RUSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm in Russia!  Like I'm actually in Russia and it's awesome!  Everyone looks like Taylor haha!  The people smile and are mostly nice!  When we street contact I say, "Hi, we are from the Church of Jesus Christ, are you a believing person?"  Most the time they say they don't understand English even though I am speaking it in Russian haha.  Sometimes they just keep on walking but more than I expected people stop and talk to us for a little bit!  Only have seen a few drunk people, everybody wears way short shorts even the guys and all the Russians have the same shoes haha!  The ones with the holes everywhere.  All the buildings look scary and gross from the outside but once you go inside they are pretty nice!  My apartment is really nice and we have a better shower than we do at home haha!  The branch in Angarsk (where I am serving - Siberia) is super strong!  There is a man here named S who has read all the standard works four times and he has been a member less than a year.  Crazy how strong and committed members are, they sacrifice so much for the church.  We are teaching a man named R.  He has a baptismal date this Saturday but we had to push it back a week because Elder Lyman, my companion, has to go on a Visa trip tonight so I'll be in Urrkookts for like 2-3 days.  R is amazing and when he talks about the gospel he says our church instead of your church!  He says how when families fall away from the church the family falls apart and he isn't even a member of the church yet!  There is a ping pong table in the chapel and the branch president says he wants to play us in ping pong sometime!  Guess it's time to school some Russians in Ping pong haha!  

The language is difficult but I know I will learn it!  So many words that I don't know but I get better everyday!  Everyone in the branch is way nice and says that I know Russian really good!  They're so nice because I don't at all!  I bore my testimony in church which was cool!  I have to give a talk next week haha!  I also passed the sacrament.  Church is only 2 hours here.

On my trip from Las Vegas to Korea the airline was amazing!  They gave us fruity drinks and 2 meals and a hot towel but I was asleep so I didn't get the hot towel :(!  I slept basically the entire time of the 13 hour flight!  Everyone else stayed up like fools because our teacher told them they would adjust to the time change better but she has never been more wrong!  We got there and it was morning so I was well rested and everyone else was tired!  President and Sister Perkinson picked us up at the airport!  They drove us to the mission office for a second and then to the mission home.  The mission home is sooooo nice!  Sister Perkinson is a really good cook!  

My trainer and companion is Elder Lyman from Highland Utah.  After the mission he is going to play baseball at BYU.  I really like him and we get along well!  He is a really good cook and we made a Pizza my first day here!  He has been out just barely under a year.  Apples means orange in Russian haha!  I think today we are going to go to a book store.  He said that the Count of Monte Cristo was there in Russian and while we can't read it on the mission it would be definitely cool to have for when I get home so maybe I could send it to you or something.

Like I said Russia isn't what I expected at all.  Landscape is a lot like Alaska and I really like that!  The branch president here served us cake and apple juice when we went and visited with them which was delicious!  Just your average Heavenly Father's children in Russia, they aren't a whole lot different from Americans in a lot of ways.  Tracting is pretty fun to see people shocked that two Americans are talking to them haha!  It's hot!!!!!  I did not expect Siberia to be this hot!  I know it will cool down though haha!  A lady here said -40.

I love you all!   

Старейшинa Wilding

We Have Arrived!

AUGUST 18, 2015

From President and Sister Perkinson:

 

Your sons and daughters are here in Vladivostok safely!

They are so excited to be here and to finally start to serve The Lord!

Thanks for your love, support and your prayers!
The gospel is true and changes lives for good!

AUGUST 21, 2015

 

Sister Wilding,

Thank you for your wonderful son! Thank you for teaching him the gospel of Jesus Christ! We feel so blessed with this new group of missionaries! And Elder Wilding tops the list!

Elder Wilding has been assigned to serve with Elder Lyman in a small branch in the West Zone called Angarsk where this young branch will love him! We were just there less than two weeks ago for District meeting and a fun Family Night with a song, power point presentation and pizza! I know that Elder Lyman is a wonderful missionary who will diligently train him with the 12 week program. 

Here is a couple of pictures of him just prior to his departure.

 

Thank you!

Sister Perkinson

Vladivostok Russia

I'm In Russia!

Just arrived a like an hour ago! Russia is awesome! It's really humid and hot. President Perkinson said that by December we will be about the oldest missionaries. And in just a few transfers we'll be training! It's scary but exciting! I'm safe and in Russia! I love you! 

Elder Wilding

Sidenote from Mom: 
The photo of McKay was taken by a stranger at one of the airports.  He asked McKay for my cell # and then sent it to me. :)

The other one is of the flight tracking from Vegas to Seoul.  It was almost a 13 hour flight. Thank you all for your prayers for his safety.  Please continue to pray for him