Music in the Air....

FAMILY!!
HI! It was great to get your letters. I will say that Kyle is blowing EVERYONE out of the water when it comes to writing me. Thanks bro, you rock. Sounds, like there will be a party at the Rooney household yet again! Way to be fam, I hope everything will turn out, I’m sure it will.
This week, was just awesome. I honestly love this place and my comp/district with all my heart. So, i have an investigator! 2 of them actually! One is on date and if everything goes right, in December, he should be baptized. He showed up to church yesterday...that’s the 3rd time on my mission that an investigator came to church! He was just in Kiev working out visa issues b/c he will move to Canada in the summer, and takes his phone out and had pictures of the temple on it! HE WENT TO THE TEMPLE AND SPOKE WITH SISTERS THERE ALL ON HIS OWN! It was so cool to see that he had a genuine interest in the temple. This week we had a meeting with the zone but it wasn’t a zone conference, it was just a council with all the missionaries in our zone. It was so cool to see people again. Our district is way tight but b/c we're a satellite city, we don’t get to see anyone often. I got my interview with President and things are just going good. I love being a missionary. ON Saturday, we had a "music night" where anyone who wanted to perform could come and play or sing anything. Well other than the 6 missionaries there...6 more people showed up. Which is 6 more than I expected so it was a total success.
A guy named Jenya played the guitar and I played a few songs on the piano. but since no one showed up...including performers...Jenya handed me paper with some chords on it and well, we literally improvised/jammed half of the pieces that we played...I felt like I was at school again! It was so fun! I’ll try and send some videos but we’ll see if they send. BUT the coolest part of the whole night was that we had a Less Active family show up! AND the mom sang for one of the songs! THEN they showed up to church yesterday! It was so amazing to see the whole family having a great time. In my new area I’ve really seen the blessings of using my talents and not being afraid. The reason this less active family came is b/c we FINALLY scored a lesson with them and at the end of the lesson the mom wanted to sing..and there was a piano, so my comp played and we sang some hymns. She has a beautiful voice and we could really tell that she misses singing b/c no one else plays the piano. She had 2 very young boys...which if you remember with me and Kyle means that she always has to watch them so that no one gets hurt, breaks something, kills something/someone...etc. So after we sang, I played a bit thanks to comp b/c he told her I can. But I played and she liked it and asked if I could arrange a song to "if you could hie to kolob". I told her I’d try. We have been blessed with a piano in our apt, which I play ALL the time, so I wrote one. It was awesome b/c the missionaries and Jenya sang it at the music night. We had just started performing when our less active family walks in to the room. It couldn't have gotten any better. I've been studying a ton about Hope recently and pretty much your attitude towards things, can make or break you. It can make or break a company...a relationship...a family...a home. SOOOOO...have a good attitude! No one wants to be the person who complains all the time. I've seen how having a good attitude can change lives b/c I’ve seen the effects of having a bad one. Keep that in mind as you go through your next week. Always look for the good, YOU can relate with ANYONE. And I don’t know why, but that’s how the atonement works. Our Savior can relate to us perfectly, why that makes things better and easier? I have no idea, BUT it does, so use it to your advantage. I love you all and hope that you have a wonderful time together on thanksgiving!!

-Sean

Oh yeah, IT'S COLD!!!

"How many potatoes did you buy?"

