Homecoming

Below are links to the recordings of our homecoming talks in Sacrament Meeting, 
March 10, 2019,
Palo Alto Second Ward.

Sue spoke first. She was introduced by Bishop Todd Miner. She spoke from an outline.

Ken finished. He fully scripted his talk for live transcription for the hard of hearing.

This is the text of Ken's talk:

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Memories of St. Petersburg, Russia
March 10, 2019
Palo Alto Second Ward
Elder Ken Allen

In our Mission office in St. Petersburg, Russia, hangs a copy of a famous painting of Christ answering a faithful young man about how he could better himself and be saved in the Kingdom of Heaven. He was surprised at the answer. Sell all that he had, give his wealth to the poor and serve God. 

That is a tough challenge. The young man was rich. He went away sorrowing. He was not yet ready to change his priorities. And he didn’t understand or appreciate the reward. 

For the past two years we have had a small taste of the experience of trying to live according to that challenge of Christ’s. We gave up our home and cars, quit our jobs, downsized our possessions, moved to one of the most beautiful and historic cities in the world, and consecrated ourselves to service as volunteers for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While we were truly surprised to be called to Russia, we found our talents fit well with the needs of the mission. We lived just fine in 400 sq. feet with few amenities. We found out how little is needed to live a happy life, uncluttered by the burdens of possessions for possessions’ sake.

The Russians we knew often live in humble circumstances. They don’t have much—except they have the Internet and smartphones. And they follow what is happening in the rest of the world. Those active in the church and especially the new converts are very happy and even joyful. We were grateful to work with maturing young volunteers and see new converts “born again” in their hearts as they experienced a life altering transformation that brought them new faith and hope. 

The Russian people are more religious than most all of the people in the West. Within Russia, there are seekers. They are looking for the path to Happiness. They come in off the street into our churches and find us. When they ask, we are permitted to answer their questions and even share the Gospel with them within the walls of our church building. That is all perfectly allowable and legal. 

Let me tell about a few of the people we know.

Daniel Timoshenko was 15 when he read Arthur Conan Doyle’s first Sherlock Holmes novel “A Study in Scarlet.” It trashed the early Latter-day Saints with many falsehoods, but it got Daniel curious. So, he started to investigate on his own. He soon discovered that the bad things he had read were wrong and the good things were in fact true. Last summer, after two years, he told his mother Lena he wanted to find out if there were Latter-day Saints in St. Petersburg. It was a vacation week, and so they decided to try to find the Church to attend meetings.

At that very same time, two of our Sister volunteers, Sister James and Sister Alder, were trying to meet the challenge of talking to 31 people in a day. It was late in the evening and they were headed home. They made one last attempt. On the subway escalator, they started a conversation with a lady in front of them. It was Daniel’s mother. As soon as she found out who they were, she said, “My son has been looking for you. When can you meet with us?” Long story short, within a few weeks, they had both joined the church. Sue and I attended their baptisms just a few weeks ago.

Last Sunday, Daniel spoke in St. Petersburg Stake Conference before over four hundred people and through video links to at least five remote locations. He shared this amazing story. Now Daniel hopes to be called on a mission.

Igor Nazarov lives in Murmansk, a closed military city 630 air miles north of St. Petersburg on the Arctic Ocean. About two years ago, he found a photo of the Salt Lake Temple on the Internet. He wanted to know more. Soon he contacted our Mission office, and we arranged for him to meet with the Elders via Skype. He soaked it all up quickly and flew down to St. Petersburg to attend church to see what it was really like. He was touched by the Spirit there. And he asked to be baptized. He went home and a few weeks later, flew back. He was baptized on Saturday, confirmed as a church member on Sunday and ordained a priest so he could minister to a few of the other church members in Murmansk. Ever since, several members have been attending Sacrament Meetings in our Central Ward via Skype, and the Elders and Sisters have been holding weekly lessons with the small group.

Anna Kherbek, is a faithful member in Murmansk. She attends church faithfully via Skype, along with Igor. Last week she came to Stake Conference and got a chance to speak. She pleaded to have young volunteers sent to Murmansk because of the good people there. Unfortunately, they cannot yet due to government restrictions. But perhaps we will find a way.

Young Volva was about fourteen when he asked his mother’s permission to join the church. She opposed him at first but finally consented. Over the next several months, she observed how much he had changed for the better. It impressed her so that she asked to join the church also. Just a few months ago she was baptized. We attended her baptism, and I shared the service via Skype with the Sister who taught her who had since gone home. By the way Volva also spoke in Stake Conference last Sunday.

