THIS IS OUR DEAR FRIEND TATYANA GOLOOB. She asked Elder Sartori to baptize her on April 6, 2009. She has a great spirit and testimony. Tatyana is our very first baptism for Elder & Sister Sartori. Elders Allen and Hanson taught her the gospel. Others also taught her, so many touched her heart, but the Spirit taught her. Dear Friends and Family....I will now try to repent and blog more often!! You know those 'day planners' that all the missionaries carry?...I carry one also and I have now written down to enter our blog news regularly. I have found that the hours and days go by quickly. We have been involved with lots of wonderful things that all entail 'doing the Lord's work'. Every Tuesday and Thursday we attend English Club in the evenings. It seems that alot of people want to learn English here in Khabarovsk, Russia....young and old!! We have met wonderful people here. English Club is where Russians can practice speaking Russian for an hour. The missionaries make this so much fun, so when we had to lead it, we also tried to make it fun. We have a beginner's group and an advanced group. They meet separately. Then we take a 5 minute break and reconvene with an invitation to hear a spiritual thought. Elder Sartori conducts the spiritual thought on Tuesdays and Sister Sartori conducts the spiritual thought on Thursdays. This part is only 15 minutes long, but strong truths are taught here, testimonies are shared and the spirit is strong. We share in the advanced group and some other elders do a spiritual thought in the beginning group. It is amazing how just sharing gospel truths then the Spirit teaches hearts. The missionaries then are able to make appointments for more teaching as the people ask.
MISSIONARY WORK IS AWESOME!!! You know what?.... it was awesome when we did it in our ward also!!
We have had two Zone Conferences with our Mission President and his wife. They are really spiritual people and have helped the Russia Vladivostok Mission to become. The mission is relatively new and Satan knows how important this work is all over the world, so he is doing all he can to stop it! We are working as hard as we can to try to invite people to 'Come Unto Christ' so that He can help them in their lives here on earth through His Gospel and also through eternity. We are so thankful to be a part of this great work in these latter days.
A note of interest....when on a mission for our Lord, Jesus Christ, we are called upon to do many things, even things that seem to be impossible! They needed someone to write the 2008 Khabarovsk Branch History so I said that I would do it!!! WE WERE NOT EVEN HERE IN 2008!! The Lord provides a way for us to accomplish His work! Two weeks before two choice elders were tranferred out of Khabarovsk, they shared the Branch happenings with me including pics and then Elder Beecher even typed up some of the commentary that he knew from personally being in attendance at some of the events! Angels walk the earth today?.... You bet they do and we work with them daily!! May you each see angels working in your lives!
We have had dinner at a sweet lady's home (she is a teacher of English..lucky us!), gone to the Philharmonic Orchestra with an opera singer, met a doctor who just received a special machine to help with her work in gastrointestinal problems (there is only one other machine like this in Russia and it is over in Moscow), met another lady who works at an Institution for Teacher Training plus all the inactive members who we are trying to invite to come back to church. We are truly blessed each and every day!
The lady, Galina, who trains teachers, asked us to do a service project for her. It involved reading into a microphone for recording of a text that they will use in the schools. The text is written in English and so they wanted a native American - us- to do it. Pres. Everett okayed the project and we have begun! It is only hard when we have to read the Russian names! We are so thankful for the little tutoring that we had before we left. It has helped us so very much. Learning a foreign language is tough, it takes hard work, it takes a long time....but is so worth it!!
Seminar and Institute is held weekly here in Russia for the Young Single Adults. It is such a vital part of the members here. It is a great way for testimonies to be strengthened and training for future leaders of the church. We will be planning the S & I (Seminary and Institute) graduations and attending them next month. There are five cities to fly, train and drive to. The YSA are totally awesome!!! We have been blessed to meet them.
We had a great Branch activity that was a Talent Show. It was so fun preparing for it and doing it. We invited anyone we met to come. The elders made Mexican Tacos for dinner after and about 50 people came! What a success! We were asked to make tortillas and we had never done that, but what a great opportunity!..and they worked, they were good!
