So starting from last week. I will tell about the Train story. So we had the whole mission down in the city for the conferences with Elder Christopherson, which we had planned out weeks in advanced. We had planned where the companionships who are not serving in the city would stay. There was a set of Elders from Petrozavodsk (the city 7 hours north of Pete) staying at our place for the weekend. We got home at 9:30 into our apartment shocked to see them still there in our apartment when usually the should be at the train station to wait for their train. I checked their tickets and it said their train was leaving at 10:51 so they had some time. It usually takes about 30 minutes comfortably to get to the train station from our apartment. However, I realized it was At that point it was already 9:45 and their train was going to leave at 10:05, and they still had to check in their tickets and everything. So they ran out of our apartment, and my companion and I got down on our knees and prayed that they could make it in time. All odds were COMPLETELY against them, because to make it in time they had to either catch a bus to the metro, or sprint like mad to the metro and wait for the metro train, and even then they would have to go to the desk and print our their electronic tickets. So at 10:05 we got a call from a different set of elders who were already on the train saying that it left. So we started planning out ideas what to do to get them back to Petrozavodsk, knowing the backup plan would be extremely expensive. We called up the mission finance clerk, and then we got another call at 10:10 from those same elders already in the train saying that they made it. Basically the two late elders jumped on to the train as it was leaving, and had to travel though all of the traincarts to find theirs, as in jumping over the train links and everything. So yes. A complete miracle that they made it there in less than 20 minutes. It was more like 15 minutes that they got there. Anyway, the point of the story is that the Lord answers prayers. He will provide a way to answer your desire, if it is righteous.
At conference last week, we had a special conference with Elder Christopherson, which was amazing. I learned so much from him, his wife, and also President Schwitzer from the Seventy. We talked a lot about how we can declare repentence and be effective at it. It's not all standing on a soap box and screaming Repent Sinners! But by just fulfilling our calling by bringing souls unto Christ by helping them receive the restored Gospel through faith, repentence, baptism, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. Just by fulfilling our calling and teaching our investigators according to their needs and understanding, we are preaching repentence; we are teaching them how to make those changes in their lives to come closer unto the Lord. But it needs to be noted though that the power to convert, the Lord reserved for himself. Or in other words, to convert someone means to teach by the power of the Holy Ghost. No matter how much of a rockstar we are in speaking Russian, or how good we are with people, if you are not teaching by the Spirit, you are not converting them--you are not preaching repentence. (Although those previous mentioned traits do greatly help when you are teaching by the Spirit). At any rate, I really loved last week's conference, and I learned a lot.
Ok so this week. We had a lot going on, and a lot of potential. I think we got 20 something phone numbers just from people on the street that were interested, who of which we are trying to focus on becoming investigators. One name in particular called the office when we were randomly there. The Senior couple gave me the phone and I talked to him a little bit. His name is Alecsandr and he was really interested in coming to church and getting a Book of Mormon. He somehow got some information about us and he became incredibly interested. He didn't end of coming to church with Elder Christopherson, but instead, he came this last week, as in yesterday. He brought his godson (I don't know if that is the right word, but basically is the godfather of this kid named Dima) They both came and we taught them after church with the help of Brother Ananich (who baptized Jacques), and it was an incredible lesson. He understood so well and accepted every thing. He knows the Bible so well and he wanted to know more about this "other testament of Jesus Christ". At the end of the lesson we invited him to be baptized on the 30th of June and he agreed super strongly. He wants to more than anything. The problem is that he lives 2 and a half hours away, but came all the way up to go to church. He actually lives in another branch area (which is still an hour and a half away) but we are going to give this excellent man to those Elders to work with. I am really excited and happy to see what becomes of him. He seems like a very special son of God.
Also this week, we met this 20 year old kid named Maksim on the street. We were walking away from Fontanka (the famous 007 Golden Eye river canal thing) and we found this kid standing on a big cinderblock. We came up to him and told he has got a cool spot. He laughed and started talking. He said he had been walking around the city thinking and then stopped to think some more and then we came. He doesn't really believe in God, but after talking to him, he started to understand that he does actually exist. He said something along the lines of "Ok. So I know he exists and he is watching us, but I still don't know why?" or something like that. He then told us that "it wasn't an accident that we met tonight". He came the next day to our English Group and really enjoyed it. I found out he is a HUGE fan of Jazz Music and is an incredible piano player and painter. Sounds like someone who I would hang out with. We are hoping to work some more with him.
We had another Zone Conference this past week that we had to organize, with another 2 coming up this week. I think I am all conferenced out.
That's about it for this week. I love you all and I love this work. Immensely.
Love,
Elder Tekulve
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