Thursday, June 13, 2013
A very nice surprise
I had the nicest surprise on my way home from the office today. There on the corner of Muravskaya and Piatnitzkaya was Alexander's van with all of our wonderful missionaries who are returning home tomorrow. They were there all together! I had the opportunity to visit with each one for a couple of minutes and there were hugs all around. Saying goodbye to this amazing young woman, Julene Jolley, and our wonderful elders (Elder Stegeby, Elder Starr, Elder Jones, Elder Raymond, Elder Law and Elder Kirkham) was bittersweet. I have gotten to know and love them over the past 15 months. Requests for new name tags or ordering new Book of Mormons, letting them know they had received a package from home or talking to them about their flight home and whether or not I should add de-worming pills to their departure packets (not THAT made for some interesting conversation)! They thanked Elder Sutton and I (remember, he is the one who put money on their MSF card every month) for everything we had done. Serving in the office is a joy. It is far more than sitting behind a desk all day. They have been such a blessing to US. We love them for their dedication and service and commitment here in the land of Russia, having put their education on hold for a season to serve the Lord. They are an inspiration and a wonderful example to us. They have done more for us than we have ever done for them. It has been said many times over that you learn to love those you serve. And we do love these young men and women dearly! We are looking forward to staying in touch with them through FB. and pray the Lord's blessings upon them as they return to their homes to pursue their education, get married, and embark on their careers. Yes, it really was the nicest surprise and happy ending to this day.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Unwelcome visitors
On June 9 our missionaries in Kakhovsky Branch had an unpleasant experience at the South Building during Sunday School when the adult Gospel Doctrine class was interrupted rudely by 12 Provaslanee missionaries (from the Russian Orthodox church) who came barging in, uninvited and unwelcome. The teacher stopped teaching and the 3 women and 9 men circled around the several members and started bombarding them with questions and being very confrontational. Our missionary elders, Elder Starr and Elder Kirkham, both of whom are going home this week, along with Elder Ben Sehnert, asked them to be quiet and listen or to leave. That didn't happen. They said they had been invited to come by God to call the sinners to repentance.
The elders recognized a few of these men from Voronezh, many hour's distance away. The missionaries were harassed there by them for close to a year. Now it appears that they are "making the rounds." It was learned that there is an MTC (so to speak) near the South Building where the Orthodox Church meets and upsetting the members of the Church was on their agenda for the day. Hmmmmm. It was only after over 2 1/2 hours that they finally left. No one was hurt, and the missionaries do get harassed from time to time, but it still made for an uncomfortable situation and is definitely not a good thing for the members of the church to deal with. Because the Church is still so new here in Russia and the Orthodox church was THE church here in Russia for a very long time, it can be disconcerting for members whose faith and knowledge may still be fragile.
Don't get me wrong. Everyone is invited to attend Church, no matter what your beliefs are and members of the Orthodox church are certainly welcome, as are Muslims, Jews, and anyone else of any denomination. However, it is also expected that they will be courteous and polite, as we would be if we were visiting them in their church. These Provaslanee missionaries were definitely out of line.
This behavior here in the Stake was the first of its kind to take place in church. However, there is every reason to believe that it will happen again.
The elders recognized a few of these men from Voronezh, many hour's distance away. The missionaries were harassed there by them for close to a year. Now it appears that they are "making the rounds." It was learned that there is an MTC (so to speak) near the South Building where the Orthodox Church meets and upsetting the members of the Church was on their agenda for the day. Hmmmmm. It was only after over 2 1/2 hours that they finally left. No one was hurt, and the missionaries do get harassed from time to time, but it still made for an uncomfortable situation and is definitely not a good thing for the members of the church to deal with. Because the Church is still so new here in Russia and the Orthodox church was THE church here in Russia for a very long time, it can be disconcerting for members whose faith and knowledge may still be fragile.
Don't get me wrong. Everyone is invited to attend Church, no matter what your beliefs are and members of the Orthodox church are certainly welcome, as are Muslims, Jews, and anyone else of any denomination. However, it is also expected that they will be courteous and polite, as we would be if we were visiting them in their church. These Provaslanee missionaries were definitely out of line.
This behavior here in the Stake was the first of its kind to take place in church. However, there is every reason to believe that it will happen again.
Monday, June 10, 2013
Little miracles in a vast country
Elder Michael Roberts shared an experience he and his companion Elder Dillon Brown had as they were traveling to three different cities to meet with some referrals and to attend a baptism. While they were on the metro, he asked a man standing next to him if he was interested in learning about the gospel. The man, named Demonte said yes and they exchanged phone numbers.. The conversation lasted only a couple of minutes as the missionaries were getting off at the next stop.
Later, Elder Roberts called Demonte and asked if he would like to meet with the missionaries, as they were visiting in his city of Kursk. Demonte said yes and they met at a little cafe. The missionaries learned that Demonte had been investigating different churches and had blonged to a Buddhist church for a while but stopped going because it didn't have what he was looking for. Later, he joined the Orthodox church after he married, because his wife insisted on it. He wasn't happy with that church either. After his divorce, he continued his search for a church. Demonte asked which church the missionaries belonged to and when they told him Mormon, he said, "I have heard of the Mormons. My friends daughter moved to Virginia where she joined the Church. Her brother Artyom visited his sister in the US and joined the Church too. He lives here in Kursk."
