The Big Train's a Comin'

This train is following after the earlier one but is much larger and more complete. It might have been slow in gathering steam but is gaining momentum every day..  Its many engines are straining against a  ponderous line of cars of every description.  Its power is enormous and self contained--- gathering impetus as it gains speed. The name of this train is "The Family History Train".  Notice the similarity in the names of the two trains.  That must be by design.  Some could call it the "Elijah Train," set in motion by Malachi's prophecy and warning.  Or, we could think of  Moroni as a conductor ushering in this dispensation and setting the parameters and goals relating to the "fullness of times" by quoting Malachi's prophecy four times to young Joseph.  We can ponder the complete ramifications of Elijah's return in the Kirtland temple. We can understand this train's real origin and purpose from our Savior himself after He quoted the prophecy of Malachi to the people on the American continent, "These Scriptures, which ye had not with you, the Father commanded that I should give unto you; for it was wisdom in Him that they should be given unto future generations".  Yes, this train was set in motion in the Great Plan before we came to this earth.and it was destined to arrive on time at this station.

Who could want a person to baptized more that the missionary who is teaching them or the bishop who will be their shepherd?  Would anyone want to have a child or grandchild accept the fullness of gospel and obtain all the ordinances in the temple more than a parent or grandparent?    Who desires this for the child of their children's children? Who will do everything in their power to help this happen?  How thin can the veil become?  What power is on the other side?  How many missionaries are right now working with and for people in Ukraine from the other side of the veil?  Who are their leaders, organizing and directing their efforts?

Understanding, adapting, adopting and teaching the importance of this train is a big part of what we are about here.  There is not another place with a greater need to "turn hearts" than here but there are probably few places where it is more difficult.  The magnitude and horror of the many violent or untimely deaths in their history hang over this area.  The secrecy and "covering up" of the past and the mistrust fostered  over and over again are severe roadblocks.  But, still, this train carries healing and a return to love and hope. It is astonishing to stand back and define turning points in people's lives.  In every single conversion we have experienced here, family history, temple work, the justice and fairness of God, sealing for eternity had a major role.  That was true for Svetlana, Paul, Edgar, Chidi, Ashot, Ani, Michael,Yulia, missionaries and leaders.

The church handbooks are now renewed and clear.  Just last month new missionary calls included a request for every missionary to learn the new FamilySearch.  MTC training now includes coursework and videos on using family history as a finding and teaching tool and there is in-field training available for serving missionaries.  An understanding of the finding section of Preach My Gospel is increasing.  Ward and branch councils are just beginning to grasp what family history can do in activation and retention.  

"We'll sing and we'll shout with the armies of Heaven.  The veil o'er the earth is beginning to burst!"

The big train is coming!

And the Home Evening Train Moves On

This is a most amazing advantage and opportunity which senior missionary couples have that is not possible for young missionaries.  Even working in the office full time we have been able to help more than our share of people find the gospel--- and it all comes through inviting people into our home.
 

March . . . May . . . June . . . July

At first it was for selfish reasons as we needed more opportunity to converse in Russian with someone. Then it started to grow as friends invited friends and found investigators..  From one week to another, we would never know how many or which ones would come. We invited young missionaries to bring their investigators.  We could only have one set of missionaries at a time so different evenings besides Monday had to be labeled "home evening". 

As our "family" grows our little sitting room is bursting at the seams. Really, the goal must be for our importance in their lives to decrease and their involvement with members to increase so they can receive support and help when we leave.  That is bitter-sweet.  Sunday Evening we had a "going away" gathering for for our special friends Paul and Julia.

Sunday started out good.  Elder Hatch confirmed Julia in sacrament meeting. Elder Smith was sick and asked for a blessing so he could get to Bulgaria to get his VISA renewed. Sunday morning an investigator, Peter, came to church for the first time.  He did not know anyone there, but enjoyed our Sunday school class.  Dad invited him to our evening gathering too.  He came.  He is an engineering student here from Nigeria.  He brought with him a fellow engineering student named Nadia.  Since there were new visitors we had everyone introduce the person to their right, giving them a few moments to get acquainted first.  This always seems to work well.  

