What's for breakfast?

With America's current interest in international and specialty foods, you might wonder what gourmet foods to expect here. In reality, Russians seem more sensible. Let's start with breakfast. GRAINS are their mainstay. Yes, they love other foods, but they have survived on whole grain cereals. They call it porridge or "kasha."

BUCKWHEAT
We see a variety of cereals here, such as oats, rice, and mixed grains. However, most importantly, Russians eat gretchka. гречиха or buckwheat is prepared like rice and served for breakfast, lunch or dinner. (It's the flour in America's buckwheat pancakes or Japan's soba noodles.)

A popular missionary breakfast is Super Gretchka: Scrambled eggs, fried potatoes, and sausage or kil' ba-sa, mixed all together with cooked gretchka. Really filling and healthy.

MILLET
Another common cereal here is millet. One Russian sister says, "During the 90's when the shops were empty we ate it," but she thinks it's less popular now. Once we were served millet cereal for breakfast and we really liked it. You cook it like any hot cereal, but stir in milk and a very little sugar at the last. You serve it with butter--no milk.

The fruit picture is cute, but when we showed it to our Russian sister she just chuckled. it may be Russian but it's not typical.




















(pictures from purcell mountain farms; thisfoodthing.com; healthhomehappy.com; FB note.php...75009733)

Holidays in Russia

Missionary families are fixed on Holidays, and Halloween is no exception. Elder Taylor (SLC)received Halloween toys and candies well in advance of Halloween.
The holiday is not common in Russia, but Elvira, our sedate, lady-like office expert, understands the ins and outs of Trick or Treating.

Russian Steam Bath

Our Office kitchen looks innocent enough, with the little steam-heat radiator under the window. Yesterday, however, we arrived to find a window blown wide open and 18 degree f. outside temperatures were inside. We closed the window and turned on the oven to begin warming the icy room.

In less than an hour, someone found the kitchen floor FLOODING furiously. The tidy little radiator was spewing hot water with the force of a strong garden house. It was impossible to get at the leak so we organized a sloppy sort of bucket brigade. Lots of mopping, raised voices, and frantic emptying of heavy basins. (Nothing like the buttoned up look in the previous post!) The whole room was a steam bath!

Two men from Public Works arrived, couldn't turn it off, and left. Before long, the entire building had the hot water shut off and the flooding finally stopped. Our PW men returned with a new radiator, attached it, the water came back on, we dried out everything, and we're back to business as usual.

Group Photos

Zone Conferences and District Meetings lend themselves to taking pictures.  Our mission has five zones:  Chelyabinsk, Perm, Siberia, Ufa and Yekaterinburg.  We're in Yekat.  New members have the best chance if they have a large church branch to meet with, so we work in the centers of population. 

Freedom to Worship

We're laboring in a country that had atheism forced on its citizens for most of our lifetimes.

This week Valari told us a Bible couldn't be obtained during Soviet times. "I wanted to look at a Bible at the Library in our city, just 3 kilometers from here, and I had to go to many offices and wait in line and get seven signs (signatures) from government officials. I told them I wanted to see that it was bad," he said with a little laugh.

It adds to our appreciation of this talk by Elder Dallin Oaks, outlining threats to religious freedom today.

Fathers and Sons

For they remembered the words which their father . . . spake unto them. Hel. 5:5

Elders love their moms; they appreciate the letters, the packages. But they quote their dads.
For instance:

Elder V. (SLC)
"When I was coming on my mission my Dad told me, 'I don't know much about religion, but I do know people. If you're trying to convince a man to buy a bigger and better house, you don't do it by tearing down his old one.' "(His dad is in real estate.)

Elder S. (NJ)
"After I got transferred to the Office my Dad emailed: 'When your mom and I joined the Church 20 years ago we made an unspoken agreement to accept any calling and to do it the best we can.' " (Working in the Office is not every missionary's first choice.)

Elder T. (Provo)

"My Dad says, 'Don't do things that are stupid.'  He said if a person does the same behavior over and over again and expects a different result, then that's stupid."

Elder R. (TX)
"Since I'm going home in a week, my mom and my sisters emailed, 'Oh, we can't wait! We're making plans!' But my Dad, whose not a member, wrote, 'You only have a week left, but if you concentrate and keep working you might still touch someone's life.' "

Elder B. (Provo)
"When I told him I was feeling overwhelmed--I was still pretty new and Branch President and trying to learn the language and had a near-greenie companion--he said look up Jeremiah 12:5 'If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses?' "

(Photo, USA Today.)

Fall

Can you see this man's birch broom? They're standard here. Last of the leaves are falling.

Speaking Our Language

We like "talking" to children because our language skills are similar. Deniel thinks Dyedushka (Grandpa) McEvoy is a crack up.

