Finding Joy in My Journey: March 2016

This isn't a post about my experiences teaching or traveling the world. It is simply a post to express some of the feelings and impressions I had today while attending the international ward here in Kyiv. It has been such a great experience going to different wards while being out here. It testifies the truthfulness of the gospel, seeing people from different parts of the world still worshiping the same as we do back home.
The international branch has been especially great! Most of the members that attend this ward are missionaries that work in the temple and also the mission president and his family. It's been fun to get to know some of them a little. The lessons have been powerful and profound to me. I just love learning more about this gospel!
I finally realized something today that I have been feeling for a while. I really miss sharing my testimony on a daily basis, and to be honest, on an hourly basis! On the mission, it was the greatest thing to read and learn about something in personal study and then have the opportunity to share my knowledge and testimony of that thing in companionship study, and then again throughout the day in lessons or other meetings. I don't think I really understood how much I missed that until today. I just don't get that opportunity as often, or it's not as easy to share my testimony with others when it's not expected I guess.
So I want to just post a little something here on my blog, for whoever may read it. I want to be able to share my testimony without having to wait for fast Sunday to do so (I will be in a different country as well so I'm doing it now).
Today in sacrament, we heard a lot about the Atonement. It continued on into Sunday school as well. It started with the sacrament hymn, Oh God, The Eternal Father. I especially like verse 3. "When Jesus, the Anointed, descended from above. And gave himself a ransom to win our souls with love. With no apparent beauty, that man should him desire. He was the promised Savior, to purify with fire." During the passing of the sacrament, I turned to the scripture at the bottom of the hymn, Isaiah 53: 2-5. I love this passage of scripture. The Savior suffered every pain imaginable for us. He didn't need it, but we did. We need Him. There is no other way to find true happiness. There is no other way to have everlasting peace in the life to come. He is the only way. How many times do we turn away from Him though? When we think we know better than Him. We choose our ways over His ways. This world tries to deceive us and it does a pretty good job at it. We have to be above the things of this world and choose God's ways.
I loved something Elder Holland said in the Face2face meeting. He was talking about marriage, but in general he said that all good things do not come easy. We have to work at them. I feel that relates to almost anything in this gospel. It takes work for a strong testimony. It takes work to develop Christ-like attributes. It takes work for apply the Atonement into our lives. Each day we have to work to keep His commandments and hold true to our covenants.
Something that was shared today in class was about the word "willing" and specifically willing to take upon us His name. We discussed how it's not a one time thing. Saying, "Oh I will be willing to do this," but it's having that constant will to serve and follow Him. I loved that! It's like enduring to the end. We have to be in it forever. We don't ever check our religion at the door.
I wish that I could better express my feelings in writing, but I don't quite know how to do that. I have just been so full of the spirit today and have loved every second of it! I know, without a doubt in my mind, that this church is true. I am so grateful for the Atonement of our Savior. He is my light. I can't imagine not being able to turn to Him and feeling that peace and comfort of knowing it will all be alright if I just trust in him. I am eternally indebted to Him and I want to live my life in a way that will please Him. That is the least I can do. I know that this church was restored to this earth through our Prophet, Joseph Smith. What a remarkable work he performed for the benefit of all mankind on the earth in these latter days. I love my Savior and I love my Father in Heaven. I would be lost without them and without this amazing gospel. I know if we are righteous in this life, we will one day reap our rewards in Heaven. It's just a matter of keeping an eternal perspective and trusting in the Lord. I know these things are true. I know the prophets and apostles of this church are true and the words they speak to us are sacred and important for us to hear and follow. I love this gospel with all of my heart, and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

I have not been very good about updating. I guess I'm just having too much fun here! And also I almost forgot I had a blog to let all those that are interested know about what I'm doing while being in Europe. So, I'm just going to go ahead at start with Italy which was last weekend. It is way too much to catch up and cover everything that I have missed.
Italy was our second big vacation, the first being Greece. Which I just now realize that I never wrote about my adventures in Greece!!! Oh my, it was one of the most amazing places I have ever been! I absolutely LOVED Greece. Athens was by far my favorite. It just felt so amazing, seeing and walking through the acropolis. I got chills! We did a bike tour which was so fun and showed us a lot of the city quickly. We also went to Santorini which was so beautiful! I definitely want to go back to Greece some day. I loved it and it was so warm which was a nice change from the freezing temps in Ukraine. Anyway, I said I would start with Italy.
We left Saturday and came home Tuesday morning which only gave us about 2 good days in Italy. It was short but we were determined to fit in as much as we could. We stayed in Venice and also spent a day in Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet! :) We took a cute little water bus to the island, which was actually not so cute... When we landed in Italy, it was super windy and very cold! Not at all what we had expected! So this made the waters very choppy. I was very close to getting sea sick, but thankfully I didn't. Our hotel was not too far from where we got off, so we headed there first and dropped off our bags. Then it was time for dinner! It was not at all difficult to find a restaurant. They are everywhere and I'm sure all just as delicious as the last! I ordered the most delicious pasta I had the whole trip. It was carbonara pasta which included eggs, bacon (ham), and cream. So good! We also got a free bread basket which I was so happy for.
