My Time In Korea

Wow this week has been crazy.

I spent 2 or 3 days in Angarsk but right now I am in Vlad.  This is my travels, I took a bus from Angarsk to Irkutsk and then from there jumped on a plane and flew to Kharbarosk.  Had a long layover there and actually slept on the bench seats in the airport.  After the layover finally ended I flew Vladivostok.  Was in Vlad for a very short period of time and from there I flew to Korea.  Once I got in Korea I took a bus to the center of the town and ran to the temple.  The bus drivers in Korea wear suits.  Completely different from Angarsk. After we got off the bus we ran up this hill and couldn't really see anything but all of a sudden the angel Moroni pops out and it is completely stunning.  Korea itself is absolutely amazing.  It is basically futuretown.  Big buildings. Flashy neon lights.  I felt like I was on a different planet.  Once we arrived in the temple we just immediately did a session.  We would have gone and got McDonald's but we just had no time for it.  It actually turned out to be quite fine though because when we were just sitting in our rooms (in the temple, it isn't in the actually temple temple but it is connected to it) and one of the workers brings to us pound cake and milk.  Korean people are so nice.  I love bowing down to everyone because they always do it back.  And Korean sounds so cool!  Walking the streets of Korea is so cool!  It was so warm there.  Then after all of that we woke and took a bus to the airport again.  I stood in a line in the airport for about 2 hours, then jumped on another plane and now I'm in Vlad.  It was so much traveling in just 2 or 3 days.  I was so tried and jet lagged.  But it was so fun!

I love Vlad!  I didn't know if I would like the big city feeling of it but I do.  There are always people to talk to on the street and it is not as cold as it is in the west.  I was walking the other day with one of the AP's to go check out a hotel for the new elders that are coming in and on our way there we saw a black guy on the street.  That alone was pretty surprising because he is the 2nd black person I have seen on my whole mission, so of course we talked to him.  He spoke no Russian.  We asked him what he was doing in Russia.  He told us that he was bringing football to Russia and he coaches a team here.  He also told us he played in the NFL.  He played for a couple of teams but the only one I can remember is the green bay packers.   His name is Bobby Rome.  I have never heard of him before but I'm sure if I looked him up I would find him.  He pulled his hand out of his pocket and on his hand he had 3 rings that looked like Superbowl rings and a really expensive diamond watch.  He isn't very smart walking around in Russia with that on but he could probably fend for himself just fine.

I met a man from North Korea in Vlad.  It has been a really fun and exciting week!

I love you all!

Elder Wilding

On Korean bus with Elder Brower

Korean Temple

SHARK FORCE

Mom, you can finally relax.  I bought my coat.  To say it is warm would be an understatement.  It is a shark force.  That is the name of it.  It is probably the best name I have ever heard!  On the inside are these words that make no sense haha.  I'll send a picture.  Time keeps on flying so fast.  How am I almost already done with training?  I honestly don't know.  It feels like yesterday I was at home chilling with Mr. Cat.  

This week was another week of miracles.  This man we met on the streets a few weeks ago is named Yuri.  He loves life!  He is just a happy person who finds everything funny and everything brings him joy even though he is very poor.  He knows English very good as well.  And he loves the word "yup" haha.  Well, a few weeks ago we got his number and told him to come to English practice but English practice came and went and Yuri wasn't there.  We called him but he was always native stupen (which means their phone is either off or they didn't pay their bill so their phone is shut down) like everyone else in Russia.  We were sad because he was really interested and we really wanted to meet with him.  Well then at Hari Krishna, our service project where we serve food to the poor and homeless, he showed up!  Right when he saw us he said, "It's Destiny" He would look up to the sky every time he said it too.  He said the reason he wasn't answering his phone is because he had it on a lanyard around his neck and his cat hit it into some water.  He kept on saying it was destiny that we met again.  We invited him to English practice again and he came this time.  After the practice  we taught him the first lesson.  He said, "I already believe all this".  When we asked him to be baptized he said, "When and where?".  He is so solid and so prepared.  We set up another time to meet with him but he didn't come.  We were bummed again because of how golden he is.  Yesterday we were contacting just like we always do and we saw him, waiting at a bus stop!  We went up and talked to him and he apologized for not coming to our meeting.  He said he was working and couldn't make it.  His job is to shovel snow and there is a lot of it now.  He has been reading the Book of Mormon and we are going to meet with him tonight.

