Sean

Baptism of Artur

Hi!

Yes, I'm blown away that Cami is getting married but at the same time I hoped and prayed for it to happen so...I'm just happier than ever to see this happen.  I know that Kimi and Cami are now entering into a covenant that will enable them to be able to have all that the Father has.  I've been studying a ton about the Plan of Salvation and to be able to be so close to people who are applying the Gospel in their lives, its an honor and also motivating.  We gain spiritual (spirituality = the ability to recognize and act on truth) power when we keep true to the covenants that we have made with our Father in Heaven as mentioned in the Doctrine and Covenants.  The New and Everlasting Covenant of Marriage is one of the most, if not the most, important covenants we make with the Father in order to receive eternal glory with our chosen spouses. Thank you all for your wonderful examples for what it means to be worthy to be able to take part in such wonderful steps closer to Christ and our Father. Well this week for me was also one of miracles and tender mercies. I was able to take part in helping a chosen son of God take part in the first ordinance of eternal life.  He was found on the streets about a month ago and he was just super elect and it was a pleasure to have been given the opportunity to  take part in teaching him the Restored Gospel.  He showed up for his baptism on time and everything.  The man, who baptized him, was a kid Sergei.  He is 22 and we really wanted him to baptize Artur, and Artur let us know a few days before that he wanted Sergei to baptize him.  This was probably the coolest part of the whole event.  I got see a friendship INSTANTLY start after the baptism between Sergei and Artur, it was awesome to see the bond that came from the baptizer and the baptizee haha.  Sergei was so nervous and thanked us for the opportunity to take part in such an important ordinance.  Artur came to church the next day in a nice black suit and a tie.  Booom.  it was SO AWESOME!  I got to help give him the Gift of the Holy Ghost. And after everything happened, there was an apparent physical change in Artur's countenance.  It was one of true joy and light.  I got to sit in a front row seat to see this kid change his life and truly accept the things we taught, so awesome!  Things here in this mission are moving along. And time seems to be flying, thanks for the great news about Cami and I hope that everything at home is going along nicely.  Keep working hard fam!!

-Sean

September

Hi Family!!

 Its great to here from you.  Dad, keep working hard and fixing that house, I know that you will see way awesome blessings b/c of your service.  Mom, lucky duck...that's all I have to say. haha  This week for me was AWESOME!!  So about a month ago we met an 18 yr old named Artur and well, long story short, he is WAY prepared for the Gospel.  His baptism is on Saturday!!  My comp on a split contacted into him on the street and well, now he will be a member of the Church on Sunday...BOO YAA!!  Its been such a cool experience to see the change that has come into his life ever since learning about this way awesome Plan of Happiness that God has prepared for all of us!  Artur came to another activity and was just such an awesome help with putting things away and is just always ready to help someone.  He's a great example to me to always look for things to do to help.  Also, thanks to Mom, somehow I attract ALL middle easterners here.  Were at McDonald's the other day and this guy came and sat RIGHT next to me. and started speaking English to us.  His name is Yasir, and he's from Iraq and his family lives currently in Iran.  Yea...we hit it off. He is only 19 and looks like he's 27 b/c he always has a beard...even after he shaves. but he is SO AWESOME!  He came to an activity at the branch for "Harvest".  Its pretty much Thanksgiving for Ukraine..but I think they started celebrating it this year b/c I've never heard about it and it definitely did not happen last year haha.  But we ate a TON of borscht and Ukrainian dishes (most of which I will not miss after my mission haha).  Yasip later that night called to thank us and then asked if he could come to church and bring a friend...yea......we told him no....haha  Honestly I don't think I've ever heard those words on my mission and it as too beautiful to describe.   He makes me really appreciate people who go out of there way to say thanks and makes me want to be a better person.  The sad news is that we have to pass him to our other missionaries b/c he doesn't live in our area :(  But as long as he gets taught the gospel, that's all that matters!  We've seen a ton of miracles lately and Its been so great to have our eyes opened to the power of God.  I love being a missionary.  It has been way hard lately but I learning from my experiences and I know that they will bless my life.  I have such a love for the scriptures and have big plans for studying them after my mission.  I've learned how important scripture study is and I hope that I never lose this drive to continually read and think about eternal principles that will bless my life. I had a way awesome experience again with prayer on Saturday.  We had free time at night so we decided to go find this Less-Active guy named Yuri who is 31 I'm pretty sure.  Last time we went, he was drunk and just not doing well.  I've only met him one time and so we were hoping to get actual lesson with him.  So we said a very specific prayer that mentioned getting there, being let into the apt bldg (b/c if you don't have a key to these bldgs...you don't go in.  so you have to wait for someone to come out and not get mad at you as you try to swiftly move inside the bldg or call to someone to let you in, and people don't like Americans a lot of the time.), him being home, him letting us in and us giving a lesson to him.  So we set off in faith and hope that we were doing the will of the Lord and that everything would work out. And it did.  And to top off the night, Yuri's mom was there from Russia and is also less active.  It was so cool and we just felt so blessed to see everything work out and to see the mom who actually was excited that we showed up.  God loves all of His children.  It was a very insightful experience and I'm grateful that God allowed me to experience that.    Anyways, I'm doing great.  Bug bites here and there and scabies shows up every once in a while but for the most part, my heath is great.  The seasons are changing and Its way weird to be in the place I was a year ago, everything is so familiar.  Same place just different branch.  Thanks for all the love and support that you all give me.  keep working hard and doing the little things that bring joy to you life. 