Patriot

On a holiday last week, this guy rode by flying a Russian flag. He gave us a big smile when he saw our thumbs up.

New Assignments

Here's our former crew in the Office--until Elder Shreeve was transfered. Great missionaries!! l-r, Elders Shreeve (AZ, Ass't.), Campbell (NJ, travel), Anderson (Sacramento CA, membership), Krogue (Alpine UT, Ass't.).

Visiting in Elmash

It was dusk when we arrived at the apartment of this dear mom and her three sons. They're members of our branch so we visited with the missionaries and our branch president and taught about the priesthood. President Prihodka brought a sack of apples from his dacha for them.

Sunday Dinner

Elena and Zina came to dinner last week. Elena refused to let the missionaries teach her grown daughter. In fact, she wouldn't let them in. They had to stay outside her door in the podiez, (the stairwell) and sit on the floor on spread out newspapers so she could have lessons. Elena herself finally listened and joined the Church one year ago. ( with Elders Brown and Sare)

Recycle

Every dom building has a lineup of dumpsters for household trash. It's not uncommon to see people help themselves from the dumpsters. It's standard to recycle by placing furniture or clothing or food near the dumpsters where others can pick them up. The weather is turning cold, and someone has left coats.

General Conference

We watched the morning sessions of Conference--from 10:00 to 12:00 at night! The others we have gotten via recordings. Sessions translated into Russian will be played on upcoming Sundays at the local branches.

Julia's Baptism

Yulia turned eight and was baptized last week by her home teacher, Yuri. Members of the Branch came to support her. Sister Druskova, the Primary President brought roses; President Prihodka came to preside; her mother and her babushka and some of her brothers and sisters came, too.

Wearing a tiara, she passed out chocolates to everyone who came. Still some leaves on the trees on this beautiful fall day.

Reinforcements!!

Sound a cavalry charge! Nine new missionaries!! After watching so many of our Wonderful missionaries get released, it's a huge boost to have this contingent arrive early this morning from the MTC.

Welcome to:

[front row] Elders Gillming (Yuba City, CA), Cutler (Draper, UT), Sister Mezinets (Ukraine), Elder Steiner (Sandy); [back] Elders Stanley (N.Ogden,UT), Haag (Bountiful UT), Smith (Spokane, WA), Cooper (St. George, UT), and Heuer ( Highland, UT).








(Paperwork for 2nd passport; meeting companions/trainers)

Moroni

"I, Moroni . . . exhort you to come unto Christ. . . .
Yea, come unto Christ,and be perfected in him."

Everyone here has been celebrating the placement of the Angel Moroni statue on the Kiev Temple spire last week. It's all over FB.

Actually, Yekaterinburg may remain in the Helsinki Temple District, but the Kiev Temple is still a great blessing. For example, one member who is not permitted to leave Russia because of a debt, should be free to go to Ukraine.

One Week - Part 7

Sunday after Church Luda and Luba came home with us for dinner. Such wonderful ladies. Lubov taught English during Soviet times. When we asked how things had changed she said, "Everything is changed for the better." Because she's Jewish, she wasn't allowed to enter the university she wanted, despite her excellent grades.

One Week - Part 6

Accompanying the Elders to meetings with Valdimir and Tatiana is always a pleasure, in part because she's such a great cook. This week we had borscht, potato pie, and compote--a tasty drink from simmered berries or fruit.

She feeds the missionaries all the time. Vladimir, a boxing coach, asks thoughtful questions at the meetings.

Thanks to Elders Stewart and Anderson for taking us along and for translation.

One Week - Part 5

Our P-Day began at the "pochta." One can expect to take two or more hours to mail a package --by the time you wait in lines, fill out forms, wait for items to be inspected and individually weighed. We got through quickly, thanks to Elders Stewart and Rosel.

Afterward we wandered through a street fair where locals stocked up for winter. We bought great baked goods and encountered everything from a chance sighting of Governor Roesel to a demonstration of Russia's version of the "Ginzu" knife.

We finished up the afternoon checking in on the Elders' soccer game with new members and investigators.

One Week - Part 4

Culture Day at the Russian History Museum with the Zone made for a nice change of pace. The missionaries don't do this often.

Our hostess was Sister Karnivolova from the local Branch so it was fun for the missionaries to interact with her. Sister Read (San Diego) played the piano using a 100 year old music book; Elder Stewart (NJ) did magic tricks.

We especially like the cast-iron fireplace, made at Kasli. We finished up sitting at tables and learning Russian ettiquette.

One Week - Part 3

Zone Conference every transfer (six weeks) brings all the Yekat city Missionaries to the Office for meetings most of the day. They also pick up mail and supplies.

Here, Elder Sare (Rexburg ID) reads a letter at the mailroom door; Elders Brown, Sare, Anderson, Shreeve and Taylor help set up for the chicken and mashed potatoes that will make up Zone Conference lunch. Elder Anderson pours Kool-Aid, a precious commodity from home!

