Dylan: Christ has Risen! It is True; He has risen!

I don't have much time, but it was a crazy week. I had my first Visa trip, where we have to leave the country, which we have to do every 3 months in Russia. So I took a flight to Moscow, to the capital of Armenia, then back to Rostov. We woke up at 3am. It was quite the day, but Armenia was cool. I actually walked out of the airport to say I was in the country. It's a poor country that’s like a desert with crazy mountains around. The immigrant guards asked me so many questions and they all only spoke Russian. They were all sketched out because we use 2 different passports, so it looks really fishy, and they started getting mad at me and pulled me aside and brought some other officials to examine it, and they finally let me go. Every time it's so sketch. People literally think we are spies here, So many times, especially this week, people come up to me on transport or when we are having friendly conversations with people, that they know who we are, and that they will get all the cops on us as they start yelling and cussing at us and then everyone else will jump in and just start chewing on us until we leave. But it's ok. I've been humiliated and mocked and yelled at in so many different ways, nothing they do bothers me. 

Also on our way to a lesson a totally drunk 27 year old married woman (to a Russian "CIA" agent) was with her 9 year old son and her 2 friends that were like 16, was trying to talk with us, and was trying to get at us.  She was trying to also offer her friends. It was really disgusting and I felt bad for her son that would see her act like this right in front of him. 

We actually gave a BOM to an awesome potential we've befriended so hopefully things work out. This is my first week of the transfer and with my new companion, Elder Altuhov, who is awesome. He has such fire and a good model for me, but he is also not perfect, but he is a great Elder.

 In Russia, on Easter, random people will say on the streets  "Christ has Risen", then you say back, "It is true he has Risen." I think it's a really cool tradition they do here, I think you also are supposed to kiss after but we won't be doing any of that ;)

So yesterday was Easter in Russia. We watched some of GC at church and it was cool experience to be with our branch of 24 watching it on a small TV screen at church. But we left with a member in the ward and drove 2 hours out of the city and gave his wife's aunt who just got diagnosed with cancer a blessing because he believes that if she gets healed his whole family will come back to activity, because right now he is the only one. So we sang "He is Risen" and gave her the healing blessing outside her cottage, while doing so all his family was watching and just laughing at us and making jokes and comments as if we were fools. I felt so bad for Gennady, the member who brought us. All of his family thinks that their dad and husband is a fool. They all went inactive when their oldest son jumped off a building and killed himself, but a missionary came to his house when he was drinking at his low and brought him back to full activity.  He was also a branch President before he went inactive. I just feel so bad because he would do anything for his family to be happy but they have no respect for him. I love that man; the spirit was so strong when he blessed her, even with all of his family's laughter. So we were there at that little village all day and walked with him to a 150 temple, and to a cool cemetery. I will never forget that Russian Easter.

It's been a tough week, but I like and invite the challenge. It only makes me stronger and closer to my Savior. He Lives!

Love Elder VanBuskirk

Also Johan I hope you had a great b-day. And happy birthday to my hero and older brother Nate! Love you bro! Ladies he is still single!

Love you mom! I'm so excited about Donavan you don't even know, I just printed the email but I skimmed to that part! Also yes I do play the piano, we have a pianist in our ward, but I still play for district meetings, and for lesson, and other stuff. Love you!!!!!! The picture with the short sleaves was Russia It's really nice here right now! Hey I put new pics and voice messages on Dropbox for you.

Love you mom so much. 

How is Rick’s family doing? I will of course, they are in my prayers everyday. Can you also give me Grandma Vs email if she has one also Grandpa Devine.

