Missionaries of the
Chelyabinsk Zone
cute couple
here we go
Thursday, June 21, 2012
The Helsinki TempleWednesday, June 20, 2012
Tender Mercies for Elder Meng
When we got here Elder Meng was using an I pod to carry around well two weeks in and he put it in a front pocket of his white shirt. Wrong thing to do because it was lifted. Well today is his Birthday and guess what He got his replacement in the mail from the Mission home. What a great birthday gift. We are never far away from the love of others and from our Heavenly Father.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
His Love for all
This week has had some real highs and lows emotionally I am completely drained. We went to a Zone conference with two Zones included Ufa and Chely we got to go on a train. It was my first train ride really super fun we got a room with the upper and lower bunks. Since we are seniors we got our own room the Elders had to share and being in a tight room with four of them some times got a little tight with boy smell. Lucky Richard is past that age! We had to get up at 3:00 am to get to the train. We did catch a few hours of sleep on the train not too bad cause we figured we would get a goodnight sleep at the other Senior couples place in Ufa where we had the conference. We got in and had a great visit with the other couple and then had interviews with President Rust. Then we went out to Dinner WOW we haven't been Out to Eat in Chely cause no one know of a good restaurant here and we have not found one. Our town is very Detroit like very industrial. Americans were not even allowed into the city till 2000 too many spies that would see their plants I guess so it is not a tourist destination not even for Russians so eating out is pretty foreign here. Any way sorry to get embellishing too much. Needless to say the food was really good for a change. This restaurant was just across the street from their church house Another WOW they have an actual church house very small and the chapel doubles as a cultural hall but a church house still the same. The restaurant was also going to cater the meal for the next all day conference. Then we walked to their apartment I am still impressed in our little apartment the Elders found for us sparsely decorated but it is the nicest I have seen. They said they had to paint the kitchen when they first got there cause it was pepto pink they have a lot of supplies because they followed another couple pretty much all you buy fr the apt. you leave cause it is just too much to take home and you probably have a better one at home anyway that I was jealous of. They had a toaster! a lot of serving stuff. and spices towels and hot pads things I can't seem to buy just am learning to do with out. We were so tired from the trip I went in to lay down and they Richard came in all of a sudden I heard what I thought was laughter but was not it was crying of the most terrible kind. Richards phone went off It was the mission pres. He was on his way over the other senior couple son who lived in Alabama was riding his bike to work and was hit from behind and killed instantly. He leaves a wife and three small children.
The couple has only been out a year and his mom Her step dad and her Mom have passed away during this time they went home once for her mom's funeral and now this. Miracles do happen the Lord knows our needs Ufa is quite a ways away from the mission headquarters, Pres. had to fly in to the conference, he was there because of the conference and was able to get them a flight home, this was around 11:00 our time at night SLC time 11:00 in the morning, at 6:30 that morning our time. They had to leave the apt at 4:30 to catch the flight. We were also with them They did not have to bear this burden alone in a strange land. They were not left comfortless. I cannot imagine the couples pain and I never want to experience it but What I witness was not pretty she could hardly stay conscious and her cries was almost more than all of us could bear. They stated that they probably would not be back so it gave us three hours to pack them up and sort through all their stuff. Now this was also hampered by the fact you have four suitcases of 44 lbs each and two carry on bags no more. The President, Richard, and The senior Elder gave his wife a blessing then the two gave him a blessing. They were able to compose themselves enough to pack, the mission presidents wife and I follow her lead and did all the running around ( she was a pretty picky packer not like me just throw it in person). The President worked on travel arrangements with SlC and the area authority in Moscow. This couple was also to live on a Visa trip but they were headed to the Kiv temple so another miracle they had in there possession both of their passports which just does not happen unless you go to Kiv and that is only at special occasions which they had arranged a couple of months ago. This also a must when you leave Russia and do not plan on coming back. Well we packed them up they had time to shower and even 10 minutes before the Zone leaders, Those wonderful boys who come on missions here to be made men in a hurry, came with a taxi to pick them up and take them to the airport. The President had called them explained the situation gave them the opportunity to serve their senior couple. We later found out that they, having our zone leaders staying with them, had all knelt down in a circle and all four of them took turns saying prayer for this couple. Then they had come to collect the couple not knowing how or what to do to comfort them but relying on faith came for them at 4;15. WE HAD THEM PACKED AND WEIGHED AND WAITING FOR THEM! The six of us knelt in prayer once again asking for peace and endurance for them cause they now face a 16 hour flight through Moscow to NYC then to Alabama. Their son's branch president would pick them up and an hour car ride to his home. Miracle, they would probably get there faster this night than if they were in SLC when they had gotten the word. Sleep was not had among