"This is sick!!" peace, Elder Dude: Enduring to the end....

HII!
I'm going to be kinda short this week b/c I went CRAZY and sent you a ton of pictures b/c I never send any. But I am doing really well. It has been a BREEZE this winter with the weather. Its not cold at ALL. Usually at this time of year its pushing lower than negative 20 but right not its super nice. Last year at this time was a JOKE. It was too cold. So I would not mind if this was a record breaking warm winter in Ukraine, but I doubt it haha, I'm sure it'll get cold by next week. Anyways, I have a new companion!! His name is Elder Jones, form West Jordan Utah. He is a really good kid. He is in his 3rd transfer just like my last comp when he came to me. I'm still in Alekseevka and yes I still have no oven. So for the last 6 months of my mission, I will have had no oven...my meals are very limited...I will never take an oven for granted again haha. The past 6 weeks have been nothing short of miraculous. Last transfer ago, My companion and I were leading the mission in investigator lessons and our goal was to beat our last goal...and by the grace of God we did. We shattered our last results. Now its time to get some of our investigators to enter in the the covenant of baptism and get them started on their way back to the presence of God. I am happy to be here. I guess I thought that the end of my mission would be cake as compared to the rest of my mission, but for me, it has been very difficult. I truly understand the principle of enduring until the end. I want to finish the strongest at the end of my mission b/c that means that I am always striving to progress, but man its tough sometimes. On Sunday I had a tender mercy, during one of the talks...I was able to translate it really well and it wasn't super hard. It was still hard, just not super hard. It was nice to see that I am progressing with the Russian language slowly. Its been difficult for me b/c I have been the older companion since my 6th transfer...so I haven't had a ton of comps that have helped me improve a ton with Russian. So it was nice to see that God always helps you out when you try and put forth an effort. Anyways, I grateful to be here. Its crazy to here about Todd Love and Jordan Smith eating Lunch together. and that Todd is getting married!!! That's nuts. But super cool, I'm way happy for him. K, I have to go, but I love you all! And enjoy the pictures of your malnourished and very white son (slash brother slash friend) out here in the former soviet union :)

have a great week!

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- Старейшина Руни