Derek: Captain's Log Week 22: La Playa de Haina

"I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me...  When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!" (Joseph Smith History 16:17) 

So first off, I'm not getting a river baptism yet. So here’s what happened. This week we asked the members what they thought about a river baptism here. There response was all the same. "Where, in the Beach of Haina?" So let me explain something; this river is so filthy that they nicknamed it the Beach of Haine. And, by the way, Haina is a city here in my mission, that I also visited as my exchanges in the MTC, but it is the 4th most polluted city in the world. So yeah... We went back to look at the river again but a little more upstream and I saw what they where talking about: trash everywhere. But all of the members suggested a different river because it was cleaner. Turns out it's the same river just super upstream. So it’s a beautiful river until it reaches people. And I'm am not upset that I won't be having a river baptism, just mad that I didn't know this before I got dunked in it.

Ok, so I finished the Pearl of Great Price this morning, which means that for the next 150 days I'll be reading the Bible. Yeah!!! Also I only got to listen to 2 talks from conference this week because I accidently broke my flash drive on Tuesday. But don't worry, I bought a metal one this time, so we are good. Also we have 2 fechas for the 21st. We won't be getting a lot of baptisms this transfer, but my comp and I are working super hard and really trying to teach people, not lessons. So we are planting a lot of seeds, and families too, but they probably won’t be baptized until I leave here. 

Yesterday I hit 5 months in the field, which feels impossible. I feel like I was at In‘N Out with the guys a month ago. I am going on exchanges with Elder Vigil this Thursday, and that will be fun. But he was my comp in the MTC so his Spanish isn't perfect either, just probably better then mine. Also, I won't be able to write until next Thursday because we are changing our P-day to go to the temple, which I’m super excited about. And maybe the zoo too. And we will be doing paint ball again that next Monday. I am the only missionary still here since paintball so everyone in the zone wants to go now. But joke’s on them because I’ve got the practice. That’s pretty much it. And we have a zone meeting tomorrow and my package will be there.

 Hey Mom. I am so excited for Donovan. I have been praying for them every night. And it’s nice to know your and Nathan’s hard work is getting paid of to. So you got my package? That’s great! Did you get the letter that says what is for who? I’m sorry if its kinda lame. I’m not really in a touristy place right now. I have your package. Well... my zone leader does but I will get it tomorrow.

Sweet, that’s what I’m praying for; for Dylan to figure out how to find people too. Ok, I’m gonna email Nathan right now for his birthday. And tell Caleb that he needs to watch Ben Shapiro so he can back up his claims. Also tell Caleb that I said his principals and school have the obligation to protect his freedom of speech. This has been president since the Supreme Court’s decision on Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District

Thanks for spoiling Eyrings talk for me, mom. And I spent so much time writing all those letters for all of you. Your welcome. Well, I gotta go. Love you Mom.

Derek: Captain's Log Week 21: Conferencia General

Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. (Amos 3:7)

So, I got baptized in a river today. Ok let me explain. So we have this really pretty river that goes right though our town. And so I asked the president for permission to baptize in it. He said sure, as long as we get some one who wants to. He also gave us permission to go inside to see if it was deep enough as well. So we found this really beautiful spot under this huge tree. (As seen below) But we weren't sure if it was deep enough, so my comp dunked me just like a baptism. But don't worry, he didn't say the words or anything, so it wasn't sacriligious. And it was deep enough. So, now all we have to do is find someone who wants to be baptized in a river like Jesus or Joseph Smith.

We also had interviews with the mission president this week, which is always good, because it's not everyday you can have a one-on-one with the guy who holds the keys to your area. 

And contacting here is a hit and miss. For example, one day this week we contacted an older couple. We sat down and talked for 45+ minutes about prophets. They were very interested and it was going super well, she even said that she believed we were the only church on the earth to have a true and living prophet. Of course I was excited, but only for a quick second, because she quickly followed up by saying, "But, I was born a Catholic and I'm going to die a Catholic." So yeah, that happened. And the next day we knocked on this guy’s door and he quickly told us that he read our book, The Book of Mormon, two times and he said he knew it was true. So that was great. 

Also this week was general Conference. I spent the whole week listing to conference talks to prepare. And on Saturday and Sunday I listened to the ones from this session in Spanish. I actually understood a lot, but now that I have computer access I’m excited to download them in English and listen for real. Oh and Russia will be getting a temple!!!

