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| After waiting 5 weeks for our mission call, we finally got word from the post office that it had arrived. Living in Utah, the post office is very much aware when mission calls are received and call the recipient. You are given the option of waiting for the regular mail to deliver it or to go pick it up at the post office yourself. We opted to go pick it up. I was waiting with the camera when Paul arrived home with our call. |
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| We were told that if the package was pretty thick that you would be going foreign. Ours looked pretty thick. |
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| With much anticipation, Paul opened our call. |
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| Oh, how I wish everyone could have seen Paul's face when he first read, to himself, where we were being sent. It was a look of total shock and disbelief. When he read it to me, I had that same look on my face, for sure. Paul kept saying, "Are you sure they didn't mean Moscow, Idaho?" As we read more about our call, we both felt the excitement build as we found out that we were assigned to the CES department, which would give us the opportunity to teach the gospel to college age students. We would also be helping them with their activities, firesides and family home evenings. What an awesome calling. |
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| The call |
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| It's official...Russia Moscow Mission |
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| Of course we immediately had to look up exactly where Moscow was in comparison to other places. We were especially wanting to see how far north it was compared to Canada so we could know more about the winter weather. It's going to be cold! |
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| Of course, going to Russia means learning the language, at least, so we can shop and ask directions. On the very Monday after receiving our call, we were on the phone with the Missionary Training Center in Provo to find out about how to enroll in their Russian language training classes. We went down to Provo for an orientation, were assigned a personal tutor and began classes that very week. We met twice a week with our tutor for about an hour and a half then went home to a committed 2 to 3 hours a day of personal study. Just recently, we began an immersion program and go to Provo, twice a week still, but spent upwards to 6 or 7 hours in Russian. Our time includes personal study, our tutor, and a study buddies (local volunteers who have either served a mission in Russia or are from Russia). We can also check out computers to listen to the language and practice speaking it. |
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| We purchased a dictionary and several other Russian books to help us in our efforts to learn the language. We also downloaded a grammar guide workbook and have recently purchased a church published book of vocabulary and phrases for missionaries. I began making flash card of the words used in our assignments in order to study them. Paul, the accountant, makes spread sheets. Our goal in the language was to be able to say a prayer and to bear a testimony of the gospel. We wanted to be able to shop and ask directions, successfully. We have somewhat met those goals and now are working on learning common phrases used in Russia as well as singing hymns in Russian. Of course, we will continue to increase our understanding of grammar and spelling rules as well as enlarging our vocabulary so that maybe, someday, we can begin to understand what is being said around us. Luckily we do not have to teach our institute classes in Russian. The students all speak English and want us to speak English so they can practice their English skills. |
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| Here, Paul is diligently studying Russian at home. We feel like we are back in college......complete with homework assignments and stress. We have laughed a lot, though, as we try to understand verbs and their conjugations, and cases for nouns and adjectives. The alphabet, which is very different from ours, was the easy part of this process. |
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| Through all this Paul's common remark has been......... "And I requested an English speaking mission!" |
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| More studying became required when we learned of another assignment that would be ours while in Russia. It's in the Pathway Program through Brigham Young University at Idaho. We have the opportunity of working with college age students to help them receive a college degree on line through BYU Idaho. The students can enroll in a program called Academic Start. They participate on line and with us, once a week, in a required set of courses. At the end of that first year, they will have earned 15 college credit and become eligible for enrollment at BYU Idaho, at a reduced resident's tuition. We are so excited about the prospects for these Russian young people in obtaining a college education. In order for Paul and I to become qualified instructors in this program, though, we had to study the manual and take several tests. In between studying Russian, we were able to complete our training in this Pathway Program and look forward to being a part of it. THE BIG QUESTION........ WHAT WILL IT BE LIKE LIVING IN RUSSIA FOR 18 MONTHS We have been doing a lot of reading and asking around about what it is like to live in Moscow, Russia. We had heard that lots of products we are so used to using here in America are not available in Russia. Those rumors are true. Cooking should be very interesting....no cream of chicken or mushroom soups. No syrups - corn or maple or molasses. No corn starch, baking powder or vanilla. You can't find shortening, brown sugar, chocolate chips or peanut butter. So much for baking cookies. Chili powder, cumin, and corn tortillas are not in the stores, either. I guess I'll have to learn to make my own tortillas and pack the spices I'll need for Mexican food. |
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| There are no salad dressings as Russian don't eat green salads like we do. I've heard lettuce is not readily available. In fact, the local Subway, close to where we will be living, usescabbage on their sandwiches instead of lettuce. Go figure. We love toss green salads but, I guess we'll have to acquire a taste for cabbage. We were told it is a good idea to take a picture of the way you like your hair cut. It will help in the communication of how you want your hair to look after a trip to the barber or beautician. |
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| We have been told there are a set of hair clippers at the apartment where we will be living. Maybe I'll attempt to cut Paul's hair myself. I hear it's not too difficult. |
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| I have been concerned about how to explain to a beautician what color to put on my hair. (I refuse to let it go grey) In talking with my beautician about my concern, she suggested I take the hair color to Russia and do it myself. She assured me she would give me the instructions and that I could do it without much difficulty. She bought the supplies that I would need and they are now put aside in a box with the extra items that we need to find room for in our suitcases. MORE ABOUT FOOD |
OUR RELEASE FROM THE TEMPLE
When we started doing immersion in our language class, we felt it necessary to give up working as ordinance workers in the Provo temple. We have been working in the temple every Friday now for almost 7 years. It was a hard decision but one we needed to make. Our time is getting short and there is so much to do to get ready to go. We received these certificates in the mail a week or so after our last day. We will for sure return to the temple as ordinance workers in 18 months when we come home.
