Never Get too Comfortable

So, last week I went on and on about our wonderful Rechnoy ward, filled with young adults with whom we socialize, do yoga, feed, hug and laugh a lot.  It includes a "district", a group of 6 young missionaries assigned to that ward, or geographic area.

We thought we were set for the remainder of our mission.  Silly us.  On Thursday we were asked to move to another ward, about 20 miles from the center of Moscow, called Zelenograd.  We didn't really have time to give our goodbyes to Rechnoy.  Just a goodbye hug at our Tuesday lunch/district meeting for Sis. Thomas, who was being transferred.

Today was our first Sunday to travel to our new ward and it was windy and below zero wind chill. We love the metro.  It is close, warm, reliable but doesn't go to Zgrad.  We must become bus riders.  As we faced the bracing wind for  20  min. waiting for the 240,  I was not excited.  My heart was in Rechnoy. As we transferred to our 2nd bus and looked around, the couple across the aisle nodded a greeting, so not Russian.
As the bus stopped in an unfamiliar neighborhood, they, in Russian, told us to follow them.  The building was two blocks away, totally hidden. We had very vague directions and we would never have found it without the help of the Lord through our new friends, Alexei and Tanya who somehow recognize lost missionaries.  No coincidences.

As we entered the building in ZGrad.  I immediately felt the warm, familiar reassurance that this was the Lord's house, dedicated to teaching  truth and I knew we were supposed to be here loving these happy, faithful saints. Zgrad is very much a family ward.  Not so many single young adults but a thriving primary.

In Sacrament meeting,the bishop invited us to introduce ourselves while he interpreted.  It was with gratitude and pride that I told these good people  that our children and all 23 of our grandchildren would be in their church meetings today stretching from Arkansas, to Texas, to Utah and even to our missionary grandson in Brazil.  Wherever we are, as a family, we are learning the same things, testifying of the same truths and partaking of the sacrament and renewing our covenants to the Lord.  They were astounded at the number. This is one amazing church.  

The world class huggers are in Relief Society and Russians are among the best.  I took a picture of the candy they gave me to stave off hunger and the afghan I was wrapped in, even though  the room was very warm.

 The Relief Society President proudly displayed a huge box containing  dozens of blankets and bibs the sisters had made for charity. Just like any Relief Society anywhere in the world.

 I am also including a picture of Tatiana, the sweet sister who translated the RS lesson for me.

I usually just hate it when I am wrong but this is truly where the Lord wants us to spend our Sundays for now and I couldn't be happier.  We  have the added blessing of hosting a new district of missionaries weekly in our home.  They are just as fabulous as our last district.

 We continue to testify of the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  We know we are guided and blessed every minute of this precious mission.

Where we worship, teach yoga and socialize a lot...

Our chapel is one of several LDS chapels in Moscow.  Three wards meet in our building so on Sundays  it is a bit of a dance as we all try to get to our various classes while greeting and hugging friends we see from other wards.  It gets very clogged in our tiny lobby.  Our Sacrament meeting begins at 10:00, followed by Sunday School and Relief Society for women, Priesthood meeting for young and old men, Young Women and Primary for the children. 3 hours total.  The metro ride is about an hour so, after all of the socializing, we get home about 2:30 or later.
The building is in a fashionable part of Moscow and is beautiful but way too small so the church is always searching for a more functional space.  Not easy to find here.
 It is such a blessing to feel the same spirit in our cramped building in Moscow where we understand very little of what is said but we continue to be taught through the influence of the Holy Ghost.  This gospel is the same wherever we are.  We so love these people and we feel their love for us.

The Stake Presidency has been very generous in allowing me to teach a few weekday yoga classes in the building  for the young adults and the community at large.  

Weekly we gather with other senior missionary couples in the building for Senior Council, where we teach each other.  The strength and testimony of these 25 or so Moscow-based couples continues to inspire us.  These people, like us, have left careers, families, homes, businesses and have committed themselves to this sacred work.  Their assignments vary from humanitarian, auditing, perpetual education, self-reliance, office work and CES like us.  We often attend performances as a group.  This week we enjoyed Russian Folk Dancing.  What talent and what joy they bring to the expression of traditional dance.  They are proud of their heritage and they should be!  