Other things that happened this week: I finished All Of D&C in Spanish and should have The Pearl of Great Price done by next week. I saw a 2 or 3 year old smoke. Imagine that a little child wearing nothing other then a diper smoking a cigarette, stares at you with a look that says, "So, What?" then throws it on the floor then steps on it to kill the flame. Yeah...

They also have a thing here called abichulela con dulce, which in case you didn't know, is pretty much hot chocolate mixed with beans, potatoes, crackers and other delightful stuff. Every house we went to offered us some this week. And this literally is the only thing I had my whole mission that I couldn't finish. My comp loved it because he got have mine too.

Wow, thanks for the reminder. I would not have remembered it was Johan’s b-day. Guess who went swimming today? In a river. My president gave us permission to baptize in a river so we went to se if it was deep enough.

Hey, at some point can you make a folder of all the recipes, activities, and traditions that we do every year, so like I can do them in college and with my kids and stuff? Sweet, thanks mom

Oh and I talked to the mission presidents wife and she says I need to get the paper apostated before it gets sent here. So if you can print of a new one and get it apostated first that would work. Thank you.

Dylan: AHHHHHHHHH!!!

WOW my heart is full! We woke up this morning and saw the text of the temple going to be in Russia from our members who have been staying up very late anxiously watching general conference and they were too excited to keep it in! We ran so fast to the church to see the unbelievable news for ourselves! And when we watched it with all the suspense President Nelson put into it. We screamed with joy and the Spirit was so strong! We both started crying so hard, I don't think I've ever felt the Spirit so hard before in my life. We replayed it at least 6 times, every time the Spirit rushing through my body and tears rolling down my face. I don't think people understand how great of a miracle this is, I don't think any one can understand unless if they are a part of the fragile and challenging work here in Russia. Just this past week I made a comment with the mission president and his wife about a temple being in Russia, and even they didn't think it would be possible for a long time, at least 10 to 20 years from now, because things for the church are on such a tight string as they are cutting down on things and so forth, not to mention that the government has to be able to go in any building in Russia. We would have never expected this wonderful news to come so soon. My joy is full after knowing and loving all of these amazing members and seeing the great sacrifices they have to make, and the great hope this gives to the members of this nation. I am so grateful to be here in Russia; it is beyond challenging, but God's work and kingdom will press forward and the prophets words will be fulfilled. I don't know how they did it, but I know that nothing will be able to stop the great kingdom of the Lord! 

Splits in Center Rostov 

This week was a hard one as I spent most of it in Center with a Russian companion who spoke no English and I really can't speak any Russian, but we had 2 lessons the 3 days I was there, both with members. So you can imagine we had a lot of free time on our hands, so we walked around the city trying to have conversations with people. We went into this huge library and tried talking to some people there and were able to get 2 numbers. I also asked the librarians if they had any Book of Mormons and she was so lost, hahaha. So yeah, that consists of the finding activities in Russia, since you can't say anything about the church or even invite them to church. But luckily we can invite them to play ping pong, so that's really successful..., but I am determined to find out how to successfully find out how to find people to make investigators through all the rules. I was able to start a few more conversations, but it was very challenging because the Russian companion I was on splits with would just stand there and not say anything while I was very obviously struggling trying to talk to these random people, and my comp would just look at me like I was crazy and laugh at my Russian, and did not help me at all even though he spoke perfect Russian and knew exactly what we are trying to do, being one of the older volunteers in the mission. So that was very frustrating. But somehow we were able to get a few numbers. We also were able to see the world cup stadium from afar, so that was cool. Thursday he was with me but in my area, so I had some lessons already planned so we were ok. 

