MEMBERS, MEMBERS, MEMBERS...SNOW !!!

Getting Our CES Training

We have a minute to share some update information. Last week we were able to be trained in our CES duties. HOORAY!! Henry Kosak is the Area Director Europe East of LDS Seminaries & Institutes of Religion and Alexander Drachyov (one of his assistants) is the CES Coordinator Novosibirsk Mission of LDS Seminaries & Institutes of Religion. We met with these spiritual giants for four wonderful days, learning side-by-side and 'at their feet'. I don't know if words could adequately describe our experiences. The spirit definitely guides and inspires these wonderful CES leaders, and we were taught tons!! Our training began as we flew to Yuzhno Sakhalinsk, an island just east of Khabarovsk with one of our S&I (Seminaries & Institutes) working there helping to train, teach and love these wonderful young men and young women in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In this S&I and subsequent groups that we visited we met with teachers and students, introduced ourselves, bore our testimonies and Elder Sartori spoke at the concluding Fireside in Vladivostok. In between we carefully listened to Henry and Alexander and tried to glean all that we could help in doing our responsibilities in our mission as well as preparing to MAGNIFY IN OUR MISSIONARY WORK!!! (There is much to practice and do that we have learned, but we know if we try, if we work HARD, the Lord will help us and we will help further His work here in Far East Russia.) 1 Ne. 3:7 We know we are nothing without the Lord and He has blessed us and helped us so much, we just want to work hard in this part of His vineyard. After Yuzhno Sakhalinsk, we flew to Vladivostok, caught a taxi and drove 1 1/2 hours to Ussuriysk. We met with these wonderful people then taxied back the same night. The next day repeated with a 3 1/2 hour taxi ride to Nahodka, met with some more wonderful saints and taxied back to Vladivostok. Our next, which was Saturday, we met with a delightful couple, Andrei and Lena. They are the YSA Commitee Chairpeople for our mission. They are the sweetest, loving and willing young couple with a glow about them! They helped us understand how we can be of help in planning the YSA Activities and the YM/YW Activities.

Saturday afternoon we met in training for the teachers of the five S&I branches that we have. We had an assignment there as well as being trained. Dinner with this group was fun. We had no idea what was good or what to try, so we were most grateful for the help from native Russians!! Henry is from Germany, but has been working in Russia for years, so he was a real asset to help us in many ways to understand the food, the customs, the people. Saturday night at the Fireside was a great experience. We felt so much love from these young people. We wanted to talk more to them. After I introduced Elder Sartori and myself, and told a little about our family, I told Elder Balistero (?spelling?) who was translating for me... "I would like to bear my testimony in Russian". It was such a solemn experience (just like when E. Sartori bore his testimony in Russian at the Russian Branch in Salt Lake City, Utah). Heavenly Father helped me remember my studies, but the people with their love and encouraging faces prodded me onward and encouraged me to go on. Such love and support is humbling. Bro. Kosak and Bro. Drachyov spoke at this Fireside also and we were taught more! We had to leave while the closing song was sung so we could walk to the train station (with our luggage)..it was 7:30 p.m. and the train pulled out at 8:00 p.m.

So many people have helped us on our mission. Elders show us/take us to the airport, train station, pick us up, show us where to buy necessities, show us which buses and tramvites to ride and where to get off...........angels definitely have attended us!!

Russia has a lot of friendly people willing to help you shop and understand what we are buying. Often times we just point to what we would like and they so graciously help us. On the street, we have had young people come us and say hello in English and talk to us. They are so excited and as young people do...they glow!!!

Our Khabarovsk Branch is small, but the people are good and loving and kind! The first Sunday at church there were 5 or 6 members plus 8 missionaries. Last Sunday there were 13 members, 3 investigators, 1 visitor from Vladivostok and 8 missionaries! WOW!! We visit so many people with the missionaries and invite them back to church and some of them come and we feel a little like Alma, the younger felt when he hadn't seen his missionary brethren for years and when he saw them and they were still faithful in the gospel, his heart was full!

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is true. It is so true! So are the promises of blessings that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ tell us about in the scriptures and encourage us to follow commandments so that we may receive those blessing. They want us to be happy. They want us to do the small things required of us in this life that we may be

HAPPY F O R E V E R !!!

May each one of us feel their love we pray... in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Okay, that was not planned - to bear my testimony - but hey, we're missionaries!!! :) :)

Love to all our families and many friends. Elder and Sister Sartori

A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO A MOST WONDERFUL LADY...

MY MOM, GAYLIE LELIS.

LOVIN' LIFE IN KHABAROVSK, RUSSIA

We are loving it here in Khabarovsk, Russia...part of the Far East Russia! We have 6 wonderful Elders and 2 mini-missionaries. One of our mini-missionaries returned to his home in Nahodka, Russia, then in 10 days or so will go to the MTC in Provo, Utah. After his training, he will return to Russia Samara Mission and serve his wonderful people here. We also just got transfers, so many of these fine missionaries will be leaving us and we will get more wonderful elders. These elders are AMAZING, so the Lord is just making them better and better and these elders are 'rising to the bar' and above!! We are trying to love a lot of our members back. It must be the last days, because even Pres. Hinckley talked about our need for retention! We must all show love and forgiveness to all our members and help them feel our Savior's love for them. Heavenly Father loves all His children...each one of us and He wants us to live so that we can return to live with Him. May we all strive to do better and live up to the potential that He has for us.

We thought you might enjoy some pics of a couple rooms in our apartment. It is definitely a humble abode and we are so blessed to have it. We are never hot or cold in our apartment, but there is no thermostat..! I can't figure it out! Water is heated in some building or plant far away (when we went in a car or bus we saw huge insulated pipes a couple of feet off the ground) and these carry hot water to the thousands of apartment buildings in Khabarovsk. Our showers are plentiful with hot water and are wonderful. We understand that this might change when heating apartments for summer will no longer be needed. You see, the hot water is the heating source for the apartment. We are told that there was no snow to speak of here last year, but this year there has been lots. What a nice gift for us.

Included are some pics of the 'park' that we walk through as we go to church - 20 min. walk up & down hill one way. It is the greatest exercise to be able to walk everywhere and we are blessed to be able to do so. This park has tons of ice sculptures and many 'ice slides' for children to play on. No matter what the weather, the children come out and play and moms walk infants in strollers. I wish we would see more families, but unfortunately there are lots singles.

The work is going forth, we go with the missionaries a lot and visit with member, investigators and it is all wonderful. WE SEND OUR LOVE, THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS TO YOU FOR THE SPIRIT TO BE BOUNTEOUS IN YOUR LIVES. Love, Elder & Sister Sartori