letter #39 April 4

Family!
Hello from L'viv/ So thing are a little more normal now. It is officially I finally understand what Dad meant when he said Ukraine is like Romania. It really is! I am not even joking. I love it so much. The city is actually really big. I always that that is was little. Which is good and bad. It's rough because the whole area is ours. We are in charge of all of L'viv and all the celos (villages) by it. This week we went into our to a celo and I thought I was ion Romania again. There were men driving those little wooden wagons with horses pulling them, animals everywhere, stinky and dirty, but in the way that it warms your heart and makes you love the people and the place because it is familiar. Well it is also like Romania in the smell. remember that AWFUL smell that we always smelt in Romania and that if you smelt again you would instantly think of walking to the house in hatseg. Yup that's the smell here. Sure did miss that smell (wink wink) It still makes me gag every time I smell it. I at least know where it smells the worst and I just hold my breath and walk REALLY fast. Oh it's such a joy.

L'viv is getting green and I can't wait to be here when it is truly summer and it's green and beautiful. I love it so much. I think that I am going to buy a new camera because I really want pictures of this place and it has been broke fer 6 weeks now and I know I will be so sad if I don't have anymore pictures of my mission. I hope that's okay. You can get money out of my account from the credit union. It will probably be about 100-150 dollars. Sorry!

So did I tell you that I am on a fast track to learning this are because my companion is leaving soon. She is actually staying longer that she was going to because she was asked to by president. It was pretty much going to be a whitewash and I just lucked out and now it's not. She is ready to go which is a little rough because the area is just crumbling we don't really have any investies and don't really plan on making time to get any because she wants to see people before she leaves. It's a little rough but I love her and this are and I know that I will totally be able to do it, of course only with the Lord's help!

Dad those pictures were crazy I already know some of those members in the pictures! cool huh! I am a little nervous with getting to know the members. sister P is a native and can talk and help everyone and she teaches piano and I am just still fumbling in the language. I really gotta start studying better. i am so excited to be here in L'viv where they speak Ukrainian it is going to help my language so much.

Saturday we had a service project across all of Ukraine it was cool. The smells all reminded me of Romania. Waho to paint thinner! ha ha It was great. Well I am sorry this is not so great I love you all so much! I always want to write so much more and never find the time. If I get a new camera I will include pictures so you can L'viv!
Love you all
Sister Schmidt