From Russia With Love...

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

Letter #49: From the Mission Field in Russia

Subject: #49
Date: Sat, 02 Mar 2002 20:34:49 +0500
From: Shirley Lynes <gma@jacklynes.com>
To: jlynes@jacklynes.com

HELLOOOOOO OUT THERE!!!!!
It's Saturday again, in case you haven't noticed! The biggest news this week is that we had a baptism yesterday. We didn't have any in February, but we have started March off right! I was told yesterday that it was the first day of spring! They count the first of March as the first day of spring. And the weather is looking like it could be spring. The ice and snow are trying to melt, and the temperatures have ranged between -9 and zero. The only problem with that is when it is warmer outside, it feels like they cut the amount of heat we get. You would think if it's warmer outside that it would be warmer inside, but it doesn't work that way. I don't mean it is miserable, but it could be warmer. I can actually see pavement on the walks, outside my window. I am told, though, that March and April are usually cold, with more snow. But this hasn't been a normal winter. They say it has been the warmest winter in 100 years! I tell them, that's just for me! I do count it as a blessing! I was so cold when I first got here. All I could do was stay bundled up and say, "I'm soooooooooo cold!!!!!!!!" A while after the elders weather-stripped our windows, it became bearable, even comfortable in our apartment. It seemed to take a while for the apartment to warm up. These radiators really don't feel very warm. But after a long while the rooms began tofeel warmer. I've slept under two blankets all winter. At first, I was going to bed with more clothes on than I usually wear to go outside in Aiken! And my feet would be so cold when I went to bed. Then the apartment finally warmed up, and things are sort of normal now. Monday night for family home evening, the people tied two quilts, to be given to an orphanage. We have material for about four more. Even the men helped. It's not easy, because we don't have quilting frames, so the quilts are laid out on the floor, pinned together, and then they are tied. You have to be able to get down and stay down on the floor! (I watched!!) It's surprising that it works so well. Elder Soderberg enjoyed it so much that he wanted one for himself. So Wednesday, the young sisters met him and his companion at the fabric shop and helped him pick out the fabric for his quilt. Then they came here, and while some were doing their email, Elder Soderberg and Sister Jones, with a little help from Sister Heslington, tied his quilt. Elder Soderberg is really quite fast with it! There is one of the young women here who takes the quilts home and finishes the hems. There is a sewing machine at her house! She does a super job! The young sisters had already tied small lap quilts for themselves to use to stay warm while they are studying in the mornings. They have turned out very nice. We have been praying to find the people the Lord has prepared to hear the gospel, and as one of the young sisters said, they are "coming out of the woodwork!" People are actually asking about the church, not waiting for the missionaries to ask them! All of the companionships have new investigators this week! And I have had new people in my classes every day this week! Monday night, I had four new ones in the beginning class! And yesterday afternoon, I had canceled my six o'clock class so that I could go to the baptism. And they had planned a get-together after the baptism, here at the branch apartment. (You can't have a class, and a party at the same time! Too much noise!) But Sis. Borlena told me that she has fallen three times in the last week, and advised me not to go. The ice and snow melting, making water on top of the ice, is very slippery. So, even though I had canceled the class, I decided if she can't stay upright, there was no way I was going out there! I had also invited a young woman from one of the classes to come to the party, and she was supposed to come, before I could have gotten back. Anyway, to make a short story long, I stayed home, planning to go to the branch apartment at the usual time to be there when the young woman got here. But as I started to go out, I heard people in the stairwell, so I peeped out the little peep-hole, and there were a bunch of people out there. As I started to open my door, one of them knocked on the branch apartment door. I scared him (I think!) when I opened my door. He started to apologize and explain that he was knocking on the other door, but I told him that was all right, I had the keys to that one too! I asked them if they were there for English, and they said yes. There were five of them! All new to our classes. I told them to make themselves comfortable and I would be right back. I came back home and collected my teaching material, and went to work! Before the class was over, I had 9 people there! So it was a very good thing that I had stayed home! I asked them how they found out about the classes, and they told me that the young sisters had been to their university on Thursday and talked to them, telling them about the classes here. So the next night, they came! Some of them came back today, too. And they were invited to attend the party after the class, but they said they were all hungry and needed to get something to eat. We invited them to come to Family Home Evening on Monday night, and they said they would! They were all such nice young people. So it has been a busy week with the classes. And a very interesting week, too. I've never had a week when there has been someone new every day, sometimes several new ones! They aren't investigators, yet, but who knows! Be careful what you pray for: you might get it!!! I sincerely hope so! I understand there has been a letter from Pres. Hinckley to stake and ward leaders that they are to teach the principles of food storage and financial preparedness. Of course, this is nothing new, but if they are putting more emphasis on it now, we'd better pay attention. The scriptures use the work "hearken" which means to listen, to pay attention, to do! When I heard that, I thought about the Russians, and people in like circumstances, who are doing all they can do just to put food on the table each day, and it occurred to me that those of us who can store for our own needs should be sure we are prepared. Then if there should be some kind of emergency, we could take care of ourselves and not be dependent on the resources of the church. That would free up much more supplies to help people who can't prepare. I hadn't thought of it in that way before. But if the church didn't have to help the members in the US and similar places, it would make what supplies they have go farther in helping those who are unable to "put something aside for a rainy day". I can't do anything about it now, but I won't be here forever! That will be something I plan to work on as soon as I get back. I doubt that many Russians have enough food in their apartments to last more than a couple of days. They eat a lot of fresh cabbage, carrots, potatoes, beets, and onions. It's hard to store those for any length of time. Something interesting I noticed the other day: two of the apartments across the way from us have things out on their window sills. The windows here are different from any I've seen at home. There is a small window at the top of one of the long windows that will open without opening the whole window. That way they can get fresh air without having such a large window opened. Anyway, they tie a cord around a bag and lower it out through that small window till it rests on the window sill, which is wide. It is cold enough outside to keep stuff fresh. Ingenious. I wouldn't have thought much about it except I happened to be looking out one morning when I noticed one bag going up! Then I realized what it was. The refrigerators here are very small, so there isn't room to keep much in there. And the freezers in the fridges are very small, too. You couldn't put a bucket of ice cream in one. Hey, I just realized that I have been a missionary for just over a year! I didn't actually go into the MTC until March 6, 2001, but I was set apart as a missionary on February 25, 2001. I left home a year ago today, to go to Atlanta to see Jason get married, then flew out of Atlanta on the third of March. My mission is 2/3 over. I'd better get busy and do whatever it is the Lord sent me here to do! I'm being obedient and doing what I'm told, so that's the best I can do! I hope I accomplish what the Lord wants me to do! It's getting to be that time of night. I think I will get a snack and go to bed. I could use a little extra rest. It's been a busy week. I hope everything is going well for all of you. Thanks for writing. Please keep it up!!!! Email means so much!! Sis. Borlena and I are almost finished Mosiah! How are you coming on your reading? The scriptures are so important! Are you enjoying studying the Old Testament this year? I don't think we are as knowledgeable of the Old Testament as we are with the rest of the scriptures. From what I've read in the Ensign, it sounds like it will be very interesting thisyear. I'll have to play "catch up" when I get home. I don't understand Sunday School lessons in Russian! My problem, not theirs! I love you all and pray for your continued good health. I pray the Lord's richest blessings on all of you! Till next week!

Love, Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, Shirley, Sis. Lynes, sister, aunt, cousin, friend, acquaintance, babushka with new students!! (choose one!)