Week 69 - A continuation of what happened last week, and Alecsander

Interesting Fact 69 - The only kind of heater you have in living quarters is this kind of wall heater where hot water just shoots through it . They only turn on this hot water during the winters, but sometimes they keep it on until May and your apartments are just burning hot. In the more modern heaters, you have a little dial to control how hot you want your room, but in the older ones, when it is on, it is on. They are usually found underneath windows. I guess that's when you can tell if the apartment is Russian. 

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

Week 68 - A trial of faith, Mission conference with Elder Christopherson, the Train miracle.

Interesting Fact 68 - Russian cakes are incredibly gorgeously decorated, but the taste lacks a little. 

So this week was incredible. I really don't know where to begin. So we began to really organize our area and really find the less actives in our branch areas. We came to the realization that there is a baptism in every less active family or person. It's almost common knowledge but we are trying to organize it so that it is completely visible to see. So we bought a map and have been mapping them all out and it has been completely eye opening. I can't believe it. We are mapping all the inactives, actives, part member families, less actives, potential elders, everything. It's taking forever and we are only 1/3 done. But we are going to show this to the branch and get their help to reactivate some of these members, and with that teach those that don't know the gospel. It's been nothing but awesomeness (I guess you can say) planning and invisioning this all.

We had a few really awesome lessons with some investigators this week. We had one Armenian man meet with us and there just so happens to be an active Armenian brother in our branch. So it was basically them two talking in Armenian and us trying to teach in Russian. It felt like my frist few months in Russia not understanding anything. 

Well seeing how I have limited time, I will talk about the cool stuff. So last week, we had planned a baptism for this saturday. None of our investigators were anywhere near ready, but we set that goal thinking that it might just work out some how. It was complete faith. So we go through the week, and by Friday we realized that it is not going to happen. While we were planning the other week, we remembered that there was going to be a baptism for an 8 year old boy the next day, and were planning what we needed to do to help them (fill up the font, prorgrams, etc) As we were planning, we checked the records and it turns out the boy is actually 9, and it counts as a convert baptism. We called up president clark, did the baptismal intereview and got him baptized the next day. His name is Evan Shaikhulin, and he is such a cool llittle kid. I will show some pictures in a week or so. I dont have any on me. I actually couldn't make it to the baptism because of other investigator meetings that we planned and everything. But it was an awesome big miracle. So yeah. A trial of our faith.

And then we had a District Conference with Elder Christopherson and the building was PACKED!!!! I have never seen more people in that building. I think the count was over 620 or something. But at any rate. We are VERY close to becoming a stake here. No one knows when. Because the 12 and the First Presidency are to discuess it and it is up to them. So now it is a matter of time. We need to wait. But the members here are so excited. Oh and on Sunday, we played security kind of for President Clark as he walked up with Elder Christopherson and President Schwieitzer from the Seventy. So we were really close the whole time to them all. We also had a conference on Monday with the whole mission. And I learned so much! I absolutely loved it

I got no time as per usual. But I will explain the train thing next week. Just remind me. I love you all! Remind me about what I learned at Conference too.

Love,

Elder Tekulve

Week 67 - New Companion! New missionaries! And Mikhail

Interesting Fact # 67 - A common frozen meat you will find in big grocery stores is cow tongue.

So this week went by way too fast, it felt like. After our preperation day last week, we got invited to a family home evening to this young family, the Bagdarsaryans. They are a great family. One of the largest families I have seen here in Russia. 1 son and 5 daughters, and another one the way. We talked about the First Vision and how it has blessed their family. We were teaching children, so we had them all draw pictures of the first vision. Always a fun thing to do.

Well I really have no time this week, because we got to the library to write. I ended up spended a bit too long making cinnamon rolls which turned out to be the heaviest thing since iron. I ate it and it felt like I sank down into the abyss of sugar. Anywho, I learned my lesson. They weren't terribly great either.