 

- Старейшина Руни

Learn, Teach, Serve....

Thanks Dad for you letter!  

 You get a personal one today, b/c Mom wanted a personal one so I thought it would be good if you got one too.  You, my friend, are one of the hardest workers that I know.  And b/c of you, I have become self dependant but not only that, I have become (and am ever striving to become) more are more efficient.   We had a member of the 70 come in May and his wife is one of the most knowledgeable people that I have ever spoken to when it comes to doctrine and gospel things. In the first chapter of 2nd peter (vs 3-8 I'm pretty sure) Its talks about the things that we need to learn and apply in order to have our calling an election made sure.  If you notice carefully they are the same principles talked about in D/C 4.  I had a question that concerned the definition of "Godliness", b/c if I remember correctly Godliness adds to brotherly kindness (in 2nd Peter).  So I asked her what that meant.  The answer she gave hit me really hard, She told me that cleanliness is close to Godliness.  Why? b/c when things are clean, they are in order.  And God works with order. He is perfectly organized and perfectly efficient. I am trying to become like my Father in Heaven one day , so I have to start somewhere.  Dad, you are an organized person and work very efficiently.  That is a sign of Godliness, now I am in no way comparing you to God, however what I am saying is that you are very organized which allows you to do many things in a small amount of time, which then (b/c you actually do them) leads to you being a hard worker.  And b/c of your example, I have completely changed my life when it comes to that aspect.   Thank you for you awesome example and all of patience with a "selective" worker haha  me!   I have learned and have applied this concept in my life and am trying to become efficient and its made such a huge difference in my life.  As I have told your wife, I am the exact same kid from when I left when it comes to personality, but know that I have a real testimony and a passionate love for learning and achieving, I will accomplish a ton of things with the God on my side, through out my life.  Thanks for everything that you do!  I look up to you more than you can imagine.  Keep working hard.  Read your scriptures everyday with a study journal!  develop a greater love for the doctrine of the kingdom, and then once you've learned something, TEACH.  In D/C 88 78-83 I think, its talks about teaching and learning, and it blows my mind how important teaching is.  Pretty much learn as much as you can so that you can be a better and more useful tool in the hands of God to teach others and help build their faith.  I have also seen my life change b/c of a love for the scriptures but you have to write your thoughts and impressions down to show God how you treasure the things He gives you.   I could go forever but, I know that you and mom are being blessed b/c of the love rendered  to the Zaidi boys.  They will never forget you help, and I will never for get your example.   I love you will all I have (which currently is about 7 dollars and a badly worn pair of shoes haha but nonetheless, its everything)!  have a great week!

- Sean