Experiences that I would like to remember.
We have had some unusual experiences recently and I would like to at least write them down so that when I get around to putting them in journal format I will have them.
The most recent was the visit of the prophet and president of the church Gordon B. Hinckley to Russia. I was asked to prepare for any medical emergency that might occur when the prophet was here. I was also asked to be in town and to be available with my medical bag at the meeting that would be held. They were to reserve a place for me to be close to the prophet in case help was needed.
I gave the name of the contact doctor at the SOS clinic to Elder Van Dyke and also the name and address of the Kremlin hospital that would be used in case there were to be a problem. Elder Van Dyke programmed my mobile phone number into three mobile phones that would be given to the party when they arrived and put them on speed dial.
I contacted the SOS clinic and talked to Dr. Daniel Poitras and alerted him to the visit and he assured me that he would be available if needed and gave me his mobile phone number, which I put in my mobile phone book of numbers.
I also called Dr. Quinton Harris in Salt Lake and asked about any special problems that I would need to be alerted to as far as the prophet’s health was concerned. He assured me that the prophet was in excellent health. He said that those in the party (security and the secretary and his wife and daughter) would probably be more likely to be worn out from the schedule than was the prophet. He just keeps on going and doesn’t worry about a thing. Since he doesn’t sleep a lot and works while he is on the plane, it wears the others out, because they can sleep while the prophet is awake. He detailed sister Hinckley’s medical problems so that I would be prepared to take care of her if the case arose.
I was prepared and did not have to care for any medical problems while the party was here in Moscow.
We invited our Russian teacher Lyda (Lydia) Balba to hear President Hinckley. She accepted and we arranged to meet her at 6:20 at the Cosmos Hotel. We arrived at 6:00 and waited for her. We met members and missionaries in the foyer. All were eagerly anticipating the arrival of the prophet. We were looking out the window when the caravan arrived. It seemed like an old friend was coming to visit. We have seen him on numerous occasions, both in person and on the TV screen. We have even shaken hands with him. The last time was in Frankfurt on our last mission when he was there. He seemed very alert and active for a 92 year-old man. Sister Hinckley did not move as fast and was not as agile as he. They went up to another room in the area and we waited for Lyda and Alice finally found her and we went into the main auditorium and sat in our assigned seats on the second row.
I sat next to Alice and Lyda sat on the other side of Alice. They had very wide aisles in the hall and they had set up folding chairs on each side of the aisle so they could accommodate more people in the hall. I sat next to a young woman who was from Veronezh. She looked to me like she was 20 but she had two children 7 and 9 whom she had left at home. She was there with her husband who was on the other side of the hall. President Hinckley gave a good talk. It was simple and not flashy or deep. He expressed his love and the people felt it. I think that it is sometimes too commonplace for the saints along the Wasatch front to see and have access to a living prophet. The people here have not had satellite transmission of conference ever in their lives. Most have never seen the prophet in person. When he left he waved and a sea of white handkerchiefs waved back to him. I felt bad that we were not told to bring a white handkerchief with us. I later found out that they had instructed all the Russian Saints, but not the missionaries. A real pity! As the meeting closed and the prophet left, the young sister next to me was in tears. Many in the audience were using their handkerchiefs to wipe their eyes. I was impressed with the significance of the occasion. In spite of the simplicity of the message the spirit had touched the saints there and given them a feeling of belonging and the knowledge that the prophet loved them. They also felt for that small moment the love of Christ and his Father. Most people were reluctant to leave. Even when they did leave the hall they lingered in the halls visiting with each other and savoring the fellowship of the saints. Their faces shown and they seemed so alive and vibrant. The impact of this visit at this time will be felt for some time to come. It was a privilege for us to be here at this time. I suppose we will, at sometime in the future, count this as one of the rare treats in our earthly existence.
We were privileged to be present at the first satellite transmission broadcast to be received in Russia. This was the dedication of the Nauvoo Temple. This was a live transmission and there were many of the Russian Saints that were present to hear the transmission and translation in Russian. It was held at the Uzney (South) branch building in Moscow. When we arrived the office Elders from the south Mission were at the door and checking the recommends. We obtained ours from Elder Robert Orton of the Area Presidency. We were ushered into a room upstairs in the meetinghouse. There were just a few who were there for the English session and we sat on the front row. Once the broadcast began it was as if we were transported through space and were in Nauvoo. I became oblivious to the surroundings. I was no longer in Russia looking at a TV screen. I was actually in Nauvoo and listening to the prophet and feeling the spirit radiating from the members of the audience there. It was a sobering experience, because I knew that my ancestors had helped to build the original temple. They had been there also and I am sure that they were among the unseen audience participating in that occasion. Alice and I were so engrossed in the experience that when the transmission ended we wanted to savor the moment. The sad thing about it was as we were basking in the glow of the spiritual experience one of the Elders said in a loud voice you must leave now everybody get up. That broke the spell. We were a bit disturbed. The reverence was gone. Moscow returned. The dirty streets and unkempt back yards, the dirty old dilapidated busses and the roar of the traffic replaced the beauty, serenity and peace of the temple experience that we had just participated in. We were indeed back in the lone and dreary world. What a contrast. It was one that I had never before experienced.
We were very privileged to be present at the dedicatory services of the new Conference Center. We had toured the conference center prior to it’s dedication and were really impressed by it’s size and the workmanship that we saw. We were given tickets to the conference session when president Hinckley dedicated the building. We were down on the main floor and toward the front. We could clearly see the general authorities and also their wives and guests. I have never seen a dedication of a building outside of a temple where they used white handkerchiefs and gave the Hosanna shout, but they did it at this dedication. That was impressive enough, but then the choir and congregation sang “The Spirit of God Like a Fire is Burning”. I was singing and tears were streaming down my face. I was not the only one with tears. President Hinckley was also wiping tears from his eyes. I was standing and singing and a very strong Soprano voice was singing behind me to my right. I looked to see who was singing so well, but there were only males behind me to the right. I never could locate the voice, but there were people singing throughout the congregation and it seemed as though the whole hall was filled with people singing. I do not doubt that there were heavenly choirs participating in the event.
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