Giving Thanks in Ukraine

Turkeys here in Ukraine are as scarce as hen's teeth!   It took much work and research to locate one. 

We were blessed through a good friend in Makeevka branch who has a "Dacha" (summer place outside of the city) where he keeps a garden and raises rabbits and geese.  He first offered us rabbits . . . or a goose or two.  Then he remembered his neighbor's turkeys and a sale was finalized at 1000 UAH for three twenty pound birds which we calculated would feed the thirty missionaries serving in Donetsk City.  We waited with anxiety, not knowing what would be delivered on the promised Wednesday morning. 

 Brat "V" did his best.  Unable to acquire the promised three birds, he continued to research in our behalf with a guarantee that the sun would not go down on Wednesday without sufficient poundage of poultry in our qvartera (apartment).  The neighbor had no twenty pound birds, so Brat "V" did the next-best thing, delivering, late Wednesday afternoon, one seventeen pound turkey and one forty-three pounder--thankfully "bez" heads, feet and entrails. 

You just never know when the past years of life experience will become valuable. We had no idea, back in our turkey raising years, that all of the experiments with bird-relaxation techniques and tenderization research would pay off years later for Thanksgiving dinner in Ukraine.  We determined that a brine marinade would be necessary to ensure that our newly-plucked guest might present his best self at dinner the next day.  We were able to cram the little guy into our plastic-bag-lined stock pot after a good salt-rub, then we filled the bag with soy sauce, lemon-lime soda and cooking oil.

It was the monster-bird that created problems, the first of which was finding a container sufficiently large in which to marinate the thing.  We finally had to resort to sterilizing our largest kitchen wastebasket which we then lined with plastic and we lowered into it our marinating bag filled with one huge turkey.  Have you ever hefted a forty-three pound turkey?  It is not just the forty-three pounds that create a difficult situation.  The weight problem is exasperated by the slippery nature of the subject.  After a great deal of cooperative-problem solving and teamwork, Thursday's dinner was wedged into it's new repository where it would spend the night. 

The next problem related to roasting a 43 lb. turkey for Thanksgiving dinner in Ukraine (or roasting any turkey in Ukraine, for that matter) is the much too obvious absence of a roasting pan of any sort or size, and after that, the 12"x12"ovens and the aluminum foil available only in paper-thin 10"widths.  Our large turkey would not fit into our oven so we cut it half.  We cooked one half and used the ovens in the two missionary homes closest to us to cook the others.

Because a "mission activity" had not been calendared or planned for Thanksgiving, we, (Mom and Dad), planned and provided this celebration for our local missionaries and it was worth all the effort.  We had one distict help focus our spirits for our Thanksgiving Day prayer by standing one at a time and solomnly reading a short line from a hymn like "How Great Thou Art" or short quotes from people like: Ammon, "missionary" or Benjamin, "prophet and king" or Lincoln, "United States president".  Everyone sat and contemplated the blessings of home and loved ones and the tender mercies of God towards them. It did all we had hoped it would.

The dinner was wonderful!  The elders and sisters were filled.

Besides the missionaries we invited some very close friends that have made our stay here in Donetsk much more gratifying.  We introduced them as the "reasons"  why we are here, serving the Lord in this place. They represent the past present and future of missionary work in Ukraine. The husband of Lydia, our cook, was the first branch president in Donetsk. Vladimir, our driver is the branch president of Makeevka branch and Sister Vilikonova is a true christian. They found the gospel when the accepted a pamphlet offered by elders on the street and have embraced it with all their hearts.  Their son Max will grow up to become a missionary .  Our special Ukranian guests enjoyed our celebration and commented on the beautiful spirit of our wonderful American Thanksgiving holiday.

Every missionary companionship brought a dessert. Pies came in every kind of container and quality. Sisters decorated and elders carved.  We ended our dinner with a prayer of Thanksgiving and commitment.  We told each zone leader that after the closing prayer we wanted the place to look like those cartoons where everyone dashes out of a room leaving only a few papers floating to the ground.  This is not a holiday here, and our missionaries needed to show their thankfulness by deed.  As always it was the Vilikanovs who helped us clean up.

We were surprised that so many of our missionaries said this was the greatest Thanksgiving they had ever had.  And for once there was more food than even missionaries could eat!



That October Holiday . . .FHE's and District meetings......

October thirty-last . . .

No costumes this year.  No jack-o-lanterns.  No Trick-or-Treat-not even out of a trunk. 

But the 31st WAS on Monday, so our extended family did gather for sharing and uplift and cookies.
Anya brought berry filled pastries.  Because finally locating the spice "ginger" was such a big thing we made ginger cookies -- (they are just not the same without molasses).  We cannot find chocolate chips in the markets but we were innovative and made "Mrs. Field's" cookies by cutting a chocolate bar in pieces.  They were the hit of the evening.

