4 Days and Another P-Day можно

Salutations from Russia!

I could really get used to this early p-day thing.  Only problem is that the emails I sent to my friends on their missions (4 days ago) have not yet reached their eyes.  Therefore not many emails.  I did really good this week and wrote down what happened so that I don't forget.  But I did forget to look at that paper....  I'll try to remember.  Here goes nothing.

Might as well start out with our good friend K.  We spent a lot of time with him this week but I'll get into that later.  We went over for service hoping to chop wood but ready to do whatever.  His wood supply is at 0 but he does have quite a lot of grass that he wants to cut down and move to a central location in hopes that cows or horses or some kind of animal will come and eat it.  It started off good, we were working and doing what he wanted.  Although within minutes my allergies, reacting to the tall grass caused my eyes to water so bad that it looked like I just got dumped and was bawling.  He made a video out of the whole service project on his vimeo page and put in a clip of my crying haha.  And then on Sunday after church he wanted to talk to us about permaculture and how it would help build the church.  We went home after church to eat lunch while the other elders stayed with K there and when we got back he stayed and talked to us for 3-4 hours.  It is pretty amazing how much he can talk.  His ideas are sincere and he really wants to help grow the church but sometimes they are a little out there.  It is great Russian practice!  

We and the other elders held a part of our weekly planning session together in order to plan who has what and at what times we will be at the church respectively.  We have to move out of our apartment by Thursday of this week to the other elders apartment and are completely busy with that and they want to cut the grass at the green island (name of the field where we play soccer on sports night) so that it is actually nice and playable.  We actually bought a spin trimmer for the branch, the other elders went down to the Reenik and bought it.  Reenik stuff isn't always the most reliable but it is always the cheapest.  Within the first minutes of cutting the grass the guard  broke off and they said that holding it shakes you to the core.  Besides that it works great and the field is in the process of becoming a soccer field again and not some farmer's pasture.  

Our soccer game with those guys that came in the church never worked out.  They called us back later that night saying that something came up and they had to go to Vlad or something unexpected or something like that.  Elder Staiger talked to them on the phone and I don't really remember the reason.  They apologized and said they want to play with us again sometime this next week.  We pray that it happens!  

On  p-day I bought a couple of ties.  Mom is going to be so happy, I bought a beautiful purple one that is way Russian.  Russia has the coolest ties.  They usually aren't one piece of material or fabric but you'll have red stripes going down the middle of the tie and then near the bottom it will turn into paisley pattern, or the border with be different or it will be split down the middle.  There are so many variations that I didn't even know existed before I got here.  

Next time I write you I should know where my destiny lies (transfers) and will be out of my home for the last 4 transfers.

I love you all thanks for you examples!

Elder Wilding

I'm a Volunteer

Привет Привет Привет!

It is so good to write home again.  Having a normal workday on Monday was the weirdest feeling ever.  And not writing until today got us all mixed up.  Therefore I am happy to end the confusion.  

My new suit is........... BLUE!  She is beautiful,  I had to get the legs tailored a little shorter because apparently my legs don't agree with my arms.  I was hoping to grow a few inches out here but for as much as i can tell it is not happening.  This transfer has gone faster than any one I have ever experienced.  It feels like I have been with Elder Staiger for 1 day tops.  As of now the prophecy that the last year goes immensely faster is being fulfilled.  We have to move out of the apartment that I have called home for 5+ months.  7 new sisters come in (or 6 I don't know) and they get our apartment and we get to go live with the other elders in their apartment in Slabada.  The changes are to a much smaller apartment and about 20 more minutes away from the church.  But that is a small sacrifice to make to be able to live with 4 elders again.  It is a blast!

Mr. W.  I am so blessed to be able to teach him.  He loves the gospel and reminds me of why I am out here and that I truly do bring glorious news of happiness.  He believes and is happy.  Every time I talk to him he says something in his Chinese accent in broken English very profound and simple about the gospel and I can't help but laugh and smile.  The gospel is joy and he understands that.