 A few days later, we took in one of the two year-round circuses in Moscow.  Spectacular artistry.  It was wonderful to sit among delighted children who were enchanted by the aerial acts, tumblers, clowns and so much more.

Life is wonderful, we are blessed and feel grateful each day for this opportunity to work together to help bring the light of the gospel to these dear, sweet people.  

  

Hi ho, hi ho! It's off to work we go...

So, after our morning routine, we trudge off to our office.  It is a 15-20 min. walk.  The past few days have introduced us to the hazards of untreated snowy sidewalks.  We don't deal with that a lot in Arkansas.  Due to construction, we find ourselves either walking for short distances in the road, dodging these speedy Russian drivers or teetering on temporary sidewalk bridges made of unattached side by side two by fours.  We gauge the relative danger daily.

We then climb 2 flights of stairs to the CES East Europe area offices.  The adjoining office houses the Moscow Mission.   We share rest rooms and the kitchen.  We are blessed to have phenomenal Russian (and one Japanese) cooks who trade off Fridays making huge batches of borscht, plov, or seaweed pancakes for everyone.   Really yummy stuff.

Everyone asks what we do.  I will  try to explain.  The East Europe  area consists of 10 countries.   14 CES area coordinators supervise the Institute and Seminary programs in these countries.  The larger countries have more than one area,  Russia has 5.  The Area Coordinators  are all natives of thee countries who also speak english, a huge help to us.

 A good part of our task is to assist the 25 or more missionary couples serve well where they are.  They are scattered all over East Europe.  We encourage, hold hands, cry with them a bit,  cheer for progress and sometimes just talk to them in English, which is very nice as most of them are Americans and the only English speakers in their area, except for the young missionaries, who are encouraged to speak only the native language.  We tell them we are their new Mom and Dad.   We telephone, skype, email and after jet lag, we usually visit to train.
. I also get to pour some creative juices into our monthly newsletter and a facebook group, keeping everyone talking, sharing, encouraging each other.  We begin with their call and continue with their transition to home.

Elder Pierson spends a lot of his time with the implementation and use of a new CES computerized registration and student tracking system .  We produce monthly reports on youth and young single adult activities.  We measure  attendance, scripture reading, service opportunities, adjustment of returned missionaries with callings and jobs.  These are all important measures of progress in the gospel.  As with any new program, there are glitches, especially here with many language, culture, mobility challenges.  Let's just say, he is known in Salt Lake.  I often hear him say into the phone, after listening, "I understand and I am just a lowly missionary but it seems to me it would work better if...." and he usually fixes the problem.

As anyone who was near me before we received our call, I LOUDLY expressed my desire to be anywhere but in an office.  Well, yes, God does have a sense of humor because we are pretty much in an office but this is the PERFECT assignment for us.  We have found that we love living in Moscow and enjoying the friendship and companionship of the 20 plus missionary couples doing different things here.  We travel enough to see and experience even more new things but home base is a comfy, warm apartment.
 We also enjoy interacting with these amazing CES missionary couples and, hopefully, smoothing things out a bit so that they can do what they have been called by the Lord  to do, serve and bless the lives of these young people.

This is our workplace.  You will notice I am standing with my keyboard stacked on boxes.
I really hate sitting for very long so my sweet companion stacked boxes perfectly so I don't have to.  It works great.

Turkeyless thanksgiving

No one seemed to care that it was chicken and ham.  Turkeys are not big here,  neither is cranberries, pumpkin or sweet potatoes.  We just loved having all of these fabulous missionaries in our tiny apartment.  They are happy and inspiring.  We love each one.

Beautiful Messiah-

Yesterday, we attended an extended version of Handel's  Messiah, sung by beautiful Russian voices in English.  Period clothing and gorgeous voices.  As the longing for the coming of the Savior and the joy in His Kingdom was presented so tenderly, I couldn't help but feel so grateful for the privilege we have of playing a small role in helping others to come to Christ.  

