Happy Happy Mothers Day! С Днём Матери!!!

Привет) -- (that is how the Russians do smiley faces, without eyes)

I wish all the mothers and especially my own mother a very happy and rewarding Mother's Day. None of us would be here without you, thank you for all you do and all you have done! A mission is a perfect place to be on Mother's Day because you come to realize just how much your mother really does do you for. Skyping home today was happiness! 

President Martino of the 70 and Elder Drachov (also from the 70) came and visited our mission this week. We had an awesome zone conference about how we can improve our work and had principles taught that will bless me not only on my mission but forever. The invitation to act is always the most important part. That is the only way we will become. Elder Martino taught the difference between a follower and a disciple...a disciple wants to become like who he is following. And not only wants to but works to. Elder Drachov is so so funny! He is from the neighboring mission and really had good experiences with missionary work that he shared with us. And he has 6 kids! That is almost unheard of in Russia. He told me that I looked like President Monson! I don't know if I agree, but of course I was flattered.

A lot of members flew in from Sakhalin for the District conference that was held the following day and it was good to see some familiar faces. We had the great opportunity of taking Вася (a 17 yr old from Sakh) on splits with us into the work! All of our plans worked out which in itself was a huge miracle! He is a great teacher and a exceptional young man. He will be an outstanding missionary!

On Victory Day we were able to see the parade and take in a little of the Russian spirit of this special day. They had so many casualties from WW2.  We were able to see the posterity of those who died carry a picture of their ancestors on a stick during the parade. The crowd was as it seemed numberless and it seemed that there was no end in sight of all those hosting a picture. There was also many cool military vehicles. We were able to meet with our friend from Zambia who brought his friend from South Africa. While we were together we ran into people from India (they area lot darker than the movies show) Brazil and a few other countries. All these people are at college at the university on Russian Island. When we were walking around by then it was amazing and funny at the amount of people that asked to take pictures with them. They say it happens everywhere they go. And someone joked that they should charge 50 rubles for every picture. If they did they would be loaded in no time.

I know this is God's work. He leads and guides His church through His living prophet Thomas S. Monson (who apparently I kinda look like). I love when the members of the 70 come. They are proof of what happens to a person when they live a Christ centered life.

Love,

-Elder Wilding

 SKYPE ON MOTHER'S DAY!

Emergency blankets for emergency situations

uhhh.. that is a big podezd...

Xpam

Look at our stairs

One of the elders got pooped on by a bird!

Letter from his Mission Pres and wife:
Dear Brother and Sister Wilding

This weekend has been a wonderful uplifting and spiritual gathering for the members of the church here in Vladivostok! 

Saturday morning we were early in our seats prepared to greet the Europe East Area President Martino and the Area Seventy Of East Russia Gracho for a marvelous spiritual feast! We were encouraged to build the foundations of the branches where ever we serve! We were invited to prepare a 3-5 minute talk on Diligence. Elder Sanders and Sister Arrington were called upon to deliver.

We reviewed Images of Christ and read brief reviews of what the Apostles taught about Christ at our last General Conference. We were encouraged to ponder these messages and seek for more personal revelation each time we study the words of Christ.

We were encouraged to read the white handbook as to the opportunity to talk to our mothers on this Mother's Day. We do hope that you enjoyed you Mother's Day phone call and we honor you with good choices! Thank you for your prayers in behalf of the work of The Lord!

Sincerely,

President and Sister Perkinson

Vladivostok Russia

Merry Christmas!!

С Рождеством!

It was awesome to see you and talk to you on Skype!  Crazy to think that next Christmas I will be there.  I honestly don't want to leave. I was planning on telling you how we are in Russia and didn't even have a white Christmas but today the snow picked up and we are in the middle of mini blizzard right now.  Who knows maybe we will end up with a foot before it ends just like you.  My Alaska's (my boots) have hardly had any tests this whole winter, but I think these would be warm even in Siberia when it is -40.  Hopefully snow won't stop until Russian Christmas (7 January).  

As I mentioned in my Skype call we have our investigator Nikolai on date to be baptized on the 14th of January.  We found him in the area book, his chart looked great and for who knows why the elders stopped meeting with him.  He looks a lot like Putin and Harry Potter mixed.  Ever since we committed him to baptism he has stopped smoking.  He has tried in the past with no success but he said this time it is easy for him. Prayers have been answered every day and he is on his 5th day already!

We went sledding on what seemed to me like a pretty lousy hill with some branch members but it turned out to be super fun!  We bought sleds for 70 rubles a piece (they tried to charge us 346 for one, but we caught it, it was a problem with a price tag) and those babies flew!  

