Preaching on a bus!

FAMILY!!!

 This week was a life changing week.  I don't know where to begin.  I only have time for one story, here we go. I had a zone conference here this week and it was great and it was also one that kicked our butts.  We got stacked on us a ton of standards that the natural man would willing and does willing reject.  But after I prayed for a softened heart I really love keeping all the rules, even new ones.  So here in my mission we do A LOT of contacting, every single day. The members are great at certain things but they struggle with others, as do all of us.  But the majority of the people we find to teach here come through missionary efforts even though we all know its more effective to find people to teach through members, anyways...after zone conference (which is were I got my package...Thanks MOM and DAD!!!) I was so pumped. In this mission we talk to everyone everywhere...except for some places like on the metro or on buses. Here it is against the culture to talk to people especially on transport.  People here have a mind set of "I do my thing, and you do yours" so even just saying hi to people on the streets is against the culture here and people think its weird.  I didn't come here to timidly preach the gospel to people that talk to us, I came to be bold and tell people truth.  So we were on a bus the other day, and I felt very strongly that I should get up and preach to a whole bus...which is SOOOOOO NOOOOTTTT NORMAL. But I didn't come here to be normal.  It was the perfect opportunity b/c there was no one standing up and we came to a stop light so the bus was quieter than usual.  My comp and I were in the very back, and I turned to him and told him kinda of jokingly slash seriously "Elder, I think I'm going to preach to this bus."  His reaction was NOT expected.  He just started coming up with excuse upon excuse about why I shouldn't.  We were on our way to a lesson and it was with a potential investigator. After the excuses, I told him I was doing it.  He told me " I will not support you" and he turned his back to me...I couldn't believe what I was hearing.  I said a prayer in my heart (which was pounding by this time) for strength b/c now I was on my own.  And the grace of God picked me up and walked me to the front of the bus.  I turned around and Held the Book of Mormon in the air and started sharing our message.  I was able to see the people who were interested in the message and those that weren't, so afterwards I walked to those who had made eye contact with me as I was speaking and gave the brochures about the church.  Done.  Was it hard? absolutely, but it wasn't until I realized that the worst thing that could happen is that I could get killed somehow that I was able to follow promptings of the Spirit.  I am supposed to be a witness of Christ "Even until Death", so I will be. My testimony of the support of the Savior gives in time of need grew so much that day after that experience. I learned a more profound meaning of what it is to be an example of the Believers.  You cant live off of borrowed light in the last day.  And I just working my hardest to gain as much of it as possible.  This story may not seem very crazy to you ,but i want you to know that it was one of the scariest and hardest experiences of my mission, but I can proudly say that I followed promptings and that God helped me out in my time of need.  I want the Lord to say," I can count on Elder Rooney, no matter what".  I don't know the result of those people that received those brochures but I am honored to have been the instrument of God in giving them to them.  After I sat down, NOTHING could get me down and I felt so strongly the strength of the Lord working through me.  It helped open my eyes even more that the message we have, that gives people that precious opportunity receiving all that the Father has.   I hope that all is well with the wedding and that you all have a wonderful week!

- Sean

The Middle Eastern connection

Hey!!

How was your week?  As for me here, I'm doing great.  My comp and I are finally on the same page and its such a blessing.  We have become master "planners" so that we came improve our efficiency. There are a ton of middle easterners that study out here and they are ALL Muslim! so its kinda hard to teach them but God's plan is truly amazing in that every time I say that my mother is from Iran...I have an instant connection with them. Its super cool.  I want you to know that my heart is burning with love for you and that I look up to you in so many ways. This week has been full of miracles.  I'm doing well, and I have received your package but I haven't opened it yet...b/c I'm in an area way far away from Donetsk and the package is in the same city as me...just not in my hands quite yet.   how are you? How is school?  Are you studying your scriptures everyday?  going to the temple WITH DAD?   Gosh I love you.  I'm pretty sure every one up here know ALL about you, they say I talk about you a lot... :)  Also, a missionary Tyler Stoker from Henderson, says Hi.  I went on a split with him and he did a great job.  He's still super new in the mission but he has a testimony and that’s all that you need to share this message.  Call Kyle some time, tell him how much you love him and that he is an all-star. he needs to hear that from you and Dad at least daily. If it doesn't have much of an effect on him now, It will in a few years when he is in the middle of his mission and his love and respect for you and Dad will grow more than you can imagine. I can't wait to see you again for Christmas!!   keep it up mom!!  Find someone to serve this week, and go serve them.  EVERY less-active member deserves brownies on their door step...just saying :)  
 Let ME know if I can do anything for you.
Anyways, I have to go but I love you!

Have a great week!

- Старейшина Руни

Transfer to Harkov

HI FAMILY!!

