Dear Family,
First of all, Happy Birthday to Lola! It seems like just the other day that I was there for her birth. There were lots of tears of joy--which she has certainly brought to all her family and all who know her.
Then on Sunday is little Dawson's 3rd birthday. He has been such a joy, too! He has such a loving little heart and is such a fun little guy!
Sunday, is also Brady's birthday. Wow! Carter is not even going to know him when he gets home! He is becoming such an outstanding young man who is one of the hardest workers I know. He is so helpful to anyone who needs his help, and puts his best effort in his school work, his church work, and his sports. Gpa George and I will have lots of celebrating to catch up on once we get home, for sure!
Sunday, is also Brady's birthday. Wow! Carter is not even going to know him when he gets home! He is becoming such an outstanding young man who is one of the hardest workers I know. He is so helpful to anyone who needs his help, and puts his best effort in his school work, his church work, and his sports. Gpa George and I will have lots of celebrating to catch up on once we get home, for sure!
This week, Gpa George has been so busy trying to finalize everything for the Europe East Area AAA Conference, which will be held Wednesday and Thursday of this week. I am trying to do all I can to help, but he definitely has the brunt of getting it all organized. I have been making Power Points, downloading pictures, portions of talks, and videos. In addition, the AAA's wife that is here in Moscow is helping me plan all the food for the two days. We don't have a refrigerator that isn't used by two floors in the Area Office, plus I don't have a car to get me to the store to pick up all the items--my granny cart certainly isn't going to be sufficient! Anyway, she and I are making many items and then I am having one of the young men who was baptized about a year ago help me out at the store and drive them over to the office--but then, he can't help me get them to the 9th floor because they won't allow him past the front door. Anyway, all of the joys of learning new ways in Russia! Hah!
On Friday, Gpa George and I, along with two other senior volunteers, attended The Pyatnitsky Russian Folk Choir Concert at the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall. This choir began in 1910 with 18 peasants. Today they number nearly 100 as they tour the world with their traditional Russian songs, dances, and musical instruments. The music was contagious as audience members identified the songs they had heard from their youth and clapped and sang along! Although we couldn't understand the words, the energy and excitement was felt for those two hours, which made for a wonderful evening!
We had been told about a wonderful bakery near the concert hall, which we just had to stop at.
Saturday was more work on the Conference, but we did it at home. Gpa George had gone to the dermatologist the day before and had some spots removed and had stitches, so he definitely needed a day to recuperate, so we just worked from home. The Russian dermatologist definitely reminded him that he hadn't used enough sun screen for the Florida weather. Sun screen??? What's that for Gpa? Sorry to say, he is definitely paying the price for it--a word to the wise for all!
Sunday was one of the best days of our mission!!! It started out pretty dismal. We got up at 6:00 a.m. and looked out--snowing again! But, we got ready, left by 7:00 a.m., boarded one bus, transferred to another, then got on the metro, transferred from one to another to another, then met the two young Elders on the platform and bought tickets for Ramenskoye--our new assignment to visit this branch at least once a month. By this time, we were frozen--through the vents on the Metro where it surfaces, little snowflakes were coming down on us--the train was packed and so we stood in between the cars while we jostled along. We were so uncomfortable, but just kept smiling as the two young Elders thought nothing of it! After 2 1/2 hours, we reached Ramenskoye.
Then we had about 1/3 mile walk through snow that was about 6 inches deep over the top of the old snow, and had to walk through a small forest, to finally get to the chapel.
By this time, my smile was not real--hah! How can we do this, I thought?! Oh, ye of little faith! I certainly learned about that even stronger! George got the mop and we started trying to clean up the floors inside while the young Elders shoveled snow outside so that members could get in. Then the three of them, Gpa George and the young Elders prepared the sacrament table. Finally, about 10 minutes to 10:00, the Branch President, his wife, and two daughters arrived. Everyone else got there on time or about 5 minutes afterward, which the Branch President addressed later that they were definitely going to start on time next week, and for everyone to be there!
Anyway, there ended up being 25 people in attendance--four of whom were us missionaries. The Branch President's wife played the piano and was an excellent player. Her daughter led the hymns. Since it was fast and testimony day, we really enjoyed hearing from about three women, but in the meantime, an elderly man had gone with his walker to the front even before the meeting started. The Elders were puzzled, but then we realized why. He wanted to bear his testimony. Well, after he went on and on for about 15 minutes and had been asked to sit down twice by the Branch President and his counselor, he finally sat down. During his testimony, he suddenly said he needed help and a woman in the audience came forward as he unclasped his cross around his neck. He said he was formerly Orthodox and wore this for all these years, but he didn't need that symbol anymore, so he took it off and laid it on the pulpit. Interesting! After Sacrament meeting, they had a combined Relief Society and Priesthood--since they only go for two hours. It was a great lesson given by the Counselor. Of course, we had to have everything the whole day translated because this is a Russian Branch. Then the Branch President, after the prayer said he wanted all the adults to stay because they needed to talk about a few things. That's when he said he wanted everyone to be on time and they planned a special get-together this coming Saturday for honoring the women since it's Women's Day and everyone has it off from Thursday through Sunday. That would be nice in America to have, don't you think? Anyway, the elderly man absolutely loved Gpa George and afterwards was giving him gifts, singing to him from a mike he pulled out of his coat, and showing him pictures of when he was in the Russian Military as a Captain for five years, and even attached one on his tie. George said, "How old do you think he is," to which the young elders just directly asked him. We were thinking in his late 80s. No, no, he answered them that he was 72 years old! Gpa George and I about fell off our chairs! Oh, my goodness!
