Registering in country

November 11, 2013

This week's theme was registering Sister Tanner in country so she doesn't become deported to Missouri like she dreamed four weeks ago. Or the one about going back to the MTC. But really. 

So Tuesday we had great plans for tracting and such, but then at 1:00pm we received a call from the office telling us to be at the office by 3:00pm to get me registered. Seeing as the office is an hour away, this required some plan changing. But all is well, for the registration was necessary seeing as my temporary visa apparently expired Monday. That night we wandered around in the dark looking for Less Active members and Former Investigators. Then we got on a tram-by (think the fun looking trolleys in San Francisco, but not so fun looking) and took it to the end of its line and then walked back home talking to those we met. By the way, it has officially been determined that death by a tram-by would be the most painful, because it would move so slowly over you. The walk home was actually exhausting and terrifying, especially when we walked past this sign that said "experiment" that pointed to this dirt road into the trees that ended with a chain link fence lit up by a single lantern.
 

 

Wednesday we couldn't make solid plans because we were waiting for a call to return to Center (downtown Donetsk) for more registration, but then the call came that afternoon that I didn't have to go until Friday, so we decided to just take a giant loop around our area and pass out the church building open house flyers to people. We actually met some very nice people, including a guy who said he'd be willing to meet again! So that brings our official investigator count to 2! TWO! Now, granted, we have not been able to get our schedules to coordinate (having to be in center for registration has not helped), but we have people willing to meet! And we've met other just nice people this week, which is just wonderful and great. Really though, this week has been encouraging. 

Thursday Sister Pharis was at the Lochheads all day for a Missionary Leadership Conference, so I was on a split with Sister Hassard in Center. We spent most of the time in studies, but then we had a lesson with a less active guy who they found the day before who apparently slipped through the cracks when the area was white washed. I thought I was getting better at understanding Russian, but then he showed up and started speaking really fast Russian, and I was just lost. But he was really nice, and I saw him at Stake Conference Sunday, so that's wonderful. That night Sister Pharis and I returned to our area just in time for English, where we discussed our dreams for the future. More and more people are coming to English, which is just exciting. It's good to be able to invite someone to something at the church without it being straight up church. The main portion has nothing to do with religion, and then at the end we say English is done, but they are welcome to stay for a musical number and spiritual thought. And most people stay. As we discussed our dreams, I also made a rather sad observation. In America, the whole "American Dream" really does exist. Like, you can say you want to do something or be something someday, and you truly believe it, and you have every right to believe it. But in Ukraine, people just don't have the same resources, and it's expressed in the restraint of their dreams. I love Ukraine, but I am so grateful to be born in America. 

Friday we had weekly planning, and then we were picked up to go to some office to finish my registration. Basically I sat on a bench until called, signed my name on a piece of paper, sat back on the bench, and left when told to do so. So now I should be officially registered and available to be drafted into the army. Friday night was also youth night, where we played various games with the youth that was actually quite enjoyable and not just exhausting and a mess. 

Saturday was not an official P-day, but it basically was. Because we had District Conference! It was in the Kelinisky (spelled that wrong, even for an English translation) building, which means it was 1 1/2 hours away. And all the missionaries in my zone had to be there at 2:00pm for a special presentation on using Family History. Basically, family history in the Europe East Area is much different than in other parts of the world, so our zone is going to be used as kind of a trial run of using family history. If we do it well and we see positive results, then we will be used as a model for the rest of the Europe East Area. Exciting. Then we had two hours before District Conference, so we wandered to find dinner, and then us sisters sang in the park outside the building as a form of stationary contacting. District Conference that night was really good with President Lochhead talking about simple things the members could do to help the missionary effort. He had four suggestions: 1. Use church words in your conversations with others that will invite questions. 2. Answer a question about the church with enthusiasm. 3. Give a testimonial - not a testimony (that one was hard to translate) - about the church 4. Invite people in a way that requires a yes or a no. He emphasized that if you invite, whether or not they accept, that is success. 

Sunday we returned for the main session of District Conference. People from all the Donetsk areas plus Mariupol, Lugansk, and Gorlovka came. All us missionaries, except for a few that fit into the English room, were shoved into this room where the Russian translation was being piped. But unfortunately the audio was really quiet, plus it was in Russian, so basically all us missionaries sat there and talked with one another for two hours, waiting for someone to come in and reprimand us. It was unfortunate, because I heard the broadcast was wonderful. After Sis. Pharis and I returned home we made some delicious brownies, got dogged on a lesson (they didn't show up), and then delivered the brownies to some Less Active families. 

So that was my week. Like I said, encouraging.

Love you!
Sister Tanner

Q - What does whitewash an area mean?

A - It means both missionaries were transferred out and two new ones transferred in who have nothing to work off of but the area book.