Our Mission Adventure is Ended - We Are Home in Prosser Washington, USA

Our Mission is ended.  We left for our home in Prosser, Washington on January 13, 2011, taking the 11:40 train from Ulan-Ude to Irkutsk and spent the night with President and Sister Rolfe the senior couple in Irkutsk.  On 14 January we flew from Irkutsk to Moscow to New York to Minneapolis to Pasco Washington, then by car to Prosser, Washington our home.  The trip took approximately 50 hours.  We very much miss our Ulan-Ude family.  A few photographs are shown below.  Please double click on photo to enlarge.

Some of out friends in Ulan-Ude that came to visit the us before we left.  Top left:  President and Sister Baldakov.  Top right: Andy, our closest friend in 3-group English Club.  Bottom  left: Vanya  very special young man.  Bottom Left:  Iour, a person who wants to become a missionary.

At the Vauxhall (Train Station).  Top L-t-R: Our luggage with Elders Capps, Stewart, and Brightwell.

At home in Prosser, Washington with Family.  Top, L-t-R:Brother & Sister Moleff with 4 of their grandsons.  Sister Moleff's mother, 2 brothers, her sister and grandsons.  Bottom left: Son Eric with 4 of his nephews.  Right:  Sister Moleff with brother, mother our 2nd son and his boys.

In Idaho with family:  Top Left: Youngest daughter, her husband and her youngest daughter.  Right: Granddaughters Kennady and Emrie.  Bottom left: Oldest daughter and her family.  Bottom right:  Sister Moleff out with oldest daughter snowshoeing.  It was a great day for being out in the forest.

At the Kennewick Stake Center reporting to the Stake President and High Council.  Notice the name tags are gone - was hard to take them off.

At our Prosser, Washington Home.  Bottom right - the day we gave out homecoming talks.  Lena, on Ulan-Ude did a beautiful job on Sister Moleff's outfit and Brother Moleff's tie. 

COMING HOME FROM A MISSION IS HARDER TO DO THAN GOING ON A MISSION.  PART OF OUT HOME AND HEARTS WILL ALWAYS BE IN THE NOVOSIBIRSK MISSION AND ESPECIALLY IN ULAN UDE, SIBERIA, RUSSIA.

Our Farewell To Ulan-Ude

On Sunday 9 Janurary 2011 we gave our farewell talks in Sacrament meeting.  On Monday, 10 January 2011, a number of Ulan-Ude Saints gathered at the Chapel for Family Home Evening to say goodbye to Elder and Sister Moleff.  We received praise that we surely did not deserve.  It was a wonderful evening.  The photographs below show the events in the order they took place.  Please double click on photos to get a larger view.

The evening started with an opening song and a prayer.  Luda and Sonja were the MC's.  The Missionaries (L-t-R: Sisters Sologub, and Rivas, Elders Capps, Brightwell, and Stewart) sang a hymn, and the Elders Quorum President Zenkov sang several songs that the members also joined in that we have on video.

Then much to our surprise, they dressed us in Russian costumes.  Susha (left) gave us thanks in Russian and English and recited a poem, and Iuna (right) sang a song in Buryatian.

Nikolai played 20 questions with Sister Moleff (top left).  Nadezda gave thanks (top right) and sang.  Darima (bottom Left) sang a song and Koyla played the accordion.

The elders sang a Special Song; Sveta, and Lena also sang; while Darima (bottom right), and Darima (bottom left) gave thanks for us being in Ulan-Ude.

These are the Branch Members who have stolen our hearts.

Top: Left - Lena and Lena who made the costumes. Right - Ivanov Family.  The daughter Sonja will be getting married January 29th and sealed in the Kiev Temple February 1st.  Bottom: Left - Darima & Iuna.  Right - Larisa, Nina & Darima.

Top: Left - Макшанцеьих Family, Алексей is preparing to go on a mission and Victor the younger one said 'See you at the MTC', so he is also planning to going on a mission. Right - Iour, a recent convert. He loves helping the missionaries.  Last week he was with Elder Capps for a day and he said "Sister Moleff, I am happy".  Bottom - The Baldakov Family,  he has been a Branch President 9-years and a member 10-years. Right is Iuna who is the Branch Public Relations Representative.

