From Russia With Love...

a.k.a. Letters from Sis. Lynes in Russia

Letter #37: From the Mission Field in Russia

Subject: #37
Date: Sat, 08 Dec 2001 19:55:22 +0500
From: Shirley Lynes <gma@jacklynes.com>
To: jlynes@jacklynes.com

Hello from the Frozen North!
The temperature this morning was -26 Celsius. Right now it is -22 outside my kitchen. And it is only 6:15pm. It looks like it will be a very cold night! The snow is still on the ground, but we haven't had any new snow this week. It has been sunny every day. The sun comes up about 8:30am and it starts getting dark about 4:30pm. And we haven't gotten to the shortest day of the year yet! I haven't been out of the  building since Wednesday, when I thought I would freeze to death! We walked over to the internet place, but their computers were down, and the other missionaries didn't get to do their email. They will soon be doing their email here at our apartment. The computer that belongs to the zone has been set up here in our foyer. We don't have any other place to put it, and it needs to be in a public part of the apartment. The young missionaries aren't allowed private access to the internet. So they will be doing their email here. We don't mind. We love to have the young people around. Sis. Borlena is out a lot on appointments with the young sisters. Our teaching schedule is changing this week. The young missionaries were teaching classes on Monday and Wednesday nights, but now there will be three classes every day, beginning, middle and advanced. And guess who will be teaching all those classes? Yes, your first guess was right. I am now THE teacher here at the branch apartment. That will free the others to schedule their appointments without having to worry about teaching those classes. The classes have been quite large, but we will see who was really interested in English, and who was interested in our young missionaries! I have a fear that they will all disappear! Sort of like giving a party and no one shows up! I refuse to take it personally! It won't be because they don't like me; they don't know me yet! The adventure of life in Russia continues. This week we were without gas for cooking for about a day and a half! Sis. Borlena called about it and was told that we would be without gas for several days. Gratefully, they came the next day and got it back on. Sis. Borlena says that it isn't natural gas, and they sometimes run out! I've been told today that they will be working on the gas lines here in our building next week. It's too cold to have to eat cold food!!! I was very grateful when they got it turned back on! The elders got the weather-stripping done on all our windows this week. Another thing to be grateful for!! It has made a big difference in the comfort level here in our apartment. Now I have discovered that we need something done around the inside door. Where there used to be a lock, the wood has been chiseled out, leaving a large hole, where air comes in. The hole doesn't go all the way through, but it allows a lot of air in. And a lot of air comes in around the inside door. (We have a heavy metal door on the outside that opens out, and another wooden, padded door on the inside that opens in. That is the one that needs work.) Last night I filled up the hole with a couple of napkins, and it made a big difference. Sis. Borlena's room is straight across the foyer from the door. I'm at one end of the foyer, and a short hall with the bathroom and the kitchen at the end is at the other end. So I don't get the draft from the main door as much as she does. I'm sure the elders will figure out something. Tonight they are busy working in the branch apartment replacing the broken windows and doing the weather-stripping. I know that will make a big difference in there. All week I have taken my new little heater in there when I go to teach my classes. It's just hard to imagine how cold it is in Siberia! There has been ice on the outside of our apartment windows all day today. It must have been humid last night to frost the windows so much. I don't mean to just talk about the cold, but it is the biggest thing going on here right now. I guess everyone is busy getting ready for Christmas! Do you all have your trees up yet and all the decorations? I don't think the Russians do much decorating for Christmas. One of the elders told me that he has strung lights on his floor fan and has put his presents his family sent him under it. We don't know just what we will be doing for Christmas, but we will probably have Christmas dinner together like we did at Thanksgiving. I'm sorry, but I'm not sending any presents home this year. I just don't have time to do that much shopping, and mailing things is such a hassle! Just remember that I love you all and wish you a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Miss me a little bit! There really isn't much to write about. I am staying pretty much here in the apartment, so I don't see anything to tell you about. I will be going to Church tomorrow. Oh, we will be using the new place to meet beginning the first of the year. President Hall is planning to change the branch leadership on Dec. 22. He is really going to shake up things. Every calling will be changed. Everyone will have the opportunity to work at something new. We are hoping it will bring new life to the branch. The new place to meet is really nice, and really close to our apartment. I have finished the Book of Mormon again, and started over. It never gets old. I really love that book! I am reading some other books too. Next week I won't have quite as much free time to read! I love the Lord, I love the church, I love the gospel, I love the Russian people. I wish things were better for them. I know that things will be better for them. They have come a long way since Communism went under. They are making great strides. It is just that they are running 50-60 years behind the US. But if they will examine what works for us, they can learn from our mistakes and just use the good things. They won't have to go through all the trial and error that we had to go through because nobody knew how to do it better. We know what works for us, and they aren't so different from us. I love you all and miss you all! Write when you can find time. I love hearing from you. I can't believe this year is almost over. Where does the time go?! Till next week!!

Love, Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, Shirley, Sis. Lynes, sister, aunt, cousin, friend, acquaintance, babushka with weather-stripped windows!!!! (choose one)