Small and Simple Things....

Typical Hallway in an Apartment Building

An overnight boarder

Results of an unwanted boarder.....

Hey Fam!

 I guess last weeks letter didn't go through, but this week is so much better!  Its sounds like home is a party! as it should be....thanks for the updates!  This week I learned so much.  Especially about being grateful and using grace (the Enabling Power of the Atonement).  I know that If I am trying my best, God will handle everything else.   One way I use grace in my life has to do with waking up...every stinkin morning when I am SO BEAT!  And this is how its goes, I honestly try to everything in my power to be obedient...why? B/c when you are obedient, you are showing God that you are doing everything in your power to do the things He asks. Why is this important?  B/c when you do what God says, he is BOUND.  So when I give an accounting of my day at night before I fall asleep, I make sure to mention that I have done my best to do the things that I know I am supposed to do, then I freely tell Him that I hate getting up early in the morning :) b/c its soooooo hard for me (especially when I have a comp who has a sleeping disorder and can't get up unless I try and try and try to get him up)!  So what do I ask next?  I ask for strength and energy in the morning when I wake up so that I can be efficient and happy.  Then when the glorious alarm goes off, I make sure to remind my Father in Heaven of the need for grace in my life...then I act.  I move and get up, wake my comp up and reset the alarm for when he doesn't get up, clean the kitchen, then I get in my shirt and tie (b/c we have to be out on the streets at 7am everyday), wake my comp up again, reset the alarm, get my comp in the shower, make his bed, get his clothes ready for him..etc.  I do this to show God that I am worthy for the energy and strength that I pleaded for the night before.  And what happens?  God fulfills his side of the bargain.  I end up in the Best mood, ready to take on yet another day.  The Enabling power of the Atonement can be used in everything, even small things like getting up on time.  I know this b/c I have applied this lesson in my life and God has NEVER once let me down.  He loves me.  The thrill of God is mercy.  God is just waiting for any excuse to throw miracles at us and to bless us with tender mercies ( and I think he jumps the gun sometimes experiences that I'm sure I didn't deserve...but then again God has perfect temperance, or self control, that that probably is super unlikely to happen...God doesn't make mistakes).  I know that God knows me perfectly b/c I've seen time and time again tender mercies that have been so perfectly tailored to me that only I can recognize them as such.  I challenge to take this concept and use it in your lives.  When you do what God says he is "Bound", that's not a joke but the thing is, He is so willing to give that 

you will see the Heavens open up blessings that you have never imagined.  I know that God loves all of us and I know that we can bound him as we follow the counsel of His prophets today.  One of the things we have been counseled to do is to READ from the scriptures.  "By small and simple things are great things brought to pass", that doesn't mean just good things.  I want you all to realize that Satan is very real.  He If compared to a color would be the lightest shade of gray ( I think I've said this before, but its important to know!), Christ is pure white, and no unclean thing can enter into the kingdom of God.  Don't let Satan "pacify you and lull you down to hell" b/c it is "by very small means that God brings about the salvation of many souls" and there is opposition in all things, therefore you could say that by very small means Satan destroys families..."its not that bad"..."one SMALL time won't hurt".  I know that if we do the small and simple things everyday, great things will happen. We all need spiritual nourishment everyday.  "Spirituality is our true aim" (David O McKay) and spirituality is the ability to recognize and ACT on truth.  Soooo lets help each other stop living below our privileges and do the small and simple things so that we can use the enabling power of the Atonement to bless and guide our lives.  I love you all!!

 Keep working hard!

Sean

PS I met an Elder Stoker who said he's used my surf board and Hugged my mother more recently than I have...small world





Teaching in English!!

HI FAMILY!!