Top: Left - Natasha a non-member and her best friend Lena who has been a member 1 year.  Right - President Zenkov (Elders Quorum President) with his daughter and granddaughters.  Bottom: Left - Nickolai. a recent convert whom Elder Moleff baptized.  Right - Natasha, Elder Moleff was her and her sisters home teacher.

Top: Left -  Fedya takes care of the Physical Facilities at the Branch and is also the Branch Clerk and is doing an excellent job.  Right - Julia, one of the few members who's family are members but they are inactive.  Bottom: Left, Alysia just becoming active.  Right - Sister Sologub, she has been out 6 months and is being transferred and will be training.  She is going to Omsk with Sister Rivas, a 48 hour train ride away.  The Ulan-Ude Branch will be without Sister Missionaries.

Top:  Right - Aruna, she is always so happy and bubbling.  She said she was never this way until she found the church.  Right - Sveta and Tatiana.  Sveta gave us a book and had someone put an inscription in the front in English so we would never forget Russia, and she signed it.  Tatiana makes the best jam.  Bottom: Left - Iuor with Elder Moleff.  Right - Sasha and his son Dima, they were the first meeting we ever went to and Dima the first baptism.  His wife is a non-member, but he is preparing to go to the temple.

The Missionaries - our family for each transfer period of 6-weeks.  Some stay longer, some leave.  But our missionary family for the time that they are with us.  This is our last District.  L-t-R:  Sister Rivas, Sister Sologub, Sister and Elder Moleff, Zone Leaders Elder Brightwell and Elder Stewart  and Elder Capps.  Elder Stewart and Elder Capps were companions, but this transfer we had some changes.  Elder Rupper (old Zone Leader) was transferred last week and is the new Assistant to Mission President Trejo.  Elder Stewart was transferred across the river to be the new Zone Leader with Elder Brightwell.  Elder Capps' new companion arrives Friday.  The Sisters are both being transferred, and Ulan-Ude will be receiving a new set of Elders that arrive on Thursday - 2 hours after we leave.

Ice Sculptures in Ulan-Ude

Please enjoy the ice sculptures shown below.  These Ice Sculptures are located at Lenin Square just a block from our apartment. Double click to enlarge photos.

Top Left:  It says 350 Years Together in Russian.  This year is the 350th Anniversary of Ulan Ude.  The top right photo says the same thing in Buryatian.  Bottom left - Hospitable Buryatia.

2010 was the Year of the Tiger.  Bottom left - 2011 is the year of the Rabbit.

The different animals representing the different years.

Children having fun sliding down.

On the way to the magazine(store) that sells light bulbs, we stopped to take a few photos of

Ice Sculptures on Revolutionary Square.  Top left is Grandfather Christmas.  Top right is the Snow Maiden.

Bottom are 2-ice sculptures are sponsored by different businesses in Ulan-Ude.

Sister Moleff is just one of the kids.  By the way, it was P-day so it was okay.  It would have been better with a shorter coat on but it was VERY COLD.

Another Evening of Singing from Darima & Sons

On Saturday evening 8 Jan 2011, Sister Moleff invited Darima and her sons to our apartment to sing for President and Sister Rolfe.  President Rolfe is 2nd Counselor to Novosibirsk Mission President Trejo.  The Rolfes, who are the Senior Couple in Irkutsk, will come to Ulan-Ude for about 7-10 days each month to support the missionaries and members here until a new Senior Couple can come.  Senior Couples are desperately needed all over the world.  Because we have served here, we want a new couple to come SOON to help the members and people that we have come to love so very much.  A few photographs of  our wonderful evening are shown below.  Please double click to enlarge photo.

Top Left:  Darima and Sons.  Top Right:  Iuna joined the group to sing the Buritian National Anthem.

Bottom Left:  Elders Quorum President Zenkov, Iuna, Sister Zenkov, Sister and President Baldakov

Bottom Right: Sister and President Rolfe, Zone Leader Elder Brightwell.

Top Photos:  Elder Moleff being shown how to put on Buryatian Robe with Iuna explaining the traditional symbols on the robe.  Bottom Photos:  These show all the persons that were at our apartment. 

