Ivano-Frankivs'k Week 9!~ February 24, 2014

Just wanted to start out by saying that we are safe! I am so grateful for your prayers on behalf of the missionaries and the people of Ukraine. I have personally felt them. Things are being watched very closely by church leaders and plans have been made for circumstances that would endanger our safety.

That being said I have had an interesting week here in Ivano. The family that we have been working with is going to move to Poland sometime soon. We have a lesson with them tonight and hopefully they will be able to tell us exactly when. It's been somewhat hard because we can see the potential that they have, and the blessings that they can and will receive if they will but fully accept the Gospel. We don't know if we will have enough time to prepare them fully before they leave.

Sometimes as a missionary it can be so hard to not be able to do anything. We can talk to them until we are blue in the face, but unless they act upon what they then know it does them no good. Then you have to realize that they have their own agency, just like I have mine. In the church you can't just like the ideas and have that be it. You must act upon that knowledge! Remember "faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone."(James 2:17) For "ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world." (Alma 34:34)
This is the time for us to prepare to meet out God! We have been given this opportunity and we cannot waist it! Because if we do we will be held accountable at the last day. And those of us who know that this and have found the truth are given the charge "to take the Gospel to all the world."
The next time you listen to the words of the song 'We'll Bring the World His Truth (Army of Helaman)' think about and truely ponder the words.

We have been born, as Nephi of old,
To goodly parents who love the Lord.
We have been taught, and we understand,
That we must do as the Lord commands.

We are as the army of Helaman.
We have been taught in our youth.
And we will be the Lord's missionaries
To bring the world his truth.
We have been saved for these latter days
To build the kingdom in righteous ways.
We hear the words our prophet declares:
"Let each who's worthy go forth and share."

We are as the army of Helaman.
We have been taught in our youth.
And we will be the Lord's missionaries
To bring the world his truth.

We know his plan, and we will prepare,
Increase our knowledge through study and prayer.
Daily we'll learn until we are called
To take the gospel to all the world.

We are as the army of Helaman.
We have been taught in our youth.
And we will be the Lord's missionaries
To bring the world his truth.

З Любовю,

Сестра Граф