HI FAMILY!
Thanks for all of your letters! I loved hearing for all of you! Sounds like the wedding is underway. crazy!! Well, I don’t have the most time to talk today, but I’ll do my best. so...new area! I love it here!! The members here are amazing. I’m really starting to understand why loving the people where you serve is so important. I have an investigator!! and his name is frank. He's black and from Nigeria. In Ukraine the people here call black people the "n" word but not b/c it’s disrespectful, that just what they’re called here. So if I were to say “that black person" that would actually be the disrespectful term....weird but that’s how it goes here. I don’t like saying the "n" words so I just call black people "brothas" :)....so, frank is a brotha and he is the coolest guy EVER! There are some people here that when I meet I know I met them so that I can help them change their lives...but there are also some other people that I meet that I know part of the reason I came here was so that they could help change my life, and frank is one of those people. He’ll get baptized when the time is right, which is super soon I think. I love my mission so much!! But I hate that I have all these amazing experiences that happen to me and I can’t even come close to telling you them all. Here’s a funny story about how much we know Russian. So we're contacting and we pass this potatoes truck thing and the guys that were working there call us back to talk with them, so we get going and I start talking to one guy while my companion (comp) speaks with another....by the end of the conversation I look at my comp and he's buying potatoes...so when I finish with the man I was talking with...I look at my comp and saw that he had this FAT sack of potatoes....I gave him a weird look and asked why he was holding the giant bag of potatoes...he told me he only wanted to buy 10 potatoes..."turns out I bought 10 kilos"...I don’t think I laughed that hard in a while haha. So, looks like we don’t need to buy potatoes for the rest of the transfer or from the looks of it, the next 3!! Anyways, I’ve never experienced so much happiness in my life. I love being here and I love my comp. I love this gospel with all my heart, and I love ALL of you. Have a great week!

- Старейшина Руни

Transfers!!!

HIIIIII!!!!
woooow, this past week sounds like the craziest week ever. That’s so cool that everyone was able to get together for a bit in your hectic lives. I want pictures from the bridal shower ASAP. KYLE MAH BOOOOY! Finally the eagle man jeeeez, but congrats my man welcome to the club :) thank you all for writing me this week. All those who have served missions know that transfers are lame just in the fact that you just get into the groove, and just when everything seems to be going at full speed, it ALL changes. So I appreciate the letters honestly. The wedding is coming!! That’ll be a great p day. I love pictures by the way! Just saying...I’m so happy for all of you and the things that you are going through. Just keep God first and everything will turn.

(My favorite Family...so far and way hard to say goodbye)
So this we week was a whirlwind of emotions. I left my 1st area! I now am in an area called "Gorlovka" and Elder Frandsen is my new comp. He is the same age on the mission as Elder Smith, one transfer older than me. So pretty much nothing, when it comes to Russian; we're both pretty lost haha, but it’s coming, slowly. The best analogy that I have heard yet with the Russian language and actually speaking and understanding it, is "it’s like watching grass grow, you can’t see or notice the improvement but it’s happening"...it’s true, I can speak Russian a bit and understand a bit but compared to when I first got into country I have improved. It gets SO frustrating some times. I'll be talking on the phone and understanding everything, then the VERY NEXT phone call, it just sounds like gibberish...das;lghkegodifgu!! Learning Russian itself has taught me a ton about patience and it definitely shows me how weak I am. The mission for me is a pattern; as soon as you start feeling comfortable with anything...chigga chigga choo choo, here comes the humble pie. It’s good though, I’m learning so much. So my comp is a boss, the BIGGEST BYU fan EVER, I love him so much. Our area is the other "armpit" of the mission I guess. I think it’s great though cuz I have water! Whenever I have to take a shower or wash clothes or for anything that has to do with water...I can do it!! I don’t have to wait till the water turns on, AND my apt is actually warm! No more going to bed in sweats and my hoodie! WHOO! I love it. We already have 7 lessons set up for this week!! That is UNREAL! That’s double my last area! I am in love with my district too. oh and my first day here my comp tells me we have rats...then I saw one like 29 min after he said that! Last night I went to the bathroom in the middle of the night and I saw a fat rat run under our shower and the weird thing about it was it didn’t even faze me haha. We’ll catch them some time.

(after a night of Rat parties!!!)
I love my area, my comp, and just everything except for the FREEZING weather. I’ve really learned the principle of charity lately. Love…. just do it. It makes life so much better. Do everything with a smile or at least with a smile in your heart, because things are just easier that way. It’s not worth it to complain, or to have bad feelings built up inside you. In my mission I’m learning to see the good in everything. It’s hard especially here but it seriously makes life way better. Anyways, I’m doing great. Satan is just a sorry soul who didn’t get it, and he tries to take his anger out on everyone. I truly feel sorry for him. Being on my mission I thought I would be away from the "world" but this place blows America out of the water with how much people focus on having nice things, it’s really sad. Well, actually America is pretty bad too, BUT the important thing is to just put God first and everything will be ok. I love you all
have a great week!

