Sister Katie Webber: President K, Local Celebs, and Birthdays.

Where to begin! So much happened this week. So much happened just since Thursday.

Lets see...long email alert.

First of all, I thought all weekend about how jealous I was that everyone was watching conference this weekend while I have to wait until this weekend to watch it. It has to be translated into Ukrainian before they give us the opportunity to watch it (even though the missionaries are going to go into the other room and watch it in English...which I'm overly excited about. Eight hours of language study in 2 days doesn't exactly sound like a dream come true). Everyone told me about Sister Dalton getting released. I thought it was going to happen this conference. What an angel that woman has been for me, and for our family. I'm grateful that we'll be friends for the eternities, and I'm also glad that she said she's going to save me a spot next to her in heaven when we watch our lives back. Woo! :) I love that woman.

So I turned 22 this week. I'm not sure if it will be my only birthday in Ukraine or not, but it was fun! We ate lots of food, and the Elders surprised me with a birthday cake! And enchiladas. WHAT!?!!? haha. And I got phone calls from Elder Schindler and Sister Olds. I was soooooo happy to talk to them!

Thursday we had english class, and after we started, there was this young man who came walking in the door and the way people reacted when he came in, I thought he was a movie star. One of the boys from the group leaned over and said, "I bet you have no idea who that is, do you?" Apparently he was a REAL celebrity in Ukraine, and has some rock band that he's in. He went to elementary school with one of the guys that come to english, and he heard about our class...so he came. Yeah. He loved me and my companion and we kept having to tell him that he wasn't allowed to touch us. haha. I got a picture with him so I could prove to people that I met a celebrity on my mission, even though no one would even know who he was. He offered to give me a private concert....so that was awkward. Super frump sister missionary here.

Saturday we had a sports night and had lots of people show up. It was the first time I haven't worn a skirt in public and people were freaking out. It was so much fun, and I realized that Ukrainians are very strong, but have no athletic ability whatsoever. Two of the elders' investigators are best friends and they kept chucking the basketball at each other's heads, kicking each other in the stomach, tackling each other...etc. I kept having to tell them to knock it off, but they were laughing and having the best time. Cavemen. Seriously. I was just happy to play basketball again. My companion reminded me before we left to the gym that we were sister missionaries and I had to keep my dignity....pffff....like she even knows me. ;) But I was the only girl who played, and I creamed them all. With dignity.

On Sunday the Ternopil members came to Lutsk! It's the Elders' other area. There are only 3 members there, and 2 came to church with us. One was from Nigeria, and another is from Ghana, and they are going to medical school in Ternopil. It was so wonderful to talk to English speakers! I loved it. The one from Ghana has been a member all his life, and his dad actually just got called to be an Area 70 in conference on Saturday! So cool.

We got a call on Wednesday saying that President Klebengat would be in Lutsk for 2 hours on Thursday afternoon just to interview the missionaries. He traveled halfway across the country just to interview 6 missionaries. What a mission president! I was the first to go, and when I sat down with him I was practically in tears the whole time. He said so many things that I needed to hear, and I felt like a new person when I walked out the door at the end of my interview. He shared with me the plans he has for me for the next 2 transfers, which apparently he doesn't ever do....but he told me that my companion and I will be together for one more transfer (4 transfers together! wow!), and then I'll be training. Obviously they've been preparing me since the MTC that I'd be a trainer, but it's still really overwhelming since I can't form an entire intelligent sentence in Ukrainian.

Quick background info before I tell what happened next: There's a woman named who had been coming to church for 13 years, and had never met with the missionaries. The branch didn't ever really acknowledge her, and had kind of written her off as someone who was never going to be a member. President came to Lutsk in November and gave a talk on the Temple, and afterwards she approached him and thanked him for his talk, and asked if he could go to the temple. Upon finding out that she wasn't a member, he immediately asked her if he could baptize her, and she accepted. The sisters (my comp included) met with her over the course of the next 2 weeks, and she was baptized in December by President. She absolutely adores him, as does everyone else who's ever met him, and we had a meeting with her right after our interviews. We were secretly hoping somehow they'd get to see each other, but he was adament that he was only in Lutsk to talk to the missionaries.

We were in the Sacrament room meeting with her, and President came looking for me and my companion to get a picture with us before he left. When he walked in the room, the look that came over his face, and her face, was the most precious and priceless moment I've experienced on my mission. They were so happy to see each other, and she was so humbled and overjoyed. We got a picture altogether, and after he looked directly at me and said, "You take care of her, okay?" I was overcome with such a feeling of love from my Heavenly Father, and it felt like He was talking through President. I got a glimpse of just how precious and important my calling is. I'm literally bringing soulsback to their Father in Heaven. This is the most sacred calling that I could have. It was an eye-opening experience for me.

I seriously am having a wonderful experience so far. It's been hard, I'm not going to candy-coat it. But it's also been one of the most rewarding things I've ever done in my life. I feel so blessed to be here. I know whom the Lord calls, He qualifies. I'm living proof of that. Thank you for all the support. I love you so much.

You're in my prayers!

Sister Kate Webber

PS: Will you specifically tell nonster that I love her? I missed her a lot yesterday.