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"!