Sister Tanner in Ukraine: Ukrainians LOVE their doors

November 4, 2013

Okay! So this week started off with Sister's Conference, where all the sisters in the mission (about 25) gathered at the Lochhead's apartment, and we got to know each other, got some spiritual upliftment, learned some tricks to the trade, and ate some delicious food prepared by Sister Lochhead. It was Tuesday and Wednesday, so yes, we had a giant sleepover. Sister missionaries all over the Lochhead's living room floor. It's amazing it worked. Let me just say, the Donetsk, Ukraine mission has some rockin' sisters.

Thursday was Halloween! Not really celebrated here. But we had English that night, so we had a little Halloween party for the children. Many of the adults were being poop heads and did not want to participate. The children had great fun carving the pumpkins we bought, and I just didn't watch as they wielded our kitchen knives all over the place. We also had some face paint sticks that got a little messy when the four year old got them. We taught the children how to trick-or-treat though, which they quite enjoyed (hey! it ends with candy). I had a stimulating conversation with the adults about holidays, where I learned the best holiday is your birthday, and the more alcohol the better (these are not all members obviously).

Friday was weekly planning, and then taking the trolley to the place of a sister in our ward to celebrate her birthday with all the other elders. We were all crammed into this little room eating strange meat cake. It was wonderful. Then we all took the trolley together back to the branch building to lead the youth in an exhilarating youth night. We said we would be in charge because they wanted some ideas, so we brought a little America back and had a photo scavenger hunt. They were not happy at first (they weren't happy to begin with because we all got there late and they were stuck outside), but they warmed up to it.

Saturday Sister Pharis and I did some good old tracting. We went all the way to the top of a building, all 14 floors on foot (yes we felt it on Sunday), and started our way down. But we ended up skipping the top couple floors because we both just got an awful feeling in our gut, that said "get out - now." The lower floors were a bit nicer. Then we did some street contacting, and actually met a guy who was interested and we hope to meet with him this coming week - exciting! Then it was off to Metro, the Ukrainian Costco, to do some contacting, and also to grab some bleenee (Americanized spelling) at the bleenee stand outside. Bleenee is kind of like a crepe. Then a lesson that night with a less active, and back home. It's always good to walk into your nice apartment after a day on the streets, especially since it keeps getting darker and darker earlier. You just feel a lot safer.

Sunday was church. I am sure it was lovely. I still understand very little of the discussions. I have to focus real hard. For dinner I made experimental apple pancakes. They were...all right. Not very fluffy though.

And then Monday! Monday was zone sports, where we got together as a Donetsk zone at some field in Makeevka (Makiivka) and played soccer. These little kids were cheering us on at one point, which was adorable. Because we got there early, I also climbed this random rock formation with some other missionaries. It had some good views of the surrounding lands. The giant hills in the pictures are mines.

That's about it for the week. Not terribly exciting, sorry. But here's a fun fact: Ukrainians LOVE their doors. Like your front door. Everyone's doors are different, and there are door and window stores EVERYWHERE. But really. There are more of them than America has McDonalds.

Love you lots! Stay cool, stay in school. And remember God loves you :)

Sister Tanner

Q - How has your first week off of daylight savings been?

A - First week of daylight savings? Dark. It gets dark around 4:30pm, and will continue to get darker.

Q - Do you have a curriculum for English class or do you just teach whatever?

A - No curriculum for English club, we just do our own thing. And it is NOT a class, only a club. We are not licensed and cannot officially teach, or we will get in big trouble. English has been shut down before.

Q - What do you do on P-day?

A - What do I do on P-day? Something with the district. It changes. There isn't a whole lot to go out and do, but you've heard about the fun things. We also walk the 15 mins to the grocery store, and walk back with all the groceries, studies in the morning, write home, and then FHE with a family that night.

Q - Do you do laundry on P-day or throughout the week?

A - I usually do laundry through the week because it takes a day or two to dry.

Q - Do you know how many missionaries there are in total in your mission?

A - Sis. Pharis says there are probably around 75 missionaries total in the mission.

Q - Was your conversation with the adults about holidays in Russian or English?

A - In English, our conversations are in English. That's how they practice English because we can't actually "teach".

Keep listening to that spirit and I will keep having faith that the spirit will keep you safe.

And there are new pictures. The ones with Sis. Pharis and I are from the top of the building we tracted Saturday, and the others are from today.

Q - That is an interesting rock formation. Was it hazy in the distance or is that your camera?

A - It's hazy in the distance. I told you, the air here is just kind of dirty. They try to only have people serve 2 transfers in Mariupol because it’s so bad down there in particular. Factories and mines everywhere here.