The Severukins were in our district meeting and we also held a mini MTC for them since them just started their mission 2 weeks ago and didn't have anything like it.  It went well, we have plans to go serve at a orphanage and maybe a few other places.  Actually we took about half a day with the sisters and just walked around town from building to building asking if we could serve.  Most people told us that they had nothing for us to do then we went to a Japanese museum and were met with the same kind of talk, we persisted and the manger lady came down and told us that we could and gave us free tickets to the museum right on the spot!  It was a miracle!  

Thanks for all that you all do!  New Years has a lot more celebrators in Russian and I haven't heard yet but we will probably go home early on New Year's eve.  The branch is having an activity but we can go.  Have a Happy New Year!

Love you all!

Elder Wilding

 Christmas tree making

I was a wiseman

Sledding

Christmas Party

 SKYPE!!!!

 With Elder Lawrence

Good Week in Russia, Bad Week in America

Dear family and friends,

It was really great to talk to you on Christmas!  It was something that I really took for granted before.  My Christmas was great and fun!  The weather is starting to warm up here a little bit.  Had a good English practice : Christmas Edition.

We set an baptismal date for Egor this week and if all goes well Yuri will get baptized tomorrow.  Elder Lyman and Sumner are teaching him right now but me and Elder Lyman found him and it is great to see him progress in his faith.  He had to come to church this Sunday if he wanted to get baptized.  We were all worried when sacrament started without Yuri.  But we just placed it in the hands of the Lord and he showed up!   It was a miracle!

Me and Elder Sumner were on splits this week and had an outstanding day.  I swear the streets were prepared for us because of how many people we were able to talk to and share our message and receive their numbers.  I wasn't really sure how it was going to go at first but it was one of the best contacting days I have had on my whole mission!

My Christmas was awesome!  We were hoping and praying that we could do some service on Christmas.  We couldn't find anything and just planned to contact and do what we always do.  But while we were planning Egor called us and asked us to help him with a pemont (repair) on a wall in his house.  When we arrived I saw chunks of broken wall scattered all over the floor and Egor with a dumbbell in his hand smashing the wall.  It was quite a site and he told us in broken English,  "This is man work".  We ended up throwing the broken wall out of his window that is 2 stories up.  It was fun.

On Christmas Eve we bought a ton of Twixes and some brownie mix and made Twix brownies.  I will send some pictures it was a glorious creation and it tasted so good except the Twixes got a little burnt.  We also watched Mr. Kruger's Christmas that I found in Vlad and brought it here and wrapped it up and put it under our Christmas tree like a present.  It was great to watch and feel the true meaning of Christmas.

The weather has been pretty cold but it has started to warm up.  I think the coldest it got was -35.  I just about got frost bite but it was cool feeling a cold that I have never felt before in my whole life.  The nice thing about the cold is that you can just keep on putting clothes to get warm but with the heat you can only take off so much.

The reason my email say bad week in America is because the Panthers lost.  Dang it.  I thought they were going to have the perfect season.  At least we have the Superbowl we can still win.

Sorry this letter is so short!  I'll try to do better!  I am having a great time out here!  I love it!  I wish everyone a happy new year!

Elder Wilding

Siberia

For you Mom

Our Stockings

Thy son

Twix Brownies

Cooking

Thine son

Korea

Korean Temple

*From Elder Wilding's mom:
The Skype that almost didn't happen.

After waiting for almost two hours from the set time to Skype on Christmas Day we received this email :

Dear Parents,

Living here in Russia is an amazing opportunity, each new day brings a new experience and challenges. Today in the USA its Christmas, the magic is all around you.  Your missionary has been looking forward to this day for a long time, that once or twice a year experience to “Phone Home” however the internet here is not as reliable as we would like, and today unfortunately has been one of those days.

If you are receiving this email it’s because your missionary has called us, Elder and/or Sister Anderson and they have been disappointed and frustrated in trying to reach you! We are very sorry for this inconvenience. They Love You! They are Safe! And believe me when I say they wish they could be “Home for the Holidays”. But they are serving the Lord and today Christmas Day they will be acting as a servant of Christ, sharing the gospel with those who need them EVEN more than you do.

Wishing you and your family,

Merry Christmas!

Elder & Sister Anderson

For and in behalf of,

Elder Wilding

We were pretty let down but decided to be positive and pray that he was not feeling worse than we were since he is the one so far away from home.  Then we received this email about an hour later: 
Hello this is Elder Lyman from Angarsk. We've been having some problems. We Your sons will be calling from skype in about an hour to 2 hours.

 He looked SO great and sounded even better!  He is happy and immersed in the Lord's work!  We couldn't be prouder of this boy!  Best Christmas present ever!