True Pioneers

I have 15 minutes to write this email, so I'm going to touch on something very significant that happened this week. A woman from our branch in Chernigov died on Wednesday night. Her name is Baba Zina, short for Babushka Zinaida. Babushka means grandmother. She was 94 years old and died of natural causes. She was baptized 12 years ago and she has been so faithful and done so much for the Church in this part of the world. Around the time I arrive here she stopped walking and I visited her twice while she was living to give her the sacrament. She would always bear testimony to us continuously. She would say, "I know that this Church is true and that I am a daughter of God." "I love my Lord." "I know that I have lived a righteous life and I will soon see my relatives on the other side." Elder Stokes told me that the Sunday before she died one of the last things she said to him was "Fsegda, molyus ya za svyatikh misioneri." That means, "I always pray for the holy missionaries." I know that she did. She was such a good example of faith and devotion. She was known and loved by all. I am so grateful to have had the chance to meet her and I know I will see her again.

On Thursday night we went to her apartment. They have many interesting customs that I don't understand fully, but I believe they don't touch the body for 24 hours. When we went, she had been dressed in her temple robes and she was laying peacefully under a nice white blanket. As a small group of members alongside her body we sang and prayed and shared our memories of this great woman. It touched my heart to hear these members testimonies. All of them are literal pioneers in this country. They all serve and sacrifice so diligently. I am so grateful to be serving here at this time. We sang "God Be With You, Til We Meet Again" as a closing hymn. The literally translation from Russian would be more like "God by with you during the period of time we are not seeing each other." I love that because it really is just a brief period of time and I know I will have a chance to see Baba Zina again. Although she never really knew me, I know she loves me and I cannot help but love her too.

On Friday morning we went for the funeral service. Myself, my companion, Brother Shkroba, and President Solomein carried her small body down 6 flights of stairs in a blanket and layed her gently in a red coffin. They tied a bandanna on our arms and I rode in the van-hearse. We sang I Need Thee Every Hour as they lowered her into the grave and then I helped fill it. On Sunday President commented on how small her body was and how little she left on earth, but how great her spirit is and how much she took with her. Wow. I love this Church. Thanks for the love and support everybody.

Godspeed,

Elder Mahoney

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