Interesting Fact - I can't really think of anything right now except a Russian word that sounds funny. I don't know what the word is in English, but when you go through a parking lot and there is this lever that stops the cars from coming in and out, and when you pay for a parking pass the lever goes up and you can drive through. I don't remember the word in English, but the word in Russian is Shlagbaum, which is also a German word I am guessing.
So this week was a cool week. So I never thought that I would ever have any video projects while on the mission, but I just had an interesting video project this last week. President Clark wanted me to go back up to Peter to shoot a video of a member telling about his mother's experience during the Siege of Leningrad. I then had to edit the video for President Clark to show the Area Presidency. It was pretty frustrating because before my mission I was so used to using hi-tech equipment, cameras, microphones, and editing software, so it felt like I was trying to make arts and crafts using really small scissors. The camera I had was pretty nice but everything was still auto, so everything was out of focus, and I was using iMovie to edit which is like using Microsoft Paint to make a Photoshop project. It is possible, but painstakingly long. It ended up fairly decently given the fact that I had to get it done in a day. It is no Albert though.
However, it was still fun going back to what I loved to do but in Russia and as a missionary. The member told an incredible and heartbreaking story. I will share a litle bit with you all! So his mother was 12 during the siege, and they had accidentally lost their food card, which was the only way to get food at the time. They wrote their father who was fighting on the front that they were dying, so the father got permission to leave the frontline, kill a horse, and give them the food to eat until the next month of food cards, and then turned around and faught back in the line. I have the recording saved also on my camera in Russian. It is an amazing story.
This week, we didn't have many lessons or teaching appointments, so we did what we do best; Talk to lots of people. We had dinner with the Clark's this week which was also a bonus. And then we drove back with them back to Pskov. We took President Clark out contacting with us. It had rained in Pskov, so all of the snow is melting and there are rivers of water EVERYWHERE. Needless to say, myfeet were soaked. We had a great night of contacting.
Sunday was awesome. Days like yesterday really make me not want to go home AT ALL. So we got Karl and Yulian back to church again. The Pskov Sister missionaries brought a new investigator mother with her 2 young children to church. President and Sister Clark were prepared for the family that we are working with to be there (they ended up coming after Sacrament Meeting), so they spoke a lot about families. Right as church started, a young couple walked in as well with a young baby. I thought they were members maybe coming to visit Pskov. After sacrament meeting I talked to them and it turns out I talked to them on the street and invited them to come to church last fall.. First off, I don't remember that at all, and second off, it is amazing that they came yesterday of all days when Sister and President Clark were in town. They prepared talks about families for the "Swansons", but they weren't there. Instead this other investigating family came at that day. Coincidence? Nope. It was all part of God's plan. So they took their young child to primary with the other two children. So now we have 3 families the missionaries in the branch are working with. A month ago, we had 0. We are seeing blessing after blessing as we continue to work diligently!
The "Swansons" ended up coming, so President Clark and Sister Clark and I met with them seperately and had a great meeting. We showed the Ukraine Temple Youth Celebration and talked about eternal families. It was a powerful meeting. So the branch had about 10 investigators to church. I love this little branch. What is great about it is that we are all working together.
I really love being a missionary. I love it here. I really do. This is really the Lord's work and His hand is so evident here.
I love you all!
Love,
Elder Tekulve
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