Stand Ye In Holy Places and Be Not Moved for the youth

On July 29 - Aug. 3 we had the second half of our Youth Conference for the youth ages 14-18.  We had about 65 in attendance.  We followed the same format as the Young Adult conference except it lasted 5 days instead of 3 and their councilors were the Young Adults.  The Young Adults did an outstanding job having had wonderful examples at their conference.  The youth started and ended their day with scripture study and devotionals.  They had classes on Family History and applying scriptures to their lives.  They had 3 dances where they learned how to line dance, waltz and do the swing.  And fun classes on Art, decoupage, making cards, martial arts and even one on how to tie a tie, which was very well attended.  We had a service project and some get to know you games and scripture mastery games. We also had an outstanding musical program. Everyone seemed to have a good time and from the reports we have heard from members and missionaries, the youth loved it.  This is the first time they have had a conference with an EFY format where the theme was scriptural based.  The youth were not sure they wanted all the rules and all the spiritual stuff, but afterwards they realized that you can have fun in a righteous environment.

Youth Counselors getting ready for the week ahead

 A barbecue next to the lake

Are we ready?

Meet your counselors

Practicing for the Musical Program

One of their favorite teachers

Fun Dances

  

Banners and Cheers

 

                                       

Good Bye Camp Tavatuy

Stand Ye In Holy Places and Be Not Moved

The event we have been working on since last November has finally arrived, and what an awesome experience to be a part of.  This Youth Conference was to be unlike any other.  It was going to be done from a strickly spiritual venue. With that in mind, we had to be a lot of PR, and the people assigned to the task did an outstanding job.  We had 170 young single adults from ages 18-30 and 65 youth ages 14-18.

We started with a train ride of approximately 23 hours.  For some it was longer and for some it was shorter.

              Train Station

Toilets on the train.  They look better in the pictures:)  Especially after 23 hours!

We arrived at Camp Tavatuy in the early evening.  Checked in, had dinner, then the Young Adults met their counselors, which were all young married couples, had a devotional and then in bed by 11:00 p.m.






The next day we started early with breakfast at 7:15 a.m. then a welcome Fireside given by President Drachyov who talked about Stand Ye In Holy Places and Be Not Moved.

We then played some fun get to know you games

 

Find out which scriptural person you are

Get to know you Bingo

Find a shoe and find out about that person

President Galbraith, president of the Kiev Temple, came and spoke to the Young Adults about a Heart at War and a Heart at Peace.  How to handle problems in a Telestial, Terrestrial and a Celestial way.  The way to have a heart at peace is by willing to make sacrifices.

 We also had a fun Western Dance.

We ended the dance at about 9:15 then went into the main hall where Brian and I gave a Family Home Evening on "How to get the most out of this conference".  We reminded them that what they put into the conference is what they would get out of the conference.

Each day was started and ended with Scripture Study and Devotionals.  From the feed back we have received, the Young Adults really liked starting and ending their day on a Spiritual theme.  They are amazing young people.  They travel great distances just to be with the other youth and to be spiritual fed.

On Day 2 President Drachyov and his wife gave a Fireside on Stand Ye in Holy Places when you are alone, reminding them that you can make anywhere a holy place when you remember who you are and where you can and cannot go. 

They also attended two institute classes taught by CES teachers on paying more attention to what is happening on the inside of you because you have little control with what happens on the outside.  Also, one on how miracles often come after trials.

After lunch they did a service project.  They wrote encouraging notes to all those who are serving in the armed services (every young man is required to serve one year in the armed services), to missionaries and to widows.

We also set up scriptural games (guess they thought we were the game czars) it was interesting to see how many chose to come and play the games.

Soap Box Scriptures

Concentration

Scripture Shuffle Board

Of course, Frisbee

We had dinner and then they all got dressed up for a more formal dance.  They were taught dance etiquette and also how to do the waltz.  Again they commented on how much they enjoyed learning new dances.

President Drachyov and his wife once again started us off with a Fireside on Stand Ye In Holy Places by Choosing Good Friends.  Remember true friends help us live the standards of Jesus Christ.

They also attended two more institute classes.  They were taught that just as a gate leads to much more, life can lead us to something more.  A king doesn't live right at the gate, you need to go further than the gate to be with Him.

After lunch, they did Skits in a Bag, where they were given 5-8 random things in a bag and they are suppose to use these as props for a skit that they make up.  They were really quite clever.

Off for free time, dinner and then a slide show of lots of pictures taken during the week.  It was so much fun to see all the pictures and fun times.  Then about 30-40 of them gave an Outstanding musical performance singing a medley of songs that they had practiced during the week during their free time.

That night they shared their testimonies in small groups.

It was an outstanding week! We feel so privileged to have been a part of the whole thing.

In Russia, New Years is a big Celebration.  Much more than Christmas.  New Years is when Ded Moroz (Santa Claus) comes.  He comes in Blue Costume or Red. All different sizes and shapes.

