It's Easter, a time to celebrate new life and the glorious impossibilities of the resurrection of Jesus Christ!
In Russia, they greet each other on Easter with the saying: Иисус Воскрес! (Jesus is Risen) and the other person responds: Да, истинно воскрес! (Yea, verily is risen!).
The sunrise easter service featured Amos Dodge, a pastor with a lot of personality. It also featured a rockin' choir and orchestra with an electric guitar. Watching the sun rise over the capitol, Washington monument, and reflecting pool while sitting on the steps of the Lincoln memorial was a beautiful experience. I loved singing with people of faith, and the words of this hymn are still ringing in my head:
Happy Easter, everyone! Early this morning, I headed down to the Lincoln Memorial with my mom, cousin, and my cousin's friend from Philly for the Sunrise Easter Service. It was awesome! Sunrise is such a perfect symbol of the hope of the Resurrection.
In Russia, they greet each other on Easter with the saying: Иисус Воскрес! (Jesus is Risen) and the other person responds: Да, истинно воскрес! (Yea, verily is risen!).The sunrise easter service featured Amos Dodge, a pastor with a lot of personality. It also featured a rockin' choir and orchestra with an electric guitar. Watching the sun rise over the capitol, Washington monument, and reflecting pool while sitting on the steps of the Lincoln memorial was a beautiful experience. I loved singing with people of faith, and the words of this hymn are still ringing in my head:
Light of the world, You stepped down into darkness
Opened my eyes and let me see
Beauty that made this heart adore You
Hope of a life spent with You
Here I am to worship, Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely, Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me
So I have to ask where you served. I served in the Donetsk Ukraine mission. Also, did you find a disproportionate amount of Democrats or moderates to Republicans among the missionaries serving in Russia? I'm a left-leaning moderate, but for the most part the only other members I know who share my political philosophies are people who served over there. Just curious
ReplyDeleteI served in Novosibirsk, and my most vivid political memory on my mission was the night President Bush was re-elected, all the missionaries, including the President, were super excited.
ReplyDeleteI generally tried to avoid politics while on my mission, since it can be so divisive.
Man that sounds like an awesome service, maybe I'll be there for it next year.
ReplyDeleteAs for Russian missionaries being more liberal, there is another guy in the BYU Democrats who served in Samara who's way liberal. And I served in the former USSR, so maybe that counts?
@Diana, I had several friends from the MTC in your mission. Elder Bergeson, Trost, Sister Ibey, etc. I'd imagine you knew at least a few of them. Nils has a political and religious blog that you might be interested in.
ReplyDelete@Austin, I think it counts. It was interesting to get to know what it was like over there and hear their conceptions of America. I think comparing our propaganda of communism and their propaganda of capitalism gives us a better view of reality. And in the words of Stephen Colbert "Reality has a well known liberal bias"
Where do each of you live?
The appropriate exclamation and response in Russian are as follows: Христос Воскрес! Воистину воскрес!
ReplyDeleteIn the older traditions, Old Church Slavonic is still used and there is one additional letter in the verb: Христос Воскресe! Воистину воскресe!
The exclamation is often abbreviated in Russian art and iconography: XB.