Elder Pratt Arrives in Korea!!!

Thanksgiving Dinner

We found a great place to go for Thanksgiving Dinner!

The Vlad Inn

We rented a taxi and went with Magill's.

They had turkey and the works!

It was great!

Russian Pumpkin Pie....pretty good, but somewhat different

Delicious turkey, potatoes, vegetables....the little pitchers had cranberry sauce and gravy in them

Yummy salad with lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes & pumpkin seeds.

The Menu....even in English! mighty fine day

Great food, wonderful company, warm thoughts of family.

We are so blessed to be on a mission.

We love our family and miss them tons !

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE

Happy 60th Birthday President Pratt

Valia (Recent Convert), Tatyana (Office Accountant), Vera (Mission Secretary)

Lovely cake with no frosting.....was out of powdered sugar...oh well.....

Enjoying a calzone for the Birthday Lunch.....Magills and Us

The Office gave him flowers....there are tons of flower shops in Vladivostok!

We were planning a big multi-zone Thanksgiving/Birthday Dinner on the 24th because 8 Elders will be on their visa renewal over Thanksgiving....however, we have been hit pretty hard by the flu bug so we postponed the party until the 30th.

We did have cake & ice cream and milkus milkshakes with the office gang.

Rinok Shopping - The Hat!

The Purchase

Enjoying hot tea from the sales ladies

The Hat

Elders Spjut and Rutter.....alias.....Dumb and Dumber

Which one do I want?

Kiev Temple in the Ukraine

Scheduled to open in the fall of 2010

New & departing Elders

On August 22, 2009 we welcomed 5 new Elders into the Russia Vladivostok Mission. Elders Popoke from Belarus, Elder Velaquez from California, Elder Williams from Kaysville, Utah, Elder Pavlov from Moscow & Elder Spjut from California.

Elder Spencer returned home to Minnesota, then on to BYU.

Tallin Estonia & Helsinki Finland

We attended a Mission Presidents Seminar last week in Tallin Estonia. Elder L. Tom Perry and Elder Rasband of the Presidency of the Seventy were there. Also our new Europe East Area Presidency, President Wolfgang Paul, Kevin Pearson, & Gregory Schwitzer.

Vlad, our Bathroom, Ussurisk & ZL Council

This is an easy way to upload pictures but probably hard for you to figure out what is what. The sightseeing ones are from Vladivostok. On July 27th which was P-day we had our driver, Andrei, take us around Vladivostok. It was one of the first clear days that we have had. (We have had several since). He took us to a look out spot called "Eagle's Nest" and we could see the bays and the surrounding areas of the city. We then drove to the water, not far---10 minutes--to the ships that were docked. There was a submarine memorial and a wall of names of soldiers who lost their lives in the war.

There are random pictures of our crazy bathroom here at the apartment. The spaceshuttle shower, and double jacuzzi tub.

Another group picture of the 2nd Zone leaders council held on August 6th.

The branch pictures are from Ussurisk. We went there on August 1 and 2nd. It was about and hour and a half taxi ride. They had a missionary night on Saturday, food, skit, and we introduced ourselves with our power point presentation of the family. This is the nicest church building in the mission. It is the red brick building with me standing outside by the church sign. The only one with a sign as well. Plus it is on the lst floor... no stairs.

Ussurisk has lots of faithful sisters and no priesthood. So Mike put in a Russian Missionary, Elder Pochekutov as the Branch President. The other Branch President quit coming to church back in June. So we are praying and searching for prospective priesthood leaders to carry on the work in this little Branch.

Vlad Talent Show, Nahodka, and buildings by our apartment

These are a bunch of pictures from the talent show held in the Vlad Branches. Also our trip to Nahodka. It was a 4 hour road trip. The pictures of the beach show all the weekenders with their blue tarps. It was wall to wall camping. Also the roadsides....notice the water pipes. They carry the hot water for heating in the winter. Andrei our driver is the one in the white t-shirt by Elder Spencer. We are enjoying mexican food made by Sister Henderson. Homemade tortillas, refried beans, spanish rice & salsa. I tried her recipes and served a great mexican meal to our new arriving missionaries on August 22nd!

The homemade tortillas were so good and easy. We have enjoyed eating cheese quesidillas this past week!

The other pictures of the construction are the buildings right out my kitchen window in the apartment.

