SOME GOOD NEWS AND SOME BAD NEWS!

The GOOD NEWS....we found out this week that our replacements have been called and are coming. The BAD NEWS.....we don't know, for sure, when they will be able to be here which puts our going home date in question. All new senior couples assigned to work in the Church Education System are expected to attend a CES training the week after their MTC experience. There is a CES training the second week of December and the next one isn't scheduled until the end of January. Our replacements are anxious to be here in December, but the big question remains....can they get their visas in time to attend the December training? They were a little late getting their papers in for approval so, unless the mission travel department can get their visa applications expedited, they may have to wait until the January MTC date. If they come on the December 12th date, we would have 5 days to train them, but if they come at the end of January, we will have left the county already because our immigration papers expire the last week of January. Right now, our departure date is set for December 18th, but if our replacements can't be here before then, we feel we need to remain here through the holidays and fly home around January 10th.  We would hate to leave the elders and sisters in our district without a senior couple through the holidays. They would have no place to call home on Christmas day, nor any place to go for Christmas dinner. They would have to make other arrangements. We hate to be in limbo but will adjust to whatever happens.

Besides all this, our week has been filled with zone conferences, missionary discussions, a baptism, and our regular game night, institute, and gathering. Another great week.

Monday, we had a most interesting happening.....the International sisters truly came to know what it means to be called 'international' sisters. They brought Emeko and her friend, Nikita, to our home. What made this discussion different from others we have had here is that it was held on Skype with a sister companionship in Japan. Emeko, who is from Japan, has been meeting with the sisters but they felt it would be beneficial for Emeko to be taught in her own language....hence the Skype meeting. The world is such a small place anymore. We didn't sit in on the discussion but had a wonderful visit with her friend, Nikita, during the Skype meeting. Nikita, a Russian, is an artist who decided to change his life's focus a few month ago when he met Emeko. His focus now isn't on worldly things as it used to be, but on the things that really matter....things pertaining to his spiritual welfare. The gospel would be so good for him. After the Skype lesson, Emeko joined us for some cookies and great conversation.

Later that day, Elders Hoffman and St. Clare came to our apartment to type a list of the less active members in our ward. The new focus in our mission is on strengthening the ward through activation and retention of new converts. The missionaries are now responsible for keeping track of new converts for two years and for helping in the ward's activation efforts. They have been given instructions to spend as much time strengthening the members as they do finding and contacting. We can see the wisdom in this as there were only 41 in attendance at our sacrament meeting this week. Usually there are upwards to 100. The members need to be strengthened so they can eventually take over the missionary efforts here, bringing their friends and family into the gospel.

Over 20 pizzas to feed this hungry group

Tuesday and Wednesday were zone conferences. Sister Borders had asked if we would arrange for vegetables, dip, and cookies to go along with the pizzas she was having ordered. We are always glad to be of assistance to our sweet Sister Borders. She has so much on her plate as she serves with the president. The senior couples were so good to help with the cookies needed. Zone conference was uplifting as usual.

The elders and sister enjoying lunch

Wednesday night we taught our first English group using the new gospel format. At the sign up night last week, where we introduced the gospel centered discussion topics, we had about 20 in attendance. This week only 8 returned. We had a great discussion about fathers and our Heavenly Father but wish more would have come back. It will be interesting to see how it plays out.  

The completed board

Our lesson in institute on Thursday was on the Spirit of Revelation. As we were talking about the Holy Ghost and how we can know truth through a 'burning in our bosom,' we asked if anyone had had an experience with that kind of feeling.  Michael, a special friend and relatively new convert from the International ward, immediately raised his hand. He preceded to bear his testimony about the Book of Mormon and how, when he was reading it, that warm feeling of peace came into his heart and he knew it was true. He possesses such a giant of a spirit.

Three members of our English cohort 

discussing their week's essays.

Our Pathway gatherings went well except for the fact that only 4 have been attending the new 'Life Skills' class. Of the nine that accepted the offer of admission, one had to move, two had scheduling issues, and the other two haven't paid tuition, done any classwork or attended gatherings. Thankfully we can still function as a cohort with only 4.



Friday morning we had a few hours free so we decided to visit the Moscow Metro Museum. It was located at the metro stop close to where the Hays live so we invited them to come with us. We wanted to see if it was something the senior couples would want to do in connection with a tour of the best metro stations. It didn't take us long to see that the museum would not be of much interest to the senior couples. It was very small and everything was in Russian. There, also, was not much to see....the inside of a train conductor's cubicle, some pictures, and a few artifacts were about all that was worthwhile. After a few minutes in the museum, we jumped on the metro and went to the underground mall at the Red Square for lunch. We wanted to try the new KFC teriyaki twister. It was thumbs down on the museum but thumbs up on lunch. 

Picks and shovels were used for a lot of the work

Original sketches of a station's design

The train conductors cubicle and what he/she would see in the metro tunnels

We came home, changed clothes and hosted a marvelous discussion with the International sisters and Pria, from the country of Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon). She is a beautiful lady with a beautiful spirit. It was a first discussion but we all felt the spirit very strongly as the lesson progressed. Pris was very grateful to have met the sisters and for the feelings she felt during the discussion. We were grateful we could be a part of it all.

After a quick bite to eat, we went to game night. Raymond and Flora, our friends from France, showed up. They wanted to play games with some Russian speakers so Flora could improve her Russian. Luckily, Maksim dropped by and consented to play a couple of games with them. We found out that Raymond and his wife will be leaving Moscow in January due to a job reassignment back to France. They really don't want to return to France so are looking for other employment. It is everyone's hope, especially the International missionaries, that they can stay in Moscow. They have been so helpful to the missionary effort in teaching French speaking investigators. 

Rinat in the center left

Sasha Titorov in the enter right.

The highlight of Saturday was the baptism of Rinat. He is an amazing young man...so eager to become fully involved in everything surrounding the gospel. It was a double baptism as another ward also had a baptism. The other young man's name was Alexsey. We got word that these were only two of eight baptisms in our mission over the weekend. That puts us above the total number of baptisms for all of last year and it's only September. The mission goal is 130.  We pray every night for them to be able to be successful in meeting their goal.



Our week ended with church on Sunday morning and a CES fireside, with Todd Christofferson as the speaker, that evening.  Always a great way to end our week.

LIVING IN RUSSIA SPOTLIGHT

Saturday, we were at Ismylava market again to find the last things we want to bring home. On our way back to the metro, we passed these two Indians (we're assuming they are Native Americans) each playing an instrument that made the most enchanting sounds. We stopped to listen for a while and ended up buying a CD to bring home. We loved the sound of their music.

We have noticed this summer and fall, as we have continued to feed the pigeons at our kitchen window, there are two pigeons that always land on the sill together and eat side by side. No other pigeon allows another one to share the crumbs we set out for them. We think these two must be in love.

This is where Wendy's used to be located.

It looks like another hamburger place will

be opening there in November

A couple of weeks ago, we were at the Metropolis Mall and noticed that the Wendy's there had finally closed it's doors. We think that was the last one in Moscow to do so. It has been reported that MacDonalds had closed a few stores, too. We wonder what the future will bring for all the American fast food companies here.

ANOTHER GREAT WEEK IN THE BOOKS....

....OR SHOULD WE SAY IN THE BLOG?