All downhill from here (Actually from Feb. 3)

Another transer come and gone... and against all odds, Sister Walker and I are staying together! WOOHOO dreams do come true! We were expecting to get moved around for sure just becaus eof the ways things have been going and some hints that Presidnet Lochhead has been dropping... but no! Still going strong. And now that the long transfer is over (usually transfer periods are 6 weks, but this last winter transfer is 8) and the weather should be getting better soon, it's all going to be smooooooth sailing! Thank you to everyone who has kept me in your prayers - I'm feeling them from here!

Also I'd like to report on what might have been the most joyous moment of my mission, which happened yesterday. Wally passed us the sacrament :) He was so nervous because he hates having any sort of attention on him, but when he got to where we were sitting he just had to try so hard not to smile. I read Alma 26 and felt like Ammon:

 1 And now, these are the words of Ammon to his brethren, which say thus: My brothers and my brethren, behold I say unto you, how great reason have we to rejoice; for could we have supposed when we ^astarted from the land of Zarahemla that God would have granted unto us such great blessings?

 2 And now, I ask, what great blessings has he bestowed upon us? Can ye tell?

 3 Behold, I answer for you; for our brethren, the Lamanites, were in darkness, yea, even in the darkest abyss, but behold, how^amany of them are brought to behold the marvelous light of God! And this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have been made ^binstruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work.

 4 Behold, ^athousands of them do rejoice, and have been brought into the fold of God.

 5 Behold, the ^afield was ripe, and blessed are ye, for ye did thrust in the ^bsickle, and did reap with your might, yea, all the day long did ye labor; and behold the number of your ^csheaves! And they shall be gathered into the garners, that they are not wasted.

That's what I've experienced. The craziest part is that it isn't what I'd planned  at all... When they sent us here, everyone who we talked to in the MTC old us ot to expect much.

 24 For they said unto us: Do ye suppose that ye can bring the [Ukrainians] to the knowledge of the truth? Do ye suppose that ye can convince the [ukrainians] of the ^aincorrectness of the ^btraditionsof their fathers, as ^cstiffnecked a people as they are...

 26 But behold, my beloved brethren, we came into the wilderness not with the intent to destroy our brethren, but with the intent that perhaps we might save some few of their souls.

 27 Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to^aturn back, behold, the Lord ^bcomforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the [Ukrainians], and bear with ^cpatience thine^dafflictions, and I will give unto you success.

 28 And now behold, we have come, and been forth amongst them; and we have been patient in our sufferings, and we have suffered every privation; yea, we have traveled from house to house, relying upon the mercies of the world—not upon the mercies of the world alone but upon the mercies of God.

...

 30 And we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we supposed that our ^ajoy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some.

 31 Now behold, we can look forth and see the ^afruits of our labors; and are they few? I say unto you, Nay, they are ^bmany; yea, and we can witness of their sincerity, because of their love towards their brethren and also towards us.

...

 33 And now behold I say unto you, has there been so great love in all the land? Behold, I say unto you, Nay, there has not, even among the Nephites.

...

 35 Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all ^apower, ^ball wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a ^cmercifulBeing, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on his name.

 36 Now if this is ^aboasting, even so will I boast; for this is my life and my light, my joy and my salvation, and my redemption from everlasting wo. Yea, blessed is the name of my God, who has been mindful of this people, who are a ^bbranch of the tree of Israel, and has been ^clost from its body in a strange land; yea, I say, blessed be the name of my God, who has been mindful of us, ^dwanderers in a strange land.

Wale is now one of our best friends. I also got a call from Tamara last week - my first convert of Ukraine. It was the first time i talked to her since I left Makeevka, and it was SO incredible to feel the love she still had for me, and of course, that i still felt toward her. I could never have supposed when I left that I would experience such great things... But now I have not only experiences, but also people that I will treasure for th rest of eternity. My joy is full ;)

I bet when you opened this you were expecting to read an email, not the scriptures. Woops ;) Sorry, I just got carred away in my boasting..... ;)

Okay there's something. I think scripture jokes are funny now. Also in our spare time Sister Walker and I watch conference talks. Who am I?? haha. Never thought I  could be this person... But I am happy.

Thank you everyone, for everything. my prayers are always with you.

LOVE YOU!!

Sister Vilston

(A girl in our ward can NOT say or remember my name. Now every time she calls us - which is at least once a day by the way - I get, Good morning Sister Wilston!! hahaha. Okay, cool.)