Transfer Calls

So we got transfer calls, and I just finished training. I will stay in Severny for another transfer, so that will be fun to lead the area, and I am getting my trainer's trainer as my new companion so that will be exciting. I am really excited because I had a split with him and I think he is the hardest working missionary on the mission, and he just goes and goes and that’s how I want to be. So it will be exciting to have a older experienced missionary who has a lot of drive. He was also born in Latvia and his whole family moved to Oregon when he was young, his parents only speaking Russian, so he understands perfectly. He got baptized a year before his mission and is the only member in his family. His tennis partner in High school told him about the church after they graduated. And Elder Sweeney, my current companion, is going to Krasnodar. 

An Easter to Remember

Church was great, and later we went to one of our very favorite inactive, now active;) members’ and gave them a lesson and we sang hymns. It just made me so happy that from California on the other side of the world there is a mother and daughter in tiny one room apartment in a big city in Russia who are praising God and are looking forward to His coming as we do. They fed us this thing called Slava which is practically just a big block of salted pig fat (real good stuff) and I ate the most disgusting soup of my life. It was a cold soup with Russian butter milk (which is sooo nasty by the way), carbonated water, boiled eggs, vegetables and other stuff. It may not sound that gross but it was so nasty. I was also very sick that day and if I ate any more, which she gave us a big bowl, I was going to throw up. They both left the room for a quick second and I was able to put most of it back in the pot on the other side of the room without them seeing. It was so funny. 

On the way home we had the most unusual encounter. A man came up to us and said that God has called him in a dream or something to go preach his gospel. He said that there is a prophet today on the Earth and is name is Leaona are something. I thought he was drunk or something but he seemed totally in control. He wouldn't give us his name because he said that would take away the glory from God, so he said he wants to talk about God with us, and hey we will take anyone we can at this point. But he didn't have a phone. He also asked to stay the night with us, but we told him when church starts and the address. At the end of our conversation on the street that night he shook my hand for an incredibly long time and gave me 1 ruble (which is worth 2 cents) and he walked off. WOW we have been doing missionary work all wrong! We can learn a thing or two from him.

Love you all. The Church is True! 

Elder VanBuskirk

Dylan: How How Much Joy the Gospel Brings

Hello! 

So my trainer is also a zone leader with another missionary in Center. But our mission is too small that we don't have districts, so they go on splits with everybody and that leaves me with the other zone leader's companion. He is Russian and doesn't speak any English, so it's quite fun because I don't know much Russian. And next week we will be together for 4 days, so it should be a good opportunity for my language. But I also can now lead my area and get around and everything by myself, but my Russian is still horrendous. 

We had a game night and fireside at the mission president’s home with all the other missionaries in Rostov and it was awesome. It's interesting because many of our baptisms and investigators are from other countries. They have some Universities in Center and it is easy for the missionaries to meet the students from abroad who speak English and we give them a friend group. Like some of my favorite people that always come to game night are Cocoa (from Indonesia), Nam (from Vietnam), and Kim (from Kenya, and Jamaica). It's a lot of fun, Our mission is great because there are a lot of different cultures. 

So while on a split in Center we played volleyball and went to a game night with another Christian group. I thought it was kind of awkward that they go to that to try to find potentials, but they are all really nice and it's just nice seeing other religions who are trying to make a good environment for young adults. 

We spent a lot of time this week helping members get all of their family history data from online before they shutdown the Family Search website.

The highlight of my week was when we just taught Ivan (our recent convert); we taught him how to bless the sacrament, and it just makes me so happy and makes all the struggle worth it when we see him progressing and just how much joy the gospel really brings him. I feel so privileged to see him at this stage of his conversion, because he is a miracle in himself. He has been talking to the missionaries for almost 20 years, and his wife would never let him get baptized then, and when his wife died a few months ago, how he was really hurt and done with the church but he came back with a broken heart and with so much faith. I just feel so blessed to see him so happy and in peace, and how it was such a long journey for him and all those missionaries that must have worked with him and have no idea that he actually did it. 

Elder VanBuskirk

I got to go mom. But I love you soooooo much. Have a great week! Your pics are awesome!