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.