Finally, getting to the great part. The Elders asked us to be in on the After-Baptism Lessons for the Branch President's two daughters who had just been baptized a short time before this--one was 9 and one was 13. The little 9-year-old was really chatty and answered all the questions, while the 13-year-old was very quiet, had her backpack on her lap and kept looking inside because she had her ipad in there. But, we started trying to involve her, too, by not embarrassing her, but asking about if she liked to read, which I already knew she did. We talked about how we encouraged our children to just read at least one verse a night from the Book of Mormon, then ask yourself what you learned. Then read another and another until you understand the message it is trying to give you. We re-iterated the promise that the Holy Ghost would bear witness of the truthfulness of its message more than just reading words on a page of an ordinary book. We finished after about an hour and the two young girls shook everyone's hands and then came over and gave me a hug. The older girl just hugged and hugged me and would hardly let go. I told her how special she was--I know she probably didn't even know that word, but I know she felt the love I had gained for her.
We then went to Olga's apartment by taxi--she is a widow, but doesn't seem that elderly. She had the most wonderful Sunday meal--and since we were all starving, it tasted even better. She was a fabulous cook! She had, also, invited a young couple who had two children, but they didn't bring them with them to the lunch. Her mother was watching them. Anyway, they had both been flight attendants for Aeroflot, and that's how they had met. He still works for them, but she has become a teacher of elementary schools children and was teaching them English. She had really good English and was so sweet. They were both really nice-looking people and just so kind. He is not a member, and the young Elders have been trying for the longest time to see if he was interested. Well, anyway, when Olga heard we were all coming, she had invited them, too, and indirectly we talked about gospel things without saying anything directly. Remember--in Russia, you can only teach in a church. But, we just got to know them and had the greatest time! He really wants to get better English because he flies to the U.S. about four times a month as the flight attendant, so we told him we would talk to him anytime he wants to! Anyway, while we were there, the young Elders got the couple to agree to talk to them the next day. We were so excited.
After they left to go home, the young Elders gave a spiritual thought and involved us in it. They were such wonderful young men who were so good to never leave us out, but continued to translate for us. Olga was so sweet--she said, "I can't probably go on a mission, but I want to help out anyway I can. I want to help grow the Branch here--even though she has a married daughter who lives in Moscow. She said, "But then I couldn't help where I am needed if I moved there. So, she works in the Primary--five kids in there--but they all love her as the young married girl told us--her kids are four and five-years-old. Plus, she feeds the missionaries whenever she can--and believe me that meant so much! She told us that having us there was like having angels visit! We felt so blessed for meeting that woman and seeing the wonderful testimony she had. She told of her conversion and the tears just rolled! It really touched our hearts! She said she was excited to have us come back--which we will definitely do!
By this time, we were on such a high. Who cared about all we had gone through to get there because we now knew why we had been called to this Branch.
As we started on our ride home, we didn't think the day could get any better when we were sitting on the metro and talking quietly about making sure we were on the right train, when a pretty woman in her 30s said, "Where are you from?" Gpa George said, "Florida!" He always says that because most people know where that is, plus he will never quit being from Florida. That is in his blood! She then told us she had worked in London for about a year and a half as a Public Relations Manager for some company. She was very pleasant and her husband and two of her four children were with her. The other two were with their "nanny," which definitely says they have money. Anyway, the more she talked and asked questions, she finally said, "Are you Mormons?" We couldn't believe it? We told her we were. She had met Mormons in London. When we had to exit the Metro for our next train, I said, "Oh, how I hope our paths will cross again!' She said, "That would be a blessing from God!"
We finally walked into our apartment at 9:00 p.m., after being gone 14 hours. We were exhausted and cold, but it was certainly the best day we have ever had in this five and a half months we have been here! It just made Gpa George and me so happy to feel that we could be a little part of helping others in the gospel--something that every person who comes here wishes they had more opportunities to do. We had so many people ask when we were coming to the Branch--we definitely will do all we can to visit there as often as we can. The Lord certainly blessed us with this calling!
Well, that's a wrap for the week. Sorry this was so long, but it brings tears to my eyes just writing about the experiences we had yesterday. It was so special.
We love you all so much!
Gma Laura
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