Many Are Called But Few Are Frozen: You Could Say That It's Cold

Monday, January 18, 2016

You Could Say That It's Cold

Good Day Everyone!

It has been another successful and fun week. I'm so glad I am still in Angarsk. The language it still a struggle but it is coming! Thanks everyone for the letters, it is a delight to read them all!

This week we had some sick elders. On Monday Elder De Sandre got sick. On Tuesday Elder Sumner got sick. And on Wednesday Elder Lyman got sick. Luckily, actually by the grace and mercy of God I was spared from the sickness. Just like I was in the MTC when everyone got sick who was in my room. Heavenly Father has truly blessed me with good health like I was promised. It's a huge testimony builder for me and a miracle. Even with everyone sick I only had to stay in on Monday. That was okay though because it was only for 3 hours that we would have been proselyting and I got a lot of Russian studies in. I went out with Elder Lyman on Tuesday and it just like the old days. On Wednesday Elder De Sandre was healthy again so we went out when the other elders recovered. Everyone is healthy now and going to work.

I don't know it was kinda weird this week we talked with so many Jehovah Witnesses. I have been surprised by how many I have met in Russia. We were walking home with a member and I asked them if they have fallen this winter and it was like magic, right when I said that the member fell haha.

The temperature dial right before we left the house was between -38 and -39. When I go out my shopka and scarf just freeze up way bad and I'll try to take a picture and send it next week because it is pretty cool looking. About every time I go out this week my eye lashes have froze. It is a really cool feeling. But right when we go inside everything melts. My guess is that it got -40 Celsius in the night and that is actually -40 Fahrenheit as well. It's good though. I can say I know what cold is. But honestly when we layer up we are perfectly warm. We just have to go in stores or others places every once in while.

We had a really good lesson with Egor this week. He came to the church and we simply read a chapter of the Book of Mormon and bore our testimony of the truthfulness and expounded on the chapter a little bit. He told us he would read everyday. He is a really special guy going through some hard things right now and could use the good news of the gospel. We are lucky to be teaching him.

OK, I know I said this last week but I am actually going to send a ton of pictures this week!

I love this mission of mine!

Love Elder Wilding


Your son at Lake Baikal

Welcome to the throne

Hotel in Lake Baikal

Lake Baikal

Beautiful Blue Lake Baikal

Lake Baikal

Beautiful blue Lake Baikal and my way nice hat

Lake Baikal

Me just loving Baikal

Me and Elder Lyman at Lake Baikal

Just a taste of what it gets like getting gains in the frozen tundra

In center or в центр

Approaching Santa's ice sleigh reindeer from the front and frozen trees

Tell Bryce I say, "peace"...

New Years

Our way nice set up

Nesting dolls

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Who are you, boy? Poem to Missionaries from Russian Convert, circa 2000

Who are you boy? For a boy you are journeyed to this land of ours, this land where I've endured my days. And felt oppression kill my soul and force me into some tight mold. And teach me that I should not hope unless I care to smell the smoke of dreams that the Red Army tamed. Who are you boy, from this land of plenty, teaching God, if there is any. You have all; we have none. Do you know what that feels like, son? And yet, you ask me to believe in something that I cannot see; some force you say will bring me joy. Do you know what that feels like, boy? Where you're from, faith is free, but it has a price for me. When I have pain, I have my bottle. Hurt dies quick when you down it with Vodka. That's enough to warm my soul. I work, I sleep, the days go by--I'm waiting for the day I die. You don't understand this place. You say believe, obey, have faith, live life well, serve and give. Here in Russia, we just live. Who are you, boy? Why did you come? To save a soul who once was numb. To teach a wretched, hateful, man who cursed your help, refused your hand. I thought that we were worlds apart. So how is it that you knew my heart? A fraction my age, you calmed my rage; mercy paid my generous wage. I should have been left behind. It is hard to love my kind. Hope in your heart, power in your hands, why did you come to this distant land? I know now, it was for me. The Red Curtain fell, but I was not free. Until a boy from nations away brought me my Lord, I bless the day. He led me to weep at my Master's feet, the American boy I met on the street--new and naive, still in his teens, with a message to bring the world to its knees. I thought that the truth would come from another--I did not know this boy was my brother.