 The apples were enjoyed even more because of the effort it took to get them!

Elder Pulsipher was neat and careful, catching his apple by the stem with not a drop of water on his person.  Some tried to kiss and nibble.  The pretty girls didn't want to ruin their make-up but they cheered the young men on!

Michael was determined to catch one of those little green floaters....no matter the cost
And he did it!  Not just once, but twice!!

 Chidi had an aversion to getting wet, but his competitive spirit won out.

Success!!!

 Elder Smith showed everyone how a real man does it by putting his whole head down into the pan and pushing the apple all the way to the bottom. He led out as champion, after which inhibitions were set aside by all until every apple in the barrel had been successfully retrieved.

Because his companion was released this week, Elder Smith was temporarily assigned to our district.  When he discovered that he would be able to come to one of our "famous" home evenings he talked about it for the week before and for the week after.

Another "last" meeting of District Three. All of the young missionaries here but one were being  transferred the next day.  Can you tell which one is going home? Exhaulting Elder Shorthill in the middle? no... he will be serving next transfer in Kharkov.  Joyous Elder Petersen on the far left???  no... also going to Kharkov.  Elder Hodgson just to his right is the greenest missionary here and will be obediently following his companion to Kharkov.  Smug Elder Roberts just right of center?  no... he is getting out of the office.  Stunned Elder Pulsipher two right of center --- no, not going home---going to be new Zone leader.     What about Elder McArthur on the far right!

Family home evenings are getting better and better.  Things that make good evenings are when the recent converts and even those not yet baptized bear testimony to the new ones.  When we sing hymns it is always a combination of Russian, Ukrainian, English, Armenian and Nigerian-English, all in unison.  I get confused and just hum.

Sister Hatch gave one lesson on the Book of Mormon including special stories of miracles of some finding the Book and feeling the pull from the spirit.  We included the story of Elisabeth and the old white haired man who chased the sisters down with his flash light and then told her that he had seen her in a dream and she had a book for him. It was a wonderful lesson.  During the "sharing" time Elder Antamanov ( first time in our home, new district leader, from Russia and on the left above) told everyone about his conversion through the Book of Mormon. He is the only church member in his family and has come to Ukraine to serve the Lord, not from guilt or compulsion but from conviction.
   
Missionaries, new converts and investigators all felt the spirit of the Book of Mormon from the lesson and from the testimonies.  All parted feeling somehow richer because of the experiences and feelings shared.

Celebrating

Birthdays come no matter where one might happen to be.  I arrived at the office Thursday morning to find my desk covered with flowers surrounding a lovely Ukranian torte baked by Sister Lydia.  My amazing husband had successfully kept me unaware that he had even remembered by enlisting the aid of Sister Ward and Sister Paletta who shopped for him.  They bought sweaters for me which have a definite feel of Ukraine.  They are perky, cheerful, glittery sweaters that neither he nor I would have picked out, but wearing them will be a fun, new experience!

 Birthdays are important in Ukraine and gift-giving is observed between family and close friends.  Gifts are not extravagant as the giving is what is important.  I received flowers from Aleksey and Dima and Tatyana, from  Elder McArthur and Elder Pulsipher and from my husband.  Flowers are a big thing here, and they are a great way to show that you care.  Ladies sit along the streets selling flowers from first snow-melt until.....well, I don't know when they fold up their flower displays.    

Makeevka Branch President Vladimir and his wife Galena have been in Kiev at the temple all week,  but they called from there and both sang "Happy Birthday" in English.  (Galena knows only limited English, so it was a very extra special thing to have her sing to me in that unfamiliar language.)  When they did return to Donetsk they brought written birthday wishes from the temple presidency on the back of a large picture of the Kiev temple.  

 Sweet Sister Ludmilla from Donetsk Branch gave me necklaces, President and Sister Campero gave me a Bolivian leather purse.  The office Elders printed out a funny card for me and our zone leaders wrote really touching birthday notes and each brought a VERY long-stemmed (about 30") rose.   We celebrated by sharing Sister Lydia's torte.  I felt very remembered. 

 

We left the office at 1:00 pm and came home to meet Brat Valentine who had called and said he had to talk to us. 

He is a collector. and he brought two Soviet medals and some old Ukranian and Soviet currency and coins for me as a birthday gift.

"I was speaking with my Heavenly Father this morning," he said, "and he told me that it was your birthday."

Then, later when Valentina, our landlady, stopped by to collect the rent she surprised me with a kiss and some lovely lacy table linens, and Elder Hatch and I both began to wonder who else "He" had been talking to.

 We spent the remainder of the afternoon doing whatever I wanted -- walking and exploring.   It was really a very lovely day and by the time it was over I had concluded that since another birthday must come and go, this really was a good way to do it.