HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!

WHAT A GIFT IT IS TO BE ABLE TO TALK WITH YOUR MISSIONARY ON MOTHER'S DAY.  THIS IS THE THIRD MOTHER'S DAY JUS HAS BEEN GONE.  HIS FIRST MOTHER'S DAY HE SPENT IN THE MTC, SO I DIDN'T GET TO TALK TO HIM.  BUT THE LAST TWO YEARS HAVE BEEN WONDERFUL TO GET TO TALK TO HIM ON THIS DAY.   IT WAS KIND OF BITTER, SWEET TODAY, BECAUSE HE WILL BE HOME IN TWO WEEKS.  (15 DAYS EXACTLY)  BITTER SWEET BECAUSE WE WANT HIM TO WORK HIS HARDEST THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, BUT WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT COMING HOME TOO.   I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS KID TO BE HOME.  I AM EXCITED TO SEE THE CHANGES THAT HAVE COME OVER HIM.  I AM EXCITED TO HEAR HIM SPEAK RUSSIAN, AND TO HEAR HIS TESTIMONY AND LOVE OF HIS MISSION. 

I BELIEVE HE HAS HAD A HARD MISSION BUT HE HAS NEVER EXPRESSED THAT IN HIS  E-MAILS OR WHEN I TALK TO HIM.   HARD IN THE FACT THAT, NOT MANY PEOPLE WANT TO TAKE TIME TO LISTEN TO THE GOSPEL, AND HARD IN THE FACT THAT THE MEMBERS IN THE UKRAINE ARE NOT AS STRONG AS THEY COULD BE.  HE HAS WORKED HIS TAIL OFF AND TAUGHT ONLY A FEW PEOPLE AND HAD ONE BAPTISM.  I DO KNOW THAT HE HAS BEEN TAUGHT PATIENCE AND LOVE FOR THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE.   I DO KNOW THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO TEACH THEM THE GOSPEL IN ENGLISH, SO HE COULD EXPRESS EVERYTHING HE WOULD LIKE TO SAY.  MAYBE THAT IS WHY HE HAS TO SPEAK RUSSIAN TO THEM, SO HE CAN'T TELL THEM HOW HE THINKS THEY SHOULD ACT OR LIVE.  HIS FAITH HAS BEEN TESTED AND HE HAS GROWN SO MUCH IN THE GOSPEL.   THERE IS NOTHING MORE A MOTHER COULD WANT THAN TO HAVE CHILDREN WHO LIVE AND LOVE THE GOSPEL.

IT HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL DAY FOR ME.  I HAVE THE BEST CHILDREN AND IN-LAW CHILDREN ALSO.  I HAVE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GRANDCHILDREN AND THE LORD IS SENDING US MORE.  THIS IS HEAVEN ON EARTH FOR ME!!!!