November 21, 2012

Thanksgiving has always been our favorite holiday. I have been excited all week even though we won’t be home for Thanksgiving this year. Our memories of years past will have to do for this year but we will also be making new memories to carry with us over the years ahead.

 

Just why is Thanksgiving such a great holiday. Is it the fact that autumn has been put to bed and you are looking forward to enjoying time inside out of the cold; the ending of one season and the beginning of another. Maybe it is that we take the time to reflect on our blessings of the last year. Hopefully it isn’t the only time we show gratitude. Gratitude is something that should be a daily event in all of our lives. Someone has said that “gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others, so isn’t it great that we have a holiday to help us focus on our blessings. Or maybe it is simply good food, family, friends……..and great leftovers. Whatever Thanksgiving is, we remember it with fondness and happiness.

 

This past week was a wonderful week. A girl I met last spring, Maria Bystrovo, from Tomsk Russia (about 4 hours from Moscow) returned to the temple to be sealed to her family.  Her mother died when she was fifteen and she did her temple work while she was at the MTC in Provo.  Her father passed away last November and her greatest wish was to do his work and be sealed to her parents on her birthday this year, November 15. It was so fun to see her on Tuesday and then be with her on her birthday Thursday to witness her sealing.  She is such a happy, positive person and blessed the lives of many people while she was in Kyiv.

Maria Bystrovo

We had many people from Novosibirsk Russia here last week, which is in Siberia and takes five days by train or 5 hours by air to get to Kyiv. What dedicated people. Also there was a group from Rostov, Russia which is a lot closer. One of the couples here from Rostov were especially interesting to get to know, Sasha Kozyrev and his wife. Although Sasha is from Russia and went on his mission in Russia he speaks perfect English. He has gone thorough a lot of difficulties in his life but has such a bright outlook on life that it is a joy to be around him.

Sasha and wife

Thursday was transfer day at the mission office so when I stopped in I got to see many of the missionaries that we have known and loved. Sister Smith and Sister Van Stokkom were in Kyiv to pick up their new companion Sister Filipovska. We will see them on Sunday when we go to Lutsk. Elder Grange was heading for a warmer climate in Odessa. Saturday our branch had a “Pie Party” at the Page’s home. Steven Page is a diplomat for the US and they live only a few blocks away from us. It was a great party, lots of good pies and fun to be with ward members that had traveled to our side of the city for the party. It is so funny to think that people will travel for 1 ½ hours to go to a ward party. Traveling time is something that you adjust to here in Kyiv, but when you put it into an American context it is something that would never happen.

Sisters Smith, Van Stokkom, Filipovska

Transfer Day

Pie Party

More of the pie party

Natasha Loboda

We got up at 4:30 AM Sunday morning to travel the five hours to Lutsk. I had spent most of the day Saturday making dressing, rolls, fruit salad, brownies  etc. for our quasi Thanksgiving Dinner with the missionaries in Lutsk. When we left for Lutsk it was dark and it was dark for most of the trip there. When we left to come home it was dark. Kind of sad to miss all my favorite scenery along the way but I did get a few pictures. We had a great dinner with the missionaries there. There are two elders and three sisters. One of the sisters is from the USA, one is from Holland, and the other is from Italy but was born in Ukraine and lived here until she was nine. They are amazing, hardworking, happy missionaries who have what I am sure are pretty typical living conditions for missionaries.  I have said this before but I will say it again, I have a different appreciation for these young people than I ever did before our mission. They have mastered a very difficult language, get by without complaint in sub-standard living conditions and are relentless in their efforts to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ and his Atonement to all they meet. We love and admire them so much.

Hoarfrost on the way to Lutsk

Mistletoe

Thanksgiving in Lutsk

Great missionaries

Monday Gary was the devotional speaker at the office. He spoke on the importance of being happy. And then on the way home we saw Valentya for the first time in over three months. She is the little lady that sits doing cross-stitch all summer and selling walnuts and “knots” (a very delicious cookie). I was so excited to see her and know that she was all right. I had worried so much about her over the last few months when she had just seemed to disappear out of nowhere. I was so happy that she was back and that she will be sitting there to brighten our day whenever we pass by. I really didn’t think we would see her until next spring, if ever. What a great way to start Thanksgiving week.

Gary speaking with translator at devotional

Valentya

 

And now a little Thanksgiving quote from Richard L. Evans:

Thank God for all this: for life and what sustains it, for loved ones that make it meaningful, for faith and purpose and continuance, always and forever. Thank God for all of this—and much, much more.

Kyiv Temple, Nov.14 2012