The missionaries know Artyom, who is the only member of the Church in Kursk. What are the chances of meeting a man on the metro, crowded with rush hour passengers, who is looking for truth who just happens to be friends with the father of a man who is the only member of the church in the town of Kursk?
He believed everything the missionaries taught him. He wants to learn more. The missionaries will continue going to this city a couple of times a month to meet with him. Elder Roberts has come to the end of his two years and will be heading home to UT later this week. Because of the connection he has with Demonte, he will stay in touch with him through Skyping.
Later, Elder Roberts called Demonte and asked if he would like to meet with the missionaries, as they were visiting in his city of Kursk. Demonte said yes and they met at a little cafe. The missionaries learned that Demonte had been investigating different churches and had blonged to a Buddhist church for a while but stopped going because it didn't have what he was looking for. Later, he joined the Orthodox church after he married, because his wife insisted on it. He wasn't happy with that church either. After his divorce, he continued his search for a church. Demonte asked which church the missionaries belonged to and when they told him Mormon, he said, "I have heard of the Mormons. My friends daughter moved to Virginia where she joined the Church. Her brother Artyom visited his sister in the US and joined the Church too. He lives here in Kursk."
The missionaries know Artyom, who is the only member of the Church in Kursk. What are the chances of meeting a man on the metro, crowded with rush hour passengers, who is looking for truth who just happens to be friends with the father of a man who is the only member of the church in the town of Kursk?
He believed everything the missionaries taught him. He wants to learn more. The missionaries will continue going to this city a couple of times a month to meet with him. Elder Roberts has come to the end of his two years and will be heading home to UT later this week. Because of the connection he has with Demonte, he will stay in touch with him through Skyping.
Friday, June 7, 2013
Saying good-bye
I can already tell you that I am not ready to say goodbye. There are so many changes going on with missionaries leaving and missionaries arriving.
It has been easy to get close to the other senior couples whom we have had the privilege of getting to know. They are all here because they love the Lord and want to serve His children here. We all serve in different ways as has been talked about before. From traveling around Russia as an auditor, working as a lawyer in Moscow for the Church, providing humanitarian services such as wheelchairs or visiting orphanages, serving in the office (area office or mission office), serving as medical advisors for sick or emotionally distressed missionaries, are only a few of the services provided. Missionary couples are invaluable as they serve in their little branches helping to strengthen the church which is still so new here in this part of the world (about 20 years old). They also provide great support for our young missionaries who are so far from home.
We met together on Thursday to honor our mission president and his dear wife, Stephen and Corinne Sorenson, as they are coming to the end of their 3 year mission here in Moscow. We have had the privilege of working closely with the Sorenson's as we have served in the mission office. Patient, loving, kind, wonderful sense of humor, strong love for the missionaries and for the Russian people are only touching the tip of the iceberg concerning their attributes.
We had a nice dinner with homemade salads and delicious carrot cake, President and Sister Sorenson spoke to us for a few minutes. There was a wonderful musical presentation in their honor written and sung by our talented Elder Bice as he put their life to words and music. There was a beautiful pencil drawing beautifully framed depicting the Savior that was drawn by our wonderful Elder David Cook (who recently went home with his equally wonderful wife Becky), a lovely table runner beautifully made of Russian material and quilted by Sister Donna Jones and Sister Sheryl Storm. The final gift was from ALL the missionaries. I started asking months ago for missionaries to send in their letters of love for Pres. and Sister Sorenson. They were collected over the past few months and a dear young member offered to use her talents in scrapbooking and put them along with pictures in a book of memories for them. It was very lovely and many of the Russia Moscow Mission missionaries participated in this lovely gift for them.
I'm trying not to think that they will be leaving the end of June back home to Salt Lake City. We will welcome our new president and his wife, President Garry and Sister Borders with joy, but how we will miss President Sorenson's soft spoken sense of humor, his love for the missionaries. Some of the missionaries have referred to him as a gentle giant and it fits. Sister Sorenson has been by his side as they have traveled all over this vast mission (spanning the size of the US). She has taken care of the missionaries, fed them in her home, greeted them and loved them as part of a large extended family, has loved them as a mother for her child. Will I miss them? Terribly. I tear up as I think of them leaving. And yet, their service here is coming to an end and it is time for a well-deserved rest. Being a mission president is one of the busiest callings in the great Church of ours.
I'm not ready to say goodbye yet. Maybe I never will be.
It has been easy to get close to the other senior couples whom we have had the privilege of getting to know. They are all here because they love the Lord and want to serve His children here. We all serve in different ways as has been talked about before. From traveling around Russia as an auditor, working as a lawyer in Moscow for the Church, providing humanitarian services such as wheelchairs or visiting orphanages, serving in the office (area office or mission office), serving as medical advisors for sick or emotionally distressed missionaries, are only a few of the services provided. Missionary couples are invaluable as they serve in their little branches helping to strengthen the church which is still so new here in this part of the world (about 20 years old). They also provide great support for our young missionaries who are so far from home.
