Theft, Corruption, Police, and Soviet Hospitals

Well, I'll start by saying that more has happened this week than any other week on my mission. I'll try to write quickly to get as much in as I can. Well, it all started right after I wrote last weeks email on Monday. We went back to meet the landlady who was about an hour and a half late, as usual. She was drunk, as usual. So, we'd been living there almost 3 weeks and the fridge still didn't work. We gave her 8400 gryvn for the first 3 months of rent and in return she promised to buy us a 2nd bed. She was also supposed to finish the walls in our hallway and get an official stamp on our contracts. She hasn't done any of these things and she came saying she wanted a deposit of 2000 gryvn. She said she knows she agreed to go without one, but she realized how stupid that was and she changed her mind. The Church doesn't do deposits here because we never get the money back, so that was the answer. Of course, she didn't like that. That began a big ordeal. I had her speak to one of the people who deals with out contracts in Kiev. She said in that conversation she could just give us the money back and we could leave. I then called our finance guy and he confirmed that we can't do the deposit and that we need to look for an apartment and tell her she needs to give us 2 more weeks as per the contract. I told her that and she got even more upset and told us that if we were going to leave that we'd be "leaving tomorrow" and if we didn't want problems we'd have to do what she says. I then had her speak with the Branch President's wife here, Inna Solomeina, and things didn't get much better. She started threatening her and saying that she wouldn't give us anything back and that we wouldn't be able to prove anything. I spoke to another couple other leaders in Kiev. I was told to tell her that our lawyers would be in touch with her, but she didn't care so the next step was to tell her to leave and we'd met again in a day or two with our decision.

On Tuesday we went to a members dacha and planted potatoes and helped out with a few other random things. That was fun.

On Wednesday we arranged another meeting with the landlady and had our Branch President Solomein come help us. She was about 2 hours late again, didn't appear to be drunk, but wasn't much more reasonable. She got more and more upset and the conclusion was basically that we would be leaving, but nothing very concrete. She left and then we left in a taxi and had Family Home Evening at the chapel. We came home a little after 21:00 and when I opened the door it was only turned once. I always turn it twice when I lock it. I knew somebody was in there, but I didn't see anything moved. (I also knew that she was in our apartment and lied about it about a week before that because she left the bills on the table. She has a key, of course.) 

It wasn't until Thursday morning when I went to get some money which I had been hiding under my clothes that I noticed that it was all gone. About 3400 gryvn, which is about $400, of personal and mission money. That day I think I made more phone calls than any other day of my life. The funny thing is, most people didn't really know what to do, they just kinda told us to figure it out. We were immediately advised to change the locks, so we did so. Then we informed the agent who we found the apartment through about the whole situation. He said he'd seen her on Wednesday and she said everything was fine and that she had another apartment to rent out. He tried to set up a meeting with her and all of us together but she declined. Things escalated a little bit higher when they started going through the Mission President Steinagel and lawyers in Moscow were contacted. There's also a Branch President in Odessa who is a Colonel in the police and knows the head of police in Chernigov so after a little while the decision was made to work through the police, which we don't usually do due to corruption. We were to file a report on Friday morning and if things didn't get better our contact would help make things happen.

On Friday we went into the police station with out Branch President Solomein and things started rolling. A guy started taking some notes and making a few calls, then this man without a uniform came up and I knew things were getting more serious. He had a black button up, black pants and black shoes and reminded me of Michael Weston, if that means anything to you. He looked like he'd had a couple scrapes on his face and he could make things happen. He was just like "what happened?" and "what's her name?" Not too long after another 4 police officers formed a semi-circle around us and we were informed they'd be helping us. Many things were written down along with some photocopies of passports and contracts etc. and we took a taxi to meet the 4 officers at our apartment.

Immediately a couple of the men started interviewing our neighbors and the one woman officer who had a coat about 4 sizes too big took out a briefcase and started taking pictures of everything and painting stuff for fingerprints, etc. The guys were really cool. We were in the kitchen most of the time answering a lot of questions while they made many many reports. I heard one of them come in and report that they had been to get house and that she wasn't there. Then later that they had called her and told her to come there. I got a picture with them at one point and we started joking about a lot of things. One of the officers wanted me to email him the picture. Another was asking about how much the police make in Canada and stuff. I gave him some cookies. Anyway, it was a long elaborate process, but the landlady did show up. I'll just skip to the conclusion. They met with her in the other room. They told us she didn't admit to taking anything, but she had a proposition. She admitted she doesn't have any money, so if we left we wouldn't get any. It's not actually her apartment so she couldn't get the stamp on our contracts. She didn't want problems with taxes etc. so she offered to let us stay there for a 4th month free. I, for obvious reasons, wasn't pumped about staying there, but upon further consideration and consultation, I realized it would be the only way to get the money back and that we're the only ones with keys now, so there shouldn't be anymore problems like that. The mission agreed to pay me directly for the 4 month's rent that we'll be getting for free (which will almost balance out) and she wrote out the agreement that she would fix the fridge within 3 days and pay all the bills and that we can stay until the end of July. The cops told us that we should not give her a key until we leave. Pres. Solomein asked what to do if she doesn't live up to her deal etc. and an officer pulled him closer and assured him that if that happens things will be fixed. Then we had to report that we found the money and I was dictated what to write on a testimony apologizing for reporting it and things. I think things will work out now. Corruption can work to your benefit sometimes. I was impressed by the police here, they did a good job. I don't think I'd want to be on their bad side.

Corruption also helped us on Thursday when we paid cash for a chest x-ray and consultation at the hospital for Elder Brinck. A woman told us to go pay at the desk (which would cost more than a man had told us) then the man ran after us and told us to come back, took the cash and everything went smoothly. An x-ray and consultation was 20 gryvn plus a 5 gryvn tip, by the way. About $3.

I also found out that we will be getting more money as missionaries, finally. The prices keep going up but we kept getting the same amount. It's going to be a lot easier to eat better now.

Then on Saturday there was a baptism. I don't have much more time to write, but it was awesome. I baptized Valentina and Elder Drasso baptized he husband Victor. I felt the Spirit fill the room as Victor was baptized and they were both so happy afterward. I had the opportunity later on on Saturday to give my first blessing in Russian which help prepare me for what happened on Sunday. I didn't know until about 15 minutes before that Valentina wanted me to confirm her. So everything ended up going smoothly.

All in all it was a bit of a rougher week, but we survived and I'm sure we'll be stronger for it. Happy Easter everybody. I know that my Redeemer lives. Jesus is the Christ. I love Him. There is a living prophet on the earth today and the Christ's Church is alive and well. A couple more prayers for us probably wouldn't hurt. We have another baptismal date for this Saturday that also requires prayers. Natasha needs to gain a testimony. Thanks for all your love and support. This is a marvelous work.

Enjoy to the end,

Elder J.

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