Today My Mother's Prophecy is Fulfilled

Sitting in Relief Society (women's organization) today,I am opening the hymn book.  Sister Nyoff, the chorister, tries valiantly to keep the sisters together but no one has a clue what the pitch or tempo might be for the opening song.  It is vocal chaos for awhile, then we get the hang of it.   Sis. Johnson, our one missionary who can play the keyboard is in Young Women's and no one else can help.
My mind jetted back to the tantrum I threw when my mother tried to nail me to the piano bench for yet another fruitless practice.  I love music and really wanted to play well but I refused to practice.  Then, this prophecy,"Someday, you will be on a mission in some country and  they will need someone to play and you won't be able to help!"  Did my 12 year old mind care?  Obviously not.  55 years later, again, Mom was right.  Not the first time.  I really can play a few hymns but not if there is  any pressure and they must be played VERY slowly.

Topic #2.-  Some have asked about how we really live here.  I think I will take it by topic.  I will start with the beginnings of our days.  After prayers, scripture study (alone & together), we tackle our workouts.We are having a great time walking this city.  All bundled, we head out into the morning air.  The length varies.  Saturdays are 2 hrs. or so.  Beautiful parks with great walking paths.  Last Saturday we found this beautiful little church in a new (to us) park.

Back in our cozy, warm apartment building.  Three times a week we then run the 17 flights of stairs 3 times, usually wearing headsets and listening to fun music.  Favorites-Trout Fishing in America, Beach Boys.  It totally wipes us out.

I follow with an hour or so of yoga  and Dick does some strengthening stuff.  Combined with the walking, walking, walking we do to get anywhere in Moscow, we are feeling great!
We  get in to the office about 9:30 or so.

Topic #3- How grateful I am for my knowledge of prayer and the ability all of us have to talk to our Heavenly Father at any time and about anything, knowing that prayers are heard and answered.  As the sister missionaries and I were teaching Irina (the sweet woman who wanted to give me her earrings.  By the way, in the many times I have been with Irina since, she always wears those earrings.  She was giving me her ONLY earrings) she told us how she prays. In the religion in which she was raised, prayers are at set times and are read in a language she does not understand.  As we talked, she was so excited to learn that she can actually communicate at any time with a loving God and just pour out her heart.  We explained how to feel and listen for answers.  She was touched and happy.  She told us how her life has been totally changed by what she is learning about this true gospel.  I know there are no coincidences.  Irina was supposed to become my good forever friend.  I love her.  How blessed we are!

Glories of an empire

One would have to be blind and deaf with a stone heart to not be touched by the beauty and history of Moscow.  This week we were privileged to tour the Grand Kremlin Palace, built in 1837, housing the former residence of the tsars. On the site are 9 churches from the 14th through 17th centuries, each built for a military campaign or an individual.

 The main building includes 5 full reception halls, and over 700 rooms.  The most interesting room to us was a large hall with dozens of painted murals depicting biblical stories.  No one can explain how this escaped the demolition that occurred with other Christian buildings and paintings.  The main reception halls were stripped of the ornamental gold and ornate designs when the Bolsheviks took over.  In the 1990s the halls were lavishly restored in accordance with original designs.
Our tour guide took great delight in our "OOHS" and "WOWS".  The pride of this great nation has taken several hits and they are always happy to hear how much we love this city and these people.

Moscow Stake Conference

For my non-Mormon friends, an explanation.  Our church organization is divided geographically.  As individual congregations (wards) are formed, they are organized into Stakes. Usually between 8-12 of these congregations. Picture in your mind the strength of stakes securely anhoring a tent into the ground for strength and stability.  Each stake is named for the geographic area.  Having a stake in an area is an indication of the growth and maturity of the church in that area.  It is a accomplishment and a huge help in moving the work of the Lord forward.  Twenty years ago there were no Latter Day Saints in East Europe, now there are over 42,000.  Amazing.

