Russia in Color - a Century Ago

It is interesting to look back in time with this extraordinary collection of color photographs taken between 1909 and 1912.  In those years, photographer Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii (1863-1944) undertook a photographic survey of the Russian Empire with the support of Tsar Nicholas II.  He used a specialized camera to capture three black and white images in fairly quick succession, using red, green, and blue filters, allowing them to later be recombined and projected with filtered lanterns to show near true color images.  The high quality of the images, combined with the bright colors, make it difficult for viewers to believe that they are looking 100 years back in time - when these photographs were taken, neither the Russian Revolution nor World War I had yet begun.  Here are just a few of the hundreds of color images made available by the Library of Congress, which purchased the original glass plates back in 1948.

So here are a few pictures in Russia 100 years ago and how I have labeled them in 2011.

Sister Sorenson teaching at Zone Conference.

President Sorenson contemplating his next move.

Elders working on visual aids.

Our home at Rosinka (Rosinka is the gated community where we live.)

Our last Sisters' Conference.

President Sorenson at Zone Leaders Council.

Homes down by the lake at Rosinka.

One of our districts' P-Day activity.

Doing some Metro contacting.

President and Sister after 15 months in Moscow.

WE LOVE RUSSIA!

Moscow This Summer

Summer has passed all too quickly for us this year with several interesting events.  I'm finally posting a few of them since the beginning of June.  I'm sorry for the long delay.

With the joy of having several wonderful new missionaries arrive we also had to say goodbye to several of our wonderful seasoned missionaries who were returning to their homes after completing honorable missions.  It's still, and probably always will be, hard for me to let them go because we love and appreciate them so much.

Saying hello...

June 2011  Sisters Thrall, Daniel, and Sorenson

Elders Francom, Campbell, Black, Hamp, and President Sorenson.

June 2011   Sister & Elder Cook and Sister & President Sorenson

Unbeknown to us (we hadn't received any personal information or pictures of them, not even their first names) when our Elder and Sister Cook arrived we were thrilled to learn they are David and Becky Cook.  David and I are second cousins through my dad and his mother - the Clyde line.

August 2011   (front) Elders Roberts, Kirkham, Everett, Sisters Workman and Sorenson

(rear) Elders Knight, Ayers, Raymond, Law, and President Sorenson.

Saying goodbye (до свидания)

June 2011   Elders Cardoza, Larsen, Andersen, Sister Knudson, Elders Mecham and Callister.

July 2011  We didn't get to say goodbye to Elder Miller in Moscow but said hello in Salt Lake.

Elder Callister, Sister Sorenson, Elders Miller and Kasallis, President Sorenson.

July 2011   The same with Elder Lund.

August 2011   Elder Nielson going home, President Sorenson and Elder Nielson's companion,

Elder Breedlove.

August 2011   Elders Jensen, Trotter, O'Bryant, and Hansen.

Stephen became ill the end of June which required that he be hospitalized in Moscow for five days.  They discovered blood clots in his lungs and were suspicious that cancer might be involved as well.  President Schwitzer, our Area President, and the Missionary Department determined it would be best to send us to Salt Lake for further diagnosis.

The Lord had everthing lined up and prepared for us to leave in a way that our missionaries would be well cared for and the work could continue to move forward.  Miracle after miracle happened.  We could feel and see the power of the faith and prayers of our family, friends, missionaries, leaders, and members in our behalf.  We were so humbled and grateful for everyone's love, concern, and support.  We were willing to accept the Lord's will and were praying hard that we would be able to return to our beloved mission in Moscow.

After several days of intense and thorough medical tests in Salt Lake, with outstanding doctors, we learned it was not cancer.  It turns out that Stephen has a genetic predisposition to form deep-vein thromboses easier than most people (he is a Factor 5 Leiden heterozygote).  He is taking a blood thinner so he won't get clots again.  Words can't express the joy and gratitude we felt when we were told we could return to our mission.  We stayed in Salt Lake for a couple of extra weeks so that his coagulation was at the proper level for him to safely travel back.