Michael is a young man who has come to our home many times for our home evenings, as well as other times for one on one gospel discussions.  He was to introduce Elder Hatch.  It was surprising but gratifying to hear him express his feelings, saying:

"He is like my father here.  I know that if I have any problems or concerns, I can come to him for help and advice."

Others told of how important these gatherings were to them, of the feelings of togetherness and friendship that had developed. 

  We ate cheese and crackers, deviled eggs, chips and vegetables with dip, and brownies.  Brownies are not common in Ukraine and Julia had to have Mom's recipe.

During the happy visiting Nadia had a lot of questions about the gospel so Ani quieted everyone down and we had a first discussion right in the middle of the party, then gave Nadia a Book of Mormon.  It went well. 

 Toward the end of the evening we asked anyone who would like to leave a "good-bye message" with Paul and Julia to do so.  Everyone responded - even Peter and Nadia who had only known them for an hour and a part.

  Most of the comments were really testimonies of feelings about the gospel.  Michael went on and on expressing his feelings about the importance of Julia's baptism.  Others told of how much she has changed, how she "glows".  Ashot told how important these family home evenings have been to him.

Elder Pulsipher, who is from Colorado, has been here more than a year.  The next day, on Monday in the office, he was sharing with the other missionaries: "That evening was amazing! It has been the spiritual high point of my mission so far."

So much for this family home evening train. I don't like good-byes. Always there are some who have to get off, but others get on keeping it filled up.  We hope that continues. 

We just got called to be the "parents" for a monthly home evening for all the young single adults for the entire district (five branches).  Our first gathering will be tomorrow night.  We are going to talk about: "Lepers, We have a Prophet in Israel, and whether we should take a teaspoon or semi truck to conference next week".  We thought of a great idea for an activity . . .

Dad just made two "swiggle sticks"! 

Kрещение

Yulia is baptized. 

              Paul performed the baptism. 

                               I love the way this sweet girl has blossomed.

When Paul first met Yulia she was a true skeptic, or maybe even an agnostic, bordering on athesist. 

She had no use in her life for any religion because she was certain that God did not exist. 

Paul has been very patient and a very good teacher.  He explains what he knows to be true with the certainly of one who has experienced a mighty change in his own life and knows that this same blessing is available for everyone.  Saturday she was baptized.  On Sunday Elder Hatch voiced the confirmation. 

Yulia is, truly a new person.  She glows.

Paul is signing with a ball club in Kyiv and Yulia is going back there for work and to see her family. 

Some of their friends gathered with us to tell them good-bye.

"My Mother is not happy that I was baptized," Yulia told me. 

But she will see the life that I have now - that it is not like the hard life she has had to live. 

When she sees how happy I am, then she will understand.

"Ï will miss you,"  she whispered to me.

We will miss them, too.

Kharkov. . . Revisited

This was our second trip to Kharkov, only this time, instead of the overnight train, we took the bus. 

On the bus we could travel, Donetsk to Kharkov (Xarkov) in only six hours and a half.  Because we had never been to the bus station nor riden on a bus long-distance, Ani and Aushot called us to say that they would like to borrow his father's car and drive us to the bus station.  We were very touched by this offer to serve.  After we arrived at the station, they did not leave, but waited with us until our bus arrived.

The bus was comfortable with individual climate controls for each bank of seats.  We found it interesting that, even though we had seat numbers on our bus tickets with our individual seats assigned, still, all along our route people who were standing by the roadside, suitcase in hand, would wave the bus down and board, paying the driver in cash, then ride the remaining five, four or three hours into Kharkov standing in the aisle of the bus. 

The roads here are fascinating. Granite is a natural resource so granite slabs become curbs and granite bricks are pavement.

We had breakfast every morning of our stay in this interesting restaurant/museum.  Above us is a model constructed from DeVinchi's drawings of a machine by which man might fly.  The walls were decorated with images from his sketch books. 

I loved the old books.  It was great fun to touch the old leather bindings, to turn the pages of old cyrillic script and wonder exactly what all of that archaic writing said.