  Sorry I'm a day late today...we were way busy yesterday and couldn't get everything in.  But it sounds like there was a PARTY in Utah! That's what I like to hear.  My family is the best ever. Its crazy to see how much everything has changed.  And what the BEARDS Nate and Kurt?!!  Its game on when I get home...Rob's teeth look so great and everyone just looks happy which is all that matters to me!  Well we actually just got back from a lesson that technically doesn't "count" b/c we didn't start and end with a prayer but it was AWESOME!  We met this man named Richard and he's from Miami and has lived here for 5 years now and he works for this lady who has a private English school.  Well he invited us to go and so we went and met some awesome people.  But today he wasn't there so we were the highlight of the class.  There is a man who is a 7th day Adventist pastor and is way interested in what we believe in and he is just sooooo humble.  He started asking a ton of questions that lead into the plan of Salvation and other Gospel topics and it was so cool b/c the teacher slash owner of the school was there and since its a private organization, we were aloud to expound a bit on what we believe.  The teacher, Maria, started asking a ton of questions as well and the spirit was there and its was rad to see light enter into the hearts of these people.  Tomorrow we will have a lesson with The pastor, Vitally, and his wife in our mission office where we will give the message of the restoration and watch these people change their lives.  The elect will hear the word and these people and the ones asking questions.  They were so stoked after our lesson/visit that they invited us back anytime  we wanted.  Maria was asking us some awesome questions and we didn't have time to answer some of them so we wrote them down and we will answer them on Thursday when we will go back share with them what American brownies are [ :) ] and how we can live with our families forever.  I'm so stoked!!  It was so nice to be able to teach in my native tongue where I knew EXACTLY how to say anything I wanted.  So we're looking forward to tomorrow when we can share with these people the plan of happiness!! I'm PUMPED.  This gospel is SO true.  I love studying the scriptures and the getting the insights that God tenderly blesses me with.  My comp and I have gotten so close and we have been so blessed to be able to help each other through thick and thin.  I have gained a testimony about service in relationships this past week.  I have truly seen how, as Mike Rooney said" the key to having a successful relationship is when each person puts in 115% ".  Communication is so crucial with any relationship.  Anyways, missionary work here is awesome and service truly is the best and easiest way to live a more than happy life.  I love this opportunity to work on my own character and finding out what kind of person I am and who I want to become.  To end, I have learned that just as in the parable of the talents, we must look for the things that we are good at (talents) and USE them!  and focus on them to build them more and more so that when our Savior takes an inventory of our works, he can then add to our talents, but we must focus first with what we have...THEN we will have more added unto us.  This principle has helped me overcome my weaknesses in so many ways which is so cool to see b/c when I focused on what I AM good at (spiritual gifts), I will do so much to get better and better and eventually realize that when I was working on my strengths my weaknesses became stronger as well, soon to become "weak things" made "strong".  SO COOL!

anyways, i love you all so much!

-Sean

PS  when you write about NATE, please signify which one,  being that there are now two of them! thanks :)

Be Specific!

FAMILY!!!