- Старейшина Руни


Breakfast table with Elder Smith

" Here, eat...it's an old soviet tradition!"

HI everyone!
Thanks SOOO much for writing me! I don’t have much time to day b/c we went to a place called "Slavnie Gorsk” I’ll send some pictures, it took us 4 hours to go each way, but it was sooooo worth it! It’s supposed to be one of the most beautiful places in all of Ukraine. I’ll tell you about one of the coolest things ever about what happened there. So this place is considered holy ground, which means girls have to cover their heads at all times. We took off our tags (which is WAY weird to do) and did the cultural Ukraine for once, it was AWESOME. So, we were walking up to a temple that is literally built out of the side of the mountain and kind of reminds me of Lord of the Rings and Sister Ward in my district starts talking to this random lady. Well after a while, she invites us to go with her and the rest of the people there worshipping that day to go have a free lunch in one of the rooms next to a temple. Being missionaries, always hungry, and poor...we quickly agreed. We just follow a large group of people in to this eating hall thing and there are a ton of tables set up with fat pots, borsht and others Ukrainian soups. We all go and sit down at a table. It reminded me almost of when we feed the homeless. Anyways, as I sat down having no idea if we're allowed to eat or not, everyone stands up all at the same time and starts quietly singing an old Slavic hymn ( which I think is a prayer actually ) and the Russian priests come out and everything! The priests have GIANT beards so I’m obviously stoked on that cuz I want one super bad...but after the hymn, they all sit down and grub. It was like having a giant family dinner but with 100 people. The priests I guess make the food and you eat till you can’t anymore. It was SOOO COOOL!! Everyone helped dish each other’s food and everyone helped clean up. The food was interesting but I was just in awe of everything going on. Everyone is Russian orthodox and so they worship icons. Inside temples, you won’t be able to find one part of the wall that isn’t painted or covered with a picture of Mary, Phillip, Jesus, Baby Jesus....etc. From a cultural stand point, it was AWESOME, but from a religious stand point...it was way eerie. I had a blast though.




This week is my last week in 1st area! I’m about to get my second companion and I’m super sad to leave. I love Elder Smith with all my heart. It was super nice to be with someone who is on the same page concerning missionary work. Ever since I met Elder Bennett and Brother Richardson, my mission has literally changed and I couldn’t be more grateful. I hate transfers by the way; I just hate getting into the groove with a new companion. Things are finally getting comfortable and my district is getting WAY close...and of course I get transferred :). But I’m excited, change is good. I’m blown away at the ridiculous amount of emotions that my mission has thrown at me. OH and Satan...I don’t like him very much. I know that my trials help me become stronger and become closer to God, but jeez they can be hard sometimes. I went and saw a doctor about my itchiness...they took my blood? It was sketchy to say the least haha, good experience though. They think it’s related to stress, so now I get to talk to a woman who is serving a mission in Germany, and she just talks to missionaries in Europe and of the Europe East Russia (EER) all day about stress...its way cool! I love it, we have one hour appointments over the phone and she teaches through using the scriptures. My itching never stops and hasn’t stopped since the MTC, but I’m adapting to it. I don’t sleep at night very well...ever, but we're trying to fix that. Don’t worry, I really am doing fine it’s just that lack of sleep gets annoying sometimes. I ate the NASTIEST thing I’ve ever eaten on my mission by the way. I have the mindset that I’m only here once, so might as well do it right and try everything! So I did...it was an "old soviet tradition"...we were at the famous Dacha and we were fed a soup thing that included gretcha and nasty goose....that wasn’t that bad, the bad part was that Valentyn gives me a piece of bread, cuts about 1/3 of a raw onion and puts it on top of the bread, then absolutely SMOTHERS the onions and bread in mayonnaise....and says " here, eat...its an old soviet tradition." My stomach will never be the same. I hear that a bridal shower is coming up? I want pictures ASAP! I’m so proud of my family! I love you all sooo much. The mission is truly the best 2 years for my life. Hands down the hardest thing I have ever done, but I am eternally gratefully for every second of it. Happy Halloween too!

k I have to head out but I love you all!

