We had lunch at cafe Pushkin. It was delicious! We went with Lev Simkin who is the Church's local attorney for Russian. He is not a member of the Church but is very kind and really looks out for the Church. He knows many people in high places and know who to talk to get things done. He is Russian and speaks English with a heavy Russian accent. Dr. Woubeshet and his daughter Mastwal were also at the lunch with us. Dr. Woubeshet has a very interesting story. He is from Ethiopia. One of the Church's missionaries was in jail in Ethiopia because of visa problems and they needed someone to get him out. Someone from the church called Dr. Woubeshet and begged him to help. He replied that he was too busy. Then when the caller was almost in tears, Dr. Woubeshet's heart was touched and decided to help. He had never done any work for the Church before this and was not a member. He looked into the visa problem and found out that the missionary had payed for a multiple entry visa but was given a single entry visa by mistake. Dr. Woubeshet told the government officials that it was not the young missionaries fault but that it was the clerks fault . Jail is NOT a place anyone wants to be in Africa. The missionary was released. Dr. Woubeshet was so impressed with the people and the feelings they had for each other he decided to investigate the church. He was baptized a few months later. The day after his Baptism he left for a trip to Egypt and Russia. We had lunch with him only a couple of weeks after his baptism. He is now one of the attorneys for the Church in Ethiopia.
Jim - Lev Simkin - Dr. Woubeshet - Mastwal - I keep forgetting when we go places we are supposed to check our coats in a room in the basement (or ground floor). There is usually a Babushka there to take them. I have tried to take a picture of the babushkas and they shake their head and put their hands up. Also, everyone in Russia carries two bags. The men carry a "man purse" over their shoulder and also a plastic bag full of lunch or shoes, or papers, or something. So at this restaurant (and I am sure all of the nice restaurants) there is a little stool or table (about 12 inches high and about as big as a legal note pad) that is there just to put a bag or a purse on to keep it clean and off the floor. The waiter will pull the little stool right next to you for you to use. This is a very good idea because of all the snow and mud that is tracked in on shoes. Also, there is someone ALWAYS mopping up the floor in EVERY building ALL of the time. After lunch, Lev Simkin took Jim and I to a museum about Russian history. We both really enjoyed it very much.
We took Dr. Woubeshet and his daughter Mastwal to Conference with us the next day. We met them at the metro stop and walked over to the Central building. He was amazed to see so many people at the meeting. I'm sure he had not been to a conference, just a branch meeting. We got him a Book of Mormon in Russian for him to read. I also had one of the missionaries give Mastwal a Book of Mormon in Russian for her to read. She is not a member of the church. She wants to have discussions in the fall after school and after her trip to Virginia. I was talking to Mastwal after the meeting and she said, "all of the people are so happy!" She was amazed at all of the visiting and laughing that was going on before and after the meeting. We will help her make arrangements for her visa to travel to the United States.
This is the coat room at the church. No, there is not a cute little babushka there to take our coats in an orderly fashion. We were some of the first people there so our coats are under all of these coats. The walk way between the racks is big enough for two or three people to walk down on this end. No room now! There are about ten coats under every coat we see here. Dr. Woubeshet took a picture because he had never seen so many coats and people before. We decided to take one too!
Jim - Lev Simkin - Dr. Woubeshet - Mastwal - I keep forgetting when we go places we are supposed to check our coats in a room in the basement (or ground floor). There is usually a Babushka there to take them. I have tried to take a picture of the babushkas and they shake their head and put their hands up. Also, everyone in Russia carries two bags. The men carry a "man purse" over their shoulder and also a plastic bag full of lunch or shoes, or papers, or something. So at this restaurant (and I am sure all of the nice restaurants) there is a little stool or table (about 12 inches high and about as big as a legal note pad) that is there just to put a bag or a purse on to keep it clean and off the floor. The waiter will pull the little stool right next to you for you to use. This is a very good idea because of all the snow and mud that is tracked in on shoes. Also, there is someone ALWAYS mopping up the floor in EVERY building ALL of the time. After lunch, Lev Simkin took Jim and I to a museum about Russian history. We both really enjoyed it very much.
We took Dr. Woubeshet and his daughter Mastwal to Conference with us the next day. We met them at the metro stop and walked over to the Central building. He was amazed to see so many people at the meeting. I'm sure he had not been to a conference, just a branch meeting. We got him a Book of Mormon in Russian for him to read. I also had one of the missionaries give Mastwal a Book of Mormon in Russian for her to read. She is not a member of the church. She wants to have discussions in the fall after school and after her trip to Virginia. I was talking to Mastwal after the meeting and she said, "all of the people are so happy!" She was amazed at all of the visiting and laughing that was going on before and after the meeting. We will help her make arrangements for her visa to travel to the United States.
This is the coat room at the church. No, there is not a cute little babushka there to take our coats in an orderly fashion. We were some of the first people there so our coats are under all of these coats. The walk way between the racks is big enough for two or three people to walk down on this end. No room now! There are about ten coats under every coat we see here. Dr. Woubeshet took a picture because he had never seen so many coats and people before. We decided to take one too!
2 comments:
They don't even HAVE coat rooms at our building. That is crazy. I wonder how many coats get mixed up or getnew owners. I got "NEW" black Sunday shoes one time doing Baptisms at the SL Temple.
We watched 2012 last night and there was a Russan "family" in it and it reminded me of you guys. (not the famiy but the fact that they were Russan) any how I'm wondering if Dad will ever thaw out? He always looks so cold! Mom how do you manage to look warm?
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