Two years ago the Moscow, Russia stake was formed.  Twice a year a conference is held, bringing all of the members together as a group to receive instruction from church leaders.  This past weekend was our conference.

Saturday night was an adult session with guidance from our stake presidency and area leaders. Even through our headsets, we could feel the familiar messages of faith, love and testimony.  The room was packed with strong, faithful saints of all generations.  It had the same spirit of stake conferences we have attended anywhere.

 Sunday consisted of a telecast from church headquarters in Salt Lake City.  Elder Bruce D. Porter, one of the speakers is a fluent Russian speaker (we can only dream of speaking that well).  He was a counselor in the East Europe Presidency in 1996 in a very dark time for Russia.  The atheistic communist government had fallen and everything was in upheaval.  Food was very scarce and basic survival was a challenge.

As Elder Porter  related in his talk, as he was being driven through the streets of Moscow, his gaze fell on thousands of small, lighted windows in the lines of never-ending high rises. Much like our building and the one across from us, pictured here.   He found himself in prayer for the dark, sorrowful city.

As he prayed, he began to to catch a new vision.  He saw the whole city alive with the love of God.  He sensed the workings of the spirit on each person, blessing them and preparing them for the coming of the Gospel into their city.  It was a powerful witness of the love and care that God has for each of His children.

We are blessed to have a tiny part in that great design and unfolding purpose.  We see that God is truly no respecter of persons.  He will never leave us comfortless.  As Paul reminds us, "he be not far from every one of us".

We pray daily that we might be of service in helping these people we love so much find the joy and peace that the Gospel brings.

Some people we have come to love

In Armenia we met Nia, a talented professional, and a returned missionary who regularly translates general conference to Armenian speakers world wide.  She has a long, sweeping bang over one eye.  She later explained that she lost her eye in the gigantic 1989 earthquake, when 50,000 died .  She was a toddler at  the time  but has met her challenges with courage and great joy in the gospel.

Hazan, an PhD in Engineering from Iran who was introduced to the gospel through American colleagues.  His rational mind has always struggled with the strict rules of the faith he in which he was raised and the "no rules, anything goes" mentality of western societies.  In the gospel of Jesus Christ  he has found truth upon which he can base his life.

This picture is the Armenia stake Young Women's board.  All returned missionaries.  Amazing  young women.

We met a terrific missionary who just returned home to Armenia with the unlikely name of La Grande.  He and his siblings were all raised in the gospel and each was given the name of a righteous scriptural person or a modern day one.  I'm sure first grade was interesting, trying to write Le Grande in Armenian.

Oleg, our mission driver, a former MIG pilot who whizzes around these Moscow streets like he was still flying fighter jets against the Americans.  He speaks no English but is jovial and LOVES loud opera music in his van.  He often sings along.  He always wears a white shirt and keeps a tie hanging behind his seat in case he is needed in performing a priesthood ordinance.

So many others.
The picture below is of my new best friend, Irina, who I met waiting for the metro  (the one who tried to give me her earrings.)  She came to dinner last  week, along with our sweet sister missionaries who did a marvelous job translating.  It was the very last night of her mission for one of our sisters and she was thrilled to be able to do more teaching.  Irina came bearing flowers and a beautiful cake for dessert.
I love Irina.  She lives in a small apartment like ours, very near us.  She has two sons, one graduated from college and  a government employee, the other  in his first year of college.  They live with her.  A niece studying to become a pediatrician lives there as well.
 Her husband is a thousand miles away, in their small village in the beautiful mountains to the south.  Irina studied culinary skills for 4 years but found she could make more money maintaining a small coat shop, 2 hours metro ride away.  She closed the shop  early Tuesday to have dinner in our home.  She is devoting her life to helping her sons and niece have a brighter future.  She is anticipating going home for a short visit next summer and is determined that we will go with her.

She is loving and kind and is eager to share and learn.

We are happy and well and grateful to have a small part in building the Lord's kingdom.