Hallelujah!

When I was a senior in high school, three friends and I drove into downtown L.A. to attend a Christmas concert - Handel’s Messiah performed by the Southern California Mormon Choir and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. As we stood for the Hallelujah Chorus, the Spirit bore powerful testimony to me of the divinity of our Lord and the tears streamed down my face.    Since that evening, each time I hear that stirring chorus my heart feels that it will burst with joy and gratitude for the life and love of our Savior.

Of course, I am a normal person in that I love, love, love the Christmas season.  It seems as if people are friendlier and more thoughtful as they prepare to celebrate the birth of the Christ Child.  I have really enjoyed the “Light of the World” initiative done by the LDS Church.  This was presented to the missionaries at the Thanksgiving Day zone conference we attended.  He really IS the light of the world and as we emulate Him, we become that light on the hill.  Our light becomes a reflection of Him.  The world is better and so are we.

For us, Christmas this year was devoid of shopping and gifts.  We decided instead to spend the money we would have normally spent on gifts for our family on a dinner for Ukrainian Latter-day Saints who first made a pilgrimage to the temple, traveling by old, rickety buses from Kyiv to Freiberg, Germany in the years of 1992-3.  We invited 68 persons, of whom about 60 were able to attend.  Elder Jeff and Sister Kathy Anderson (on a two year hiatus from the Orchestra at Temple Square to serve a mission as mission doctor and his best assistant for several missions in our part of the world) blessed us with beautiful violin music accompanied by another great senior talent - Elder Don Wood.  As we projected pictures of the first 3 temple excursions, people shared their memories of the trips.  The Spirit was very strong as our guests recounted the miracles that allowed them to travel to make covenants with God.  These wonderful people made great sacrifices to receive their temple blessings.  One example recounted was a sister (since deceased) who rented out her apartment (becoming homeless) for an entire year so that she could have the money to make the trip to Germany. 

The best part of our evening was the excited expressions of agreement when Howard asked our guests to go with us on another temple trip – this time to the Kyiv Temple.  It was a thrill to us to see such a positive response especially from those who have been less active in recent years. We have set a date far enough in advance that all can have recommends ready.  We’ve worked with our new temple president, President Gerold Roth, to schedule a special baptismal session, endowment sessions and sealing sessions for our group.  Each “traveler” to the upcoming temple trip is to bring with him/her the name and story of at least one late family member for whom ordinances will be performed. In the meantime, we will be planning family history classes and temple preparation classes to be ready.  We hope all of those who were baptized during Howard’s tenure as mission president (1991-1994) will participate in some way.  We believe that the reason that the Lord has so far preserved Ukraine as an independent nation is the temple.  We also believe that as temple attendance increases, the protection afforded by those on the other side desiring their temple blessings will also increase.  We expect these pioneers who began the tradition of temple worship in Ukraine to inspire an upsurge in temple activity among all of the members here.

The dinner we hosted took place on December 19^th, the Ukrainian “St. Nicholas Day.”  I love it that Ukrainians separate Christmas itself from St. Nicholas gift giving.  For me, that would mean a more Christ-focused Christmas.  However, I have yet to see what actually happens on Christmas, as the official day for that is January 7^th.  At least January 7^th is the Orthodox Church’s Christmas (that is most of the population).  Catholics and Protestants celebrate on December 25^th, which is to say there are two Christmas days here and some celebrate them both!  Additionally, New Years’ Day is a big celebration too.  During Communist years, celebration of Christian holidays was frowned upon and New Years’ Day was made into a big holiday, complete with Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost), who has a long white beard, wears a floor length blue fur coat and gives gifts.  The change in regimes, did not negate the celebration of the new year.  Ukrainians brighten the dreary winter months by celebrating everything! 

Although we didn’t personally spend all month shopping, baking and decorating, it seems as if we’ve celebrated the Savior’s birth all month.  It started with a family home evening shared with the senior missionaries serving here wherein we enjoyed a Christmas program and good food.  We then enjoyed the First Presidency’s Christmas Fireside, which we saw twice (how wonderful is that!?).  We then were completely blown away by the Sacrament Meeting program presented by our ward Primary children – all ten of them.  We were amazed at how well they spoke and by how well they sang.  The entire room was filled with their clear voices.  If one’s eyes were closed, one would have thought there were 30-40 children singing.  I couldn’t resist going into the Primary room to congratulate them afterwards, I was so impressed.  There they were, eating well-deserved treats.  We have listened to Handel’s Messiah over and over, along with other Christmas music that we have on CDs.  A great highlight of the season was the Stake Christmas concert.  Have I mentioned how musically gifted are our Ukrainian brothers and sisters?  So many of them are unusually talented!  We commented upon how the wonderful program was produced by just one stake.  And then we thought of the concert we attended in the Opera Theater in September to celebrate 25 years of the gospel in Ukraine which was produced by this very one and only stake.  Wow!  And finally, Christmas Day consisted of Sacrament Meeting, dinner with just the two of us and visiting via telephone and Skype my four and Howard’s five children plus my mother.  More is yet to come, as our ward family will be celebrating at an Ukrainian Christmas party on January 5^th. 

