I'm not in Ukraine anymore...

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Greetings from MOLDOVA everyone! Wow, the last few weeks have flown by and been crazy. Basically, I am here in Moldova with my new trainee, Sister Olson, from Sandy Utah and we are loving whitewashing. We have only gotten hopelessly lost a couple of times so other than that everything is going well. Everything is different here, the people, the culture, the language, so it is definitely an adventure. I caught myself a few times thinking "man it's like I'm in another country" then I realize that I am #ishouldbeablonde. 

Some funny things that have happened in Moldova include:
- being scared by a random guy on the street while contacting. he literally just jumped at us and yelled BOO as he passed us on the street for no reason. we screamed really loud. it was crazy. 
- falling asleep and being forced to take a nap at a babushka's house. i am soooo exhausted right now and after 4 hours of church yesterday we had a lesson with an investigator. i totally fell asleep while trying to focus on what she was saying. she made us go get in her bed and take a nap. sister Olson was a homie and stayed awake so she could wake me up 15 min later. i felt so bad but it was the best nap of my life. 
- we have an amazing investigator! her name is Tanya and she showed up to English practice for the first time on our first day here. we did a spiritual thought about the Book of Mormon and she came up and asked for one right after. the next day she showed up to 4 hours of church. by our first lesson, she committed herself to live the word of wisdom and is amazing! we are so excited about her. 
- we also got yelled at by soooo many babushki this week for not wearing tights (cuz we are so done with winter ughhh). they told us our eggs were going to freeze and no man would want to marry us (that's a new one). 

Not only do I have a new trainee in a new country but I just hit my 9 MONTHS a little bit ago. It's crazy how time flies and I have already finished half of my mission. I have cherished this time to serve the Lord and the people of Ukraine and Moldova. I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve, learn, and teach. It's the best experience ever! It's true that missions are hard. We are constantly facing rejection and being put in uncomfortable situations but (i know you have heard this many times), growth doesn't occur in our comfort zones! We have weaknesses and they are given to us so that we may be humble (Ether 12:27). I love how President Ezra Taft Benson defined humility as the "acknowledged dependence on a higher power." He taught that the boldest and confident man can still be humble. That is true, just because we are humble doesn't mean we are shy or timid or insecure, it means that we realize we need to rely on our Savior for our strength. I love that because it's so true! Once we come to know our Savior, his character, and his pure doctrines through study, we are able to understand his power and his infinite love for us. That is where we gain confidence, not in ourselves, but in our Savior, Jesus Christ. (Alma 26:11-12)

So that's all for this week! LOVE YOU ALL and I hope you have a great week!

Love, 
Cectpa Daines

1. Sister Olson and I at the airport flying to Moldova!
2. night contacting at the lake by our apartment
3. our church building
4. our investigator Tanya! 
5. HELLO FROM CHISINAU! (pronounces Key-shin-no) 










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