We had splits again in Vlad.  I was with Elder Grey and Elder Memmott.  We met with a kid who knows English and can hear any song and then play it on the guitar or piano right after or that is how it seemed.  The next day multiple districts came up to Vlad for a joint district meeting where we talked about the new law and what we could do and what we couldn't do.  We are going to be spending more time in the church now.  Yesterday me and Elder Staiger started to organize the library while we waited to see if anyone would come in.  It was such a mess and we are still not finished.  3 guys came in and we played ping pong with them because for 2 weeks we can't talk about the gospel with anyone besides members.  That is of course unless they sign a paper stating that they are a "follower" interested in learning more about our church.  We set up a soccer game with them on Friday.

I called Vl who me and Elder Lyman taught in Angarsk haha... he is super funny.  He always yells when he gets excited "OOOH OOOH" haha.  He knows some English but usually a word or two and then the rest is all in Russian. In Angarsk I could not understand anything he was saying but when I called him it all was clear.  But that's not saying much because I knew like no Russian when I first got in country it feels like.

We found a big set up poster of Joseph Smith while cleaning out the library.  We put it out in the front where people can see him when they pass by the church.  I'll send a picture of me by it!  

I love you all and am very grateful for all you do!  If you have any questions or more stuff you want me to include in my email just let me know.

Elder Wilding

Change is in the Wind

Дорогая моя семья и друзья

It is good to write to you again!  Many exciting things and changes have taken place this week.  As for the Siberian tiger watch, none have yet been spotted, and we are starting to believe they are not out here.  I was informed last week that America celebrated Shark Week, to all those who were able to watch that consider yourselves lucky.   

A few facts were learned this week as well:

1) My hair should not be cut to 1/2 inch

2) Some German chocolate contains alcohol

3) President Zagorpodnee is an Italian at heart

4) It is possible to sneeze all your energy away

5) Hair takes a lot longer to grow back than I thought

We played some soccer with a bunch of big Russians.  By the velocity of their voice and the look on their faces you would have thought they all hated each other.  That is how they show their love for each other I guess.  After the game we met one of their brothers who lived in Illinois for a year as an exchange student.  He said when he first got there everybody thought he was and because he wasn't always smiling.  Haha completely different cultures.  We got his number and planned to go take a tour of the fire station in town with him.  Turns out it is not allowed so we didn't end up going.  

Me and Elder Hess were on splits on Tuesday.  We made it over to K's.  He has the nicest and was wearing way nice flannel.  He always has some kind of idea of how we can grow the church.  Then he pulled out his accordion and went to work!  He didn't really know how to play but we loved watching him.  

I had a cool experience while teaching a lady who wants to quit smoking and drinking.  Her name is O.  Previous to this experience I was reading about light and how people can see it in your eyes and we talked a little bit about it at zone conference.  I heard tons of stories about other missionaries having people saying that they see light in their eyes.  But that has never happened to me.  And then when we were teaching her she told us she didn't know what it was but we just have something in our eyes.  It was a big testimony builder to me that the church is true and people can see our light.

On Saturday we played soccer and my allergies overtook me and I couldn't stop sneezing the whole time.  It got so bad that my face was covered in sweat and tears.  Sweat from the soccer and tears from the allergies.   I couldn't do anything about it, it was awful.  I think i am going to get rid of my allergies when I get home even if that means I have to get a ton of shots.

As most of you have probably already heard, Russia just passed a new law that makes it illegal to talk about the gospel outside of the church building.  We received instruction from President to get as many new investigators as we can before the 20th when it becomes official law.  But besides that we don't know what we are going to do.  Me and Elder Staiger think we will go around serving people like crazy and play soccer with a ton of people and then somehow try to get them in the church so that we can talk about the gospel.  Basically my whole mission as I knew it is going to change I think.  But I am excited!  It has got to be the better path or else the Lord wouldn't have let this happen.  We'll see how this goes but until then pray for the members over here so that they can stay strong.  Russia in general could really use your prayers.

I am going to buy a new suit today! I don't know what color yet but I'm think gray or blue.   Love you all,

Elder Wilding

Letter from Pres. Perkinson:

Dear Loved Ones,

As we continue to assist the Lord in his Work and Hastening, I request your assistance as follows as it relates to your support of the young and valiant volunteers from your families who are here in Far East Russia.