Of course we were so excited to see our children and grandchildren when we arrived but the real joy for all of us came after we learned Stephen did not have cancer.  Then it was total joy!!! Oh, to be reunited with our family again was heavenly!  We love them all so much and have missed them greatly.  We had so much fun being with them for the three weeks we were there.  Many thanks, family!  We said our goodbyes to our family, without tears this time, and returned to Moscow on August 2nd. 

Grandpa and our newest granddaughter (born on July 1st), Sophia Jo Sorenson, daughter of Rich and Misty.

Peter and Hannah.

John & Brooklyn, Misty & Sophia, Stephen & Hailey, and Becky.

Our daughters and their new babies:  Misty & Sophia, Jeannette & Hailey, and Becky & Brooklyn.

Our Jack, Kate and Emily.

Our Lindsey.

Hailey (3 months old) and grandpa.

Our Brooklyn (6 months old).

Hannah's 3rd birthday.

Just before we arrived in Salt Lake Becky, Rich, and Mike ran the "Freedom Run".

One of the Sundays in August we went to our mission branch in Lotoshino to join in church services with the two active members, President and Sister Garbuz.  They now hold the services in their small home and we had such a wonderful experience.  Elder and Sister Gronning, our office couple, Elders Page and Bruev, our office Elders. and Alexander, our driver, joined us.  Lotoshino is about two hours northwest of Moscow and is very out-in-the-country.

President Garbuz, Elder Gronning, President Sorenson, Elders Page and Bruev, and Alexander.

Sisters Sorenson, Gronning, and Garbuz.

Their sweet little home is on the left and they have beautiful flower and vegetable gardens.

On August 27th we went with some of our senior couples to Tsaritsino Palace Park to see the sights and share the Book of Mormon.  I was so excited---I gave my first Book of Mormon to a sweet little lady and she even gave me her phone number so we could contract her. 

The Tsaritsino Palace in the background was built for Catherine the Great but she didn't like it when it was finished so she never lived there. 

The beautiful water fountain show in the evening.

On August 29 through September 2, we had the privlege of attending the annual Mission Presidents' Seminar in Vilnius, Lithuania.  What a great seminar we had!  It was a spiritual feast!  Wonderful instruction was given to us by our Area Presidency and their wives and by Elder W. Craig Zwick of the Seventy and Sister Zwick (a member of the Seventy from the Missionary Department will only come out now once every three years, so this was a special opportunity for us).  It was a real boost to rub shoulders with the other mission presidents and to receive training from these inspired men and women.

We stayed in the "Old Town" section of Vilnius and it was quaint and historic with its cobblestone streets, enchanting shops, few cars and people, and its cathedrals and monasteries.

This was one of many unique side streets off the center road through "Old Town."

Standing in front of The Gates of Dawn Chapel.

The frescoed ceiling in the Domus Maria, an 18th-century monastery that has been restored and is now a guest house.  We had dinner in this room two nights.

The Vilnius Cathedral (the official name is the Cathedral-Basilica of St. Stanislaus and St. Ladislaus) and its bell tower.

Mission Presidents, Area department heads, and support staff.

President Michael Pratt (Vladivostok Mission President), Dale Nielsen (Ukraine Dnepropetrovsk Mission President) and Stephen Sorenson (Moscow Mission President).  These three men served at the same time in the Finland Helsinki Mission during the period of 1969 to 1971 under President Orval Nelson.

With Elder and Sister W. Craig Zwick of the Seventy at the end of our conference.

What a wonderful summer we had!!!!!!



Московский Российский Кол

 I thought I would post a short version of the events of June 4th to June 6th with Elder Nelson and the formation of the Moscow Russia Stake.  Some of these remarks are from a letter that my husband sent to our dear returned missionaries.