It snowed a few inches this week.  Everything is ice now.  To get rid of the ice they have the workers with shovels of course, but they also have these tractors that have on the front of them these huge brushes the size of a side walk in length that are made up of spin trim wires.  They work like a lawn edger does and just completely obliterate the ice.  They look like a lot of fun.  Might want to get one of them for home haha!

I am going to Korea this week!  To renew my visa.  SO excited, I get to sleep in the grounds of the temple and do a session or 2 in the temple!  Then I will be in Vald for like 3 weeks.  We are having a mission conference (our whole mission).  We don't have that many missionaries but that is completely nuts because of how spread out we are.  So it wouldn't be very smart for me to fly to Korea, and come back to Angarsk for only like a week or 2.  So I will be serving with the AP's for a little while which is going to be awesome!

The mission really makes you appreciate everything you took for granted when you were at home!  Thanks for giving me a great life!  

Elder Wilding

Your son in his coat

Shark Force inside and label

Russia - Angarsk

Russia - Angarsk

Chicken Alfredo

 *Mom here... I added this forecast for the next couple of weeks...

Halloween (Galloween) PartyHalo

Dear Family,

This week we had our Halloween party at the branch.  It was really fun and a lot of non members showed up!  We carved apples and played the Oreo minute to win it game, relay race of wrapping people in toilet paper like a mummy and the game where you tie a balloon to your leg and try to pop others without getting yours popped and the donut on a string game (well actually bagel because we're in Russia) and bobbing for apples.  The took it over and did a great job.

A lot of miracles this week!  This man was outside on the street passing the church and for some reason just came in and we taught him a lesson and it was way good and he said after the lesson "maybe God sent me", he doesn't know how right he is.  Another one was we had forgotten a book that we needed for a lesson at the church so last night we went there to grab it and one of the members in Angarsk was there with his friend teaching him about the gospel, we got there and taught him the first lesson.  If we didn't forget that book we would have never been there to teach Mark's friend.  Oh and Nikolai is going to get baptized this Saturday!

Me and Elder Lyman have been speaking only Russian from 1-9 everyday.  It's hard and requires a whole lot of hand actions but I think it is helping my Russian improve a lot.  And bought a muffin pan!  English practice wasn't as good this weekly as the past weeks because there weren't as many people there as there were missionaries and we had the question of the day "how do you deal with your problems" we thought people were going to say exercise or listening to music or something and we were going to turn it into how we can turn to God and he will help us but people started telling us about their problems and were basically venting haha but it was good!

We were walking and saw a Panda bear on the side of a building and it was wearing a Chinese chef hat and was cooking Chinese food so of course I thought it was panda express but when i went and checked it out I was deeply disappointed when it was only a sushi place.  A bird landed on my shoulder as I said in the picture I sent you!  We didn't even have  any food and all the pigeons surrounded us.  They are everywhere in Angarsk.  

I am going to buy my coat today!  I love all of you!

Elder Wilding

Me and Elder Lyman's Halloween costumes

Halloween Party

Elder Lyman's amazing creation

Pigeons surrounded us and one landed on my shoulder

Russian Ballet

So last week we went to a Russian Ballet!  I don't know really what to say about it besides that.  It was pretty impressive I guess haha I don't know.  I'm just glad you never enrolled me in dance mom!  I'll send some pictures because it was a cool experience!

During service this week their weren't that many people at Hari Krishna.  I think my taste buds are starting to change because I'm starting to like vegetables and fruits and even soup a whole lot more than before.  

English Practice this week was awesome!  We played Pictionary and it was way fun!  One of the women there speaks English so well she corrects me sometimes haha.  One of our investigators named Vladimir (the one who told us the whole Joseph Smith story) took us to a little river.  It was way fun!  Right when we got to the river he said "this is the place" just like Brigham Young did when they got to Utah.  Then he told us the exact date Brigham Young said that and where it was haha.  He knows so much about the church, so many little things like that haha.  The river was freezing, I put my hands in it and it's just as cold as Alaska.  The whole place reminded me exactly of Alaska.

It snowed a little bit yesterday.  They always know when the snow in coming to Angarsk because when it snows in some other place in Siberia it always comes to Angarsk just a few days later.  It's been getting colder but won't be Siberia cold until like November or December.  Nikolai is going to be baptized in 2 weeks.  We asked him who he wanted to baptize him and he kinda suggested his friend who introduced us to him but we were at Baba Nina's house (we call her Baba Nina which means Grandma Nina but that's just how it is in Russian), and she is way funny and loves the American Elders and when she heard that question she said you need to get baptized by an American, it's a better experience.  Well, we still tried to get him to choose his friend because that way it's better if they have that person who lives in the branch and not a missionary that will just leave.  He choose Elder Lyman, which is a great choice!  