- Старейшина Руни


More work at the Docha, cutting down trees with a hand saw and goats....



Wait for it.....wait for it... oweeee, it bit me!!!

Still learning and growing...

Wow, it was soooo great to hear from my family this week. Not saying that sometimes are better than others but for some reason, I was especially grateful to hear from you all. I love you all so much. Dad, I never got a package from you...sssooooo it might have gotten "ukrained" as we like to say. Also, I’m kinda feeling this winter out with what I can handle to see if I need to buy a big coat, but for now I’m doing fine with layers. This was probably the best week of my mission thus far. soooooo, here we go.
Last Wednesday was the youth broadcast for the EER (Europe East Russia) for all the YSAs (Young single Adult) and then later for priesthood and anyone one who had a teaching Calling. It was amazing, Elder Bennett from the quorum of the Seventy, Brother Richardson, the 2nd counselor of the general Sunday school presidency, and Brother Gibson of the general young Men presidency were all there. Brother Richardson was the guy who spoke about hiking in Conference and Elder Bennett about paying attention to the warning signs and swimming in a rip tide. Anyways, after the first meeting with all the youth, there was a break between meetings, and the Assistants to the Mission President say that Elder Bennett wants to speak with all of the missionaries asap. So we were all excited but also kinda nervous cuz it sounded like some chastising was coming our way. So we get in a small room with only the missionaries in our area, so maybe 25 of us and that was all. And he spoke to us....it changed my mission. He starts off by telling us that he is on assignment to come put this broadcast together by Pres Monson. And that he didn’t know why he was to come to Donetsk of all places when he could have gone to Kiev or Moscow where there are actually people that would show up, and where there are stakes...but no...here in little dinge Donetsk where maybe only 50 people tops were there. So he has a specific Assignment to talk with the people and in the middle of the entire thing...he gets this was strong prompting to call a meeting with the missionaries ( the YSA mtg was about eternal marriage so the missionaries didn’t need to be there but were on assignment from our president). He gets in there and had us open to JS history meanwhile telling us that he had nothing prepared b/c he should be doing a broadcast for the entire EER shortly. We start reading the account of the 1st vision, and then he stops us and asks us what happened to joseph during the 1st vision. So being missionaries and having the 1st vision on lock, we tell him. Then in the middle of the account when reading, he stops at the part when Satan comes into to play...and points out that the only thing that Satan could do was bind Joseph's tongue. Then he stops ( btw he is the most loving person and is on the verge of tears) and says that he’s sad that we were even at the broadcast when people were outside "perishing" and we were in side not helping them. But because we were on assignment by our president, it was ok because our mission president has stewardship over his mission and the keys to run it. He then gave us a whole lesson on why Satan binds our tongues and as missionaries even we let it happen let alone when we are just regular people without the tag. It was POWERFUL. he asked some questions and only a few people the entire meeting participated, and it was cool because he said that the spirit can work through when we put ourselves out there ( which is an interesting topic to study ) so I participated...I literally only answered a question and gave my thoughts and my opinion. It was one of the spiritual experiences I’ve had on my mission. The love of God just took over every inch of my body. And all I did was put myself out there. He also said that this mission is hard b/c it’s still in the "Covered wagon stage", and that "because it’s still in the covered wagon stage, we need to teach like Samuel Smith did and talk to everyone". This may not sound very powerful in this letter b/c I’m not the best writer, but I’m not kidding...it was powerful and I just wish you all could have been there to experience it for yourself. The meeting went on for 1.5 hours and the whole time he didn’t care that was missing a huge broadcast to speak to 25 missionaries. He then goes on to say that he could have ignored the prompting but he didn’t and that that night he did as Joseph did, and unbound his tongue. He opened his mouth. I’m not sure if I can even grasp how hard that must have been for him. When he traveled all this way to speak to the entire EER and then bounced to talk to a handful of missionaries. The days that followed were some of the best days of missionary work ever. We got nothing for our area, got 4 referrals for our sisters in the Center area and I’ve never felt like such a missionary, never felt so productive. My mind set has changed and if the only person that took effect with that meeting on wed was me?...it was worth it. God works in mysterious ways. I’ve never been so tempted and worked on by the adversary in my life but at the same time I’ve never been and felt so blessed. We have to experience the depths of sorrow in order to feel the highest of joy. I love this mission. I love the lessons I’ve learned. From so of my studies, I’ve learned an interesting concept. We need not to just believe in Christ, but we need to BELEIVE Him. There is a HUGE difference. Do I actually believe Him? Sure His teachings are great (not taken lightly) but do I actually Believe Him? Think about that and let me know what your thoughts are. I also had the opportunity to speak with Brother Richardson one on one...he learned how to testify in Russian JUST for this one occasion. When I asked him why he told me " I’m here aren’t I?...might as well give it my all." I look up to people like that with the highest amount of admiration. He is a great example to me. Well this was kinda long but I want you all to know that my testimony is building every day and every day I’m being converted to this Gospel. I love you all so much, oh and I just found out that for Christmas....we're Skyping!! Have a great week!