Well anyway, this last we picked up some new missionaries at the airport! An Elder Tafua, Elder Hayden, Elder Starostin, and an Elder Fateyev. All studs and on fire and really ready to work hard here in this mission. Wednesday was transfer day and Elder Loskutov left with his new companion to Kaliningrad and I got Elder Rasmussen as my new companion! I am really excited to work with him. Well we have already for half a week, and it's been great. We have visited a lot of previous investigators and seeing a lot of success out of that. We have a lot of ideas and thoughts working with the branch here and with less actives. We are trying to organize this area so we know every person possible.

So the great thing this week was this meeting we had with an investigators named Mikhail. President Clark had talked with him on the Metro and he then gave us his contact information. We have met him a few times and he is incredibly open. He has been growing through a rough time in his life, and he is a lot more humble to listen to missionaries. His son has been suffering from a bad case of asthma and was growing through a surgery which Mikhail couldn't afford. We came to us needing help, but we had to explain that giving or lending money to people isn't something the Church does for those kind of cases. He really looked just completely distraught. However, that morning, before our meeting, he texted President Clark about the situation, and then later we met with him to talk to him about it. We were able to find some help for him in the end of the day, and he just beamed and almost broked down. I think the best part of that night was his description of the Spirit that he was feeling, saying it was a silence that he had never felt before. I really wish I had more time to describe this moment this last week, but needless to say, it made it into a great spot into my journal.

Artyom got confirmed this week too! He had been going through a lot with his family about his baptism, and after a lot of prayer from dozens of missionaries, his mother opened up and finally allowed him to do what he wants if he feels good about it. With pleasure, he went to church incredible excited to get confirmed. His baptism and confirmation, however last minute as it was, was great to witness and slightly be a part of. He is great young man.

Ok, so I got no time. I love you all! 

Love,

Elder Tekulve

p.s.: Cinnamon rolls take a lot longer to make than expected. 

Week 66 - Transfer planning, meetings, out of the blue baptism, and frozen Spanish lean cuisines

Interesting Fact 66 - When you order a pizza, you have to pay for the box.

So this was an interesting week. I just barely emailed everyone about last week because of my tardiness of my preperation day. We didn't have much of a preperation day, as it was filled with planning and coordination meetings with President Clark and office staff. On thursday, we had meetings from 8 in the morning until about 2. I swear, I feel like a CPO or something. Whatever that means. The transfer is about to end, which basically means planning, meetings, conferences, planning, planning, and meetings up until about the week after transfers. We are getting 4 new elders, one of which was post-poned due to visa problems, but are sending him on time anyway without a MTC experience. He is flying in straight from Ukraine tomorrow. I can't believe it is another transfer. I am still staying an Assistant. My 5th transfer.. I am not sure how much longer I have got here. I can't believe I have been here since the beginning of December of last year. I will for sure be here until July 10th or so. I will be getting a new companion! An Elder Rasmussen, with whom of which I have been many an exchange. He more or less is my twin, minus the looking the same part. I am really excited to be serving with him. My current companion will be transferred to be the "MTC President" for the new missionary out in Kaliningrad (the area you have to fly in a plane to). So a lot of last week, after Wenesday, was planning and figuring out who will serve with you. There aren't many changes in this transfer, considering the fact of the medium sized number of new missionaries. My previous companion, Elder Hill, is finishing his mission on Wednesday, and he will sure be missed. 

We had a small short exchange with some zone leaders and we went a met an investigator that I had found in January named Mark. He is an awesome young man, but his ability to pay attention is rather low. My temporary companion, who I was with that day, and I practiced so that we can teach him and have him pay attention. As soon as we started, it was a battle keeping him focused. At one point he stood up to check the tea in the other room, but for the most part he was focused. He is a funny young man who is definitely one of the nicer more hospital men I've met. It's pretty interesting. We found him in our area a long time ago, but he lived in another area, but now he lives back in the area where we found him. Can't complain. 

