We have had another fabulous week! It seems as though we are getting more and more busy... by the end of this week we had two to three lessons each day. I want to invite you to come and see our facebook photo album. If you are not on facebook, consider getting on it. You can be on Facebook and still keep your temple recommend. For those who are not on Facebook and still want to see a picture or two I will try and have a few shown on this email.
Our weeks are now pretty much routine and I have mentioned several things that we are doing and people we are working with in previous emails so I won't be quite as detailed in some aspects of our daily routine.
First off, I forgot to mention in this letter last week that since we are on our mission and money is tight all around the world, including Moscow, we decided that we would save the $200 -$250 it would cost to cut and color Bethany's hair and she enlisted my help in making this process happen. As many of you may know, I have cut my own hair for the past 20 years. I learned how to do this from my father's example and my sister Daphne's expertise, and practiced on our boys when they were younger. When they got to be in their late teens things were a little more critical to them but I was still asked to cut their hair. Now Bethany asked that I do her hair with the color... and all I can say is that we are still on our mission, we still are happily married, and we both maintain our temple recommend status! Her hair looks good and she is as happy as she can be. We will probably do it again in a few more months. (Wish me luck).
This week started out quite interesting in that all of the snow is officially gone, even in the deepest and darkest corners of the city. Since things are warming up and are clean and dry one of our missionaries who is almost finished with is two-year service has begun to "Chalk Draw." Some of you may have seen this procedure in emails that ran rampant a year or so ago about missionaries that draw scenes from the scriptures on sidewalks and as people wander by seeing the artist (the missionary) and the art, they naturally stand and watch and often ask questions. Well, apparently Elder Warren from the Moscow Russia mission has been one of the pioneers, if not, THE pioneer in this method of finding people to teach. I will include a picture that he has done. As I get more photos of his work, I will try and pass them on.
During one of the Chalk Drawing days a week or so ago, we met a young man who was very interested in the work that was being drawn. This young man "Dima" started asking questions of one of the Elders and the next thing you know, he attended all 5 sessions of General Conference and he also invited us to watch one of his practice sessions of American Football. There are 4 Football teams in Moscow. They have just started practicing for the year. We need to get some jerseys sent over here to give them a little variety of what they can wear to practice and games.
Later this week we saw several investigators and we have had wonderful meetings with all of them. Many of them are progressing nicely toward Baptism. We had one baptism this week of the lady who was in my father and mothers branch in Tibilisi, Georgia. I talked about her in my last letter to you last week. Well, she was baptized on Saturday and it was a wonderful experience. She was confirmed today. Her son, who was baptized 3 years ago as a teenager and now lives in Yorba Linda, California is so happy and excited that his mother has made such a good choice. Within about 16 months he will be prepared and eligible to leave on his mission. If all goes well, Svetlana, his mother can go with him to the Temple. Maybe they will both go together for the first time. We will just have to see what the Lord has in store.
Just prior to the Baptism we went to the Marriott Hotel in downtown Moscow and waited for my cousin KLynn and her husband Bob arrive from the U.S. They arrived a few hours delayed because of the Volcano eruption in Iceland (since the Russian flights from the U.S. fly by the tips of Greenland and Iceland). It was such a great experience to see them both here on this side of the world. Bob has agreed to work for the Church as the legal counsel for Eastern European Area. It is a tremendous responsibility and they are assigned to be her for 3-5 years. We had a great time with them (even though they were exhausted) riding on the Metro to get to the Baptism. We talked and had a great time during dinner and talking about what our experiences have been thus far and what they will be in the coming years. They are here for just a few days to get some training and get a feel for what to expect before they arrive officially in mid-June. They are pictured with Bethany and I and Sister Ivanova who was baptized.
It was a wonderful week. Tonight we had a meeting with a member of the church who told her story of her conversion. She was committed to praying 7 times a day at that time in her life. One day she was praying to receive answers to her questions about the gospel and of Jesus Christ. During prayer #6 a knock came to the door and she opened up and there were "two beautiful young men dressed in suits, white shirts, and ties." (her words) She asked them who they were and they answered with their names and "who" they represented and that they had a message for her about Jesus Christ. Her and her husband were baptized shortly thereafter. Her and her husband became very active until recently as their health is beginning to fail them. We have committed to visit them "regularly" as part of the "rescue" effort from President Monson. We will begin to organize the missionaries and ward members to begin routinely visiting them to make sure they have the Church Magazines in their home as well as receiving the sacrament whenever possible.
Once again, I admonish you all to keep us all in your prayers. The work is moving forward at a slow pace but in the past few months has really begun to pick up tremendously. I am convinced that this is the Lords work and we need his divine help to carry it forward. Your prayers, specifically praying for the people here in this area is of great importance.
Sincerely,
Elder and Sister Packard