  Thanks Dad for the encouragement.  I have read that talk but It always good to review, b/c just as the people in the Book of Mormon, we FORGET.  That's why the sacrament is so important b/c it helps us to always Remember our Savior.  I learned a lot about the Atonement this past week and I'm so grateful that I have the opportunity to use it.  This week was crazy.  We have been seeing non-stop miracles and its awesome.  One thing that I started to finally apply in my life is that fact that prayer is more powerful than I think.  We read in the scriptures constantly about how miracles are wrought by a prayer of faith and its totally true!  I can't believe i never prayed (or very rarely pray for) specific things that need to happen.  We look at the example that Elder Bednar gave about how Nephi when tied up with bands by his brothers didn't just pray to "be saved" or to be "delivered out of his situation", but instead prayed for the strength to break the bands.  That is such a key lesson that I needed to not only learn, but to actually apply.  B/c it makes sense that God gives that which is good to "whoever asketh in faith" for it. So I have started to develop a faith in praying more than I ever have in my life.  I know that if we want to see a miracle, we must pray in faith and then ACT in hope that God really will bless us with what was asked for, but it needs to be in accordance to God's will.  How can we know if its God's will or not?  Have the Holy Ghost lead your prayer and pray in faith.  We had a few experiences this past week that really strengthened my testimony  about  how God answers prayers (which in my opinion is a miracle).  On Saturday night, we had 40 min until we had to be home and we had tossed the idea around of going to try and visit a less active member who we have never met or talked to.  We knew where he lived...ish and it would take around 20 min to get there and the only way that we could go would be if we got there, got into the apt bldg (which is hard to do b/c you have to have a key, and if you don't have a key you have to wait for someone to come out and then generously let you in..which also doesn't happen all that much), then he would have to be home, AND he would have to let us in and talk with him so that we could be on a lesson so that we could have until 9:30 to come home and still be keeping the rules....So we went off on our journey to a place where we have tried to go once before and we didn't get all the way there...and it was night time.  But, before we left, we said a prayer.  And My companion specifically prayed that we could get there, find him, and speak with him.  Which would truly be a miracle judging on my past experiences with less active finding here.  So we took off and a bus came right away.  I didn't know which bus stop to get off at but i had a small map with me and I tried to get off at a place that would be remotely close (b/c my map i have is pretty inconsistent with distances between places)...and so we got off at a stop that looked good and started walking...we literally walked straight and the bldg was directly in front of the bus stop that we "randomly" chose.  When we got to the bldg we were let in with in minutes...now that moment of truth. Is this man even home? and if so, will he reject us or let us in?   Well, he was home and let us in...and its was so cool.  He was drinking and we got to know each other a little bit so that we could try and build some sort of relationship of trust so that we could come back sometime.  The lights in his eyes were gone. Only a sad lonely soul who doesn't know it right now, but is searching for an escape.  The very escape that only the gospel has to offer.  So we set up a return appt with him and took off.  God answers our prayers when we pray in faith and ACT with hope that our prayers will be answered.  Hope (according to PMG) is believing and expecting something to occur.  Its a gift of the spirit that all should strive to develop.  We had a very similar experience happen, this time I said the prayer but since we both were acting in faith and were believing and expecting our prayer to be answered, it was and we saw a miracle.  God answered EVERY part of our prayer.  Specific prayers truly do receive specific answers.  I am so grateful to have applied this lesson in my life b/c it will forever bless me so long as I act in faith to receive.  Something funny that had happened is that my comp has a sleeping disorder ...he can't fall asleep well, but when he does, he can't get up...especially if he (by the way i totally just won these Ukrainian cookies from a woman who works here and I just told her that i told her that i don't drink...and SHE TOOK THE COOKIES AWAY!!! anyways...I'm over her) forgets to take his meds...so Waking up in the morning is super hard for him and he says a ton of stuff but doesn't actually get up until he's in the shower.  He was REALLY fiesty yesterday and it was super funny b/c he doesn't remember any of it.  He hasn't sworn at me yet but he flipped me off twice now and says the funniest things that make absolutely no sense.  He's really mean in the morning and he doesn't even remember any of it.  So I have full permission to throw water at him in the morning if he's not getting up.  He's one of my favorite comps and so funny but in the morning...its worse than Dad when your friends are over too late and your making way too much noise....So every morning is an adventure just to get him out of bed...On Saturday, he got out of bed but sat back down in our kitchen with his eyes open but he was still unconscious, so i dressed him.  Literally haha I put his shirt on, one arm after the other, and I tied his tie  and put it around his neck.  All of this while he was falling over b/c he was still sleeping...sitting up.  Its been fun.   Anyways, I love you all. Pray for miracles and then act with hope, and they will come.  You just have to open your eyes to see them.  Have a great Week!!!!

-Sean

9 Floors Down, 3 Floors Up!!

Hi family!!!

It was so great to hear from you all today!  I heard from all of my family members!  Its sounds like you are all doing great, keep working hard!