many of us who had come to the conference which was to begin at 8:00 that next morning. Richard and I got about 1 1/2 hrs sleep before we had to shower and go. The conference was on obedience and families and how to approach families with the gospel. Then we had testimonies. We all cried for the Senior couple and testified of how important our own families were to us and what a great example they are to us or had helped us learn the gospel. Then a Russian Elder got up and said how much he loved his family but they would not join the church and he was so sad that he would not belong to an eternal family my goodness how much can my heart take in 48 hrs. he sat down and just cried. I could not leave him alone in a chair crying so I took a chair sat beside him and put my arms around him and held him for the rest of the testimonies. As you can probably guess there was not many who did not stop and count their blessings. All this on a hour and a half of sleep. WE got back on the train at 8:30 that night and I think R Meng and I were a sleep at 8:35 and we arrived home at 6:30 our time in the morning. It is now 3:30 in the afternoon. I had to write this all down now cause I do not want to relive it again later, but I do want to write it down. I know That God lives and He loves each and every one of us. He will not leave us in our hour of need alone. He will always put someone in our path to help us threw it some time it will be us who need comfort and sometime if we are lucky we will get to be His arms. He didn't say it would be easy He just said it would be worth it.
The couple has only been out a year and his mom Her step dad and her Mom have passed away during this time they went home once for her mom's funeral and now this. Miracles do happen the Lord knows our needs Ufa is quite a ways away from the mission headquarters, Pres. had to fly in to the conference, he was there because of the conference and was able to get them a flight home, this was around 11:00 our time at night SLC time 11:00 in the morning, at 6:30 that morning our time. They had to leave the apt at 4:30 to catch the flight. We were also with them They did not have to bear this burden alone in a strange land. They were not left comfortless. I cannot imagine the couples pain and I never want to experience it but What I witness was not pretty she could hardly stay conscious and her cries was almost more than all of us could bear. They stated that they probably would not be back so it gave us three hours to pack them up and sort through all their stuff. Now this was also hampered by the fact you have four suitcases of 44 lbs each and two carry on bags no more. The President, Richard, and The senior Elder gave his wife a blessing then the two gave him a blessing. They were able to compose themselves enough to pack, the mission presidents wife and I follow her lead and did all the running around ( she was a pretty picky packer not like me just throw it in person). The President worked on travel arrangements with SlC and the area authority in Moscow. This couple was also to live on a Visa trip but they were headed to the Kiv temple so another miracle they had in there possession both of their passports which just does not happen unless you go to Kiv and that is only at special occasions which they had arranged a couple of months ago. This also a must when you leave Russia and do not plan on coming back. Well we packed them up they had time to shower and even 10 minutes before the Zone leaders, Those wonderful boys who come on missions here to be made men in a hurry, came with a taxi to pick them up and take them to the airport. The President had called them explained the situation gave them the opportunity to serve their senior couple. We later found out that they, having our zone leaders staying with them, had all knelt down in a circle and all four of them took turns saying prayer for this couple. Then they had come to collect the couple not knowing how or what to do to comfort them but relying on faith came for them at 4;15. WE HAD THEM PACKED AND WEIGHED AND WAITING FOR THEM! The six of us knelt in prayer once again asking for peace and endurance for them cause they now face a 16 hour flight through Moscow to NYC then to Alabama. Their son's branch president would pick them up and an hour car ride to his home. Miracle, they would probably get there faster this night than if they were in SLC when they had gotten the word. Sleep was not had among many of us who had come to the conference which was to begin at 8:00 that next morning. Richard and I got about 1 1/2 hrs sleep before we had to shower and go. The conference was on obedience and families and how to approach families with the gospel. Then we had testimonies. We all cried for the Senior couple and testified of how important our own families were to us and what a great example they are to us or had helped us learn the gospel. Then a Russian Elder got up and said how much he loved his family but they would not join the church and he was so sad that he would not belong to an eternal family my goodness how much can my heart take in 48 hrs. he sat down and just cried. I could not leave him alone in a chair crying so I took a chair sat beside him and put my arms around him and held him for the rest of the testimonies. As you can probably guess there was not many who did not stop and count their blessings. All this on a hour and a half of sleep. WE got back on the train at 8:30 that night and I think R Meng and I were a sleep at 8:35 and we arrived home at 6:30 our time in the morning. It is now 3:30 in the afternoon. I had to write this all down now cause I do not want to relive it again later, but I do want to write it down. I know That God lives and He loves each and every one of us. He will not leave us in our hour of need alone. He will always put someone in our path to help us threw it some time it will be us who need comfort and sometime if we are lucky we will get to be His arms. He didn't say it would be easy He just said it would be worth it.