As you can see, we have thoroughly enjoyed this Christmas season, in spite of being away from home and without the normal dinners and gifts.  What we have most enjoyed is the focus that we have been able to put upon the true meaning of the holiday, precisely because we have been away from our normal routine.   We have had time to “Be quiet and know that I am God.”  We have felt the love of God expressed through the awe-inspiring gift of His Holy Son.  We love the Lord Jesus Christ with all of our hearts.  We are grateful for His love, strength, support, inspiration, healing and forgiveness.  We are also grateful for how much more that we are because of His power and willingness to enhance the gifts with which He has blessed us.  We are so grateful for the hope that he gives us that we will live again to see those we love so much in this life!   He truly helps us to comprehend the love that our Heavenly Parents have for each of us.
  

Hallelujah! The Lord God Omnipotent reigneth! 

These (3 pics) are some of the people who went on the first three temple trips to Freiberg, Germany.

What a great reunion of the first travelers to the temple in the early 1990s! They have changed just a little in 24 years.  We hope we didn't miss anyone! 

Yevgeniy took the pictures of the temple trip gathering, and so he wasn't in any of them! He helped us organize the event.  He is pictured in front of our grand tree.

Slava and Zoya Gulko also helped organize our temple trip event.  Here they are pictured (at a different event) with their delightful daughter, Kyra and her family. Kyra was sealed to her parents on the third temple trip. 

Kyiv Stake Christmas concert.  It was spiritually moving and very beautiful. I have many more pictures but not enough room to post them.

Primary children of the Pechersky Ward.  What great singers!

Do you think visions of sugar plum fairies are dancing in his head?

Beauty From Ashes

We were privileged to spend November 24th (the American Thanksgiving Day) with the full-time missionaries here in Kiev at a wonderful zone conference.  Our hearts were filled with gratitude for the amazing young and not-so-young persons who have dedicated two years of their lives to serving others.  We were so inspired by President and Sister Packer’s instruction.    Additionally, Sister Packer had planned and, with the help of senior missionaries, served a delicious noon-time dinner complete with turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, salads, and deserts.   A few hours later, Americans sat down to a similar dinner to give thanks for the hand of the Lord in preserving their forefathers who settled North America. 

   

While Americans were celebrating Thanksgiving, Ukrainians were commemorating Holodomor Remembrance Day.  On this day especially, Ukrainians remember the unimaginable suffering and death of many millions of their forefathers who were intentionally and systematically starved to death by Josef Stalin in 1932-33. Although I have always loved history, this horrific event is something of which I was unaware.  Conquering nations have a habit of rewriting history to fit their narrative. Some in the West combine coverage of this mass murder together with the collectivization of the farms in the Soviet Union.  But this was more, much more.  Proletarska Pravda in 1930 wrote that the collectivization in Ukraine was intended to “destroy the social basis of Ukrainian nationalism.”  Once the farms were collectivized, Stalin sought to destroy Ukrainian culture, traditions and yearnings for independence.  Not only was the countryside stripped of grain, but of anything else that was remotely edible.  All farming tools and cooking utensils were confiscated and the borders were sealed to prevent food from coming in and people from going out.  This happened in Ukraine and also in the parts of Russia adjoining Ukraine where there were large Ukrainian populations.  Genocide was the intention.  Entire villages disappeared.  Estimates range up to ten million victims.  Russia then colonized portions of Ukraine where the population had been decimated.  When media outlets mention people of Russian ethnicity living in Ukraine, this is why. 

The spirit of freedom has always burned brightly in Ukrainian souls, and in 1991 they choose freedom as an independent nation and withdrew from the Soviet Union, catalyzing the dissolution of the USSR.  The current leadership in Russia is now seeking to rebuild an empire. Realizing that there has never been such an empire without Ukraine, (the bread-basket of Eastern Europe with rich soil and ports on the Black Sea), Russia has sought to reclaim Ukrainian territory as its own.   I’ve seen western media reports which claim that the ethnic Russians here want to be reunited with Russia.  And indeed, those still living in cities where armed Russian soldiers are stationed do say that, presumably for their own protection.  But those who descended from the Russians transplanted by Stalin into Ukraine with whom I’ve personally talked, claim now to be Ukrainian in nationality and allegiance.  They love the freedom enjoyed here and have no desire to lose it.  As a result, there are in Kiev hosts of refugees from the Crimea and Donbas areas. 