Saturday morning, June 4, 2011.  Elder Russell M. Nelson, President Gregory A. Schwitzer, Europe East President, and Elder Dmitri Marchenko, Area Seventy, began interviews about 8:30 a.m. with about 28 of the men in the district.  Stephen was assigned to give priesthood leadership training to the group of men who were being interviewed all that morning and a couple of hours in the afternoon as well.  I was asked to fix a light lunch for Elders Nelson, Schwitzer, Marchenko, and Stephen.

President Yakov Boiko, the man in the middle, the morning he was called to be the Stake President.

Saturday afternoon - the brethern finished calling the new stake presidency and patriarch, with their wives, about 20 minutes before the Priesthood leadership and auxiliary training meetings began at 3:00 p.m.  Elder Nelson briefly greeted the sisters in their training and then joined the Priesthood leaders for their training.  My husband said that Elder Nelson talked about the future of the church in Russia (roughly quoting):  "Tomorrow there will be one stake in Russia, but in the future there will be many stakes in Russia, and we will need many (Russian) missionaries."  He then asked rhetorically, "When will there be a temple in Moscow?  You'll decide."  It's easier to build a temple, he noted, than to build people worthy of the temple.  Elder Nelson also asked for remarks from Elder Dennis Neuenschwander who, as a General Authority and mission president in Vienna, was also one of the key people who helped the Church enter East Europe in the 1990s, and who now serves with his wife as a senior couple here in our mission.

President Stephen J. Sorenson - Russia Moscow Mission and President Kenneth M. Woolley - Russia Moscow West Mission

Saturday evening - I was asked to prepare a light dinner for 10 of us before the adult session of our District Conference.  At 6:00 our conference session began and we had nearly 500 people in attendance.  Stephen and I were asked to bear a testimony and Stephen gave his in Russian.  Other speakers were Elder and Sister Marchenko, President and Sister Schwitzer, Elder Nelson's son, Russell (he served in the Moscow Mission in the early 1990s), Elder Neuenschwander and Sister and Elder Nelson.  Elder Nelson recounted his involvement in the early efforts of the Church to gain entry into Russia, how he and Elder Ringger of the Seventy tried everything they could think of and finally the Lord worked his miracles in ways the brethren hadn't dreamed of.  He invoked an apostolic blessing on Moscow and the work going forward.

One of our senior couples, Elder and Sister Gronning with Elder and Sister Nelson.

One of our sister missionaries, a former sister missionary, and members of our District with Elder Nelson.  Stephen is to the left in the gold tie.

Elder Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Russell M Nelson, Jr., Elder Russell M. Nelson, President Gregory A. Schwitzer, President Stephen J. Sorenson, and Elder Dmitri Marchenko

KLynn Lockhead, Relief President of the International Branch did the flowers for our Sunday conference.  They were as beautiful as the flowers at General Conference. 

Sunday morning, June 5, 2011.  On this beautiful spring morning the Moscow Russia Stake was created.  Approximately 1,058 were in attendance to witness the 2,926th stake of the Church organized.  Elder Marchenko conducted the business of  discontinuing the Moscow District and creating the Moscow Stake with: 
Yakov Boiko as Stake President
Vladimir Astashov as First Counselor
Viktor Kremenchuk as Second Counselor
Vyacheslav Protopopov as Stake Patriarch.
The following men were called and sustained to serve on the stake high council:  Dmitri Sedov, Slava Baltovsky, Igor Politov, Yevgeni Numerov, Anatoli Pushkov, Vladimir Morozov, Gregoriy Malygin, Aleksandr Prokhorov, President Vanik Arutyunyan from Rechnoy Branch, Brian Isert from the International Branch, Brother Uskenai, and Vitali Voloshin.