GOING FORWARD:

In ALL of your correspondence please refer to your sons, daughters, grandchildren, friends, nieces, nephews and cousins as a VOLUNTEER. That designation will be their full time assignment until the end of their service when they return home to you. This also applies to all of your Social Media involvement including private Blogs. Again, remember VOLUNTEER! Volunteer Service, Volunteer Efforts. They will be designated as a Volunteer so please refer to them as a Volunteer, which is different than you have referred to them to this point. Please eliminate Missionary and Proselyting from your methods of communications and posts.

Please, as I have requested before with limited success. Be only positive in your posts in social media and your communication. The Russian People are wonderful, and your sons daughters and loved ones are doing every thing possible to serve and help them in their Volunteer services.

All will be Well! The Lord is in Charge. You should all be proud of your sons and daughters. We love serving with them and love them dearly. Please encourage them to be obedient with exactness.
There is no need for fear, we will bring to pass great miracles through our faith, diligence and hard work!

Sincerely,
John William Perkinson, Vladivostok President

Happy Fourth!

Grand Greetings from Ussuriysk,

Big packed week that went faster than seems possible.  It feels like I was just writing you yesterday but it feels like I was in Korea 3 months ago.  A lot of good happened this week!  Mr. W is back!

Elder Staiger is molding me into a more refined person.  Since he claims Germany for his home country he does things very proper and right.  For one thing he is teaching all these rules about eating that I never knew about.  I probably heard them all before but never cared enough to pay any attention to them.  I now eat in a dignified manner and slower with a fork and a knife and I feel like a new person haha.  

We didn't get to go to do baptisms in the temple unfortunately.  We didn't have enough time but Korea was sick as always!  We got back and went to Zone Conference and we learned a lot about how to be better missionaries and went over the law of chastity, the law of tithing and how to make commitments.  It is always fun to be around president.

We got home late to Ussuriysk and I hit the sack as soon as I got in.  A day earlier Mr. W called us and told us he was back and wanted to meet..  We met with him and mostly got him acquainted with Elder Staiger and we talked about the Book of Mormon.  He loves it!  He reads everyday!  The only problem is that he returns to a different city in Russia in 3 days for 15 days so it will be hard to meet with him.  O our other investigator is progressing and has a baptismal date!  July 30th.  He is loving the gospel as well!

We have been really busy this past week but I have somehow forgot most of everything we have done.  Next week I will make a list in order to remember.  I hope the long list of pictures makes up for the short email.  I love you all and I'm doing great!

Elder Wilding

With Elder Roosa

 KOREA VISA TRIP

 Korea Temple

With Elder Staiger

 At Ashleys

With Elder Hess * Saying Goodbye * Elevator

 Storm

Cool building

After sports night

German Kitchen

 Trip to Borisifskia (?) forest

With Elder Roosa

 With Elder Roosa

 With Elder Roosa at the Styfoon (?) River

 

From Colorado to Germany and then to Korea

Quite a busy week we just had at us, with all this transfer business (so many goodbyes and new companions), and all of our lessons miraculously lining up, we've been struggling to find time to eat!  

Spring is still in the air here in beautiful Ussuriysk!  With May showers that have continued into June (which look like they will be stretching into the coming month as well) and a light sometimes overpowering breeze, I couldn't ask for better weather!  It is going to get so bloody hot soon I am trying to enjoy it while I can.  There were a few days this week when it rained the whole day and the whole night and my new rain coat I just bought got put to the test.  Basically nobody was on the streets though so contacting was pointless.  It was nice to be in the rain though!

