We have Family Home Evening at our place on Monday for investigators and interested members, so they will see an example of how it is done. This week Bob taught a lesson on Heroes. The first activity was to think through your life or stories or scriptures and identify a hero and share what that person did to make them heroic with the group. That was fun. Then he asked everyone to brainstorm and figure what the common traits are that make a hero. All kinds of answers came out. Some described the villain as well as the hero, like “They overcome great odds.” And “They are natural leaders.” When it all boiled out we came up with two things necessary for a hero. 1) They solve the problem. And 2) they do it for the right reason. In other words they are good people, not bad people. We also decided that the bigger or tougher the problem the more heroic the hero.
Using that definition, we looked for other people who are heroes. We decided that the person who solved the biggest problem for the right reason was Jesus Christ. He took on two forms of death – the toughest of all challenges – and did it perfectly. We are the beneficiaries of Him being a hero.
We then talked about the problem in 1820 of people trying to find the right church and the difficulty of using the bible to solve the problem. It only caused additional problems. Then there was Joseph Smith who faced this problem with a different answer from scripture. He decided to do what the scripture said rather than talk about what it meant. He solved the problem not only for himself, but for anyone who has the courage to follow that same path – that is, ask God.
The elders had never seen the atonement and the restoration approached this way before. They liked it. It made sense to the non-member as well. She came because she is an English language student in the class the elders teach on Friday. Alice gave her a Book of Mormon and mentioned that one of Bob’s favorite heroes is introduced on the first page – Nephi. Now she is more than just an English student. She is an investigator. Alice is great.
Bob is learning every day how to use the tablet he bought just before coming. He can now send the pictures he learned how to take the week before. You saw some of that with the Thanksgiving pictures. Sometimes the learning experience is frustrating, but never like learning Russian.
We got a call from the mission office on Wednesday saying we have some assignments to get done on a continuing basis. It looks like we will have two cities to do apartment inspections in. That makes six or seven apartments to look in on each transfer. We will know more about this in the coming week. There will be a couples conference next Thursday.
Transfer announcements came out last Thursday. We are losing four of our six elders! They seem happy about it. Elders here seem to like new area and new experiences. We will miss four of our newest close family. One of the areas in town is being ‘whitewashed’. That means both of the elders are being transferred out at the same time. The new set there will be the new zone leader. Each of the elders staying will become training senior companions. They will get new elders fresh off the airplane. It looks like things are going to be exciting here. We are already anxious to meet them. The actual transfer will happen on Thursday the 12th while we are at the semi-annual couple conference in Donetsk.
Our zone conference emphasized using the spirit of Elijah, through family history, to keep members active and help make new contacts. People here are resistant to talking about religion, but love to talk about families. Also, there was such a large loss of life in this area during WWII that they only estimate the number lost, both civilian and military. The estimations come out in the multi-millions or about 1/8th to ¼ of the population before things finally settled in the 1950’s. It is now time that the work be done for these lost lives before the memories are lost.
The branch here is in process of training 8 to 10 family history consultants so they can help the inactive members feel the spirit and become active again. They also want to have a booth in the summer fairs to help the community see a way to really remember their ancestors. This would get the spirit of Elijah working more within the community and hasten the gathering of Israel in Ukraine. Another task for the consultants is to help each newly baptized member have a fairly large group of family names prepared within a couple of weeks so they can go to the Kiev temple and do baptisms for the dead.
In speaking with several branch members we find that the last couple held an activity night each week to allow members and investigators to play games, visit and generally enjoy one another. That fell apart when the couple left, but the branch members would like to see it again. We are considering that, but want to put it together so it would remain operating when we leave.
The members are very pleased that we are holding family home evening in our apartment and think that will help a lot as well. It looks like we are getting busier and having more fun with only a few weeks on site.
Sister Preece is still having some pain and trouble with her shoulder from the fall three weeks ago and has not been able to attend the block meetings. Other sister missionaries and Sister Lochhead have been checking in with her on a daily basis. We have also had visits, not only with investigators and elders, but with a member of the district council who is in our branch and his family. Also the Relief Society president with her family came yesterday,Sunday the 8th.
Both Elder and Sister Preece have fallen in love with the people. We can really make a difference in the growth and stability of the church here. This is going to be a fun mission with lots to do and much support to be given.
Notes:
Transportation is a big portion of life here.
There are trollies that run on rails. There are big street busses running on electric overhead lines. There are big propane powered busses with a divide in the middle. There are smaller busses holding only about 40 or 50 people. There are yet smaller busses with a capacity of about 30. There are tiny buses with a capacity of 12 or so (Always, it seems, with 20 people in them). And then there are taxis, taxis everywhere. Some people own cars, but not too many. For example, there were 64 people at church on Sunday and only 2 cars in the parking lot.
Mostly we ride on the middle sized busses. The fare is 2 rpn (25 cents). We travel to the shopping places on prep day and to everywhere else the rest of the week. It is important to know which bus number to get on, just as it is while riding the UTA in Utah. The stops are not numbered, you just find a land mark or count the stops to where you want to go and get off when you are supposed to.
On one shopping trip, Bob got off one stop early and walked the rest of the way. He was embarrassed, but the walk didn’t kill him. Another occasion, Bob was out with the elders and rode with them to their apartment. They told him which bus to take to get home and made sure he would recognize his stop. Well, he didn’t. He finally got off two stops late, walked across the street and took the bus he was familiar with to get home.
Speaking Russian
It certainly helps to be able to understand and speak Russian as you travel and meet people. Most understand if you don’t and many try to speak English. It seems that among the younger generation (under 30 or so) everyone tries to learn at least some English. There are a couple teenagers who love to find Bob at church and try out their English. He always speaks slowly and distinctly and says about what they would expect. Like they would say, “Hello, Elder Preece. How are you?” He would reply as their books teach by saying, “I am fine today, how are you?” They would say, “Good.” And they would be so pleased that their English is understood.
Most of what is done can be done without speaking. The cashiers at the bigger stores just turn the total around rather than read it and Bob pays. We know numbers and greetings and are learning the rest as fast as we can. Visitors to our home know to bring an English speaking translator, or ask the elders to be here. Of course, we know that the more we are able to understand and speak the more effective we can be. We try to learn something new every day.
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| This is the church building where Mom and Dad's branch attend. |
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| This is Mom and Dad's building! They live on the 3rd floor, I think... |
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