Ukraine

October 7, 2013

I am not in Atlanta anymore! Or America! The flight here was good. From Atlanta to DC I sat next to a lady from Belgium and actually ended up talking to her for the next two hours about the gospel and other things. Hopefully she'll look up the missionaries in Belgium. My next two plane rides were not so successful. Actually, on the little plane from Munich to Donetsk (I got to go on the tarmac! it was super windy and my skirt was not prepared), I sat next to this Ukrainian lady who only spoke Russian and German, and then there was me. So we attempted some awkward conversation that didn't quite work out.

 

Volleyball in warm Atlanta on Monday. Landing in snowy Donetsk on Wednesday.

 

President and Sister Lochhead are most wonderful, and I love them. It was snowing when we flew in, so that was a change. Apparently we are expecting the coldest winter in the past 50 years coming up. Yippee. My change of clothes for the second (or third day? they all ran together) was definitely not enough for the snow and sleet. But now all my coats and tights are out so I'm good.

 

 

My new companion's name is Sister Pharis! She is wonderful and awesome and a lot like me. We get along great. She gets to spend her last two transfers training me (they started training over), so I will "kill her." I appreciate being with someone who understands Russian because I certainly don't. I can listen to a conversation and kind of understand what is going on, but then they turn to me and say something and its just "uhhhh..." It will get better though.

So I serve in an area called  Petrovksy. It is basically on the outer edge of Donetsk, so I did not have to go far. Poor Sumy people - they had a 9 hour bus ride. My apartment is actually pretty nice. I get to sleep on a fold-out leopard print bed, and we have the one water filter for the kitchen sink, and a heater in our bedroom. It's just straight up cushy. Actually, what was cushy was Atlanta - holy cow! We cook everything here by scratch, and we don't even have that much food. A lot of leftovers. It is all really good though, just a little more labor intensive. I actually use the whole meal hour.

This letter is going to be random, but just some fun little tidbits:

It's cold. It's dark. Kind of dirty, but everything looks dirty in the winter. There are lots of stray dogs and cats running around, and lots of pigeons. Nice sidewalks are a luxury - there is mud everywhere. I bought some boots finally at the outdoor market, and now I feel like I fit in a bit better. My poor mary janes did their best, but I needed boots. All the apartment buildings look like Chernobyl; they look abandoned but they definitely aren't. We went looking for a less active in one, and I literally felt like I was in a horror movie. The building was dark, and there were strange noises. Elevators may or may not work, depending on the day and time of day. Every time we step onto the elevator in our apartment building, it settles with a really loud thunk, making you feel fat. Our hallway smells like the elephant house. The key to our apartment looks way cool. People like to have really interesting looking doors to their apartments, so you're walking down this dark hallway lit by your flashlight looking for a number, and there are all these cool doors.

 

I am writing this letter in a fun little internet cafe filled with young boys playing games. There was a guy peeing outside as I walked in. Occasionally buildings will be named American things, and the spelling is funny. For example, I hope one day to eat at the "Pizz Burger." It is a pizza place. Today I played soccer with my district (four companionships - we're the only sisters) on a "field." It was some mud surrounded by wooden planks with two goals. It was fun.

My first day here, we went to go see a less active. I did not understand a word that was said, but I enjoyed her tea and delicious little cake things. I am getting really good at staring wide eyed at people. I probably look like an idiot at all times. We have had the opportunity to go to the church building several times for different things, as it is fairly close. We walk there, as we walk to most things. The members are very nice, and very welcoming. My first night we had English club, which I did understand, and I got to meet some members. My second day (first full day), was Sister Pharis' birthday, so at youth night they threw a little party for her, and I got to meet a lot of the youth (there are not that many). Ukrainians actually really do love their pictures, and I'm glad I carry my photo album around with me.

Guess what! So in the New Era this month, there is an article about missionaries, and they use some from the Atlanta mission. I know some of the people in the pictures. Well, in the Liahona they have a condensed version, and one of the pictures they used has Sister Richardson in it! It was great to see the side of her face in Ukraine.

Holding the Liahona with a photo of her companion in Atlanta, Sister Richardson.

My first Sunday was fast and testimony meeting (we get General Conference next week), but I did not get to bear my testimony. They had a baby blessing and two confirmations, so the time was shortened, and then lots of ward members got up. The ward is a pretty decent size, I think maybe about 60 to 100 at church. Sunday School and Relief Society was a bit rough, as it was all in Russian (go figure), which I don't really understand, so I just got to realize how tired I was. One day I'll understand.

The other night I almost got mauled by a dog. We went to go visit this less active, so we took the bus out to the houses. I was dropped off into a strange land. All the houses are just kind of put up, with these unique fences surrounding them. Some have doorbells on the fence, but others you just have to knock on the fence. The road is dirt, and everybody's dog barks at you. I wish I could explain it better, but I just kind of felt like I was in a medieval fairy tale land. I think it was because one of the houses looked like seven dwarfs might walk out of it. Anyway, Sister Pharis went to knock on this one fence, and this massive Saint Bernard jumps up and starts barking at us. He could have easily jumped the fence. Sister Pharis screamed and my heart dropped. Sadly my first thought was not to run, but "wow, I'm about to get mauled by a dog." There would have been my sad little body in the middle of the dirt road. The worst.

Just in case you feel like sending mail: Mail here is all sent to the mission office. If you are in Sumy, you will probably never see it until you happen to be at the mission office for some reason. If you are like me, and serving on the outskirts of Donetsk, you are more likely to see it sooner, especially because some people that work in the office live in my ward. So there you go. I will be here (most likely) for at least two transfers.

This is definitely a new experience, but I'm doing all right. I am so grateful to have Sister Pharis, who understands everything. I hope someday to understand what roads are what, what buildings are what (roads and buildings aren't really marked!), which bus to take, and what people are saying. Someday. But, goodness! I'm glad to be here :D

I'm sure I forgot something, sorry, but hopefully that was enough to keep you going one more week. I love you all!

Sister Tanner

 

Where is your companion from?

Sister Pharis is from Utah, went to Utah State, and is studying dietetics. She just turned 23.