After our bellies were just about full, we left to go find gelato! We start walking back toward our hotel and come to find about 3 inches of water along the walkway. The island was sinking! haha This was NOT going to stop us from getting gelato though. So, we take off our shoes and run close by to grab the best dang gelato ever! We run back to our hotel, shoes and gelato in hand, through deeper water. I made sure to scrub my feet that night. The water smelt awful...
The next morning, we left early to catch a 6:30am train to Verona. We had mapped out how to get there using google maps and were hopeful that we were be able to find our way in time. The streets in Venice are quite confusing. They all have similar names, with just a letter or two different, and when you think a road will lead nowhere, it ends up leading you to a major street. It was also dark when we were walking. At one point, we decided we should have said a prayer, so we stop and pray that we would be able to find the station in safety and on time. How grateful I am for prayer :) We found the station with no problem, and also a little help from a kind man on the empty street.
The train was very nice, lasting only about an hour. Stepping out in Verona, it was still just as cold. But the weather forecast showed sun so we were very hopeful for the day! We stopped and had some breakfast and then made our way to our hostel. Our walk was beautiful! We saw the Trevi Fountain #2 and the Colosseum #2 ;) haha a little back story, we really wanted to go to Rome but it didn't end up working out for certain reasons that will be left unexplained. So we improvised a little ;) There were also lots of cute little shops up and down all the small streets. It is a beautiful place! We went to Juliet's house and saw her balcony. We also walked across the Castelvecchio bridge which was awesome! We had such a beautiful time in Verona. I loved every second. It could have been a little warmer but that just gives me an excuse to go back in the summer ;)
We were not looking forward to leaving Verona, mostly because Venice was going to be raining all day Monday, and also it was just a wonderful place to be. But our train tickets told us we must leave. So we left about 30 minutes to get to the train station on Monday morning. We were walking and thought that we knew where we were. About 10 minutes before our train was supposed to leave, we walk out to one street where we thought the station was and turns out it was not there... Ah! Panic began to ensue. We quickly asked a lady on the street and she pointed us the right direction. We were walking briskly/running to catch our train. With station in sight, the clock turns to 8:30 and we are sure we have missed it. We start to walk, feeling a little defeated. But soon, we decide we should at least try. So with a prayer in all our hearts, we start to run again, making it to the station about 8:33. We find our train, and jump on literally 30 seconds before it leaves the station!! We sat down in our seats, sweating from the run, panting from lack of breath and laughing at ourselves and the fact of what had just happened. What a tender mercy from the Lord. I was not ready to spend another $20 on a ticket.
Back in Venice, it was pouring rain! So we were pretty much forced to buy umbrellas from a man on the street who was shoving them in our face. But we got back to our hotel fairly dry, all but our feet. At least once every 3 minutes, one of us would let out a disappointed "uh" and you would know that they had just stepped in one of the billions on puddles on the road. :) It was a fun little game we were unintentionally playing.
The rain stopped just long enough for us to take a magical gondola ride! It was so fun and I felt like I was living a dream. The rest of the day was spent walking around the streets, taking pictures by the beautiful houses and bridges. Italy was an amazing experience which ended way too soon! I definitely want to make it back there in the summer. I am already missing the gelato and pasta. Italians know how to eat the good stuff!
The day we were flying back, I got a cold. Before the flight, I was feeling congested and had a little bit of a cough, but that was about it. However, flying was the worst thing for me with this little cold. On the decent of our first flight into Amsterdam, I thought my head was going to explode! I could hardly hear anything for the entire 5 hour layover we had there. And I was not feeling great at all. We had another 3 hour flight to Kiev that I was not excited for. I was so worried for the pain. I prayed so hard that it would be bearable and that I wouldn't break down in tears in front of all these people.. haha. Thankfully, it was bearable but it didn't get any better. I still feel like my head is in a bubble and I continue to check if my headphones are in with no music playing.
As a result of this cold though, I have been able to see how Ukrainian women go into "Mother Hen" mode-- full fledged might I add! First, my host mom asks if I have medication which I reply yes and have already taken some DayQuil. Then she asks if I have ear drops which I don't. So she finds some and helps me put them in before I go to sleep each night. Also, she really wants me to see a doctor, even though I am pretty sure I'm just blocked and just need some decongestant.
Well, I go to school the next day and talk to my coordinator about it. We went to the pharmacy the next day to find something to unblock my ears. My real mom told me I should find Sudafed or something like it. So I go with this information and come out of the Pharmacy with 2 kinds of pills and 2 different ear drops. I have a strict routine to follow with them... So I started that yesterday and have not really felt any effects from these meds. My host mom has also asked me a few more times if I have asked to see a doctor. haha today I did talk to our director and if things aren't better by Monday, then I will give in and see a doctor to please the people.
Today at school, my coordinator Olia asked if I had been taking my pills and all. I reassured her that I was. She then heard me cough and came a few minutes later with a big metal spoon of cough medicine and a cup of water. She put it up to my mouth, I opened, and she poured. ;) I repeated this routine before I left school today. She also heard me blow my nose and asked if I had nose spray. I said I did at home but didn't bring it. She then goes into her office and comes back with nose spray. She again administers this to me, having me sniff in on three. Haha what an experience it has been being sick here! With just a cold might I add! I will be very surprised if I am not better within a few days. I'm hoping I am as well so that I don't have to go to the doctor. All funniness aside though, I am grateful that so many are concerned with my health and helping me get better.
Now for the pictures, even though they don't do these places justice at all!