Family Home Evening & Russian Cooking

We are still trying to get used to the cultural differences we find here in Russia. Those that we associate with on a regular basis and in other social settings (English Club), we find to be just like anyone else. One English club member has visited the US on a couple of occasions (she is an English teacher) and commented on a grocery clerk who greeted her with friendly conversation (How are you, nice day isn't it, etc.). She was shocked. You pay for your phone either at a machine like an atm or in person behind a desk. This morning I paid a clerk at a desk and she never looked at me. Judy went with a member to a warehouse type store where we could get peanut butter this morning and a fork lift operator told them to get out of his way (the peanut butter was where he needed to be).

On the street and in the stores it reminds you of driving a car where your personality changes as soon as you get behind the wheel. No more mister nice guy. To say there is no common courtesy is an understatement. There are no smiles on the street except those who may be having a conversation together. No one says hello, excuse me, or thank you. If you are obviously going to use a scale, if you don't act fast someone will come up behind you and put their stuff on first. If you don't move quickly enough, someone will speed ahead and jump in line in front of you. "You snooze you lose." There is a lot of pushing through in the grocery aisles. In reality, that is the way things are here and no one is trying to offend and no one takes offense (except us dumb Americans). That is just the culture.

Our Anastasia had a friend from Veronezh come to stay with her for a few days. They called Tuesday and asked if they could come and do some cooking in our kitchen. They wanted to cook a dish for English club that night. It was a fried pastry filled with a potato filling. I don't know what the potato's had in them, it looks like milk, butter and seasoning. They used quite a bit of oil in the process too. Above are the potato's before mashing.
Here is the raised dough before being stretched into shape. Natasha did most of the cooking. What a sweet young lady. She and her mother are the members in their family. Our little branch has about 5 YSA sisters who are just wonderful. Anastasia graduates from university in June and wants to serve a mission but not sure her mother will support her.
The potato is put on the dough and then it is squeezed shut and then fried. YUM!
Here is the finished poduct.
On Wednesday we got another call, and they came over and Natasha made crepes. We took the first creation to English club and today's was taken to family Home Evening. It was quite a night at family home evening. We had two investigators and 18 members in attendance. We had a spiritual thought and played a game following some socializing and some ping pong.
Here Natasha is almost ready to turn the crepe. She would not let us watch her turn them.
Here we are socializing in this weeks Family home evening. Our two new member sisters are standing next to Sister Hoagland.
Sergies, our branch first counselor, is making an investigator have a hearty laugh. We are having an Easter party Saturday evening (Easter is one week later in Russia this year) and we just finished hard boiling 100 eggs. We hope the coloring works out. They do it different here as they do not have vinegar here.
Took this picture from our apartment window. A sign of spring, as the babushkas are able to sit outside and talk. Isn't this how you picture Russian rural life?
Our last district meeting with Elder's Kvasnitsky and Anisaforov. Elder Anisaforov is headed for Kazakhstan and Elder Kvasnitsky is headed for the farthest north city in the mission, Yarolslavl. We will most likely not see Elder Anisaforov again as Kazakhstan will be in a different mission in July.
We took this picture a couple of weeks ago, when we saw the first signs of spring. The bulbs are just starting to come out. The picture below was taken the next day. There is still snow on the ground but the street is ice and snow free. I am not sure I like the road snow and ice free.

I don't know why this is underlined, but I see no where to change it. Two weeks ago at family home evening we had only three people come besides two elders and ourselves. Two young men both the name Roma came for the first time to our building and Sister Hoagland and I talked with them for quite awhile. They were a lot of fun.

Elder Stegeby is having a piano lesson with his investagator. He and his girlfriend went on the baptismal trip last weekend.
This Roma is watching Elder Harris play ping pong the other Roma.
Roma is a big soccer fan. His favorite team is Barcelona, Spain. Someone gave him this shirt. He is a university graduate and works in sales.
Our second to the last district meeting with this group of Elders.
Another sign of spring is the tree that has turned yellow. This was that last day of ice on the playground.
The green and blue house is where the babushka's were talking. Two yards away, in the middle of some much older places is a pretty new "Business Hotel." Access is through electronically controlled gates so I guess you have to let them know you are there.

New Family baptized in Lipezk and Veronezh Relief Society conference

This first picture is out of order, but I wanted this one to be in to show the gym at the Vernezh branch and show what the brethren were doing while the Sisters were in Relief Society conference. Elder Hoagland Shot some baskets and then they put up the volleyball net and he played too. He got a minor injury when one of the more active players ran into him and stepped all over his right leg just above the ankle. Fortunately it is not sore to walk on but it is to the touch. Ankle and foot are swollen.

We had a wonderful day on Saturday April 6. A family from Lipetsk was baptized members of the church. The branch rented a bus and went to Veronezh, where the church owns a large chapel and has a baptismal font. Following the baptism, the Sisters attended the Veronezh relief society conference.