On Tuesday night the Nielsons (senior couple from the Novosibirsk mission) came and did a fireside in the church on the 12 step addiction program.  They are from Shelly Idaho.  Anyways they don't speak any Russian basically and needed a translator so we invited our friend S to come and help them out.  He is our investigator and isn't really interested in the gospel yet but he came to the church and did a really good job translating for them.  The next day we dropped Elder Roosa off in Artyom.   It was a blast serving with Elder Roosa!  He is a great elder who will have a lot of success on his mission.  I am going to miss serving with him. While we waited for Elder Staiger (my new comp) to arrive, we ate at "Noodle House",  really good place!  I got some noodle thing I don't remember the name of now but it was tasty.  Then he got there and we took a bus back to Ussurisyk and made it to institute.  Elder Staiger is from Germany about an hour away from Berlin.  He is a gifted soccer player and speaks Russian very well.  He speaks English completely fluent and I think we are going to get along really good!  He is a funny guy and good to work with!

O is progressing fast!  He always comes to the church, he probably checks the church door 30 times a day or something because whenever we are there he comes in.  It is way convenient because we don't have to call him for a lesson, he just shows up!  Mr. W is still in China but we believe he is still reading everyday and praying.

Yesterday night a weird thing happened.  We met a 14 year old kid from Canada.  He was visiting his grandparents and spoke both English and Russian perfectly.  He was just chilling in the play ground with all these other Russian boys when he talked to us.  

It is nice not having companions form Utah haha. Elder Roosa was from Colorado and now I've got Germany.  Everybody just assumes we are all from Utah (90% of the time true) and when you have a comp from somewhere else they are always surprised.  

We have been in a trio for the past half week with Elder Hess.  He has trouble sleeping sometimes and on Thursday he made blini in the middle of the night due to the fact that he couldn't sleep and when we woke up in the morning we  looked in the fridge and there they were haha!  They were so good!  

Love you all!  Have week!  

Elder Wilding

PS:  I am going to Korea today in like 5 hours!  They are opening the baptismal font specifically for the missionaries!

Happy Fathers Day or in Russia Ascension Day

Good Monday everyone!  I'm staying in Ussuriysk!!! Elder Roosa Is bouncing to the west like a Siberian tiger and is companions with Elder Butler who served here.  Every elder who serves here either goes to Vlad or Irkutsk, it has it has been that way ever since I arrived in the mission and even a little before.  And there are no exceptions either.  It's nuts!

My life just got cooler by not having an American comp!  His name is Elder Staiger and he was born and raised in Germany.  He has been on the mission one transfer less than me and speaks good English.  It should be a outstanding transfer coming up!

I have memorized a "pushkin" poem thanks to K our Russian teacher.  He is the best poet Russia has ever known and they love him for it.  They just finished a statue of him and put it on the corner of a street named after him.  It should help us gain some respect from these people.

Mr. W is still pushing away and reading and loving the gospel like anyone could ever wish for but is in China for 1/2 a month.  That means no contact, not even phone calls until he gets back.  He is going to the church there and ask them some questions about the Book of Mormon so we pray that everything will be well with him.

I started on writing my letter home at least a month ago and still haven't got to finishing it.  The paper I choose is so huge I never realized until I got started so I need to do something so I can get it sent this week.  Also went to a dolphin show which was one of the coolest things I have ever seen.  He rode the dolphins like a surfboard! And that wasn't even the coolest thing.

For my year mark we burned a white shirt.  It was one of the ones that I came in with with the way huge neck.  I was happy to get rid of it!  It was fun to burn and think about all the good times.  I really have had some good good times!  We had sushi to celebrate and it was better this time than last time I ate it so maybe one day I will come to love it.  Elder Sieboch bought me a delicious chocolate cake!

President Perkinson came to the branch on Sunday by surprise.  It is always good to talk to him.  He somehow always inspires us by just talking to us and not even saying things that I would say to get people inspired.  We are lucky to have him!

Well that's all for this week.  I am going to Korea next week on Monday so I might write a little early next week.  I only went 6 weeks ago but they are trying to get us all on the same schedule.  

Love you all, have a good week!

Elder Wilding

Some tidbits from McKay's companion's letter:

-We took a taxi ride and the driver gave us some free lighters as a promotion. We bought a million incense sticks and lit a bunch of them on fire at once to make a very nice smelling torch. We also burnt Elder Wilding's shirt on his one year mark. We didn't have a great place to do it so we went out on the balcony and put it inside of a pot. Elder Wilding kept holding onto the shirt forever and i thought he was gonna burn himself, but he was able to get it into the pot at the last minute. Overall it was nice to have a little campfire, no matter how strange the circumstances. The lighter finally ran out and I think I will avoid buying more.

