Quiet miracle
E-mail story
It's easy. Send a link to the story you were just reading to a friend. Just fill out the form on this page and we'll send it along.
Your name and e-mail address are transmitted to the recipient. Otherwise, it is considered private information; see Privacy policy.
TVER, Russia — Olga Zoobova didn't want to squander one second. This effervescent 16-year-old, who joined the Church in August, wanted to absorb all she could of President Gordon B. Hinckley's visit to Moscow.
Seated with nearly 2,300 other members in the Cosmos Hotel, she scribbled every word President Hinckley spoke without diverting her eyes.
Until the broadcast of the Nauvoo Illinois Temple dedication last June, members like Olga in the Europe East Area had seen only printed pictures of President Hinckley. But with the installation of satellite equipment last summer, they were able to participate with the rest of the Church in the temple dedication.
And now, for the first time in Church history, they will view proceedings of the October general conference in real time, in their own language. This is the case in many areas of the Church.
For members in Tver, viewing conference proceedings in real time means traveling two hours to Moscow, a trek they made in September and will eagerly do again for conference.
In many ways, the small, obscure Tver Branch shows the Church in motion in Eastern Europe. A fledgling branch of 38 members last June, it has gradually grown, until on a Sunday following President Hinckley's visit in September, membership had grown to 53. Priesthood leadership is young, requiring missionaries to lead the branch and teach the lessons.
Missionaries in this city of approximately 100,000 residents are able to proselytize, but not occupy apartments. The six elders and two sisters rent rooms in a local hotel where they are fed eggs for breakfast each morning.
On this Sunday in September, Sister Leisy Oswald used a device from the hotel to illustrate her lesson during the Young Women class. Holding gingerly in her hand a mousetrap that she had taken from under her bed, she asked who among the three young women in the class was willing to snatch the prize from the trap.
Having made her point, she then demonstrated the strength of habits by wrapping a young woman's hands with thread.
Sister Oswald was sustained in sacrament meeting that day as first counselor in the Young Women presidency — two months after arriving in Russia. "Two months doesn't make anyone fluent in Russian," she said, feeling the challenge of teaching her first lesson in another language.
But with visual aids and a love for the gospel and the young women, she forged ahead. "These are fantastic young women," she said. The Young Women class, with eight active members, is expecting more baptisms in the near future.
"Olga takes a copy of the Book of Mormon with her everywhere, and is always asking for more missionary pass-along cards to give out," said Sister Oswald. "Because of her testimony, her mother and a friend have joined the Church."
Missionaries are called upon to fill the branch presidency and most callings. Elder Michael Perry serves as branch president. His companion, Elder John Grant, played prelude music on the piano as members assembled, then walked to the podium where he conducted sacrament meeting as the second counselor. He then returned to the piano to accompany the hymns.
Elder Daniel Stone unloaded a bag of various visual aids on a table that he planned to use that day in Primary, then returned to the chapel where he greeted members with the other missionaries prior to speaking during sacrament meeting.
"These are amazing missionaries," said Elder Mel Peterson; he and his wife, Sister Janet Peterson, serve as a missionary couple. Now retired after a career of building power plants around the world, Elder Peterson assists with construction demands in Eastern Europe. On Sunday, he serves as first counselor in the branch presidency, while Sister Peterson teaches in the Relief Society.
Missionaries appreciate the leadership Elder and Sister Peterson provide, but they mostly appreciate the mail they bring each Sunday. Because the missionaries don't have a permanent residence, mail from home is gathered by the mission office and delivered Sunday morning when the Petersons arrive from Moscow.
On this Sunday missionaries huddled for mail call, including Sister Oswald who received a package from home. She planned to open the box later that day after meetings, but the excitement was so great that after completing preparations for her lesson and after posting the page numbers for the hymns, she opened the box to find a picture of her twin sister who is serving a mission in Latvia, as well as other illustrations to teach gospel principles, and balloons.
"The young women love to play water volleyball," she said, explaining the balloons.
The branch meets on an upper floor of a commercial building. Rooms have been renovated to make a large chapel area, with separate rooms for the Primary, Relief Society and Sunday School classes. Early Sunday morning, a groundskeeper sweeps the stairs and parking area with a broom made of twigs.
For most members of the Tver Branch, who measure their membership in months, what they may lack in experience is more than compensated by their enthusiasm for the gospel.
Like Sister Silichyova Anna Prokofievna, who, in her 70s, climbs 56 stairs on crutches each week to attend. "Whenever I'm with God, I'm happy," she said.
E-mail: shaun@desnews.com