So the other companionship of elders in my branch had been working with a young man named Artyom. He wanted to get baptized more than anything. However, given the current circumstance, he would have to wait a week to be confirmed because he schedule. So he got permission for that, and he just jumped to get baptized. They scheduled for this last saturday, and everything was going perfect. He had his interview he was just golden and so set to be baptized on Saturday at 6:00 pm. About 5:30 he called the missionaries and told them that his parents were against him joining the church and they couldn't do it. He met with the missionaries outside the branch and talked for a few hours about it. Knowing my companion had the same kind of situation when converted, I had Elder Loskutov talk to him and then I grabbed a missionary to go find new investigators. It was already around 6:50 and he was supposed to be baptized already and everyone was completely doubting. A senior couple missionary began to drain the font and everything. I went back to the font and it wasn't drained yet, because he turned on the water on accident. So I turned off the drain and the water so it stayed thinking "just maybe." We went back out for an hour and got a phone call around 8:30. I answered thinking, "Ok I have your companion. I will give him back and we will call it a day", but instead they told me that Artyom wanted to get baptized. So we got the permission from President Clark to baptize him, and he was baptized at 8:45 pm Saturday, the 26th of May. I had to preside at the baptism because no one could come besides some missionaries and a senior couple. It was the shortest but such a wonderful baptismal service and he was absolutely glowing and felt so good about himself. The thing is he has to wait until the 3rd to be confirmed. I am praying for him and the missionaries that they can continue to work with him everyday to prepare for that. I view it a miracle that I didn't end up draining the font. 

One of the greatest things this week is the return of a view inactives. Ehmin, who I talked about a little bit before, who is a professional painter, and another man who hadn't been to church in 10 years. President Clark and Elder Grow from the Seventy talked to him last week, and he came to church and he is preparing to go back to the temple and is making steps to return into full activity into the church. Ehmin is preparing to recieve the Melchezideck Priesthood and is also taking very important but such wonderful steps in his life. I am so grateful to be able to help and support him too, as I would with any other investigator. Another inactive has been coming back and is also preparing to recieve the Melchezideck Priesthood in a week or two or so. This work here really is taking off as more and more missionaries are baptizing new converters, and more and more inactives are coming back into activity in the church and receiving the blessings from God and full membership. This church is true, and this work is the work of the Lord.

Oh and to help clarify the last part of the title: I ate a frozen spanish lean cuisine, and it was great.

Jacques is doing awesome. He is learning still how to get to church. He got on the wrong trams and got completely lost, but he made it to church looking like the stud that he is with his shirt and tie. 

This week was a wonderful week. I love this Church, I love the Lord, and I love all of you who are taking the time to read this, even if at times its boring, or interesting, or strange. Thank for your support and prayers for my behalf, and for the behalf of the work of the Lord in the world. It really is the stone carved out of the mountain with no hands, and it continues to roll, and will continue to roll down the mountain, until it has encompassed the whole Earth. (Daniel 2:31-45)

I love you all! The church is true.

Love,

Elder Tekulve

P.S. - Russian Yogurt is one of the best ideas since the the toaster oven. I have been quite the fan of yogurt since I have been here.

Week 65 - Jacques' Baptism, Conferences, Meetings, Planning, Stuff, etc.

Interesting Fact 65 # So there is a belief/custom not to smile in pictures here. To smile means you are not wise, wise means you are respected. Therefore, you do not smile. That's why people think I am so strange.

Jacques got baptized!!!!!!! It took a lot of work, but it was awesome. The week leading to his baptism, I saw such a change in him, which I was so proud of. Nothing mattered to him. He wanted more than ANYTHING to be baptized. That is a true sign of conversion. That's a true sign of repentance. The service went very well. We had only members participate in the service, and had members baptize and confirm. That's how it should work. Brother Kirrill Ananich baptized Jacques, who played an awesome role in helping him find his own conversion through prayer. His confirmation was kind of stressful in the beginning. I told him we would meet him at the branch building 10 minutes before, but he understood the metro. So he raced on over to the branch and sat down just before the opening prayer. If he had been a minute late, we would have had to postpone the confirmation  until next Sunday. But Yegor Sotnikov, a new member, and a recently ordained melchezideck priesthood holder, confirmed and we joined in. It was wonderful and the Spirit was so intense when he received it. That day he then received the Aaronic Priesthood. It was one of the best days on my mission.

