08 May 2011 A HISTORICAL DAY FOR THE CHURCH IN RUSSIA

Sunday 08 May 2011..Mother's Day in the USA President Sorenson annouced to the Russian saints that we had been approved to organize the first stake in Russia. What a historical event in the church?  The stake will cover a very large area and it will have 6 wards and 3 branches.  Keep in mind that everyone either drives, takes the metro or busses to get to church.  Elder Russell M Nelson will come in June to our District Coference and he will organize the stake at that time.  We are so excited to be a part of this wonderful and historical event in Russia.  After a stake we will start waiting and praying for the day when we will see a Temple in Russia.  The missionaries have worked very hard for this day and we hope all the ones that have gone home will hear the news and know what a great part they had in this event happening.  The ones here are very excited and know that now they really need to step up and keep pushing the work forward.

I guess since I skyped last Gene has had a birthday.  The office elders came in singing happy birthday to him and then they went in the kitchen and prepared a delicious steak dinner for him.  He had no idea and was totally surprised when they asked him to come into the kitchen.  I had told him we would buy Pizza for the office on his birthday.  So about 12 o'clock he told Elder Jenkins to call and order it.  He did a real good job of faking the call.  I loved it.

Also Easter was quited different here.  The Sat. before Easter the traffic was horrible.  We were on a bus and stopped and going nowhere.  We went past a cathederal and people were lined up for blocks with sacks in their hands waiting to get in.  So when we got home we got on the inet and read about Easter in Russia.  The Sat. before is called Holy Saturday and they take breads or cakes, something like that and have it blessed to be eaten on Easter Sunday. It is a very big event for them.  On Saturday night they have a big mass where they celebrate.  It goes into the wee hours of the morning.  We could see the cathederal from our window all lit up.  And we could here the bells ringing.  Saturday evening we decided to walk to the cathederal by us and kind of just see what was going on.  When we got there police were everywhere..I do not know why..and they were watching people very carefully.  We just  hurried along at that point and knew it was best to not be there.  We had left without our documents so it would of been terrible if one of the police had stopped us. We will not leave without them again.  We do know better.

Pictures below will tell of the rest of the events.

Hope everyone is good.  We are and we are enjoying the warmer weather.



Elder Huston and Elder Jenkins coming to the office and singing Happy Birthday
and giving Elder Gronning a couple of treats.




Surprised in the kitchen.



This is the steak dinner..pretty yummy huh?

How cute is this?  Elder Jenkins and Elder Huston with Elder Gronning showing the
great meal they prepared.  Steak, potatoes and gravy and brocoli.  I baked a cake and had
some ice cream

These are our friends Eldr and Sister Hawkins.  They are the office
couple for the west mission right next to ours.



Elder Huston and President Sorenson ready to eat.



Happy birthday to Gene in Russia.

Big catheral in downtown Moscow where a huge Holy Sat.
Easter Mass was going on.  I took this off the T.V

We watched what they were doing but of course did not
understand one bit of it.  But oh so different than how
we celebrate Easter.



And along came another package from Michelle and family.  It was
an Easter Package full of Easter treats.  Of course everyone gets
to enjoy those.




We had a lot of fun with the chicken that layed eggs.
Not to many people had seen one of those.



This was a plaque in the package that sits between
our two cubicles at the office.  We love the saying on
it and it always reminds us to be loving and serve others.

Clay and Gracie sent their new school pictures in the package.
Such cute grandchildren.  We will see them in about 12 days
when they come for a visit.

We have notes like this one on the front door of the apt building
quite often.  We take a picture of it and then ask the office
elders to read it and let us know what it says. O.k I just found
out what the sign says.  Hot water will be turned off from May 11
until May 18.  How awful is that?  Cold showers!!! They have to
clean the water pipes.



Senior night.  Sister Neuenschwander and Sister Patterson
trying to serve refreshments using the floor for a table.



Elder Hansen, Ola, Elder Owen and Elder Bogdonov at church
yesterday.  The children love the elders.