 This week was a great week.  First of all, my comp and I are best friends, so that's way awesome.  Well, we were way stoked on music theory ( b/c one of the elders in our district is a music major and started teaching us some things) and so we decided that we needed a piano...ASAP.  sooooo, we stopped by a less active member who was super nice and they actually let us in which was super awesome and as we were leaving, I saw that they had a piano!  We then started telling them that we had just talked about getting a piano and asked them where we could get one...he told us to take their piano...for free!! so on Saturday my district spent the morning carrying a piano, down 9 FLOORS!  then up 3 to our apt.  I never would have thought that I would ever move a piano 9 stories in my life and now this was the 2nd time on my mission that it has happened, but we got a piano NO BIG DEAL!  so that was fun and tiring.  It was way cool, as we were waiting for this way make shift "moving van"( if you can even call it a moving van) to show up, we started jamming and it was so cool to see people opening their windows and stop on the streets to hear us.  People on their balcony started clapping  and everything!  it was so much fun and so cool to see joy finally in their faces!! FINALLY!!!!   Its so interesting, you read in the scriptures that those who follow God, "prosper in the land", and those who reject God...don't prosper in the land.  Its simple.  Its interesting to me b/c I'm living in a place where the majority of the people don't follow God and this place (as in Ukraine) where I live, is a dump.  Its terrible the living conditions and people are just not happy and people just complain and compare with other places about how much better other places are.  Then I look to America, why is it so much cleaner and nicer? b/c more people follow God.  Its simple and its all over the book of Mormon.  Its a chain reaction when you follow God.  When you do what God says, then you live happier, then you want more of that happiness, then you begin to realize that you are being cleaner and things are actually working out for your benefit and all of these blessings are coming (D&C 130:20-21).  You just live better.  Its what the Gospel does, it literally improves everything, so why not live it? Right?!  Anyways,  Saturday was super cool too b/c there is a senior couple that are Professional singer and floutis and they with a professional piano player member  did a mission wide tour.  We invited everyone to it and it was a great success.  Last night we went to find less actives and we met someone that we are convinced was sent by the adversary.  We started talking to him and he would NOT let us go, we were on our way to find a less active and he talked with and ended up following us for almost an 1.5 hr.  When my comp tried to contact someone, this man would literally pull him and say that he needed more help then they did. 4 people came up to us to try and talk that he pushed away!!  it was crazy how persistent this man was.  we ended having to shut the door in an apt bldg on him to get away from him.  But We ended finding this inactive family who seems to be really nice, so that was a huge miracle.   They said that we could come back in a few days.   Today I studied in Isaiah and a little about what it means to "reason together" with God, so our sins can become white as snow.  I learned a lot about how Godliness really means "order" and that God works in order and when we reason with God he will show us wisdom. And when He will show us wisdom, we will come to know that His ways "are higher than our ways"  and we will want to follow Him and in doing so, our sins will be white as snow.   I love this Gospel and I so pumped to be here.  Please continue to pray for missionaries.  Go out and find someone who needs help! 

Thanks for all you do for me!   have a great week!

-Sean

Whitewashed?? (new area)

HIIII!!!! I love you alll!!! 

  It is so nice to get letters from home.  I'm not kidding, my family is the best family in the world. Writing letters every week to your family is inspired, it has to be. Every time no matter what happened earlier in the week, I know that I can can get the spiritual nourishment from all of my family members.  Thank you so much for writing me, its means so much.  And once again, I'm a terrible typer and writer so if this letter is short and looks like a 3rd grader closed his eyes and started banging on a keyboard...I ask for forgiveness in advance.   Well, I got a transfer...and moved all of 25 min from my last area.  Although things are completely different.  I whitewashed into an area with kid named Zach Moss.  He has been the biggest blessing to me.  He is from Bountiful, Utah and is so much fun.  We are having the best time ever!!!    The last missionaries in this apt were either going home and super lazy b/c we had nothing going for our area and our whitewash notes were a voice recording...thats it.  Our apartment was broken...literally ( lights, sink, doors and handles etc.) so we had nothing with no idea how to get anywhere...it was awesome. (By the way my comp is a sponsored free-runner...look him up on YouTube or something b/c he says it pretty cool)  Anyways, we have had so much fun and a ton of miracles since we've been here. We had a man named Geeorgee that we met with our second night, come to church and he loved it! I had to translate for Sis. Campero at church  yesterday which is always super tough but kinda fun b/c I just stuff up if I did get every word...its FINE she doesn't speak English very well so its cool :).  I have learned this week a lot about the atonement.  Its been very humbling to understand more and more how weak I am in every aspect! But its ok b/c " Christ's strength is perfected in weakness" (that's in the bible somewhere i totally forgot but I read that not too long ago).  The mission is such a crazy time and I'm so grateful for this opportunity to be here. By the way I'm now serving in Center Donetsk which is so cool b/c its a big city and there are things that are constantly going on. I've been really moved recently to want to get less active work going here in my area.  My purpose is to invite others unto Christ...that's the first part and Less actives are everywhere and they need the gospel so bad.  I look back on a time when I went out with the missionaries at home and we went to a man who was inactive ( Dad, He's the one with the big stache) and he said something that really hit me.  He said he stopped coming to Church when his home teachers stopped coming by.  EVERYONE needs and friend, home teachers and a calling.  EVERY SINGLE MEMBER, its so important and I've seen the effects of not having any of these things here and we are struggling so much with activity.  I truly feel for these people that aren't at church b/c they aren't experiencing the things that God wants them to experience, for example taking the sacrament.  They  are missing out on such an amazing blessing that keeps me here on a mission.  I'm here b/c I have personally seen the Atonement shape and change my life and it breaks my heart to see others who have had that opportunity and not understand it completely.  I don't even understand it completely.  Brigham Young said that we are constantly living below our privileges and its true.  If we truly understood the Atonement and how it works in our entire existence here on earth, then I'm convinced that we would not rest a minute in a day until we have done all that we can to help our brothers and sisters who are in need.  We need to lift where we stand and be an example among the believers.  That is counsel given to us so that we can help our family members who are struggling.  Please go a out and find someone this week that needs help.  Find some one on your ward list that you have never met and go make a friend. People get so stuck in their comfortable ways that they tend to follow the "ethics of ease" as Jeffery R Holland put it.  Learn more about the Atonement and how it helps you in you life then go share it with someone!  As my favorite companion said, "everyone deserves brownies on their door step".  I love this work for how it makes me feel.  I feel like I don't understand anything about how God works but I know that if follow the counsel given in Alma 26:22  I too can know the mysteries of God.  Family, I love you so much and can wait to see you all again but until then study the scriptures and learn about the word of God, apply it in your lives, and share it with others.  Keep up the good work. thanks again for your inspiring letters and comments.  I know that this church is true, SO TRUE! and I know that it will help anyone.  I love my Savior for everything that He has done for me.  