YSA Conf & Magadan

The top row is more pictures from the YSA conference. On Saturday, Aug 15, 2009 we flew up north to Magadan. The farthest city in the mission. It was about a 4 hour flight in an old fighter plane. We climbed into the back of the plane, they stack up the luggage in the rear of the plane. The seats were about a foot apart, no over head compartments so we held our carry on luggage on our laps.

We have a small group of 12 members that meet each week in a rented room in a hotel. They used to be a branch of a 140 members but several years ago the branch was disolved and missionaries were removed from the city. A member of the mission presidency tries to visit every 3 months. They collect the tithing from these faithful saints. There is Anatoli, the group leader. He is 70 years old. There were 3 older sisters, all named Olga and they were 70 and older. They have been members for about 10 years.

Magadan was a prison labor camp during both World Wars. Men were exiled to this Siberian countryside. It was a closed city until 1944. I need to check my facts! If you want accurate info google Magadan. Anyways, these people told us of how their fathers were falsely convicted of crimes and sent here to work. The Sister in the picture with us was 17 when she and her mother were finally able to reunite with her father. When they arrived in Magadan, they held him for another 5 years. After working in this labor camp for 15 years he was finally released and told that he had been held their by mistake and that he hadn't done anything wrong. They each had a story to tell.

The monument is called the "Mask of Sorrows". It honors all those that died in the Labor Camps.

YSA Conference in Khabarovsk

August 12-15, 2009 we attended a YSA Conference in Khabarovsk. There were about 20 YSA from the mission in attendance. With leaders there were about 35. It was held a camp about 30 minutes out of town. It was raining like crazy the whole time. It caused most of the activities to be held in doors, however it ruin anything. Everyone had a great time. The mosquitos were out in abundance. Even with the repellant we got bit. We held a workshop on leadership skills. We used the example in Alma 55 where Captian Moroni sends Laman up to the enemy and gives them lots of wine. They all get drunk and then they are able to send weapons over the wall to the prisoners and in the morning when the guards awake they realize they are surrounded. Rather than killing them, Captain Moroni simply frees the prisoners. We likened it to the qualities of a good leader. Then we had them figure out how to get their group threw a "mine field" in order to capture the enemy. They had a great time trying to figure it all out. Thanks to the 30 plus years at girls camp.....we were able to put together a fun, hands on activity. They had a great talent show. President Pratt did his awesome magic tricks and played his harmonica. Everyone enjoyed. We also spoke at a fireside. My topic was on "choosing the right". I gave up trying to do it in Russian and used a translator. Who knows if we will ever get the language down!

Helsiniki Finland

At the conclusion of the Mission Presidents Seminar in Tallin, Estonia we took a ferry across the Gulf of Finland and we were priviledged to do a Temple Session in the Helsinki Temple. Above are pictures of the boat, the approach to Finland, those we ate breakfast with, also some of the ones we traveled with. Elder L. Tom Perry, his wife Barbara, and their grand-daughter Diana along with Elder & Sister Rasband of the Seventy. President and Sister Cranney have a son serving in our mission. They are from Orem/Provo are are serving over one of the Moscow missions. It was a wonderful end to a great conference. We were only in Finland for the day. We sure wished we could have stayed a day and seen some of the sights. Mike said that the airport and roads had really changed in 40 years. Maybe someday we will get back there.

Mike listened to the session in Finnish. He said he understood about 80%. I think we would be farther along in the language had we been assigned to Finland but oh well we will continue on in Russia. It was amazing to feel the difference when we entered Estonia & Finland. You could actually feel the freedoms they enjoy. We don't feel oppressed here in the mission but we definately did and do when we travel.

Quite interesting. The feeling and difference going and coming into Russia.

Youth Conference

Russian Lunch!

Mashed potatoes, big sausage (tasted just like baloney) cucumber, tomato, cabbage, dill, salad!

Love the sock and sandals :)

They cleaned the church for their service project.

Youth Conference in Vladivostok, Russia

For youth ages 14-18.

20 came from the 7 cities in the mission.

I think 5 of the 20 were investigators.

Elder Manzhos of the Area 70 was our guest speaker. He is from the Ukraine. He lives in Moscow while on assignment. He also came to meet with the Personal Relations People. We can do three things. Hold open houses, do service and wear the "helping hands" t-shirts and work to strengthen part-member families.

They fed us great meals. Russian borshe, meat & pasta, & the traditional salad.

