This past weekend we spend with our missionaries and young adults in Krasnodor, near the border with Crimea, and Sochi, a 6 hour train ride away.
The wonderful CES couple we visited are responsible for 4 branches. As is always the case here in East Europe, the distances are daunting but traveling through the gorgeous Caucasus mountains and emerging to the beauties of the Black Sea is breathtaking.
In Krasnodar, we observed an animated faith-filled Institute class. Even though we didn't understand much of what she said, this teacher is fun to watch We know she taught a great lesson topped off with a well planned object lesson. We have a vague idea of what she was teaching but the youth plainly understood and they loved it and her!
In Sochi, the branch president is a missionary as sometimes happens in still-growing branches.
All missionaries grow as they serve and this missionary clearly has.
We spoke in sacrament meeting, partook of the same sacrament and heard the same inspired messages we do in any ward or branch anywhere in the world The Relief Society president told me a bit about her conversion. She taught Russian literature in college for many years during the Soviet era. When she heard the truth of the gospel, it rang true to her and she was baptized with her family. Her long-held belief in the reality of God was confirmed. Now a widow, she is grateful for the reality of eternal families. She loves the sisters in the branch.
We loved accompanying the missionaries on splits, visiting less-active members and hearing their testimonies and desires to become more involved in the Lord's kingdom.
This darling young woman is leaving for her mission next week. She is so excited!
One sweet sister in Sochi welcomed us into her humble apartment on Sun. evening. In church she had asked the branch president for a blessing. As Elder Pierson and the President placed their hands on her head, the spirit bore witness to me of the reality of Priesthood power. The words didn't matter and I don't know what the Lord said to her in the blessing but I do know that God works through 20 year olds and almost 70 year olds, anywhere in the world. Peace and comfort settled in that tiny room in southern Russia and a sweet sister was assured of the love of the Lord for her. I felt a sister-in-the-gospel love for her, even though we had just met and I will probably never see her again. I know that we are eternal friends. What a great church!
As we did some sight-seeing on Monday in Sochi, we rode a tram to the top of a 500 acre botanical garden. As we exited the tram, the view was stunning. I was content to stay, enjoying the view there but Elder Pierson, as always, saw a narrow stairway and wanted to climb. 6 flights later, we reached the very top of the tower and observed so much more. We could see further with far fewer obstacles to our vision. The vista included mountains, then more mountains on one side and the Black Sea on the other, with Turkey outlined in the distance.
It reminded me of what God sometimes asks of us. We are often content with who we are and what we see but if we continue to climb and grow, even when it is hard, we are given a greater degree of knowledge and we become more than we could ever have imagined. As we tell those who are investigating the gospel, keep the truth you have and build on it. There is so much joy in the climb.
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