Have a great week!

--
- Старейшина Руни

A Year in Ukraine!!

HI!!

 I loved getting your letters this week. It sounds like your trip was a blast and those pictures were great!  Today's letter might be a little short b/c we just got a call from the other elders in my district that last night, someone left a window open at the branch bldg and when the doors were locked the alarm went off and now there are some Ukrainian police men at the bldg waiting for me to finish writing my family b/c I have the keys to the branch...but they can wait a little :) It blows my mind that I have just spent my 2nd 4th of July in Ukraine!! I remember to clearly when I got a letter from Sandy Bertha (my boy Alex's mom) saying that she was so excited to see Alex at the next 4th of July...and now he's home!!  crazy!  Time absolutely flies out here and Its scary how it all ends.  So this week was really great, we finished the yard work out in front of the Church on Saturday just in time for a Baptism!  the sisters in my district had a baptism and we had 3 investigators show up! it was a miracle.  This week I had yet another testimony building experience about how the Spirit will lead your life if you will let Him.  We had 2 lessons this week where the Spirit was able to come in and lead the whole thing.  We had a lesson with Toleek and Ivan (best friends since birth, both 27, and both very successful) together and b/c the Spirit was there,  we made a ton of progress!  Lessons with them are in English which is a blessing so we were able to show some Mormon Messages and talked about them and related them to how we can receive answers to our prayers.  We watched 2 videos and I was just praying the whole time that these 2 friends of mine would be able to understand them!  It turns out that they didn't completely but it didn't matter.  Toleek had tears in his eyes  while watching them and the Holy Ghost told Toleek exactly what he needed to hear.  The rest of the lesson ran smoothly and Toleek ended the lesson with prayer.  He left the lesson with a huge desire to learn for himself whether or not our message is true.  There is honestly nothing better than doing missionary work. The joy that it brings me never ceases to blow me away.  I came to this area in January and have just received a transfer.  I'm really sad but at the same time way excited to move to a new area.  These people have become my Ukrainian family. I love them so much and It will be tough to leave.  AHH!! I LOVE this AREA!!!  Anyways, the Russian language kicks my butt everyday. I feel like i try so hard sometimes and just get owned!  Its very humbling and I learning to be patient with myself.  Ok I have to go talk to crazy Ukrainians about how no one broke into the church (hopefully) but that someone just left a window open.  I love you all very much!!

