Dear
family,
I know many of you are interested in our call with Scott. It
has taken me a few days to sit down and write about it mainly because when I
talk about it I still get emotional. It was the best part of Christmas to
SEE him and to be on a conference video call with Taralynn, Kory and Bowen as
well. Our family was "together" for that hour and it felt so
good!
Scott LOOKED GREAT. He was using his favorite blue blanket
to keep him warm as he sat in the Branch President's office (at the church) to talk
to us. For him, it was December 26, at 9:00 a.m. For us, it was
December 25, at 10 p.m. His companion,
Elder Reed, was also in the room, though we never saw him! He said hello
and that Scott’s Russian is excellent!
Here are a few highlights of the call.... in no particular order!
- They spent Christmas with the other elders and sisters
in their zone, playing games (ping pong and others) and eating. The senior
couple in the zone made the main food and the missionaries also brought
"pot luck." Scott's companion made peanut butter squares
(Scott said he helped as he could!). They went to a WWII museum,
which Scott said was interesting.
- I got the feeling that those missionaries in the zone
live pretty spread out so it was fun for them all to be together on
Christmas. They stayed with some other elders on Christmas Eve.
He said there is a set of sisters that live fairly close and that is
all. In fact, later that day, they planned on helping the sisters
get a kitchen table and other things for their apartment.
- The branch is small. He said that Sunday they had
the biggest turnout so far--about 20 in attendance. The branch
president's family is just him and his wife and an older son. They
also have an older daughter but she is away at school in Utah. He
said there are older men in the branch and then single sisters (ages
20-30) mostly. He has not had to speak in church yet, but it is
probably coming soon!
- He does have sheets on his bed...but his bed is
BIG--like two mattresses together and he only has one sheet set so he just
sleeps on one and the other mattress is sheet-less!
- He is warm. His coat that he brought is
"fine." Only his feet get cold! (We hope he buys
some warmer shoes/boots REALLY soon!). When he goes out he says he
wears ear-warmer pulled up as far as it can go and his beanie down so all
that is showing is his eyes. Someone commented to him that he looks like a
German soldier.
- They mostly go to the city and talk to people on the
street to find contacts. "Knocking doors" doesn't work so
well in Russia as it is hard to even get into the buildings unless you
know someone.
- They have one investigator right now. He has been
an investigator for a while and would like to join the church but his wife
is not in favor of it. They talk to him (and his wife) every week
and he does go to church. It sounds like they have a good
relationship with this family.
- The English teacher they met on the street (from a
recent letter) has not gotten in touch with them again. Though
another set of missionaries had a similar experience with an English
teacher so hopefully they will be able to help her and her class.
- The mission president is nice. They just
implemented a new "rule" where you speak Russian on the street
NO MATTER WHAT, even just missionary to missionary. During personal
and companion study time, also, much is done in Russian. Scott said
this is really good.
- He received some dearelder mail and one card (from the
Shields) but no other mail or Christmas package or letters :(. He is
not sure how often he will get the mail from the mission home but that is
still the best, and only way to send him something. Keep the
dearelder letters coming as he enjoyed them when he got them!
- He wanted to hear about our Christmas, about the Suns
and NBA season and Grandpa next door updated him on UofA--the most
important news! He asked about the ward and got to talk to Hunter
and Cannon.
- He is eating and they can get pretty much everything
they need. They even found peanut butter the other day! (What
is it with peanut butter and missionaries??)
- We told him that the Mainland China mission call was a
rumor (memo sent to seminary/institute teachers, and secretary, Marki,
confirmed the rumor). He didn't believe us at first, but then
did. We had heard that the missionaries in his mission could watch
Russian cartoons to help with their language study. I asked about
that and he said that was okay with the previous mission president but has
since changed.
- He spoke a little Russian for us and again said that it
was fun to learn and improving everyday.
Here's a bit about our Christmas here also...
- FAMILY in town! I missed Taralynn, Kory, Bowen
and Scott A LOT, but we were lucky to have Jay's sisters and their
families all here. It was so much
fun to be together! Our house and Mel's was full! Just as it
should be at Christmas time :)
- Jay and Jason went skiing (meeting up with friends) the
weekend before Christmas. THREE boys came home with broken
bones. Ouch! Happy it wasn't either of them but bummer for
those boys.
- Service with a smile! We got to wrap, wrap, wrap,
helping a family. No better way to feel the Christmas spirit than
through service. Many hands made the work light!
- Lots of good food! Mexican for Christmas
Eve! Cinnamon rolls, hot chocolate for Christmas morning!
Ham/potatoes and a divine green salad with pears for Christmas day.
Sweets and snacks continually! Again, many hands made the work
light!
- Christmas morning began at seven! We had a crowd
in Grandpa's living room! Unwrapping took a few hours!
"Santa Mella" always does a fine job!
- Sister missionaries came over for lunch Christmas
day! It was fun hearing about their phone call as I was still
anticipating mine--that was still NINE hours away!
- Christmas movie tradition--saw LesMiserables this
year! What a wonderful message - my favorite message? "To
love another person is to see the hand of God."
The company has been slowly leaving. It is better having
them leave in shifts than all at once! Life will be back to normal too
soon! The best part of normal will be Scott's letters on MONDAYS!
I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and that your families
are well and happy.
Christmas night I lay in bed and summarized the season this way…
1.
We
began the Christmas season early in the month with an Andreasen 12 Days of Service.
Jill compiled it all, beginning with these choice words... And it came to
pass that the Andreasen Family members were in the same country,
yea, the same United
States, and lo,
they desired to do service for the space of two weeks.
And this, in part,
is the service they did...
2. Christmas Eve, after we knelt in family
prayers we read Luke 2. In part we were
reminded that…She brought forth her
firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger;
because there was no room for them in the inn.
3.
Christmas
night, I felt a little like Mary, as I lay pondering on the season and the joy
I had felt throughout…and
I kept all these things, and pondered them in my heart. This is what life is
all about!
How grateful I am for this Christmas season! The Savior lives! Families are Forever!
And Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured!
With love always,
Lori