Just a few weeks ago, a young woman named Alyona Koval, an English instructor, joined the church. When her friend brought her to game night at church two months ago, she was staunchly against the church. Then she prayed about it. There was an amazing transformation in her as she felt the Spirit and the joy that comes with the understanding of precious truths. Her enthusiasm is contagious, and she is literally bubbling over on Facebook. On fast Sunday in February, the day after her baptism, she was the first to bear her testimony. Then she translated for Sue and me. And she is now working closely with the Sisters as if she were already a volunteer.

Then there is Kristina Leonteva. She is a truly joyful person. She is just sixteen. She lives in Petrozavodsk northeast of St. Petersburg in northwest Russia, where she attends the small branch and tends to her four younger siblings. She is a pillar of light in the branch and in her family, which most would consider desperately poor.

Among our mission volunteers are two recent converts, both of whom submitted mission application papers before they had been members a year. The first is Elder Antonio Herriman Baptista, from Portugal, a brilliant engineering student at the University of Dresden, Germany, where he joined the church. He speaks five languages. He will go places and do great things.

The other is Sister Marie Khasaeva. She grew up Buddhist on the border of Mongolia and joined the Church in remote eastern Russia just a year and a half ago. She now serves as a volunteer in Petrozadodsk. A wonderful, enthusiastic, faithful sister has had her faith sorely tested. She is the only child of a young single mother. Two weeks ago, her young mother was found dead in her home, possibly from an accident. Sister Khasaeva has gone home to participate in the formal Buddhist mourning period, required of her extended family. But she is serving as a volunteer with the Sisters there and will soon return to Petrozavodsk.

I could share several such inspiring stories. Justin from Africa has taught our young volunteers about his conversion. Ray from Peru, a sweet guy, joined just after we came. Dima, a teen from far away Kaliningrad, had 100% seminary attendance and got to come to youth conference in St. Petersburg. Two of the three Dimetriva sisters from Vyborg have already served missions, and the youngest one is preparing to serve. We witnessed the marriage of returned missionaries Anna and Austin in the Helsinki Temple, which we got to attend twice. Kostya Serebrennikov is a returned missionary, married in the temple, now with children. He works as a chauffeur for expatriot professional basketball players, attends BYU-Idaho via Pathways and serves as a member of the Mission Presidency. These young men and women are the faithful members who will lead the Church. They are as strong and as solid as any member anywhere in the world.

As friends of the Church have converted and joined the church, we saw our extraordinarily talented Elders and Sisters also become more converted. They say to themselves, “Hey, this studying and pondering and praying to God to know if what we offer is the truth really works.” 

This you must know. We are all literally brothers and sisters, children of our Father in Heaven, no matter our heritage. Among are volunteers are Russian, English, German, Austrian, Swedish, Australian, Maori, as well as American. There is no cultural distinction. We can feel it and see it. 

The full Gospel of Jesus Christ, which was so clearly restored in these latter days, gives us an unparalleled perspective. That is why we feel it is so important to share its precious knowledge with others. They need the comfort and joy that this Gospel brings. 

Because we know life is eternal, we adjust our priorities. The Gospel is the key to ultimate happiness and for dealing with life and what life deals us and prepare for the life hereafter. Life is just a test. We teach that. We internalize that. 

I have had a chance to ponder many things.

--I learned just how short life is and how precious time is.

--I thought about the Gifts from the Lord.

Consider:

—Christ humbled Himself to come among us and show us the way. That is an overwhelming realization. 

—He demonstrated Supernal Love by His Atonement for our sins. 

--He showed us how to forgive through His example in encounters with His detractors.

--He made it possible for us to be relieved of the burden of past mistakes by teaching us repentance.

--He gave worthy servants the power to act in His name.

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I have a Testimony based on personal experience. 

God Lives. He loves us so he sent His Son to give us eternal life. The Atonement of Christ is what it is all about. We can change. We can repent. We can become at One with Our Heavenly Father through Christ’s infinite sacrifice. 

God called Joseph Smith to be His prophet in order to restore His church in its fulness. 

The Book of Mormon as translated by the gift and power of God is proof of that revival and restoration. 

We now have true scriptures and living prophets to guide us. 

We are all God’s children,

We are entitled to taste of His love and Spirit.

I am reminded of the Book of Mormon story of Alma the Younger, a once sinful man who was converted and called to be a prophet of the Lord. Speaking to church members, he said this in Alma chapter 5:

Alma 5:14-26

14 And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?

19 ...can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands? 

26…and if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?

It is my prayer that we may feel of His love and act as He would have us act.

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