In Veronezh there is a permanent location for a circus. This is their building.
Leaving Lipetzk we passed this flower market. This is one of many we saw on our journey.
A Russian Orthodox church in Lipetzk.
In the bus.
Elder Turner who is Assistant to the president came back for the baptism of Samvelle and his family. Samville looks like a happy man.
Another Russian church.
This is the Veronezh branch building. It used to be a theater I am told. If you venture out of the remodeled areas it is pretty grungy inside. There is a security person at the building 24 hours.
Sister Hoagland is here providing prelude music for the baptismal service. Elder Hoagland was privileged to give the talk on baptism.
Here is the Sergiesyan family ready for the service to begin. L to R Armene 13, Margarite Mother, Elder Anisaforov (baptized Armene), Arpine 15, Sergies Rashanyan brother of Margarite (baptized Samville), and Samville. Elder Turner baptized Arpine and Elder Kvasnitsky baptized Margarite. This family came from Armenia last summer. Elder Hoagland went on one teaching visit where the spirit was so strong.
Armon, Vika, Ararad and Artiome. This family was baptized the weekend prior to our arrival. They too are Armenian. The Rushanyan family were members when they came last year and have invited other family members to come. The Russian government encourages this immigration via expedited visa applications and a stipend when they arrive. Hopefully we can teach them as they arrive.
The two older sisters are from the Veronezh branch relief society presidency who were kind enough to support our baptism even though they were preparing for the conference which began immediately following the baptism. The Sister in the jeans is an investigator from Lipetsk. Many of our members do not own skirts or dresses. Ararad is sporting his new suit on the left.

L to R Samville, Elder Turner, Arpine, Sergies, Armine, Margarite, Elder Kvanitsky, Elder Anisaforov ready for the baptism.

Elder & Sister Hoagland with all the Elders and baptismal candidates. Sorry we didn't get Elder Stegeby in this picture.
Lunch following the baptism. Elders Anisaforov and Kvasnitsky prepared a wonderful Ukrainian rice and pork dish for everyone. Elder Harris baked chocolate chip cookies. We had nearly 30 people on our bus. We then have 12 missionaries from Veronezh and a few Veronezh branch members to add to the company.
Elder Harris with his investigator. He is faithful in attendance but has issues before he can be baptized.
Some of the crafts displayed for the relief Society conference.
It is wonderful to see how strong this branch is here in Veronezh. The senior couple, Elder & Sister Frost, are not here for branch support but are humanitarian missionaries. They have worked on things like doctor training in infant resuscitation, and providing basic equipment for hospitals and clinics. Physicians from the US come and do the training and he Frost make all the arrangement's with the hospital staff in various city's in the country. We are sad to see them go home in 4 weeks. Their replacements are now in another city outside of our zone.
Another meal following the Relief Society conference. The brethren were treated with ice cream too. Sister Frost is on the left at this table. Anastasia is mugging for the camera. The Sister in white is a volunteer from BYU teaching English for 6 months in local schools. The Frosts have been a great support to the missionaries and the groups of English teaching volunteers as they have come over the last 18 months.
Sisters following conference
Brothers finding something to do while waiting for conference to end.
Sisters from Lipetzk
Margarite, Anastasia, Rema, and Arpine on the bus ride home.

Happy Birthday to Zach

Anastasia is a (the) stalwart member of the branch. She teaches institute class, Gospel doctrine, and was asked to fill in as teacher for the Relief Society last Sunday. She is also the branch pianist. She is just finishing up her university studies which she earned all expenses. Here she and her mother are visiting Judy. Sorry we do not have her mothers name, but she teaches and is an administrator at a school for special needs children. She lives in a village 2 hours from Lipetzk.
Here is our English club which meets every Tuesday evening. We generally just talk about what ever subject comes up and write on the board any words people didn't know during the conversation. This way be can build their vocabulary. Last week we happened to mention something about New Zealand so they wanted to see pictures. This week we showed and discussed some pictures of NZ. Anastasia joined the church through attending the English club, as do about 10% of our missions baptisms. By the way, we have a baptism set for a family of four this Saturday. We will hire a bus and most of the branch will go to Veronezh where the church has a font. Can't wait!
Sister Hoagland and Anastasia made brownies for English club.
A couple of weeks ago we had thaw which is very messy with slush and muck from the roads flying everywhere. We have since had three more storms and thaw which has made for really dirty and wet boats.
Last Sunday we had a branch get together and the Rashanyan's apartment. Their daughter Ani is on the right. They invited everyone, but not all could come.
They fixed a wonderful meal, potatoes on the left with some chicken and goose on top. A wonderful onion dish and then a macaroni pasta dish. Not our kind of macaroni dish.
Here Leonid and Sergies discuss the scriptures and the priesthood manual.
Rashanyan kitchen
Sister Aida Rashanyan rolling a cake.

The cake before it is rolled.
Artiome and Ararad doing what children all over the world do. Playing video games. The active families in the branch are all Armenian's. The family to be baptized are family of the Rashanyan's. Sergeis's sister, brother in law and nieces.
Sergies with eyelids turned inside out. There was a moment were a bunch of us were showing each other some of the funny things we could do with our hands, elbows, etc. This is what Sergies came up with.