Photo on right.   Top Row: President Rolfe, Elder Moleff, President Zenkov, President  Baldakov, Darima's Son ,  Middle Row:  Iuna, Sister Rolfe, Sister Moleff, Sister Zenkova, Sister Baldakova, and Darima.  Bottom Row:  Elder Brightwell, Elder Capps and Darima's son Boris.

New Chapel in Ulan-Ude

 The chapel construction and walkways are supposed to be finished in March.  The landscaping is to be finished in May with dedication following.  Our regret is that we will not be in Ulan-Ude for the dedication services.  Please see photos below of the progress of the New Chapel construction as of Saturday, 8 Jauary 2011.  Double click on the photo to enlarge.

Outside of New Chapel.  The brickwork is done very well.

Inside Top Left: 1st Floor Corridor.  Top Right: Baptism Font.

Bottom Left:  Chapel on 2nd Floor.  Bottom Right:  President Baldakov and Elder and Sister Moleff in approximate location where President Baldakov will be sitting on the stand.

Left:  President and Sister Rolfe, Nikolai, President Baldakov, Elder Moleff, and the shadow is Sister Moleff.
Right: Elder and Sister Moleff, Nikolai, Sister and President Rolfe, Elder Capps, and President Baldakov.  Elder Brightwell took the photo.

Cultural Night Out

For our Cultural Activity in December 2010, we went to the Russian Dramatic Theater (the most expensive built in Russia - and it is magnificent) and saw a Children's Fairytale that was very good.  And, of course, we had to have lunch first.  A few photos of our happy day follow.  Double click to enlarge photos.

We had authentic Buryatian food in a Yurt.  It was 3-Yurts tied together.  1-Yurt was the kitchen, and the other -Yurts were serving and dining areas.  The Yurts were heated with wood burning stoves.  The food, well---.

This is us in front of the Dramatic Theater.  The bottom two photos are of the fountains, the water has been off for months but in the evening the lights are spectacular.

Inside the Theater

Some scenes from the production.

After Family Home Evening at the Baldakov's, we stopped at the Theater and took pictures of the light display.  It was around -33*F that evening. One of the sisters at Family Home Evening, Darima Ivanova said it was  -40*C at her house when she left to come.  Bottom right: President Baldakov, Elder & Sister Moleff, Sasha Kachen.

Christmas in Ulan-Ude 2010

This is our last Christmas in Ulan-Ude and it was marvelous.  A few photographs are shown below.

Look!  Santa found Ulan-Ude.

These photographs were taken on Christmas Eve 24 December 2010.  Double click to expand photo.

Top L-t-R: This is the Arbot.  Its an open area plaza with shops on the left and right.  It is busy all year around even during this cold day of   -20F.  This is what the missionaries see as they sing Christmas songs shown in the next photo.  These are the Ulan-Ude missionaries and one brave member singing Christmas hymns and handing out invitations to the Christmas program to be held on Christmas Day at the Branch.

Bottom L-t-R: This photo is of those that attended Moleff night on Christmas Eve.  The Zone Leaders had the Spiritual Thought for the night - Joy to the World.  Instead of games after the Spiritual thought and prayer this night we sang Christmas Carols and songs.  The ones in the hymn book we sang in Russian. Then we sang some songs in English and the Missionaries taught them the chorus to Jingle Bells and We Wish You a Merry Christmas.  It was a very good evening. Sister Moleff handed out gifts to all the Branch Members that were there.  The next photo is of Iuor, a recent convert in his 20's.  He is holding the first Christmas gift that he has ever received in his life.  He was over joyed. 

The video below is of one of the Christmas hymns that the missionaries sang at the Arbot.

This is at the Branch Christmas Party 

Top L-t-R: The Christmas story being told by a Grandmother (Nina) to her Granddaughter (Ксюша) and the Branch Choir singing Christmas hymns in different parts of the story.  Ксюша had her part all memorized. Some Russian names are easier for me (Sister Moleff) to write in Russian that try to translate into English.  Top right: Darima is reading a poem about Christmas that she wrote.  Bottom left the Missionaries (Elder Brightwell, Elder Capps, Elder Rupper, Elder Stewart, Sister Sologub, Sister Rivas, and Sister Kukhta) sang Silent Night in Ukrainian, Spanish, English and Russian.  Bottom right: Refreshments after the program.