Valiant Volunteer in Moscow: February 2017

Monday, February 27, 2017

Update (9 Months in...)

Russian holidays are unreal. These week was maslinitsa, which means, in essence, "Pancake Week". Everyone eats Russian pancakes for a week straight, and then as a symbol for winter ending, we all light straw dolls on fire. So we ate a lot of pancakes and блины.

Transfer calls came in and Elder Mugerian and I are staying in Lipetsk. That's great though, because we have a lot of people progressing here. We set a baptismal date with another one off\ our investigators, Valera, for the same day Elder Holland will come to Moscow (April 15th)! We also met with the first man in Lipetsk to be baptized. He has been inactive for well over 15 years, and was working as a security guard at the Orthodox church. Fortunately, he has become active again. He quit his job not long ago and even spoke in sacrament yesterday. Right now he is preparing to attend the temple sometime this summer.

This week, I found a wonderful talk from President Boyd K. Packer, titled "The Mediator". In reading it, I found a new and strengthened love for the Savior and His role in my life. I want to invite each of you, when time permits this week, to read that talk and more prayerfully participate in the sacrament.

Thank you all for your prayers and words of encouragement!

Elder Wilkins

When in Lipetsk...

All the ice in Lipetsk has started to thaw just enough to slide off of the roofs. Every time we walk to our branch we are taking a gamble with our lives. On the upside, it's not in the negatives anymore.

We saw some big miracles this week as we got in contact with two of the only families in the branch who have young. Unfortunately they are both inactive, but met with us and were willing to meet again this week. We also got the former branch president to church for the first time in a long time.

We also went down to Voronezh for splits with our district leader. Voronezh is this gorgeous city sitting right on the river. The coolest part is that the branch building there is a remodeled Soviet movie theater!

We got back to Lipetsk and continued working with some our members and investigators on the self reliance course. After the course, we met with our investigator Olga. Olga is like our mom-she is always calling us to see how we are doing and loves to take care of us. We talked about the Plan of Salvation and I have never received such in-depth doctrinal questions. Se was asking about ordinances for the dead (her husband passed away) and how sealings work in unique family situations. It was a special experience to watch her put the pieces together and see that she could be with her family forever. It's moments like that which I serve for!

You know that moment in every movie where someone is walking along the street and it's pouring rain, and then a semi comes by and drenches them? Me this week, except it was muddy snowmelt. Fun. :)

The book is blue, the church is true!

Elder Wilkins

Drenched!

With Elder Mugerian

Elder Mugerian and Elder Lee, Branch Conference

Prayer Works!

PRAYER WORKS!

This week we found a whole slew of new investigators, which is really hard when you can't contact and your members don't know anyone besides other members. It was a miracle. We've been praying for people to approach us, since we have to be real sneaky and subtle when approaching them, and for people to just be touched by the spirit and come to the branch.

I was with our district leader, Elder Brock, last week Mon-Wed because I had to run self-reliance and Elder Mugerian had to renew his visa. We contacted a few old investigators, one of which agreed to meet with us. His name is Yura and he is an art teacher at a local university. And I guess he told all his students to go check out the Mormon church and they took interest, because we had some show up at church! We had more investigators and inactive members at church than active members by almost double!

All of our investigators but one are slowly progressing, and we have finally been able to get things in the branch to the point where we can really focus on teaching repentance and baptism.

I also had a moment this week where I knew a word in Russian, but not English. When I first got here, I looked forward to the day I would know the language that well. Unfortunately, it's actually really frustrating! I can feel my English growing simpler and simpler. It's a good indication of my Russian though, right?

С Богом!

Elder Wilkins

me and the guys from the Baltic/Armenia Self Reliance:

Sunday, February 12, 2017

The Gospel is very simple...

Our week was kind of crazy! Monday we had to complete my registration to be living in Lipetsk legally. Unfortunately, some required documents were not given to us. Fortunately, the registration office didn't care. Blessings of living the gospel, right there.

We have a few people we are consistently working with to help participate in ordinances. We had one of our inactive members and two investigators at church this Sunday. We are still working with Pasha towards his baptismal date of February 17th.

We also had some visitors from Moscow and Armenia this week, who helped us kick off the Self-Reliance program in our little branch. We had good attendance, especially on the part of those we are working with (not just active members).

Self Reliance Training

This week I spent a great deal of time studying and pondering the Gospel of Jesus Christ in its simplicity. It is very ease to compartmentalize the doctrines of the Gospel...that's the Plan of Salvation...that's Priesthood...commandments....but that's not how it is! The Gospel is very simple: Faith, Repentance, Baptism, and then repeating that cycle over and over in what we call "Enduring to the End". The Gospel isn't difficult to understand. If you read the Book of Mormon, all they preach is "faith and repentance on the name of the Lord". When we unclutter our view and see things that way, living the gospel, teaching the gospel, and feeling the love of the Savior come that much easier. I see it in my own life and in the lives of those I teach.

Я знаю что Евагелие истинно!

Elder Wilkins

Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Lofty Goals, but the Lord Can do It

Здравствуйте!

Elder Mugerian and I were in Moscow for Monday-Friday afternoon, so we had an unusual week. My visa trip was Tuesday and Zone Conference with Elder Kacher of the Area Presidency was Thursday.

On Tuesday we flew into Riga and back (visa trip), but on the flight home, we noticed something on our passports. We didn't get 3 month visas and migration cards this time, we got 3 YEAR documents! That means a lot less traveling and a lot more time to get work done in our areas (and an increased possibility of a squad vacation to the World Cup in 2018)! It was a real blessing.

Wednesday we were able to meet with some old investigators and members from Sokolniki, since Elder Mugerian and I had both served there at one point. We also helped with some financial systems training for a few elders in other small branches.

Our Zone Conference was amazing. It felt like a confirmation for all the work Elder Mugerian and I are doing in Lipetsk. We talked about the Atonement , about vision and how to raise it, about the connection between vision and faith, and about working with members. It felt like the Spirit was dictating instructions to us.

Friday we headed home and discussed our vision for Lipetsk. We set goals for 14 ordinances to be performed by May 1, including temple ordinances, baptism, and Priesthood confirmations. We also set a goal to have a full Branch Presidency by then. Lofty goals, but the Lord can do it!

We spent Friday night and Saturday with a senior couple from our district, going and visiting members. Sunday we had Branch Conference and our financial audit. Audits sound tedious in English, but in Russian.....anyways, the church is true.

Пока!