It's been fun this week and I feel like I have learned a lot more Russian than I used to know!  We went to the Renik which is basically like the swap meet in Hawaii to look for a coat and stuff but when we got there most of the shops were put down because we went kinda late but I think we will go again this week just a little earlier.

I love Russia. I love you all.  Lucky to be here.

Elder Wilding

Russian Ballet

River

Elder Wilding and Elder Lyman

River

Vldamir's truck

With Elder Lyman

Russian Omelet

Hey Family!

Hey Family!

This week was fun!  A man on the street thought we were from Latvia.  Finally!  Some people are starting to think I'm Russian!  It is starting to get cold here.  We found the reenik which is the place where all the missionaries buy their stuff for winter.  I think we are going to go there this week but we will have to go during a dinner hour because it is closed every Monday.  I'll probably buy a coat, nice Russian hat, some gloves, maybe some boots (all the boots have fur on the inside!) Who knows what I'll find there but hopefully I find all that I need?

I got my first haircut in Russia this week.  Nothing different from the haircuts in America.  Except for the fact that the lady cutting my hair asked me like how I wanted my hair cut and I just said "Да" because I didn't understand her at all but somehow she got the message because she did a pretty good job.

English practice was awesome this week!  I'll send you a picture of the sign we put out on the street that is for English practice.  The Sisters were gone on a visa trip so it was just me and Elder Lyman.  We always split into 2 groups, the beginners and the advanced, but last time we had the Sisters so it was easy to split because we would have a companionship to a group.  But because they were gone I had the advanced group and Elder Lyman had the beginners.  I was a little worried that I couldn't lead the discussion because it was my first time teaching or leading without Elder Lyman right next me.  (We just separated in the same room.)  But luckily everyone in my group spoke enough English and I understood enough Russian to get the job done.  It was really fun!  Denil (one of the guys at English practice) said, "Why is your church interesting to learn about, and the church here in Russia is not?" Haha Had just showed a video and the Spirit was strong!

We are teaching another guy from English class named Vladimir.  When we were teaching him the restoration he told us the entire Joseph Smith story haha.  Some people are so prepared here!  He came to church and is reading the Book of Mormon and is an awesome investigator!  A sober man on the street told us God lives on the moon and that he planted us on this earth like carrots and cabbage.

A member of the branch is going on a mission!  We helped him fill out his papers.  It was kinda cool filling out his papers with him because it reminded me of when I did it.  Ruselan is back!  He has been working everyday for the past 6 weeks or so, so we could never meet.  But he's back and ready to meet!

Nikiolai is going to get baptized in 2-3 weeks!  We just got some things we have to work out with him.  He's great and is reading and praying!

Love you all!

Elder Wilding

English Class Sign

Russian Building

Conference

I forgot my book this week where I write down everything that happened during the week but hopefully I can remember some.

We watched general conference this week!  That was incredible!  Those talks were so inspired!  The 3 new apostles are awesome!  I was really impressed with how humble they all were.  In Elder Renlund's talk he talked about how he has done nothing in his life to get him there.  That's how I feel.  I didn't do anything in my life that made it so that I would get called to Russia.  The Lord called me and he needs his work done his way.  I also loved how Elder Renlund talked how if we really want charity we need to look at everyone through the eyes of their parents, even Heavenly Father.  Also Elder Hale's talk was one of my favorites!  I want my future wife to watch Elder Hale's talk and Elder Nelson's talk haha.

We had an awesome English practice this week!  It was a miracle how many people showed up!  We weren't expecting too many but I think like 8-12 people came!  And about half of them were really good at English and half of them basically knew nothing.  We had the advanced group and the Sisters had the beginners.  One of the guys in our group was so interested in us.  He couldn't believe that we left our homes and our families for 2 years for Russia.  We told him we came because we know our church is true!  He thought it was so awesome and we are going to try and schedule a meeting with him so that we can teach him!  Also another miracle.  We were just on the street contacting and stopped a guy and started talking to him and he started talking to us back in English which is always cool because I can actually understand what they are saying!  He is an English teacher named Igor!  He says he met with the missionaries before and has a Book of Mormon.  He said he reads it from time to time and said, "It is interesting how Christ would appear to the people in America also, not just interesting for the Americans but for the whole world."  It was so cool!  He already believes everything, we just need to meet with him.  Russians a lot of the time don't answer their phones though.  We saw him on the street and invited him to come to general conference.  And he asked if we have living day prophets and apostles.  We told him yes.  I was expecting him to say that all of that was done away with in Christ's time but he was like good, the Bible says that's how the church should be run!  He is so golden!

