Transfer Calls, Wallpaper, and Soccer

Well.........we had a week. A really full, unusual week.

We met with a new investigator, Nadezhda, and taught her the first lesson. She is the most open person I have ever taught. She accepted everything straight away, took a Book of Mormon, and told us she'd tell her friends before next time.

If you remember the lady who a few weeks ago made us food, and then left the room until we were done, we went round 2. We went to learn how to make borsch from her. Well, she had done everything except for put it in the pot. So we watched her do that.,....and then she left the room while we ate the borsch.

The next day we went and wallpapered an apartment in preparation for one of our member's weddings. Russian DIY projects are a BAD idea. Basically, the walls in this apartment are not exactly vertical, they crumble away a little bit, and the team leader was Nanny McPhee. No joke-the spitting image and likeness. It was crazy. That took up the majority of our day.

We also got ahold of our inactive young men and spent almost an entire day playing soccer with them, in order to build a relationship. Later that night, trransfer calls came in. I am leaving Lipetsk and going back to Moscow, to serve in the University Ward with Elder Miller! I'm super pumped, because Elder Miller and I were MTC companions, and we get along really well. We will head up into Moscow on Thursday (after our member's wedding on Wednesday).

Well friends, the gospel is true. Jesus is the Christ. Russia is the Motherland. 

Keep it real. 

-- 

Elder Wilkins

Victory Day

First thing Monday after taking care of some errands in Lipetsk, Elder Birchall and I hopped on a bus down to Voronezh for exchanges with Elder Maxfield and Elder Knowles. We got in, and attended family home evening in the home of our senior couple, the Lees. We played some games, and shared the spiritual thought.

Tuesday was the biggest Russian holiday- VICTORY DAY. It is a day celebrating the end of World War 2 (Russians are very proud of their war history, especially WW2-they call it the Great Patriotic War). There was a parade, booths, fireworks, and tons of people. Best part of all, I got to go with Misha, a member I met a few months ago in Voronezh. The change in him was amazing. Last time I was here, he wouldn't pick up the Book of Mormon. The first thing he said to me when he saw me this time was "Hey Elder, guess what? I read the Book of Mormon in a month, and I just started it again!" It was a way cool experience.

After our time in Voronezh, we returned to a nasty-smelling apartment. We were having electricity problems for a few days before we left (our electricity would go out every hour or so) and it went out while we were gone. The landlady came with an electrician and fixed the problem, but in the process the electrician caused a small explosion in the bathroom, which made our water heater start leaking. So the next day, we got our water heater replaced. #Coldshowersinthedark

​Throughout this all, we had a great weekend. We managed to get in touch with a few inactive families that were not very open before, but are slowly making their way back. If we didn't have the Spirit, I don't know what we would do in some of these lessons. We plan something, the conversation takes a sharp turn, and we have to let Jesus take the wheel. But it's amazing how when the Spirit is present, it always works out.​

Sunday we skyped home, and held a Mother's Day activity for all the women in our branch.

Shout out to all the moms out there. You guys are the real MVPs.

-- 

Elder Wilkins

Attack of the Stamps

We had a great week in Lipetsk!

The most interesting part was ANOTHER NEW LAW! Everything in our branch building that has been produced or distributed by the church has to be stamped, or we will have some legal trouble. So we spent A TON of time stamping books and clearing out our library. Luckily nobody asked questions when two guys in suits and sunglasses carried a bunch of massive black bags (filled with old manuals and VCR films) through the neighborhood to the dumpsters :)

One of my favorite members, Igor, came back from a fishing trip and had made us "Russian fish". Basically, his entire apartment was filled with fish covered in salt and strung up on wires. Luckily, they won't be "done" for 3 more days.

On the weekend, we had Elder and Sister Lee with us for some visiting appointments. We visited our favorite old lady, Faina, and she started quoting my talk from last week back at me!

All in all, I am just incredibly grateful to be where the Lord would have me be, serving him. I am so blessed to see the effect the Gospel has in helping others change.

The book is blue, the church is true!

Elder Wilkins

P.S. Sorry for the lack of pictures, our iPod is giving us trouble connecting to the computer

The News

Hey everyone!

It probably seems to a lot of you that we are in Moscow every other week. Well, guess where we were this week? Moscow! We had zone conference on Thursday.

Monday was strange. We met with one of the old ladies in our branch for the first time. She set out a plate of food, said “Treat yourselves”, and went in the other room to watch TV. 

We were really confused. We ended up having a really good discussion about what every individual needs to do in order to get a temple in Russia. In the middle of the meeting I got a text from Olga. She decided she was no longer interested, and had some pretty big issues with 1 Nephi 4, which we had tried for weeks to solve. That was really disappointing for me. I called her later, but nothing came of it. We had one of our senior sisters call her, and somehow, she got Olga to agree to continue her investigation. It was a huge miracle.

Zone conference was phenomenal. We talked a lot about repentance, godly sorrow, and our relationship to the Savior. We talked a lot about working with our less-active brothers and sisters, and how we can help them feel comfortable in our wards and branches. They really only need 3 things: a responsibility in the church, a friend, and to be nourished by the word of God. If we can give them those, we would see so many of those we love return to full activity in the church.

Elder Birchall and I had interviews with President, and then we headed back to Lipetsk the next morning. We held a game night with the members, and played UNO. We were surprised to see the same old lady we met with on Monday come! We had a great time and really strengthened relationships here in the branch.

Saturday we had a miracle. We skyped a guy named Roman, who was a former investigator. He studied the church online for 10 years before sending his information to the Elders. He was asking all kinds of great questions, like how we actually apply the Savior’s sacrifice instead of just talking about it. The only thing is…he lives three hours away. So we are praying he finds a way to make it to church.

We are seeing so many miracles every day and I am stretching my faith in incredible ways! Thanks for the love and support!

-- 

Elder Wilkins

I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you...

I'd give you all a nice, big update about what we did this week, except I'm not allowed to talk about the majority of things we did. So on that note, here are things I can say...

1) We went and found a group of 8 or so investigators to teach by calling through our area books

2) Elder Birchall and I reestablished contact with some of our less-active members who are preparing to come back to full activity in the church

3) We met with one family going through a hard time right now, and talked about how deeply personal the Atonement is, and how Christ understands perfectly how we feel right now, in our situation

4) We also had branch council for the first time in probably over a year (a HUGE victory)

The work in Lipetsk has really started to take off again over the past two weeks. We have a considerable pool of people to be working with and we are seeing mniracles every day!

I was studying earlier this week in the Gospel of John, the 16th chapter, and I was struck by the last verse, 33. I had not before considered that "be of good cheer" is a commandment. But it is! The Savior didn't say "Be of good cheer if everything is going well, if you are healthy, and without trials" He said "Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world". He has overcome the world, and in Him we can find peace!

The book is blue, the church is true!

-- 

Elder Wilkins