I know that Elder Hatch liked the prototype of the flying machine, but I think his favorite thing may have been the old cross-bow.  The same day that we drove home we accompanied President and Sister Campero on a shopping excursion through the large outdoor market called, Barbashova.  There are miles of shop-lined walkways offering for sale every kind of merchandise.

Because Elder and Sister Aagard will be going home to Wyoming in just a few days, all of the couples met together at the Kharkov zone conference.  Our farewell dinner for this dedicated missionary couple was held at an outdoor restaurant.  The evening air was a little nippy, but the management supplied lap robes.

 
 One disadvantage of ordering from a menu where foods have Ukranian names and words are spelled in Cyrillic is that you may be
surprised at what ends up being served.  Both Sister Burr and I were astonished to find on our plates the culinery delight above.  I enjoyed only the aesthetics of the thing.  Sister Burr hid hers under her napking, saying:   "I just couldn't eat anything that looks like a spider."

One evening we were invited to join a group for "Amerikanski belinki (pancakes).  Maple syrup is an unknown entity here, and so, to make the meal more authentic, the belinki were topped with sweetened condensed milk.  Ukranians are fascinated by this American food. 
It was Elder Rallison's birthday so he was presented with a candle-topped birthday pancake.  Elder Hatch and I prefer the actual Ukranian Belinki which are more like a rolled French Crepe filled with beef or chicken, cheese and mushrooms or with strawberries, bananas and chocolate.  These are cooked and served from small, street-side stands and are truly delicious.

The Lord is Mindful of Us

Six hours away from home in Kharkov we were holding a zone conference for two beautiful days.  Mom and Sister Burr were fixing lunch in the front part of the church building that opens immediately onto a busy sidewalk and street in the down town area of the city.  Mom set her small purse down on a chair while she was making salad.  The purse contained her credit cards, lipsticks, comb, telephone, about 200 UAH ($25.00), her minister's certificate, daily planner, various receipts, and her passport.  We live or die by our passports here and couldn't get home without one.  Being stopped without one would get us jailed.

Just then Sister Burr and Mom were both called away to be part of a panel discussion going on in a room deeper into the building. Less than five minutes later Mom felt uneasy about her purse and returned to the lunch area.  The purse was gone!  The top of the two books she had put it on was conspicuously bare.  She was devastated and went through all the questioning of her actions to determine if she had really left it there and retraced everything over and over.  A small army looked in all the possible places many times each.  I went back to the motel to check. We didn't want to believe it had been stolen in the church in such a short moment of time but a call to the branch president confirmed our fears as he told  us that this was a regular occurrence in that front part of the church building.  Mom couldn't eat lunch.

In the middle of lunch as more of the young  missionaries learned of the theft and the sadness of one of their favorite people (Mom) it was decided to have a prayer.  There were about thirty two young elders and sisters and four senior couples.  Elder Kofoed said the prayer.  He especially asked Heavenly Father to help us so that the documents and cards wouldn't fall into the wrong hands and that they would be protected. Then we continued on with our lunch.

Less than ten minutes later our very good friend and driver who was with us at the lunch and had been helping us look, received a telephone call from one of his branch members (who is also a friend of ours).  President Velikanov is a branch president of the Makeevka branch six hours away back home.  I took the call from Brat Valentin.  Mom's papers and passport had been found!  A lady named Victoria had read in Mom's planner the phone number of an Aloysha. Victoria called Aloysha.  Aloysha called Brat Valentin and Brat Valentin called President Velikanov far away in Kharkov and he gave the phone to me.  We immediately put our lunch on pause and the entire group joined to give thanks to our Heavenly Father. Everyone present was astonished and humbled at the precise and immediate answer to their prayer. It was the subject in all forty journals that evening. They had witnessed a miracle!

Our driver took us to meet with Victoria and interpreted for me as I met with her.  Mom and the Burrs and Aagards waited in the van. The lipsticks, comb, money, purse and phone were gone but she had the planner, certificate, insurance cards, passport, credit cards, all the most important things. I asked her if all  the people in Ukraine were as good as her and asked if I could tell her a very special story.  I told about the prayer and faith of all those worthy young missionaries. She had been in a dental hospital (office) and walked out at about exactly the time we were praying.  For some reason she felt to glance into a hollow protected place on the side of the building and saw what looked like important papers. She saw Mom's picture on the passport and read her ministerial certificate and felt sorry for this "church lady".  She found a telephone number and called it.