Thanks for you great emails. Of course I heard about the new missionary entry date, and I could be more stoked. The Lord is truly Hastening His work here and its SO EXCITING!! So, I got a transfer and now I'm serving in a place called Harkov! Its almost like actual Europe in some places its so beautiful! Its so crazy being here there are a ton students everywhere. And guess where they come from...yup Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, and every where else in the middle east. Its INSANE. We taught a guy named Rod who is from Iraq and he looks JUST like me. I'm not kidding, the longer and longer I'm here the more and more I realize that Mom and Dad getting married was NOT on accident. I have immense love for those people and every time i say my mom is from Iran, we have an instant connection. Mom, were you Muslim in Iran? if so, which one? Also, I'm going to master Farsi when I get home, I have learned some out here but I'm going to master Farsi. In our branch, we have a lot of Brothers. If you remember, they call black people here "N" words as apart of the culture, so missionaries call them "Brothas". So they are all from Somewhere in Africa, mainly Nigeria and Cameroon. They are SO awesome. they all speak English and almost no Russian so we translate for them every Sunday, they are so humble and I've met another person who has changed my life. His name is Harold and he is Tanzanian, he found the church and married a Ukrainian woman. He them Moved to Holiday Utah and lives there with his wife and kids. He is finishing up med school here and then will head back to Utah. But this guy has been and incredible example of charity and love. He has NO idea how much of an impact he has made on my life but I'll be sure to tell him before I leave. He bore his testimony about how he used to be young men's president for the branch here for about 5 or so years, and he had just been working and working with the youth, about 5 or 6 boys, to try get them stoked about the Gospel. He said that he would just pray and pray for them. Then when he moved to Utah he lost contact with them, but he still prayed for those boys all the time and thought about them all the time. So now he just got back to finish one last semester and he's been gone for a few years but he got a phone call from a missionary in our mission and the missionary said that he had some who wanted to talk to Herald...it was one of those kids he had been praying for all theses years. The kids name is Bodgon and he had been inactive for a super long time but he was now on a "mini-mission". Now that may not sound like a crazy story but when Herold was bearing testimony about prayer and about this experience, he got way emotional and I could FEEL his love for those kids that he taught. Herold changed Bogdon's life forever and he was able to see the fruit of his labor, what a blessing. I want to be like Herold. I want to give my ALL into every calling I ever get. I want to love people like he does. He has motivated me to be a person. so that’s kinda how things are, we haven't seen conference quite yet b/c the Russian translations take a week to get here, but I'll watch it in English! Also, my comp is a native but is most recently from Toronto...so its cool. I'm having a great time here, I love this place. The gospel is so awesome and I couldn't be more honored to be here at this time. Have a great week! I love you

-Sean

 

 

18 month mark!

HI FAMILY!!!

I love my family!! Guys, wanna here something crazy?? I hit my 6 month mark on Saturday...yes, that is is a sister mission. I am so stoked for the next 6 months of my life. I am going to kill it! I have been blessed with hope which leads to happiness, and I know that I am going to see great things happen in the next 6 months. I am now a pretty seasoned missionary and no where near fluent with this language, but I know that I know what I need to know in order to continue gathering Israel and yea that is what we are doing here. In one branch in the Europe East area there are members from ALL 12 tribes of the house of Israel...its so awesome to literally be apart of what has been talk about in almost every dispensation. This is the work of God and there is no stopping it. It sounds like you had some fun with Kyle coming home this weekend, that Jazz festival sounds great. I can't wait to dance again! Well, this week I received a transfer call and I am going to be leaving the prettiest most developed area in the mission...Center Donetsk. This place was (is) rad and there is so much always going on. My last 2 transfers have by far been the hardest transfers of my mission, but I have never learned so much. My comp has taught me so very applicable life lessons that I hope i never stop applying. I have never been happier until just now (a few days ago). The work here is picking up slowly but its picking up. I have a testimony of hard work and also of the concept of being Light -hearted. To me, light-heart is different than being light-minded. I feel that I can work and work and work and never stop but with my case...I run out of energy and crash eventually. There has to be a balance (this is just a lesson that I had to go through that is helping me live a happier life) with all things. I feel like sometimes I can get burned out, but with the concept of being light-hearted I can work hard and feel goo doing it. I work smarter with a better attitude, always engaged but not losing myself in obedience. What I mean is that obedience should be made a given, NOT a focus. once I allowed this concept to sink deep into my soul, my mission picked up a ton and I was so much happier. I also learned more about how if you love something, its easy to do. So love everything! And if you don't love it, ask God to change your heart so that you can love it. Sorry this letter is a bit short, I was talking to another sibling of mine. I have SO many pictures I want to send home, but none of these computers work with what I have, so ill send it ASAP. I love you all and pray for you always. Thanks for inspiring me to be a better person and family member. have a great week!!

-Sean

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