We had a guest in the city this weekend, an Elder C. Scott Grow from the 1st Quorum of the Seventy. We had yet another mission tour. The second one in 2 months. So we had a special Zone Leader meeting on Saturday, of which we had to leave early for Jacques' baptism. Oh yeah. He presided at his baptism too. It's not everyday that a General Authority presides at a convert baptism, but he did for Jacques'. It was way awesome to have him there. It really strengthened Jacques' testimony about the truthfulness of the church. On Monday and Tuesday, we had 2 Mission Conferences with him as well that we had been planning and organizing all last week. I learned so much on how I can improve my effectiveness as a missionary. There is so much I can do with planning, setting goals, working with members, and so many things I can do to improve. I learned an incredibly amount. Needless to say, all that information wore me completely out on Monday. I have never been so drained of energy before just from sitting and listening. But it was great. Elder Grow really has been called by a prophet to help lead this Church. 

This last week was probably one of the best weeks on my mission. There was just so much going on. We had a lot of new investigators, old investigators coming to us to meet, an exchange with the zone leaders, a devotional with Elder Grow, to which our investigators came, had awesome finding experiences by finding prepared people, fulfilling our standards of excellence, and just opening our mouths and talking to people. I absolutely love being a missionary. It's kind of funny looking back how I was coming into the field. It's more than a year here in Russia, but yet it feels like a few weeks. But I have learned so much, and I am continuing to grow and learn. 

Well time for pictures!

1 - Jacques before his baptism with Brother Kirrill

2 - Jacques with Elder Hill and I after his baptism

3 - Jacques with Elder Hill and I three months ago

4 - Elder Brennan Tekulve in a new missionary training book

6 - A view out my window one winter day. 

I have no time and i know I may have swapped one of those pictures. And i dont know how to count.

I love you all and the church is true!!!

Love,

Elder Tekulve

Week 64 - Jacques is ready! Our 10 minute stay in Vyborg

Interesting Fact # 64 - Tapichki! People are a big fan of indoor slippers and wearing sandals inside. It's really weird for people to walk around barefoot inside a home. They always offer little slippers (tapichki) or sandals. I like it. I think it's great.

This week, we really saw an amazing miracle occur. Upon working and teaching our investigator, Jacques, for months, we met with him this week and he is completely 100% ready and willing to be baptized! We set up a new baptismal date with him on the 19th this Saturday. President Clark went with us to the meeting, and it was awesome. He had a few concerns and questions, but we answered them all, and now he is completely 100 % set on being baptized now. He is making arrangements with work to make sure he can make it to his baptism and confirmation. He wants so badly to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We taught him some of he remaining commandments like the Law of Chastity, and Tithing, and he is accepted it all and ready to go. I never seen someone so excited as he is. And the great thing is that I am right there with him.

That day when we met with Jacques, we had to go to Vyborg that day for my companion to fix his registration or something. Basically had to drive there 3 hours, stay there for 10 minutes, and then a 3 drive back in a hot steamy bus. I remember those Vyborg days. I can't believe that was a year ago.. We were running late, and we had made arrangements with President Clark and a Senior missionary to go on splits with us so that we can cover more than one appointment. We some how made it from the furthest metro station away from the city to the center in the city in less than 20 minutes, which never happens. We got really lucky/blessed that day. Nonetheless, we made to our meetings in time. 