- Старейшина Руни

PS: Benji Patino wrote me a letter I'm blown away with how mature he sounded,  pass my love to him please. I will try and write him soon.

Also, I finally got around to making my B-day cake.... SOOOO GOOOOD!!!

Lessons in English

HI!!

 I heard from Kyle and Mom today and it sounds like all is well.  Kyle's in college....WHAT?!  that blows my mind.  Anyways, that's cool to hear that Mom and Dad, are in Nashville!  I hope you are all having fun.  This week was a crazy week.  It all started on Sunday when my comp and I decided to fast for a miracle.  And of course God hears our prayers and accepts our sacrifices b/c no effort is wasted. We have a new investigator whose name is Sasha and is 18 years old. He plays American Football and really wants to go to America and is an AWESOME investigator.  So he has accepted all of the lessons so far with no arguments but We were really afraid to teach the Law of chastity b/c we knew he has a few girlfriends...hes a HUGE player and knows it and loves it...anyways we go and teach him the law of chastity and he was against it saying that it makes him happy and that girls are fun etc.  Then we taught him the Plan of Salvation right after...and the change in his heart was incredible. the Spirit worked on him and was very strong.  He ended up praying to close our lesson and it was way awesome.  We had scheduled to have an English lesson with him afterwards and before we started he asked us if God helps people learn languages...I love that question!!!  We turned to D/C 46 and talked about gifts of the Spirit and he was pumped on that and then prayed to have some help during our English lesson, it was So COOL!  Another miracle is that a few weeks ago we were told to find an inactive member of the church and re activate her...so we went searching for her, and found her, and she didn't really want anything to do with us.  After a few lessons her heart changed.  She kept a commitment to read everyday, and she even shared with us what she read, well i told her that she always has a spot next to me at church whenever she wants. So yesterday Sacrament meeting is about to start and an investigator walks in, her name is Sveta but she's the other elders' investigator and she walks up to me and asks me if she could sit next to me and immediately through my head went "what if Ireena (the inactive member) shows up?!" so At first I said sure, b/c i could care less if she's MY investigator and the OTHER elders as along as she's at church that's all I care about, but then I saw a spot next to another elder so i told her to sit there after I already told her she could sit next to me...kinda awkward but I didn't know what to do!! Well the meeting starts and Ireena hasn't shown up and I felt way dumb for not letting Sveta sit next to me b/c the chance that an inactive member who has been to church in YEARS showing up is way low.  The opening prayer is being offered and low and behold, Ireena walks in and Looks straight at me to see if I had her spot for her like i promised, she's in her 60's by the way, and doesn't wait for the prayer to finish just walks right in and sat right next to me!!  I was so PUMPED!! and relieved haha. she told me she was glad to see me and to be at church! I was so happy. K now the sad part, after the meeting she sits there for a bit and decides to leave and NO ONE says a word to her.  its was as if she didn't even come for the first in a way long time. In and out with no one noticing her, or making an effort to say Hi.  It made me really want to be a better member when  I get home.  So next time any of you see anyone at church that you don't recognize...talk to them! b/c you never know if will be "Ireena".  Also, on Saturday from 8:30 am - 1:30pm there was a service project at the church for the young men to mow all the lawns and trim bushes the whole nine yards...the missionaries where invited.  And guess who showed up...the missionaries and one leader who gave us the keys to the shed and took off.  There were 6 of us and one of our sisters is sick (btw there are sisters in my district now)  so they took off early and 2 of the elders kinda just stopped working, so me and one other elder pretty much handled this situation...by ourselves haha.  All I can say is that I'm glad  I was taught how to work and the only thing that went through my head was " Sean, if you're going to do something, do it till its done" - Dad....so I worked and and worked and worked...And I tried to do it with a smile on my face b/c "only by pride cometh contention" and I was really trying to work on my patience really with the whole situation, anyways it was long day but it was great to be out in a yard working.  My mission never ceases to feed my humble pie, but I need it.  Getting up in the morning gets harder and harder but I know that I signed up for this so I ask God ever day to give me strength, I think that when I get home I'm going to sleep for a week straight haha.  I love being a missionary and I know that this Gospel is true.  I love my Savior

have a great week!

_elder Rooney