New Years is when Ded Moroz brings the children  little  presents and candy

Our Branch had a big New Years Celebration

All the Babushka's (grandmas) got up and sang although I had no idea what we sang:-)

A mother and her daughter performed a traditional dance

One of our Russian Elders sang while our very own  Ded  Moroz  joined in

Brother Vitali is famous for his story telling.









And then the fireworks begin.  Think of New York City and then think bigger and longer.  We could see fireworks going off all over the city.  Even in our apartment courtyard they were setting off big fireworks.  Not just sparklers or a few bottle rockets, but large bursts of fireworks that you would normally see at the stadium.  And they lasted until at least 3:00 a.m. that night and then for the rest of the week.  It is quite the celebration!!!!  There is always something new to learn about a culture when you actually live there.  We are so thankful to have this wonderful opportunity to experience this and to really get to know the people.

Tonkey Stanley banished to Siberia

Our grand daughter, Emma Dahmer, sent us Flat Stanley to spend a week with us in Russia.  This is the letter and pictures he sent back to her to share with her school class.  We thought is would give you a good idea of what we are doing over here.  

Thank you for sending me to Russia.  I had so much fun seeing Siberia.  Here are some pictures of the places we went to see and the things we did.

Grandma and Grandpa first took me to English Club.  I met lots of Russian people who want to learn English.  I also met the Sister Missionaries.  They were really cute.

I also got to ride on the Metro (which is a subway).  It was really fast.  In the Metro Station there are lots of stores.  My favorite store was the flower shop. 

We have to walk a lot, so when we got home I helped open the elevator and the doors to our apartment.

I found my friend, the green frog that Ashlyn made for Grandma and Grandpa. And I looked out of their window at a beautiful frozen lake.

We tried to work out every morning, study the Russian language and write in our journals.  I even spelled my name in Russian with Russian Alphabet cookies.

On Thursdays we go to Institute with the Young Single Adults. We also had some Zone Training and we have District Meeting every Friday in our apartment. 

While I was here, we had two baptisms.  It was so fun to be there at the baptisms. Grandpa spoke at the baptism.  He told them how important it was to be baptized. 

Then Grandma and the Sister missionaries went to a lady that they were teaching and she did Grandma’s nails.

There is still a lot of snow here so Grandpa put me on the top of this big pile of snow just outside of where we go to church.  I almost blew off, but Grandpa saved me. When we went inside, Grandma and Grandpa introduced me to a little boy who wanted to shake my hand. 

That night we had a Young Single Adult fireside at our apartment.  Grandma and Grandpa talked about making good choices and developing a good relationship with our Heavenly Father.

On Monday’s we go grocery shopping.  We meet at the Mission Office.  Below on the left, is a picture of Olga who works in the office. She is Russian, but she speaks really good English. 

Before we went shopping we went to a park with a fountain of a three headed dragon. Grandpa thought I could be brave and sit on the edge of the moat that protects the dragon’s lair, so that I could fight off the dragon all by myself.  But a gust of wind came along (that I think was sent by the wicked wizard who controls the dragon) and blew me into the moat (which I am sure was full of alligators and vicious Stanley eating Paraná fish).  Since I am so thin already I couldn’t afford to have one of them take a bite out of me,  so Grandpa somehow avoided the flames coming from all three dragon heads, battled off the alligators and pulled me out of the moat before those enchanted creatures could take a bite of me.  Grandma was brave too, she held on to Grandpa’s leg so he wouldn’t fall into the moat while saving me.  (Actually according to Grandma, Grandpa likes to think of fountain as a moat that the three headed dragon was protecting.  So that means Grandpa was REALLY brave when he rescued me from the water.)  I like Grandpa’s story better it is much more exciting. 

When we went back to the Mission Office, our Mission President and his wife, President and Sister Gibbons were there.  We told them all about the adventures we were having.  They thought it sounded like so much fun, they were going to find my book and send it to their Grandson.

Grandma and Grandpa think that I brought Spring with me because after I came it started to get warm and the snow started to melt.  We even found some flowers starting to come up.

We had so much fun at the Three Headed Dragon Park that we decided to go to another park.  This park was called Memorial Park in memory of all the men that were killed in the war.  They had big tanks, an army truck, a real airplane, a real cannon with really big bullets.  Lots of children were there and they were all playing on the tanks and airplanes.  It was really fun.

Because it gets so cold here in Siberia, the people make all kinds of bird feeders so they can feed the birds.  I thought it would be fun to get inside the bird feeder.

When we finally got home, I studied out of Preach My Gospel and the Book of Mormon, and then I got to go to bed.

Since I have been here almost like a temporary missionary, Grandpa thought I should have a white shirt and missionary badge.  So he made me one so that I would know what it was like to be a missionary.

It has been a very busy and fun week here in Novosibirsk, Russia.  I’m glad I got to be here and meet all the people that Grandma and Grandpa know. It is hard to understand the language, but the people are very nice.  Thanks for letting me come to Russia.

Your friend,

Flat Stanley

Elder Stanley

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