They put mayo on everything.

And fruit juice is the drink of choice.

They have fruit & juice breaks.....not the typical Mormon punch & cookies.

It's great!

They love to take group pictures so every event we attend, including church, they pause to take a group photo.

We are loving every minute. The work is progressing. Each night we get reports of 5 new investigators each day, and at least 3 baptismal dates each week. So the work is beginning to blossom here in the Far East!

Grandbaby #12

Baby boy (no-name) Pratt, son of Jared of Summer

Born July 20, 2009

8lbs 30z 20" long

Chubby bubby

Welcome to the world

Summer & Baby Boy

We are so excited for them and are anxious to skype when she gets home from the hospital.

We are so thankful that mom and baby are happy and healthy.

The Mission Call Opening

Last night for FHE we were invited to the opening of Elder Bogdanov mission call. He is the one with his back to us in the picture. He is currently serving a mini-mission here but just got his full-time call. Lot's from the branch came to watch him open up his call.

We thought it would be just a minute so we had our driver waiting for us. One hour later....after singing, testimonies, guessing where he was going, a skit etc etc etc he opened his call...

He's going to Moscow! Reports Oct. 13th to the MTC in Provo.

(Another sister in the branch also got her call and she is going to the Ukraine. They report the same day.)

They put on a skit before he opened his call. It was pretty funny. You had to be there.

Khabarovsk Zone Conference

This is a typical room where we meet for church.

Khabarovsk Branch

The Sartori's & Us. I look terrible. Just off the plane from Sakhalin into more rain in Khabarovsk! They are a wonderful Senior Couple from the Granger, Utah area. He is a former Stake President. They are the CES couple but they work with the missionaries, have FHE at their apartment, give tremendous shadow leadership to the branch. They have been here since Feb. 2009

President Karus and his family (minus his 12 year old daughter who is taking the picture)

He is the Branch President in Khabarovsk. They have been members for 10 years or so. He joined the church in Alaska when he went there for school.

They are both architects. The youngest boy, Sasha, is two and he had complications at birth so they have lot's of medical concerns for him.

Khabarovsk Zone Conference

Elders Busico, Camp, Temus, Cranney, Abubakirov, Spencer & Beecher

Us & The Sartori's

Farewell Elder Abubakirov

Elder Abubakirov is from Khabarovsk and is going to serve in the Russia Rostov Mission.

He came back with us to head to the MTC in Provo for a month.

Then he'll head to his mission

Luckily for him he already speaks the language.

There are 4 serving from our mission right now and 2 more just got their calls. One is going to the Ukraine, and the other Moscow.

Another Sister just returned from Temple Square Mission.

It was neat, Mike was able to set him apart.

Elder Camp (from Orem), Elder Abubakirov, & Elder Busico

Sister Abubakirov a great member and the missionaries mom and his grandma. His grandma is a muslim.

Members, friends, missionaries, investigators from the Khabarovsk Branch

Sakhalin

Sisters from the Sakhalin Branch. left to right

Jan Noble, Dees Jones, me & The RS President ?

The 1st two sisters are Americans from Texas. Their husbands work for Exon Oil.

They were great. They brought us dinner. Choc. Chip cookies, homemade rolls, chicken salad.

They do a lot for the branch. Brother Noble is the ward mission leader and he is a power house.

They call the new converts to be Branch Missionaries and he goes out with them 4 & 5 times a week on lessons with the Elders. A great way for them to learn more of the gospel, stay involved by having a calling and strengthen the branch and members alike.

Sakhalin Zone Conference

Elders Beecher, Waltman, Hall, Fiedler, Comstock & Spencer

Sisters Kovaleskaya & Kapustina

Pres & Sister Pratt

It was raining cats & dogs when we arrived into Sakhalin. The plane way swaying back and forth as we landed. It was a little scary. We didn't have an umbrella and we got drenched waiting for our luggage and the taxi. They land on the landing strip and you walk off the plane in the rain. They load the luggage on a open flat bed trailer. So it gets all wet.

This is the parking lot. The puddles were huge and deep.

My raincoat, jackets, boots, & umbrella's are all in my shipment which has not arrived from America yet. Who knows when we will get it.

But all is well!!! We are wash & wear. Everything dries out just fine.

The Three Amigos, freezing cold & wet. Waiting for the Taxi which took 45 minutes to get to us.

You've gotta love Russia!