We met together on Thursday to honor our mission president and his dear wife, Stephen and Corinne Sorenson, as they are coming to the end of their 3 year mission here in Moscow. We have had the privilege of working closely with the Sorenson's as we have served in the mission office. Patient, loving, kind, wonderful sense of humor, strong love for the missionaries and for the Russian people are only touching the tip of the iceberg concerning their attributes.
We had a nice dinner with homemade salads and delicious carrot cake, President and Sister Sorenson spoke to us for a few minutes. There was a wonderful musical presentation in their honor written and sung by our talented Elder Bice as he put their life to words and music. There was a beautiful pencil drawing beautifully framed depicting the Savior that was drawn by our wonderful Elder David Cook (who recently went home with his equally wonderful wife Becky), a lovely table runner beautifully made of Russian material and quilted by Sister Donna Jones and Sister Sheryl Storm. The final gift was from ALL the missionaries. I started asking months ago for missionaries to send in their letters of love for Pres. and Sister Sorenson. They were collected over the past few months and a dear young member offered to use her talents in scrapbooking and put them along with pictures in a book of memories for them. It was very lovely and many of the Russia Moscow Mission missionaries participated in this lovely gift for them.
I'm trying not to think that they will be leaving the end of June back home to Salt Lake City. We will welcome our new president and his wife, President Garry and Sister Borders with joy, but how we will miss President Sorenson's soft spoken sense of humor, his love for the missionaries. Some of the missionaries have referred to him as a gentle giant and it fits. Sister Sorenson has been by his side as they have traveled all over this vast mission (spanning the size of the US). She has taken care of the missionaries, fed them in her home, greeted them and loved them as part of a large extended family, has loved them as a mother for her child. Will I miss them? Terribly. I tear up as I think of them leaving. And yet, their service here is coming to an end and it is time for a well-deserved rest. Being a mission president is one of the busiest callings in the great Church of ours.
I'm not ready to say goodbye yet. Maybe I never will be.
Hospitals
How blessed we are to have good medical care back in the States. Here in Moscow, the medical care is pretty good. Dr. S. the missionary over the European area, says that the hospitals in some of the outlying cities look like something you would see in a 1950's movie and that they are about 35 years behind here in Moscow. It isn't because the doctors aren't smart. It has to do with training. Can you imagine staying in the hospital for over a month with a broken leg? Recently we learned of a young woman who had taken a bad fall last winter and waited on the snowy street for a couple of hours before the ambulance came. Then once she was in the hospital, she was on a gurney in the hall for a couple of days before she was properly tended to. Then her stay ended up to be weeks.
In the outlying cities, a hospital stay is MUCH different. A patient must supply their own toilet paper, meals (unless you want cream of wheat three times a day) and bedding. There just isn't the money for these hospitals to furnish these basics.
We notice that here in Moscow that hospital stays tend to be much longer than back home. (Elder G was hospitalized for 5 days for kidney stones) He finally signed himself out.
SO grateful for good medical care and good training.
In the outlying cities, a hospital stay is MUCH different. A patient must supply their own toilet paper, meals (unless you want cream of wheat three times a day) and bedding. There just isn't the money for these hospitals to furnish these basics.
We notice that here in Moscow that hospital stays tend to be much longer than back home. (Elder G was hospitalized for 5 days for kidney stones) He finally signed himself out.
SO grateful for good medical care and good training.
The way men and boys dress
I have a lot of time to observe people as we sit on the metro. It is generally quite entertaining and time goes by quickly. I have NEVER observed the fashion seen all too often back in the states of the droopy pants that show the underwear and make the men/boys look like penguins as they waddle around with their pants down almost to their knees. I have always found that offensive. I have NEVER observed that here or anything close to it. I see a lot of jeans and t-shirts, suits and ties. I also see that the men and boys are not afraid of color. It's not uncommon to see a guy wearing a bright red pair of pants (that fit) or brightly colored sneakers or shoes. The other day on the metro, a young man in shorts and shirt was wearing these bright cranberry colored loafer-type shoes that appeared to be of a velour material and tassels. Something I would see a woman wear. They really looked out of place to me.(especially with shorts) I've also seen a lot of pointed dress shoes. Is that popular now back in the States? I'm wondering if the bright loafers are a new trend as I saw another young man wearing bright blue loafers. Just interesting.
Vinegar
A couple of weeks ago two of our sister missionaries ended up in the ICU at the hospital after ingesting less than a teaspoon of vinegar. How could that happen? Well, here in Russia vinegar comes in different strengths. What they took was close to 80% instead of the 3 or 6% in the States. There had been concern that it had burned through the esophagus but luckily, it didn't and they are now as good as new. I'm not sure at all why they have vinegar here that is so powerful that it can kill, but they do and it does. It is a miracle these sweet young women are ok. The reason they took it in the first place was that they were told that ingesting a small amount of vinegar would keep the mosquitos away.
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