We officially organized, and set up skype calls home! and it worked! I was really surprised myself. But we had over half of the mission come in to make skype calls to their mothers this mother's day, myself included. We couldn't get the other half to use skype because of the sheer distance they live from the city. There were a few problems, but nothing that we couldn't fix. Since Decemember, I have really learned how to make last minute corrections and fixes to problems/make last minute changes to plans. Something always arises and the plans never work out the way you want them to. I guess you can say that it is pretty fun always having to be on your feet and thinking of some fixeroos. Well it was awesome speaking/seeing my parents! 

We did a lot of pretty good finding this week, with some fairly good results. It's a really interesting concept: Open Your Mouth. Everywhere you go, open your mouth and preach by the way. That's how we found Jacques. We went in the metro, and he was there. We asked him if he spoke English and we started talking from there. And now, this Saturday, he will be baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. 

That's it for last week. This week we are having another mission tour which we have to be a part of, and then 2 more mission conferences that we have been organizing. Luckily this month isn't and won't be like March. Although, June is coming up with the billion visa trips to organize plus another Mission Conference with Elder Christopherson from the Twelve. Well that will be cool and fun!

The Church is true! 

Love,
Elder Tekulve

Week 63 - Jacques and Skype crazies

Interestin' Fact #63 - You really got only two types of cars here. 1, the wondrous jelopy, and 2, the super expensive sports car. It's really rare to see a "middle-class" car, whatever that may be. You still see a lot big, old soviet army trucks driving along. Oh, and washing a car is not just a once a week, or once every other week kind of thing. It's an everyday thing here (if you want your car looking clean). 

This week, we really focused on helping Jacques find his testimony. His baptismal date is on the 12th of May, and we are working incredbily hard for him to be ready by that date. It's really hard for him to come to church because he works Fridays and Saturday nights from 8 pm to 10 am in the morning, all night. But he was determined to come this Sunday. He had worked Saturday night from 8 pm - 10 am, and then had work again at 5 pm to teach someone French, and then he worked again from 8 pm - 10 am Sunday night as well. He knows that if he really wants to find an answer and his own testimony about the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, and the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the fullness of times, he needs to really seek and do all the commitments that we give him. He was determined to come on Sunday, and he came! He was dead tired not having slept in a few days, and slept a little during Sacrament, of which I tried to keep him awake via loud coughing and shuffling my legs. But he absolutely loved Sunday School and it did an awesome job getting him to understand the purpose of the restored Priesthood. With Jacques, I have been calling him every night to talk with him and help him find his answers. Jacques really is a special guy, and he is so incredibly close to being baptized. We had an incredble lesson with him with a member in our branch named Kirrel Aninich. It really helped him understand a lot of things. The Spirit was incredibly strong. I am just praying that he will baptized by the 12th, but if not by the end of this month. I remember the day after we found him, we thought his name was Shaq. Close ha

This week, I did a lot of organizing for the Skype calls for the mission. It's really interesting how many things we have done differently or new here in this Mission with President Clark. It's been awesome working with him and helping this mission grow and it really is an awesome experience seeing the effects of our efforts to lift and inspire the mission. Granted it's pretty difficult balancing assistant responsiblities and missionary work here in our area, but the Lord blesses us anyway. We have been seeing a lot of success in small doses in our area. The mission is seeing a lot of success all over the place. Some of the quote-on-quote "dry" areas, which I fail to believe is true, are baptizing a lot. Why? Because of a change of attitude, heart, desire, and their obedience to the work and to the Lord.

That's pretty much it for this week. We were invited to go to this presentation for a kind of emergency prepardness thing in the Office on Saturday. It basically turned into a sale pitch at the end, which was absolutely hilarious. One of the funny highlights of the week. It somehow went from Emergency Prepardness to what to do before an ambulance comes, to "here is this cool product, let's buy it!". 

Anywho! We had a good week this. This is really the work of the Lord. This is His harvest. And for this mission, the harvest is just about ready to collect our sheafs. I love you all! The Chuch is true! 

Love,

Elder Tekulve