The Zone Leaders plan the menu and arrange the food, and we couples help where we can.

One Week - Part 2

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we take a bus to the City Center to go to English Club at "Rosie." The Church rents the third floor of a building for meetings, and members call it after the street name, "Rosie Luxembourg."

Because traffic was at a standstill, we got off the bus and started walking.




Here are some of the things we passed:
These fine old pre-Revolution buildings; a noisy firetruck; flowers in popular curving patterns at the foot of one of many statues.

One Week - Part I

Although we spend most of each day at our desks, we do get out and about, and these are some of the things we see.

We often pass these twins in the morning as we walk to the office. We say "priviet" and their mother whispers to them to say "bye bye" to us.

All season little babushka's and others set themselves up to sell things on busy sidewalks. Anyone can do it. Garden produce is big right now, including end of the season flowers. Mushrooms from the forest have been popular, too.

This tram track re-do may not seem like much, but they began pulling up track the first of the week, and the tram was running on new track by Saturday! (We ride this tram, and cross the tracks for groceries.)

Of course, we try to make contacts as we travel on the buses and interact with people, but those are not exactly Kodak moments. : )

Petergof and the Hermitage

Amazing. During our visa trip we had a long layover in St. Petersburg. Russia takes justifiable pride in these magnificent national spots. Thanks to Elder Sergeev and his friend Alexey for being our tour guides for two days!
Hermitage Museum
Petergof Palace and Grounds

Pouch update

The mail POUCH is still in business!
See our NOTE on July 2oth.

A Village

On Saturday Oleg and Vasilyna drove us to their family house in the village half an hour out of town where we helped harvest the potatoes. "This will be one of the last warm days," she told us. We were glad to work under cool gray skies.

Afterwards we ate watermelon, and then they put wood on the fire in the banya for us to use. SO relaxing.

Popular banyas (suanas) sometimes appear to be nicer than the house they come with. "It's the only way Russians had to clean themselves," one sister told us. Public bath house are also available.

It's understood that these older homes, although charming, lack conveniences such as indoor plumbing. In many cases, they'll have a well, with better drinking water than the city's. A few such homes get torn down and replaced by large, brick ones like the one you get a glimpse of to the left.

Beginnings

How can the Church be established out of nowhere in a new country? It's humbling to realize how it happens. Some Brethren are called to have "first contact." Here's a story from Elder Nelson from December 1991 Ensign, while he had a "first contact" assignment to Eastern European countries.

"Another [Russian] woman temporarily left Leningrad to find the Church in a miraculous manner. This beautiful young mother named Svetlana had importuned the Lord in prayer to make it possible for her to obtain a Bible written in the Russian language. Such a Bible is rare, precious, and very expensive. In the fall of 1989, she and her husband and their young child went to Helsinki in quest for a Bible. While walking through a park in Helsinki, she stepped upon an object hidden beneath the ground cover of autumn leaves. She picked it up and found it to be the answer to her prayers. It was a Bible written in the Russian language.

"So excited was she that she joyfully recounted the story of this great discovery to another mother who was also in the park with her youngster. The second mother then replied to Svetlana, “Would you like to have another book about Jesus Christ, also written in the Russian language?” Svetlana, of course, answered in the affirmative. The other mother then provided Svetlana with a Russian copy of the Book of Mormon and invited her to church. This other mother was Raija Kemppainen, wife of Jussi Kemppainen, then president of the Baltic District of the Finland Helsinki Mission. Shortly thereafter, Svetlana joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and returned with her family to Leningrad."
[Brother Kemppainen is the man we visited with in Helsinki, who we posted about below; Raija K. in photo]

Temples

Elder Neuenschwander tells about the influence of Temples in Eastern Europe. He writes:

"The most important advancement for the Church in Eastern Europe during these years was the dedication of a temple in the German Democratic Republic. By 1978, the government of the DDR had decided to no longer extend visas to Latter-day Saints seeking to attend the temple in Switzerland. The Church explored every option but could make no progress with the government. The members began to fast and pray for divine help.

"Then one day as Elder Thomas S. Monson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles met with government leaders, they proposed a simple solution: Why not build a temple here in the DDR? A parcel of land was purchased in Freiberg, and construction began in 1983. The temple was dedicated two years later, on 29 June 1985.

"Certainly, the influence of the temple seemed to permeate the German Democratic Republic, softening hearts and helping prepare the way for the dramatic changes that took place all over Eastern Europe at the end of the 1980s. The influence of the Church’s temples continues to be profound on all these nations."

(Frankfurt Temple above; Elder Bagmet checks up on Kiev Temple construction during his visa trip
home to Kiev, Ukraine, last week. We LOVE our Ukrainian Elders!)