Many Are Called But Few Are Frozen: Love It Here

Monday, May 16, 2016

Love It Here

My dear family and friends,

How great is it that I can be here in Russia! It is absolutely wonderful! I am so lucky to get called here

To start I have good and bad news, We played basketball with week! But the bad news is that I am incredibly out of shape. I was running around about as fast as I could go for the first 10 minutes and then after that my body seemed to shut down. But the basketball was really fun nevertheless! We had to pay 80 rubles to play and we played with me and Elder Hess and Elder Sieboch on my team vs Elder Roosa and Evgenni and Vlastik. They were actually pretty good. We are going to play again tomorrow! This whole game was a wake up call for me. I have committed to eat so much healthier and drink water like there's no tomorrow! So I need to know what I could eat that is really healthy!

In our weekly English practice we asked for what people want for upcoming English practice. We got a few answers but the best one was from our friend Mr. Eugene who asked if we would base an English practice on "The History of Kitchens" haha! And then another person who knows English pretty well said this way weird complicated sentence of big words jumbled together to show off his English. Good thing we didn't make any promises that we would do the things they suggested or we would be in trouble.

V has been sick and no meetings with him. Egor our new investigator came to game night and picked up UNO faster than any Russian I've ever seen. That may sound weird but it takes a while for them to pick it up.

I thought I would get out of planting potatoes this year because I am about as far away from the garden as I could be. But the job followed me here, at C's we planted his huge field full of potatoes. He is going to have the greatest harvest!

Elder Hess's visa came to an end so he jumped on a plane to Korea and we had a trio for a little bit with Elder Sieboch. Being with more elders is always loads of fun! We went over to Casha's from English and he fed us apple pie!

We really haven't had any time on the street this week. It's really good but when I feel like a missionary the most is when I am street contacting and when our schedule is full with meeting people and going to meetings, which is the ideal. It sometimes feels like we aren't working as hard. Of course, it's great what were doing it just feels like that.

We had 4 less actives at church yesterday! For 2 of them all we did was call and for the other we meet with her and her grandson. It takes only an invitation sometimes to get people back.

In studies I am reading the New Testament about Christ and his ministry and my goal is to finish the whole thing.

I didn't keep good notes this week of what happened but next week I will!

Love you! Thanks for the support and love!

Elder Wilding

РОССИЯ

Welcome to the world of Chum Chum

The famous Ashley's

Korea from the air

KOREA

Streets of Korea

Korean Temple Grounds

Korean Temple

Korean Temple and Temple Grounds

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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.