I then told her there was a  reason that the Lord inspired her to look in the place where she would find those documents.  I told her Heavenly Father brought her to us to receive an eternal treasure far greater than the money I gave her as a reward.  I gave her a Russian Book of Mormon and  "Family Proclamation".  She said she would read it. As Victoria started to walk away Mom came out of the van and called her back and gave her a hug.  Elder Schoen, whose area she lives in, will call her in a week to thank her again for us and see how she liked the book.

Cleanliness is next to . . .

Life seems to be speeding up in this end of the world.  More things happen faster.  Here we are at the end of another six weeks.

These are the young men we see daily.  Elder Roberts and Shorthill are efficient, effective and enjoyable as Office Assistants.  Amazingly, pre-mission they lived in neighboring central Utah towns but did not know one another.    Elder Neil and Elder Petersen keep track of all of the important ( but un-noticed because they are handled before they can get out of hand), details that the Mission President does not get time to handle.  If you could picture pre-mission you would see a record-holding swim-team member and a booted, silver-belt-buckled, stetson-topped Wyoming cowboy.

 Elder Duke and McArthur have been our Zone leaders for the last six weeks.  These two are both southern Utah boys and are great leaders, hard workers and effective, caring missionaries and both, good singers.  Elder Johnson is also from Southern Utah, but his companion, Elder Garlock, is from Mesa.  They are in the Donetsk Center area, leading the other district in the branch we attend.

East Europe Authorities requested our mission to implement an emergency preparedness plan.  With nothing further said, elders in two of our districts put together 72-hour emergency kits for each companionship.  We are pleased with such obedience from our boys.

Elder Brimley and Smith, Elder Taylor and Mironchenko serve in Mariupol, and even though the water is unsafe to drink they love serving there.

These missionaries serve in Lugansk and Gorlovka.  Elder Calvert is from Alberta, Canada.  Elder Porter is from Vancouver, Elder Antamonov is from Russia, Elder Smith is a Texan, Elder Arrington from Oklahoma,  Elder McCallson from SLC, Elder DeMille from Cedar City, Elder Harris from Kaysville, and Elder Ostler and Stradling are both from Mesa., Elder Russell and Robison are serving together in Obyedinyoni.  Elder Robison is a tall basketball player who has put his ball on the shelf for two years (literally -- we saw it there in his apartment.) and Elder Russell is a California boy.

The missionaries always look forward to our visits because we bring the mail!!   

Petrovsky and Obyedinyoni are coveted areas for missionaries to serve because here they are fed by the members.  On this vist we caught Sister Hudson and Gordyeva enjoying a very North-American looking pizza which they had jointly prepared.  Sister Hudson is from Canada, Sister Gordyeva from Ukraine.  Elder Bolingbroke was new in the mission last transfer and has a language advantage being trained by Elder Solin who is from Russia.  Elder Winchester and Bangerter are the zone leaders.  Elder Nielsen is training Elder Berger, Elder Thornburg is training Elder Hardy.  These missionaries are serving in the half  of the mission that we checked this transfer. 

 Overall, our missionaries keep their apartments clean and orderly,

especially for nineteen to twenty-two year olds. 

They seem to take this task seriously.  Above is the mantra we found posted in one apartment. 

(see translation below)

"Keep the swine in; 

daily sweep the floor, sprinkling it with water. 

Frequently clean the floor boards with a knife. 

Do not spit on the floor."

Elder Hatch posts awards each transfer for effort beyond the call of duty.

CLEANING AWARDS for the August transfer are listed below:

  

(With special characterizations by Elders Shorthill and Roberts) The inspectors must be getting soft because all of the winners scored nearly perfect!Or --- the apartments could be getting cleaner.  

