Hampsters at Play: Day Four - Orthodox Easter Sunday in Moscow

Today we took the Metro, then an Eletrichka (electric train) to Podolsk and went to church in the Podolsk Branch. It was wonderful! They all greeted us with hugs and handshakes and there were a senior couple, Bro and Sis. B, a set of sister missionaries and a set of Elders. It was Fast and Testimony meeting and Barrett translated for us. We heard some amazingly strong testimonies in this Branch and not one moment was silent. Barrett bore his testimony and thanked them for their love. He said that he would translate for us if we wanted to bear our testimonies. I pretty much knew I would be since I was crying through most of the meeting. I bore my testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel and the great gift of Christ's sacrifice for us. Then I thanked them for loving Elder Hamp and as a mother I never worried about him because they were there loving him and caring for him.

M and Y speak very good English and M came up to me gave me a hug and told me she was the one who emailed me. They were supposed to be out of town this week and she wrote to me to tell me that they were disappointed that they would not be able to meet us but then she was there. It was great to meet their family. M taught the lesson in RS and it was excellent! After church she told me her conversion story.

Lynne on the Eletrichka to Podolsk

Owen

Greg and Elder Hamp

After church we walked around Podolsk. We saw the war memorial, the town square and Lenin's dacha (summer home). At the dacha, it did not look open but Barrett inquired and the next thing we knew the director of the museum offered to give us a tour. Turns out the museum is more about the history of Podolsk and Moscow history than Lenin specifically and she has worked tirelessly to preserve the grounds and the artifacts.

Catherine the Great

At the Eternal Flame

Owen on the grounds of Lenin's family dacha

Museum on Lenin's family dacha's grounds

There is a Singer plant in Podolsk

It was the Russian Orthodox Easter: Christ is Ressurected

The tour went long and we walked very quickly to the train station, by way of the Singer sewing machine statue, to make dinner at the G family. This was the reason I came to Russia. They are the most inviting, loving and fun people. Our charge was to make Mom Dopp tacos for them and the two sets of missionaries. In turn, Bro. and Sis. G made borsch, cutlets, oliviet salad, beet salad, homemade bread. They taught Barrett to cook Russian foods in their kitchen. It was so great cooking in their kitchen. Dinner was great fun. For dessert we had Paskha, which means Easter. It is a sweet bread made specifically for Easter and then we did an traditional easter egg game cracking where we try to crack each others eggs without cracking our own.

Everyone is in the kitchen preparing - V and Sis. P

Greg and Sis. H

Elders S and B

Owen and Elder S

Lynne and Greg

Sis. H grating cheese

Kitchen full of goodies

Elder Hamp cooking Mom Dopp taco filling

Sis. P prepping tomatoes

Owen having a shot of Kvass

Elder Hamp and L (2nd Mom)

Beautiful spread

Getting settled to eat

The egg game

Bro. G winning the egg game

After dinner, Sis. G asked Barrett to play the piano. I had not heard him play for two years! It was so nice to hear those familiar classical pieces played again. The G's are very musical. Their 2nd son, V, was a concert pianist who has been in many competitions. Their daughter, V, also plays very well and she played a Beethoven piece next. Then magic happened when Y started playing the guitar and the family sang us several traditional Russian songs. They were beautiful! I started to cry in the middle of the whole thing as it hit me that I was so grateful to be in Russia, the the home of this family who loves Barrett and he loves them, singing Russian songs, sharing a meal and building this memory that we will all have forever. We talked mainly through the missionaries as interpreters but managed to share our lives, testimonies, and many, many laughs. Lives across the planet but so much the same.