It isn't cold yet.  It snowed once but now it is warm and I'm in a short sleeve.  I will try to find a coat!  I accidentally said goodbye to a guy on the street instead of saying hello.  I yelled "das vidana" at him instead of "zdrasvootiye" and he looked at me with a weird face and said "das vidana" right back at me haha.  

It looks like I will be training in 6 weeks!  Scary!  Hope I learn enough Russian by that time!  Or else I feel bad for whoever I'm training!

This week has been awesome!  Love it here!

Love, Elder Wilding

My District

Apartment

My bed

Conference BABY!!!!

My District

It Snowed

I can't believe Mitch, Derek and Tyler got called to the same mission, that's crazy!

We went to a food stand this week called были.  It is amazing!  It has huge pancakes that they roll up like burritos and fill with chocolate or caramel!  Tastes like heaven!  Also, I have been listening to a lot of Bruce R. McConkie talks.  That man is a genius.  Also I have been trying to get down the Restoration in under 2 min. so that I can share with people on the street.  Memorizing is so huge in learning a language!

On Oct. 1st it snowed all day.  A little boy threw a snowball at us haha, but just because he asked us if we wanted to have a snowball fight with him and we couldn't because we were heading somewhere so Elder Lyman just told him to throw it at us.  The little kid was so happy haha!  But the next day all of the snow melted.  And now it is way hot again.  The weather is so weird right now.  Some days I go out with 2 coats and then the next day with only a short sleeve white shirt.  Probably will go and buy my winter coat sometime soon.  The only problem is the Reenik (the place you go to buy) is closed on Mondays and that's when P-day is.  We might have to go during a dinner hour or something.

I didn't get to watch conference yet.  We get it this week.  I'm way excited!  The branch watches it in Russian together and the missionaries watch it in English and all the missionaries bring a ton of treats!  Can't wait!  Our baptism didn't happen this week because he had to work.  It's so sad.  They work like all the time but still make no money.  That is why baptisms haven't been happening.  People are just always working.  We plan to have him baptized in 2 weeks now.  I really think this one will happen!

I was reading in the teachings of the Prophet's book.  Heber J. Grants.  He talked in it about never being discouraged.  He used Nephi as an example.  Nephi never got discouraged.  When his brothers went and tried to get the plates of brass and failed twice, he didn't murmur but just went and did and relied on the Lord.  And throughout his whole life he is always trusting in the Lord and never murmuring and never getting discouraged.  I want to be like that.  Never be discouraged.    

Also in Nephi, I find it way cool when it talks about when Nephi broke his bow.  He broke his bow and his brothers murmured, even his father the prophet murmured.  What did Nephi do, did he get discouraged?  Did he just stop and complain to God.  No he went and made a bow out of a tree.  Then what is most interesting, he went to his father and asked where he should go hunt.  It was pretty clear that Nephi was supposed to take over after Lehi.  Lehi was old and now was his perfect time to control.  But he didn't. 

"If you treat an individual as he is, he will stay as he is.  But if you treat as if he were what he could be and ought to be, he will become what he ought to be." - Goethe

That is exactly what Nephi did.  He knew what his father should have been and instead of treating him as someone who complained against God, he treated him as his father the prophet who receives inspiration from God.  And that principle applies to all aspects of life.  That is how I am going to start treating my investigators.  As if they kept the commitments we extended to them and in other ways.

I finally had something at a member house I didn't like.  Fish soup.  I ate it though.  I thought I would never get fed by members on my mission but it has happened quite a bit in Angarsk.

I was in a lesson and trying to say, "No person could write the Book of Mormon without God" but what I said is, "No person could read the Book of Mormon without God".   The guy looked at me way weird haha.  But my Russian is getting a ton better!

We made a cool goal.  For every 3 hours we are on the streets contacting, we want one number.  Our first time doing it we didn't have a number 2:40 in but we saw a man on a bench and sat and talked with him and at 2:50 we got one!

I love it here!  Good job mom on qualifying for Boston!

Elder Wilding

It snowed

Cool castle

The moon

Elder Lyman's 20th birthday breakfast