You can imagine the distress felt by Ukrainians as they contemplate the 55,000 Russian troops stationed on their borders.  They are further distressed by media reports of the American president-elect’s friendly attitude toward Russia.  No wonder, with such a tragic history behind them, Howard didn’t often see smiles on the street 25 years ago.  (He actually saw cheering when independence was declared).  No wonder I don’t see smiles on the street now!   But, don’t let that fool anyone – underneath the stern exteriors lie hearts with the capability of a full range of emotions.  This is abundantly clear with those who have embraced hope in Christ through covenants made in the waters of baptism.  Such love expressed to one another!  Such smiles and hugs!  Such love expressed within families and among close friends!

The depth of emotion felt by Ukrainians, and not just by those of our faith, is also abundantly clear in their music.  An amazing number of people here show unusual musical talent which we enjoy at almost every event.  Howard and I were deeply moved by a Rachmaninoff concert we attended.  (Yes, I know Rachmaninov was Russian). Three members of the L’Viv Philharmonic orchestra performed the entire Second Concerto on piano, cello and violin.  We barely noticed the hard upright seats and were disappointed that it had to end, so beautiful and full of passion was the performance given by these talented Ukrainians.  Two days later, we attended a concert of Ukrainian folk dancers.  Oh, my goodness!  I could never have imagined anything so amazing and wonderful!  The costumes!  The music! The colors!  The happiness! The athleticism of the dancers!  No words can come close to describing it.  Attached to this post are pictures, which don’t do the experience justice. 

It has been my experience that deeply held emotions, even joy, arise from suffering, and that the height of our joys can be measured by the depth of our sorrows.  I was asked to speak to a group of LDS sisters last Saturday evening about how I had survived adversity and still retained my ability to be happy.  The event went very well.  Several sisters told me that I spoke directly to their hearts and lives.  I spoke of the blessings that come from adversity, the most important of which is that we can come to know the Lord personally and deeply when we experience the most profound distresses, but only if we truly turn to Him in our anguish.  I used examples from my own life to illustrate the concept.  I have lived through much adversity and I have never failed to acknowledge the Lord’s critical role in strengthening and helping me through all of it.  However, I have always taken it a challenge at a time.  It wasn’t until after the speaking event that the totality of the things I’ve suffered hit me.  I could visualize the events transpiring over the length of my life.  It was quite overwhelming, not just the realization, but the gratitude that I feel for the Lord and His love.  What a paradox!  It is impossible to survive severe adversity on our own without becoming bitter, but if we accept the Lord’s help to successfully navigate the deep waters, He loves us for our faithfulness in coming through not only intact but transformed by Him.   Oh, how wonderful that is to me!

Not only can the Lord use adversity to shape our individual character, but He can use it to transform a nation.  Adversity can soften hearts and prepare them to receive divine tutoring.  I think of the way in which a farmer harrows his fields to prepare them to receive seed.  Perhaps Holodomor prepared Ukraine to receive the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.  I hope that this thought doesn’t trivialize what happened, because, like what is happening currently in Aleppo, there are no words to describe the horror.  In spite of that, I believe deep in my soul that the Lord, who does not cause, or even condone such inhumanity, can and does use even horrific events to bless.  There is not one soul who turns to Him who will not feel His love and transformative power, if not in mortality, then in the hereafter.  In 1991 when Howard and his little band of missionaries arrived in Ukraine, the people were seeking for truth.  Many were prepared through dreams and other divine intervention to receive the glad message.  The harvest was bountiful.  It was common to see more than 100 baptisms a month, more than all of the European missions combined.  It was a true miracle.  The first stake in Zion formed in the former Soviet Union was organized in Ukraine – and the Kiev Temple is the first, and only, temple operating in the former USSR. 

Our Father is truly a God of miracles, a God of love, a God of mercy!  The reach of His power and compensatory blessings is seen in individual lives, and collectively in a people prepared to receive them.  Truly He creates beauty from ashes. 

Ukrainian Folk Dancing concert.

                                    

Zone Conference

Off the subject, but above is a picture of a protest taken from the window of our apartment. The white edge at the bottom is our window sill.

Rachmaninoff Concert: 

Far right is the violinist, third from right is pianist and the one with the beard is the cellist.