The temperature in the Siberian flatlands of Kurgan seems to be quickly plummeting. It was about 60 degrees yesterday – and its 50 today. Cold winds are constantly sweeping through the city, making coats and sweaters almost always a must. I keep hoping that it will warm up again at least one more time before winter comes. I’d really like to see a Russian Autumn. There is plenty of what looks like Burch in the nearby forests where we have weekly picnics with the branch, and I can imagine them beautifully painted in red and gold.
Kurgan itself is somewhat different than Perm. I’m told that every city has somewhat of it’s own feel. Its own style and sense. Perm had random splashes of color all over the place. They painted their fences in bright rainbow colors. And I saw several trees wrapped in red, yellow, and blue. Kurgan seems a bit more calmed down. There seems to be more old buildings here, which adds a nice feel. The outsides of town are called “micro-rions” and are sort of clusters of apartment buildings.
The Apartment buildings here are taller than they were in my last area. Usually only 5 stories in Perm’s Zakamsk. Here most buildings are nine stories and up. We live on the fourth story of our building. Some of the taller buildings have elevators. But we are in one of the few 5 story buildings in our area. But hey climbing stairs everyday helps keep all that Russian bread from getting to our waists.
Elder Smith, my new companion, is quite a character. He’s always got something funny and sarcastic to say. So generally the mood stays great in the companionship. He seems to know the language quite well and has already been able to give me plenty of help. I think that my language will really start picking up this transfer. Or at least I hope. The Gift of Tongues would really come in handy about now I think.
He’s actually going on a Visa trip this next coming week – to Finland I believe. He leaves on Wednesday. And Elder Shreve, one of the Assistants comes in to stay with me on Tuesday. Elder Shreve will be here for a week, so that will be great. I’m really looking forward to seeing how he does work, loading the questions on him, etc. Because right now, I really feel like our companionship is not working as effectively as we could be. I’m hoping to get a few ideas on how to step up the work when Elder Shreve gets in.
We do a number of things here in Kurgan that are not done in any other area of the mission. For example here, because we are the only companionship here, we let the Relief Society into the church building every Thursday morning. It takes about forty five minutes to get to the church building, then we stay there with them through the activity and close when they are finished. So it’s usually a 5 hour commitment. We use it for membership bonding time and for study. It helps build a relationship with members, but I’d really like to get the Relief Society president a key of her own.
We also help clean the building every Friday night. Which is another 5 hour commitment. Somebody has got to do it. And apparently that somebody is us. I’m not sure if it is within my bounds as a missionary to talk to the Branch President about assigning a member to do it every week like we have it set up back home in the states. Its just more time that we need as missionaries to be spending on teaching.
We also go to a weekly picnic every Saturday. This actually is something that is very effective I think. I don’t think that we should stay there for the full duration like we do, but it has already proven to yield fruit. Usually they begin at 10 in the morning and go till 7 at night. Its just a huge time commitment. But generally we have about 5-6 investigators come, they bond with Church members, and strong relationships are built. I just wish it wasn’t so long.
And finally, as is actually done in most places in Russia, we hold an English club every Tuesday and every Thursday evening from 6-7. We’ve already had quite a number of investigators come from this. It just works. And it works all over Russia. However in Kurgan, we also play games with the students from 7-8:30. It does help build more bonding, but I still question exactly how effective of a use of time it is. All in all, we spend what is probably over twenty hours a week on things that are not done in most areas.
This week we had a really good experience with a man named Eura. He was walking by the Church building while we just happened to be there with two other members cleaning the building. We’d already finished, and were about to sit down to a meeting with a less active when he walked in, just curious. The less active realized the opportunity and immediately got out of his chair with an “I’ll be right back”.
Eura asked a bit about our church, so we gave a first lesson on the spot. He was quite interested, so we invited him to come to our picnic. And he came. And he enjoyed himself. So we invited him to come to Church. And he came. And he thought the service was wonderful. We’ve got a meeting already set up on Tuesday evening after English club, which he also will be coming to. Things are very quickly progressing. We are very excited to work with him and hope that he will put forth the effort to know if the Book of Mormon is the word of God, and hence the Church is likewise the Kingdom of Heaven on the earth today.