HOORAY... WE HAD OUR FIRST BAPTISM!! ............AND...........WE ARE HAVING ANOTHER ONE!!! Two delightful sisters (sisters in the gospel)... Sister Tatyana and Sister Svetlana. Tatyana's was Monday night and Svetlana's will be Saturday between General Conference sessions. Yes, that is what I said! You see, we were not able to hear conference, so our Zone Leader recorded it and our branch will see it this Saturday and Sunday...in Russian and in English! These choice women are very spiritual and so sweet. We have loved teaching in their home. I must tell you that we have no baptismal font here in Khabarovsk, so we must find a hotel with a sauna-type containment, rent it for an hour and perform the baptism there. We have a huge river here in Khabarovsk, but it is too cold and too dirty. The spirit was strong as we closed the door of the sauna at the hotel and prayed and sang songs from the hymn. Elder Sartori was asked by Tatyana to baptize her. He felt very strongly that he wanted to say the baptismal prayer in Russian. He spent all day (that is how long he knew about it after she asked him) studying the words and with the help of our sweet elders, and our Heavenly Father's help, he did great! Now you must understand, we still must study hard to understand, pronounce, read labels, etc. He tried so very hard........and he was blessed!!
The Church of Jesus Christ has been restored! We testify of this truth! Our love to all, Elder and Sister Sartori
MISSIONARY WORK IS AWESOME!!! You know what?.... it was awesome when we did it in our ward also!!
We have had two Zone Conferences with our Mission President and his wife. They are really spiritual people and have helped the Russia Vladivostok Mission to become. The mission is relatively new and Satan knows how important this work is all over the world, so he is doing all he can to stop it! We are working as hard as we can to try to invite people to 'Come Unto Christ' so that He can help them in their lives here on earth through His Gospel and also through eternity. We are so thankful to be a part of this great work in these latter days.
A note of interest....when on a mission for our Lord, Jesus Christ, we are called upon to do many things, even things that seem to be impossible! They needed someone to write the 2008 Khabarovsk Branch History so I said that I would do it!!! WE WERE NOT EVEN HERE IN 2008!! The Lord provides a way for us to accomplish His work! Two weeks before two choice elders were tranferred out of Khabarovsk, they shared the Branch happenings with me including pics and then Elder Beecher even typed up some of the commentary that he knew from personally being in attendance at some of the events! Angels walk the earth today?.... You bet they do and we work with them daily!! May you each see angels working in your lives!
We have had dinner at a sweet lady's home (she is a teacher of English..lucky us!), gone to the Philharmonic Orchestra with an opera singer, met a doctor who just received a special machine to help with her work in gastrointestinal problems (there is only one other machine like this in Russia and it is over in Moscow), met another lady who works at an Institution for Teacher Training plus all the inactive members who we are trying to invite to come back to church. We are truly blessed each and every day!
The lady, Galina, who trains teachers, asked us to do a service project for her. It involved reading into a microphone for recording of a text that they will use in the schools. The text is written in English and so they wanted a native American - us- to do it. Pres. Everett okayed the project and we have begun! It is only hard when we have to read the Russian names! We are so thankful for the little tutoring that we had before we left. It has helped us so very much. Learning a foreign language is tough, it takes hard work, it takes a long time....but is so worth it!!
Seminar and Institute is held weekly here in Russia for the Young Single Adults. It is such a vital part of the members here. It is a great way for testimonies to be strengthened and training for future leaders of the church. We will be planning the S & I (Seminary and Institute) graduations and attending them next month. There are five cities to fly, train and drive to. The YSA are totally awesome!!! We have been blessed to meet them.
We had a great Branch activity that was a Talent Show. It was so fun preparing for it and doing it. We invited anyone we met to come. The elders made Mexican Tacos for dinner after and about 50 people came! What a success! We were asked to make tortillas and we had never done that, but what a great opportunity!..and they worked, they were good!
HOORAY... WE HAD OUR FIRST BAPTISM!! ............AND...........WE ARE HAVING ANOTHER ONE!!! Two delightful sisters (sisters in the gospel)... Sister Tatyana and Sister Svetlana. Tatyana's was Monday night and Svetlana's will be Saturday between General Conference sessions. Yes, that is what I said! You see, we were not able to hear conference, so our Zone Leader recorded it and our branch will see it this Saturday and Sunday...in Russian and in English! These choice women are very spiritual and so sweet. We have loved teaching in their home. I must tell you that we have no baptismal font here in Khabarovsk, so we must find a hotel with a sauna-type containment, rent it for an hour and perform the baptism there. We have a huge river here in Khabarovsk, but it is too cold and too dirty. The spirit was strong as we closed the door of the sauna at the hotel and prayed and sang songs from the hymn. Elder Sartori was asked by Tatyana to baptize her. He felt very strongly that he wanted to say the baptismal prayer in Russian. He spent all day (that is how long he knew about it after she asked him) studying the words and with the help of our sweet elders, and our Heavenly Father's help, he did great! Now you must understand, we still must study hard to understand, pronounce, read labels, etc. He tried so very hard........and he was blessed!!
The Church of Jesus Christ has been restored! We testify of this truth! Our love to all, Elder and Sister Sartori