-We met a guy who's job is just to spammed instagram with useless information to try and break down the site, kind of like a DDOS attack I think. I'm not sure why someone was paying him to do this but he acted like it was a completely normal job.

-We were teaching a guy and he was complaining about how many drunks there are in Russia. I tried to say "That's not just in Russia, that's in America, in the whole world" but he thought I said "America is the whole world". He got a bit offended but my buddy Elder Wilding was able to explain it before he got too mad.

Letter from his mission President and wife (with photos):
Today is Sunday, and if we were in the United States we would be celebrating "Father's Day. So Happy Father's Day to you. So today we met at the Ussuryisk Branch and enjoyed a wonderful Sacrament meeting with these great missionaries.

Elder Wilding led the music. Elder Roosa and Elder Seibach gave beautiful testimonies of the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And Elder Hess sang a beautiful solo, "Abide With Me 'Tis Eventide" that he had pre recorded of himself accompanying. 

We had 36 in attendance at Church. Three branch members spoke about the blessings of the Temple, Charity and the Law of Chastity. Then President Perkinson had the missionaries stand and recite the Vladivostok Mission Statement, which the branch enjoyed very much. 

Sometimes the members have a mixed emotions about transfer week, because some of their current missionaries are being transferred to other cities. Above all, the Ussuriysk Branch members are grateful for the service of these fine missionaries! 

Thank you for your support, your prayers and your testimonies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Thank you for doing your part to share the "good word" there at home.

Sincerely,

President and Sister Perkinson

Vladivostok Russia Mission

Year Mark Pending: 5 Days

Dear my fantastic family and my good friends,

If I had forgotten that my year mark is almost here, mom definitely reminded me by sending me a lot of hump day camel pictures haha.  It is almost here and it is incredibly weird.  I don't feel like it has been that long, not even close, maybe a few months and that's all.  But I look back and I guess it has been almost a year.  I have had many fun times, happy times, sad times, home-sick times, laughing times and of course spiritual times.  It is true what they told me, when I look back at the first year I only remember the good times.  I'm glad I decided to serve and to be among these wonderful people in Russia.  I'm grateful for all the things I've learned and all the things that have happened which have changed the person I am.  I know it has made me a much better person to serve.  It is amazing how much we receive when we serve.  Almost always it seems to be more than what we give.

The reason I am writing a little later than normal is because we just climbed a mountain with our good pal S!  He is a investigator who told us he knows this forest and he wanted to take us to it.  It was awesome!  We got some good pictures even!  We hiked to the top through this forest!  It was awesome to be in nature! I miss camping so much!  The air was fresh and it wasn't too hot.  We found a tiny river bed and climbed down that and then went to the biggest river in Ussuriysk and sat down and relaxed.  The river reminded me of Alaska when we go and fish in our waders.  The water was low and there was a little rock beach in the middle.

An interesting thing happened on Tuesday.  I met a computer spammer.  He said he spams Instagram and takes everything he uses from America. He was a kind of a weird dude.  Also we had splits and me and Elder Hess were together.  For lunch we decided to have Burger King.  It was good. I haven't had fast food in a while and that was normal, but later that day we met with our taxi driver friend who we befriended not too long ago.  After talking for a little he says, "Let's go to Burger King". We didn't want to but we did anyways. Our cashier worker had tattoos everywhere and maybe the strangest tattoo I have ever seen.  His lower left arm from his wrist to his elbow was just black. The whole thing was black covered in ink.  Anyways to make a long story short, I order two sandwiches and he gave me three and now I never want to eat Burger King again. I felt like throwing up.

I almost forgot, last Monday we made real Borsch with Sister R!  It was delicious and tasty and we loaded it with mayo!  The Russians know how to eat!  We just got some thunder today and it was wonderful!  Thanks again for all you do and for your example and for the support.  I love what I am doing and I love all of you!

Elder Wilding