Week 29: Transferred to Donetsk!

Where are you now serving?

I'm now serving in Donetsk, in a region called Kalininsky. I don't know how to spell it in english but it is sounded out like "kal-LIN-in-skee. It's in the Center Donetsk branch, so it's pretty much the middle of the city. 

Who is your new companion?

Elder Joseph Carley

Has he been out long?

A year and a half

Where is he from?

Utaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

Do you have a leadership role at this time? 

yes

If so, what?

I am Zone leader with Elder Carley of Donetsk (It includes 3 donetsk branches, and a city called Makeevka)

What is your new area like?

The new area is a little bit out of Downtown Donetsk. The church building is right next to our apartment, and it's GORGEOUS (by ukrainian standards**). It used to be an old play/opera hall or something like that, but they remodeled it into the church it is now. To my understanding, it's going to be the stake center when Donetsk becomes a stake. The new branch is super cool, they have a TON of little kids! I love little kids!  Everyone seems pretty cool, and I already have most of their names memorized. The new apartment isn't nicer than my old one, but there's more rooms and there's a weight set so yeah, I'm super pumped. Carley and I are going to be doing a lotttt of working out together it's gonna be so awesome! The oven doesn't work though....luckily his mom sent him a mini oven to cook with haha. 

It's going to be a fun stay here :) 

"Couldn't have a companionship picture with just us ;) Elder Carley and I with our girlfriends of 4+ years. "

"When I moved here there was a man named Kolya on date. He's a miracle story. Just walked into the church 2 weeks ago and wanted to learn more. He took everything super well and ended up getting baptized this Sunday. I had a couple lessons with him beforehand. I'm really excited to keep working with him, he's awesome."

"For the first time in 7 months Elder Jones, Bingham, and I are serving around each other! I love these guys! Some of my best friends in the mission." (They were all roommates in the MTC)

"This is the front of one of our church buildings here in Donetsk. It's so awesome! Somehow Donetsk got hooked up with realllllly nice church buildings compared to the rest of the Europe East area."