- Старейшина Руни



Tracting in the neighborhood

Getting Colder....

SUP FAM!
Sounds like everything at home is getting into the groove with school, work, and a MARRIAGE! It’s great to hear from you all. I love you SOOOOOO much. Things here are going well. The weather for starters is ALREADY colder than Utah and it’s not ever NOVEMBER! I’m gunna die out here. The temp isn't that low yet but for some reason it likes to be reallll realllly windy when it’s cold out...:) we're doing great though, we're having a great time. This week will be SO COOL. On wed we are having a Young Single Adult fireside and Elder Bennett and Elder Richardson will be speaking to us and yes, it will be in Donetsk at my branch bldg of all places!! It’s for the whole Europe east area I think. Anyways, I’ll be there and it will be awesome! What won’t be awesome is the fact that there will probably be more missionaries there than actual youth. People here just don’t get it and it breaks my heart. We've been working with a less active named Michael and he has a smoking problem (like everyone else here) and we found out that he really wants to do family history work and the best part is that he has a testimony of it and its way strong. What makes me super frustrated is when the home teacher gets called to go over and help him out with it and does nothing. Then our branch president calls Him AGAIN, and still, the home teacher does nothing. Then I spoke with the branch pres. and he told me that Michael's home teachers just aren’t going over there. So we devised a solution, talk to the family history lady for the branch and the missionaries will go with her to teach him how to use family search. So we go over to her place last night to ask her for her help and she kind of just goes off about how this man doesn’t need family search but that he just needs to stop smoking and all about how he pretty much is a lost cause and how she won’t literally walk 5 min to the NEXT APT COMPLEX and spent one half hour with us, to teach him. And it’s just gets frustrating when I want to just take over everything and get things moving here...but it’s not in my stewardship. My job is to invite others unto Christ....Oh and our branch president hasn’t been to church in a month now. Like my companion has never seen him at church yet :) there are also a ton of other problems about how things are run here and well, it’s not run correctly and I just want to help but it’s not my job. Its soo hard to do missionary work here b/c there is no branch bldg. in my area b/c there aren’t enough people at church. So when I tell people on the streets that our bldg. is in Donetsk...an hour away on buses (b/c no one here has their own car unless you're part of the mafia) they get turned off to everything. There used to be a bldg. in our area but then everyone decided to go inactive and so then they combined braches. And the best part is...that we have an area that the church bought and is ready for construction for a brand new bldg. in our area...but we just need members to come to church then they'll ok it for building. It’s a paradox really, people don’t want to listen to us b/c the church is so far away and its costs a ton of money just to get there and back. But if the members just went to church then they could have a closer bldg. and investigators would come more often. Things here are just slacking. We really do have awesome people who really have a true desire to come to church but the honestly just can’t afford it. as;dlkthaeoith;askldjhg;oearit! Anyways, thanks for letting me vent to you all, I feel better :) other than that, things are great! I’m becoming great at having almost nothing to cook with and making edible things! Now I just have to work on making it all taste good haha.. No really though, we're having a great time together and missionary work is great. My mission prep class is turning out good too. Next week I’m taking my class out to a park right by the church and we're going to practice contacting! We practiced it yesterday in class so next week they get to really experience it, it'll be way fun, and I’m stoked for it. Well, that’s all for this week. We pretty much just looked for all the youth to try and invite them to this fireside on wed b/c it’s our priority for now. I really am super happy though, it’s crazy how when you just trust in God, EVERYTHING will turn out. I love personal study; right now I’m studying the time line of the Book of Mormon, in comparison with the Bible...its super interesting and actually kind of fun to see all the connections. Well, I’m going bowling right now so I hope you all have an AWESOME week! I love you all!


