Currently, we are so busy we can hardly see straight. And I'm serious:-)). We have every night of every week booked except Wednesday, and we are trying to hold that sacred, though that is not working very well either. We have discussions in our home at least once every day, and many times two or three times a day. We're like a revolving missionary station. We love it. We are feeding missionaries right left. We're feeding young people right and left. We are really enjoying ourselves, and the trips to the store and carrying heavy bags of groceries back home is excellent exercise. Lug, lug , lug. We wonder what the grocery store people think of us, shopping every day for tons of food that would probably last most Russian families for weeks. (Elder Nelson says they probably think, "Big fat Americans." Ha ha ha.)
Some of our missionaries are getting ready to go home---at the ends of their missions---and I find that very sad. I will miss them very, very much. And we have only known them for four or five weeks.
We invited one of the new members and his wife and son over for dinner last Sunday (we always invite somebody over for dinner after church) and we were deeply moved by their testimonies. He speaks a little bit of English, and she has 10 words of English like I have 10 words of Russian. He's been called as the new Elders Quorum president after only being in the church 6 months. So, Elder Nelson is going to help him with how to make an Elders Quorum function. This young man was absolutely thrilled that he would get the help. The relief in his whole bearing was palpable.
His wife and I are working on teaching each other our languages. She is hard of hearing, not as bad as me, probably, but I'm not really sure. When we're working together, Mark says it sounds like two special ed students, who are deaf and speech impaired. Sadly, I must admit that his description is fairly accurate.
In telling his conversion story, the husband said he was going home with two huge bags of groceries when two missionaries got in his way last January. He tried to get around them with his big bags, but there wasn't room between the other people around him. He said the missionaries spoke only four or five words to him at that time. He doesn't remember what they were, but he felt the Spirit wash over him in a tremendous wave. He ran into them on his street the next week. Short story is that they taught him in this home, he accepted the gospel, and he said he has never been happier. His wife joined the church just a few months later. They're one of the families who come to church every Sunday. Their little boy loves my iPad!! He is almost 4.
We have several young people who are struggling with the Word of Wisdom. One wonderful young man has already been baptized, but returned to his drinking and smoking. He has brought other friends to the gospel, and they want to be baptized, but they have to get rid of their smoking and drinking habits. We pray for them and love them. They are awesome, adorable young college students. They come to FHE in our home most Monday nights & also to institute, but only sometimes. Challenges are everywhere, but Heavenly Father wants the gospel here. So, it will be here!! Strong spirits are out there, just waiting to be found.
We have lots of plans for our young people that we are slowly putting into place. We could do it for them, but as you know, the people need to learn how to do it themselves and especially how to lead effectively because they are the future leaders of the church in this country. So, we have our work cut out for us. And it will just take time, and more time, and more time, and more effort. But it's worth all of that. The young people are wonderful. We love so many of them already. (Turkey statues by Alayna)
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