Many Are Called But Few Are Frozen: A Week of Traveling

Sunday, February 14, 2016

A Week of Traveling

Dear Beloved Family and Friends,

I have been on many buses this past week. I went with my zone leader to all the areas in the zone. We went on splits with the elders there. We traveled to Vlad on a 2 hour bus, then took an hour long taxi to Artyom, slept there and woke up and went on splits with Elder Gardiner and Elder Sebach, slept there one more night and then woke up early in the morning and took 3 hour bus to Nahodka, went on a split there with Elder King and Bates. Slept there that night and then took a straight shot bus home to Ussuriysk that was 4 and a half hours long. It was really really fun seeing all the elders and seeing their beautiful cities. Especially Nahodka. A city on a bay. I think it is the biggest port in all of Russia. It was really pretty there but the whole time I was there It rained a lot and I found out I had a hole in my boot. But I brought extra shoes so it was fine.

In Ussuriysk twice a week we have Russian practice. That's right I said Russian practice. We get to sit down and one of the recent converts who speaks no English teaches us Russian. IT IS SO AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!! I learn so much! This is what I needed so much. To be taught Russian from a native Russian. We get to ask questions and it is all coming together.

One of the other elder's investigators lives next to us. We communicate with him through the windows by turning on lights. He is honestly the coolest man I have ever met. He does the Olympic ski jump thing where the jump is way long through the sky. Also he told the elders he had to run to Vlad to buy a suit so that he could come to church.

OK I planned bad, sorry. The highlights of this week were, I have a cake by an awesome member with peanut butter in it. I learned a lot on the trips! I read our heritage and feel lucky they had it so much harder than us and we have so many more advantages than them.

I am so sorry I am out of time!

I love you all!

Elder Wilding

SUNSET

Nahodka

Nahodka

Chinese New Year

Hari Krishna

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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.