From Russia With Love...

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

Letter #56: From the Mission Field in Russia

Subject: #56
Date: Sat, 20 Apr 2002 20:43:04 +0600
From: Shirley Lynes <gma@jacklynes.com>
To: jlynes@jacklynes.com

Greetings from Siberia! Yes, it's still cold in Siberia! Spring can't seem to get a good hold on the weather. We even had a light dusting of snow one morning. It isn't VERY cold, but you still need your heavy coat, scarf, boots, and gloves! The sun has been shining brightly all day, but it didn't do much for the temperature. And to top it off, they have turned the heat off, and there is no hot water, either! It isn't unbearable, but it isn't comfortable, either! I still have the quilt on my bed. I'm sleeping warm enough. Everything will be all right. The people here don't know what to think about this cold spring, after what they call a "warm" winter. Most of the snow and ice are gone, except in the places that get no sun. And most of the puddles have dried up, too. Getting to church tomorrow shouldn't be any trouble. I'm grateful for that! But Sis. Borlena was wrong! Last week she said she could feel the weather had changed, and it did feel like it, but now it doesn't feel like it! I keep praying for us to find the people here who have been prepared to hear the gospel. I know there are people here who have been prepared, or we wouldn't be here. The church has only been in Kurgan for 3 years! So the people in the little branch aren't doing so badly to be so new! There is so much to learn about the gospel. One young woman Sunday looked so happy, and I was talking to her (she speaks English!) and she told me she was so happy! She had just paid her first tithing! She said it gave her a feeling she just couldn't describe! Monday night there was a new young man in the beginner class, and he stayed for Family Home Evening. There was another young man who came with the elders too. Both of these young men are listening to the discussions. One of them started talking to the elders while they were buying bread Monday afternoon. He says that he woke up one morning a couple of weeks ago, and just knew that God is real! He has been trying to find someone to talk to about his feelings, and the thoughts that have been coming to his mind. He tried talking to priests, who don't have any understanding of what he is trying to tell them. The elders made an appointment for a discussion for Wednesday night, but he saw them on the street Tuesday morning, and they brought him to the branch apartment and gave him the first discussion. His name is Serguei. The other young man has been in class every day this week. His name (in English) is Michael. We had a special FHE last night, and he stayed for that. We had an activity today from 12-3 pm, after our morning class, and he stayed for that too. Then a lot of the people who had been here for the activity wanted to stay and play games, so he stayed for that too. He is 25 years old, and his wife died four months ago. He looks like he really enjoys being with us. He said that he feels better when he is here. I think he feels more of a sense of peace here. He is supposed to come to church tomorrow, and Serguei also. The other missionaries are staying busy teaching discussions, and I stay busy teaching English! I really do love the people here. Stephen is still listening to the discussions, and still wants to be baptized, but his mother is still objecting. He is old enough not to need her permission, but he still lives at home, and he is trying to wait till she calms down enough to talk to her about it. His father told him that if being baptized is what he wants to do, to go ahead. But he wants his mother to understand. Her sister got her very upset. Now the sister is reading the Book of Mormon, I think trying to find something bad, or wrong with it. She wouldn't be the first one to try that, only to find they can't find anything wrong! We will have to wait to see what happens. In case you aren't aware of it, today is the anniversary of Hitler's birth. Nothing remarkable about it that we should remember. Except we were told last night to stay off the streets today. In the past, on this day, the "skinheads", or somebody like that, have caused trouble. Any time there is a potential danger, we are told to stay off the streets. Sometimes these kinds of people will attack Americans. So the other missionaries had a fairly quiet day, but it didn't interfere with my classes, since I don't have to go out on the street! And of course, Sis. Borlena could go wherever she wanted to, since she's Russian! I'm afraid the rest of us look like Americans. And the young missionaries are hard to miss, carrying those heavy backpacks! Another reason I'm grateful for working right next door! I don't know how those young people can carry those heavy bags all the time. Sometimes they are heavy (for me!) to even pick up! I'm still working on transferring my markings from my old scriptures to my new ones. I finished the New Testament this week, and have started on the Old Testament. I may need a new red pencil just for the Book of Mormon! Sis. Borlena and I finished reading the BOM together this week, and in my personal reading, I'm back in Helaman again. Sis. Borlena asked me the other day if I was trying to memorize it! I told her no, but you never learn it all, no matter how many times you have read it! Aunt Sally wrote me about a promise she had found in 2Nephi 4:35: "I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh." Isn't that a wonderful promise? And yet there are people who won't humble themselves enough to ask! It also says in James 4:2: "....ye have not because ye ask not." So what does that tell you? If you have a need, God will give liberally to him that asks, so ask!! He doesn't often knock us on the head and say, "do you want this?" He is like a lot of us parents. We know what our children need, but we wait for THEM to know and to ask. It pleases God to give us what we need. We shouldn't be so proud that we won't ask, and just struggle along on our own, when the help is as close as asking. And then, we certainly should remember to thank Him for everything that He gives us. King Benjamin, in Mosiah chapter 2, reminds us that we can never repay Father for what He does for us. "If you should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants." We are indebted to Him, and always will be. Go back and read Mosiah 2 again! King Benjamin was a very wise man, and he preached a very good sermon! I know you know all this, but it doesn't hurt to be reminded again. We will be making the trip to Yekat, leaving very early Tuesday morning. I also have another trip coming up, the middle of May. Remember, I have to go to Finland to get my visa renewed. I have to get an AIDS test done before I go. It's only about 3 weeks away. It's hard to realize that I've been in Russian almost a year. But in some ways, it seems like longer, especially since I've seen all of you! I don't have a lot of time left. I pray that I am accomplishing what the Lord sent me here to do. I don't know exactly what He sent me to do, but I sure hope I'm doing it! I don't have to know what, I know who sent me here. I'm grateful He trusts me to be one of His representatives, and to be here with these wonderful people. It is an awesome responsibility! I have learned a lot, and I think I've learned to be more appreciative of a lot of things! Don't ever take the United States for granted! We have what everyone else in the world wants. It's no wonder so many people would like to emigrate to our wonderful country! "God Bless the U.S.A." Can't you just hear Lee Greenwood singing??? We don't know to appreciate it enough! At times it has been a shock to realize that what we take for granted, the things we think of as our "rights", are not guaranteed to everyone in the world. We know how things are supposed to be, and forget that other people don't have what we have. All right, I'll stop preaching. But I want you to know that I feel very strongly about it!!! Well, that's probably about all the preaching you can stand for one letter! I love you all so much! I pray for you every day, sometimes several times during the day! You are never far from my thoughts, and never out of my heart! Do the things you know you should. Take care of yourselves, and each other. We have a big family to be thankful for! Never forget that! Oh, I guess I'm preaching again! Till next week!

Love,
Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, Shirley, Sis. Lynes, sister, aunt, cousin, friend, acquaintance, email pal, babushka going to Yekat! (choose one!)