The work is great. The Kingdom is truly incredible.Kurgan itself is somewhat different than Perm. I’m told that every city has somewhat of it’s own feel. Its own style and sense. Perm had random splashes of color all over the place. They painted their fences in bright rainbow colors. And I saw several trees wrapped in red, yellow, and blue. Kurgan seems a bit more calmed down. There seems to be more old buildings here, which adds a nice feel. The outsides of town are called “micro-rions” and are sort of clusters of apartment buildings.
The Apartment buildings here are taller than they were in my last area. Usually only 5 stories in Perm’s Zakamsk. Here most buildings are nine stories and up. We live on the fourth story of our building. Some of the taller buildings have elevators. But we are in one of the few 5 story buildings in our area. But hey climbing stairs everyday helps keep all that Russian bread from getting to our waists.
Elder Smith, my new companion, is quite a character. He’s always got something funny and sarcastic to say. So generally the mood stays great in the companionship. He seems to know the language quite well and has already been able to give me plenty of help. I think that my language will really start picking up this transfer. Or at least I hope. The Gift of Tongues would really come in handy about now I think.
He’s actually going on a Visa trip this next coming week – to Finland I believe. He leaves on Wednesday. And Elder Shreve, one of the Assistants comes in to stay with me on Tuesday. Elder Shreve will be here for a week, so that will be great. I’m really looking forward to seeing how he does work, loading the questions on him, etc. Because right now, I really feel like our companionship is not working as effectively as we could be. I’m hoping to get a few ideas on how to step up the work when Elder Shreve gets in.
We do a number of things here in Kurgan that are not done in any other area of the mission. For example here, because we are the only companionship here, we let the Relief Society into the church building every Thursday morning. It takes about forty five minutes to get to the church building, then we stay there with them through the activity and close when they are finished. So it’s usually a 5 hour commitment. We use it for membership bonding time and for study. It helps build a relationship with members, but I’d really like to get the Relief Society president a key of her own.
We also help clean the building every Friday night. Which is another 5 hour commitment. Somebody has got to do it. And apparently that somebody is us. I’m not sure if it is within my bounds as a missionary to talk to the Branch President about assigning a member to do it every week like we have it set up back home in the states. Its just more time that we need as missionaries to be spending on teaching.
We also go to a weekly picnic every Saturday. This actually is something that is very effective I think. I don’t think that we should stay there for the full duration like we do, but it has already proven to yield fruit. Usually they begin at 10 in the morning and go till 7 at night. Its just a huge time commitment. But generally we have about 5-6 investigators come, they bond with Church members, and strong relationships are built. I just wish it wasn’t so long.
And finally, as is actually done in most places in Russia, we hold an English club every Tuesday and every Thursday evening from 6-7. We’ve already had quite a number of investigators come from this. It just works. And it works all over Russia. However in Kurgan, we also play games with the students from 7-8:30. It does help build more bonding, but I still question exactly how effective of a use of time it is. All in all, we spend what is probably over twenty hours a week on things that are not done in most areas.
This week we had a really good experience with a man named Eura. He was walking by the Church building while we just happened to be there with two other members cleaning the building. We’d already finished, and were about to sit down to a meeting with a less active when he walked in, just curious. The less active realized the opportunity and immediately got out of his chair with an “I’ll be right back”.
Eura asked a bit about our church, so we gave a first lesson on the spot. He was quite interested, so we invited him to come to our picnic. And he came. And he enjoyed himself. So we invited him to come to Church. And he came. And he thought the service was wonderful. We’ve got a meeting already set up on Tuesday evening after English club, which he also will be coming to. Things are very quickly progressing. We are very excited to work with him and hope that he will put forth the effort to know if the Book of Mormon is the word of God, and hence the Church is likewise the Kingdom of Heaven on the earth today.
Elder Wilson
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