- Старейшина Руни

Conference is the BEST THING EVER!!

Those were the sickest pictures EVER!!! The family sounds like all is well! I’m sure the pepper eating contest was a waaaay funny. it reminds me of when we had family reunion in California and we went fishing out of Davey's Locker and me and Nate threw the live bait in our mouths...good times. I honestly have the Raddest family ever. It sounds like things are getting crazy with an upcoming WEDDING!! Blows my mind, can’t get over that still. That'll be a fun P-day getting all of those pictures. We got to watch General Conference in our native tongues!! It was the best thing ever!!! President Monson is getting funnier and funnier. It’s good to see that having a sense of humor is allowed in the church... I think people need to loosen up a bit, especially here haha. I can’t choose a favorite talk b/c they were all sooooo good. It annoys me that I never took advantage of General Conference before my mission, but that’s just another reason why the mission is sooooo important. It really is the Best 2 years for my life. It’s my (and anyone one who has served) school for eternity. Watching General Conference made me way trunky haha, but not in a sense that I wanted to come home really bad, but it made me just want to get my life after the mission started already so I can FINALLLLLLLY apply everything that I’ve learned. Never letting the mission leave you is something that I want to strive to happen when I get back. Families are forever, and there is NOTHING greater. That’s why we're here. AHH I love the Gospel so much. And it makes me sad that I’m just BARELY allowing it to REALLY change my life and I’m a missionary. The more I learn about the Gospel the more I realize that I don’t know a thing! And it’s so hard to see the people here, that much further away from it all. This truly is an Inexhaustible Gospel. What I’ve learned a ton on my mission is seeing things as they really are. After reading a ton of conference talks and byu devotionals out here, you begin to see patterns in the way prophets and apostles speak and write. Neal A Maxwell almost ALWAYS brings that reference up in his talks. It’s SOO crucial to see things as they really are, and to have that eternal perspective about everything. PMG (preach my gospel) is becoming more and more inspired as I dig into it. Here's an interesting concept about having an eternal perspective I think is from PMG....but think of all the people that you associate with every day, even the ones that you might not have the strongest feelings for...they still are just like you in that they also have the full opportunity if they choose, to become like God. Crazy. Changes your view about them doesn't it? I love getting all of your letters! I feel your love. Know that I love you all soooo much, but that God loves you perfectly. Keep working hard and keep being missionaries! None of us are perfect, I know I’m definitely not but this is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day SAINTS. I like the quote that I heard that I have absolutely no idea who wrote it but..."saints are just sinners who kept going". So don’t EVER stop trying and moving forward with your Eternal Goals, and let’s stop living below our privileges! I love you all!! Have a great week!


- Старейшина Руни



Our Branch President and his family...


Bath time, with a little help from a friend, Valentin.... can't wait for winter :o)


The neighborhood....