Elder and Sister Marchenko, the new Stake Presidency, Stephen and I, and Sister and President Schwitzer each had the opportunity to bear testimony before Sister Nelson spoke on how this is the day of greatest light in Russia, the greatest day ever in Russian history.  Elder Nelson spoke about more of the miracles that attended the Chruch getting into Russia and about some of the past heroes of establishing and strengthening the Church in Russia, as well as the wonderful future of the Church in Russia.  Words can't express the joy and gratitude that was in all our hearts to witness this historic event.

Elder and Sister Nelson and President Schwizter greeting people after the conference.  I'm on the far left in the bright pink jacket standing next to our Stake President, Yakov Boiko.

A few of our members and missionaries after the conference.

After the conference Stephen and I were invited to witness another historic event.  Elder Nelson, President Schwitzer, and Elder Marchenko set apart the new stake presidency and then Elder Nelson ordained Brother Protopopov as a patriarch.  Each member of the stake presidency were ordained as a high priest and then set apart in their calling.  Elder Marchenko asked Stephen if he would stay and assist him in some training for the new presidency.  Before that began Elder Nelson, President Schwitzer, and Elder Marchenko left with their wives. Stephen had the rare privilege of seeing the new stake presidency ordain and set apart ten members of the new high council.  Of course, each of them had to be ordained a high priest also.  For Stephen it was a rare, sobering display of the power of the Priesthood and the Lord's transforming hand in his work.  These three good me, who an hour earlier had been elders, now acted together as the three presiding high priests of the Moscow Stake of Zion, ordaining ten other men and creating a high council for the first time, all in proper order and with great spirit and power.  It was an incredible testimony to Stephen of the reality of Priesthood power and keys.

Elder and Sister Nelson leaving the conference.

Sunday evening - Elder Nelson and President Schwitzer and their wives again spoke at a Young Single Adults fireside with roughly 175 in attendance.  It was another spiritually spectacular event.

Young Single Adult Fireside

Monday afternoon, June 6, 2011.

Our missionaries before Elder and Sister Nelson arrived.  Beautiful!

Elder Nelson very generously offered to meet with us as a mission.  We were all in our seats by 12:10, quietly reading and preparing.  I spoke to our missionaries and told them how sharp, radiant, and smart they looked.  Some of President Woolley's missionaries from the Moscow West Mission were in town and were able to join us, along with President and Sister Woolley.  Elder and Sister Nelson and President and Sister Schwitzer arrived at about 12:30.  Elder Nelson asked to shake hands with each of the missionaries, and then we all joined for a group photo before the meeting began.  The Woolleys and we were invited to share a brief testimony.  At the end of my testimony I presented the Nelsons and Schwitzers with a small package of M&Ms (I give these out to our missionaries sometimes at our Zone Conferences) and told them the meaning behind this was to remind us of our "Moscow Miracles."  Elder Nelson responded to this with his version of M&Ms, "Moscow Missionaries."  They got a kick out of that and our missionaries had big smiles on their faces.

Sister Nelson spoke about the Atonement and about the importance of exact obedience, which brings miracles.  Elder Nelson spoke of repentance as a change of mind, knowledge, spirit, and the very way of life.  He noted his own model for life in his calling:  "Send me where you need me."  He invoked another apostolic blessing of health, growth, and progress on our mission and our missionaries.

After the conference we informed Elder Nelson about our mission goal of 120 new investigators from the time period of May 8th, when we announced that a stake would be created, to June 5th when the stake was organized.  The Lord allowed this miracle to happen.  Our total number of new investigators for this time period was 142.  Congratualtions to all of our missionaries!

President and Sister Sorenson, Sister and Elder Nelson, President and Sister Schwitzer, and Sister and President Woolley with our Russia Moscow missionaries and senior couples and 12 of the Russia Moscow West missionaries.

The miracles this weekend in Moscow were the result of the Lord's tender mercies for the hard work, faith, and obedience of ALL the members, missionaries, and leaders who have and do now live in Russia, as well as you faithful saints who have been praying for this to happen.  With loving gratitude we thank you! 

And now....... "Let us all press on in the work of the Lord."