Monday, June 11, 2012
Sunday
Friends and family Richard writes so faithfully I never seem to
have much to add but maybe I will share a letter I wrote to my sister as she
asked if we would speak English at the family home evening group on Tuesday, here is the reply: No one seems to speak English, the advice of, oh everyone speaks
English was not true. Pres. Rust and his wife were at church yesterday
and he spoke in church you can’t imagine what a thrill it was to actually
listen to a gospel talk that I could understand. My translator receivers
did not work so I understood nothing else during the whole 3 hr. block. I
figure I have only missed about 20 time of church for 63 yrs so I probably have
heard most of what is being said at some point so if I don’t understand
anything for 18 months here, I probably will be okay. Three weeks ago I met with
the Primary leaders and through the missionaries I explained how opening
exercise should go as they were just giving a another lesson. I also asked if
they had a child size podium and they did not know what that was. Then Saturday
we went to the lady’s house that was to teach the youngest group of kids and I
showed her some handouts for her lesson and taught her the song Jesus loves the
little children that goes with her next lesson she was excited to get the stuff.
Sunday I went into primary for her lesson and to help. Guess what they
had in the room a podium the branch President and his counselor had made a small
podium and painted it white, I cried. The ladies lesson went soo good the
kids got so excited for the handout she had made and the coloring pages and
when she talked about the Christ putting the children on his knees (I figured this out cause she was pointing to a picture of Christ with the children) and holding
them, she started to cry with emotion and there was such a sweet spirit in the room.
Then for the opening exercise Sister Rust came in (the mission presidents wife)
with me and they had an opening song a prayer, a scripture read by a child, a
talk and a little more singing and then the sharing time. They had taken all I
had said with exactness. The mission president wife said it was the best
organized primary in the mission. She wants them to give a demonstration at the
next conference. I am amazed at how small things are trilling me. To walk
in the room and see that white podium, maybe we are suppose to be here and maybe
I can make a difference even if it is small. Some days are very long and
we seat in the apt with not much to do but read so we wonder about being here
but then we ride on funny buses or vans turned into buses and get lost and we
laugh. I have a new post on the blog. I love you all The Gospel is true and our
Father in Heaven does care about each of us .
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Miracles are still Happening
The Zone Leaders asked us to report all miracles that happen to us as missionaries this week. Well most of you know me well and I just sat and said to my self well that's for all the other ones here not Richard and I. Well I can't believe I am writing this but we had our miracle today. Yesterday night I decided to make a meat loaf ( Cindy sent me some Liption onion soup mix) just had to have it and then I thought it would make good left overs for Richard and I on Sunday not wanting to cook to much. Then I decided to test out their ready made bread dough for some Cinnamon rolls. Cindy also sent some cheese sauce mix so we made mac and cheese. Now remember this was just for our dinner Saturday. Today (Sunday) we went to church and the mission President and his wife and the assists came to the branch. The President got caught doing about 10 extra interviews so it looked like Sister Rust would be sitting at the Branch for a long time well we invited her to our place and the two sister missionaries to share our left overs hoping we could squeeze out enough for 5 more servings us Sister Rust and the sisters. We did Wow that was good I was thinking then the door phone rang and we had President Rust and his two assistants thinking we were out of food I turn to Richard and said what are we going to do? He smile we have more so we fed the next three and had another serving left over for us to have tonight. Now I don't know how that meatloaf grew so big or how we can feed so many meals and still have left overs. I am constantly reminded of the loafs and fishes that the Savior feed the crowd with. God still provides for his Servants president Rust and his companions needed to be fed and Heavenly Father provided. We do have miracles in all our lives if we just look for them. It maybe a rainbow after a terrible storm, it may be a smile from a stranger when other have treated us bad or it maybe just a hug from a child but we have miracles that will lift and provide for us a greater knowledge that God does care for us and loves us deeply.
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