Elder Hatch

Financial Clerk

Ukraine Donetsk Mission

Meaning of Mission

What does it mean for us, as a couple, to serve a mission?  For us it has meant white shirt and tie, dark skirt and hose every day of the week.  It has meant name tags, teaching appointments and learning to smile and nod at the right place when listening to a torrent of words in a language you don't completely understand.  It has also meant paying bills, answering phones, filing papers, and "holding down the fort" that we call "mission office.  It is an opportunity, also, to smooth out some of the bumps in the road traveled by seventy, nineteen to twenty-some year old young people, who have dedicated their prime time to God.

When it comes to missionary service, we think couples have an added advantage because we are not limited in some ways.  We can hold FHE.   We can invite people to dinner.  We can participate in activities in the ward and in the community.  We can listen and advise and just be friends.  There are just so many ways that we can reach beyond what we are called and asked to do. 

Sam, a friend of Paul, was new in our family home evening this week.  He says that we will be seeing him again.  On Saturday we had a meeting with Anya, a friend of Anee.  We feel good about her response to gospel teachings.   Members are a great blessing to those who are trying to learn about the gospel of Jesus Christ and want to understand what embracing it will mean in their own lives.  It helps those we are teaching to hear from others why they believe and how they came to know.

When Anee was seventeen years old a girl friend warned her to watch out for Mormons.  She was told to stay away from them-- not to talk to the young men with books and badges.  Anee's Mother was dedicated to the church their family attended.  She had no interest in other views but she was a good hostess.  When Anee invited two young missionaries to come to her home her mother prepared carefully for the new guests. She shined and polished her already clean house.  The Elders arrived and looked around with appreciation.  "Wow, what a clean home."  That initial comment won an audience with Anee's Mom, and the beautiful gospel truths earned them a return invitaion.   But her Father was another issue entirely.  He not only had no interest in Mormons . . . he did not believe in a God.  He was polite to his daughter's guests, but remained distant and noncommital.  Astounding the rest of the family, Anee's father was the first to set a baptism date.  When the day arrived, the entire family joined him.  Their home is an hour away from the church where the ordinance would be performed, making baptism a full-day affair.  It was wonderful to hear Anee share the feelings of joy and peace that surrounded her that day and the absolute miracle of an entirely new and amazingly clear path she now could see ahead of her.  Hearing her joy in the gospel enlarged my own understanding of how blessed my family is, and how blessed I am to know and understand these truths.

How glad I am that we did not try to select the time and place and means by which we could best serve. How glad I am that we did not miss the opportunity to grow to know and love Anee and Ashoet, Michael, Paul, Jidhe and Sam, Edgar and Yulia, Vitali, Aleksey, Andre, Yurik, Deema, Vladimir, Olya and Yana, Lena and Lubov, Galeena and Max, Lidia, Nadia, Masha, Sasha, Aleksandra and . . .

How glad I am that we did not have to decide whether or not it was a good thing to do, that we knew we should; that, knowing this fact, left no room for questioning what, where or why. Leaving our home and our family to live and work and serve in Ukraine has been, in some ways, a challenging thing for us to do. How glad I am that we did it – how very, very glad.

How glad I am to know that, for my family far away, when things get tough . . . as they always will and do . . . that they have been left in the care of One who best knows how to help, support, succor and heal.  How glad I am to feel with certainty that He is watching over my children at home as we help to watch over His children here.

What does it mean to serve a mission? It means learning to serve, loving to serve, and learning to love... how and whom He loves.  It means leaving some things behind . . . temporarily . . . in order to gain many, many more.

Pioneer Pudding!

Above is our usual reading fare, [well, along with the scriptures and Preach My Gospel]....and it usually arrives in Ukraine several months late.  English magazines are at a premium here and the price put on a New Era or Friend is way off the chart.  Сестра Хэтч is very good at procuring things thru the underground so when she scrounged these (below) we celebrated and had to read every word.

We read the New Era together and then I was reading the Friend when I came across this recipe for "Pioneer Pudding."  Mom likes rice pudding so I re-read the recipe and it sounded like we had the ingredients (un-typical).  I could do this.  But then imagine my surprise when I happened to notice, at the top of the page, the by line!  My very own Heather sent this in!  I didn't waste a moment. To celebrate Heather and all the rest of our family back home who regularly are able to eat things without at least a cup oil in them, I decided to make "Pioneer Pudding".

 It was good.