Sister Lubov's amazing story of love

Sister Cameron and her husband work in the mission office in Rostov, Russia. They sent this beautiful story to us this morning about a member of the church who lived in their branch in Sochi.

Sister Love

When we lived in Sochi (claim to fame: home of the winter Olympics 2014, and favorite vacation spot for many Russians), we became acquainted with an angel by the name of Sister Lubov (or, Sister Love). She was 90 years old at the time. She was probably the sweetest lady in Russia; always had a smile, never a complaint, and carried the spirit of the gospel with her. Even though walking was not easy for her and she could only take small steps, she walked to church.

Born in 1916, she grew up in an LDS family in Siberia. However, before she was old enough to be baptized, the communists took over government, banned all religion, and her family had to worship in secret. Her family's farm and property were confiscated, and they eventually had to move. After her parents died, she continued her search to find the true church, but to no avail. With the fall of communism around 1989, churches were eventually allowed to function again in the country and LDS missionaries came in the early 1990's. Sister Lubov found the true church again through a friend, and after waiting her whole life to be baptized, was finally able to do this on November 24, 1996 at the age of 80 in Krasnodar, Russia. Later, for health reasons, she moved to the more temperate climate of Sochi to live out the final days of her life.

This is where we met her, in October 2006, while we served in Sochi for the first 7 months of our mission. While there, we heard that Sister Lubov had dictated her story to a friend several years previous. We asked around and found someone who had a worn out copy of the original. Sister Cameron then painstakingly typed this Russian document into our computer and started translating it into English. One of our Russian tutors, Elena, was also very helpful. We then had Sister Lubov proofread the (Russian) account and give her approval.

Her story, in her own words, is included below, and attached as a word doc. If you know anyone who would like it in Russian, let us know. We thought you might find it interesting, as it portrays what it was like to have a religious conviction during the communist era. We have submitted it to the Liahona magazine, Russian version, and have heard that they are waiting for an appropriate issue, and to verify the account.

Sister Lubov died in Sochi on November 21, 2007 at the age of 91. She was greatly loved by the local members of the branch, the missionaries, and all who became acquainted with her. She will live in our hearts forever, as someone who had the true light of Christ with her. I am sure she is enjoying a wonderful reunion with her parents and other family members who have preceded her to the spirit world.

The attached pictures were taken in Sochi, Russia.

Elder Cameron



"Early Siberian Mormons"
by Lubov Sergeevna Korol (Любовь Сергеевна Король)
(as told to Zina Popova, October 2002)

I was born on the 15th of August 1916 in Siberia, in the village of Korbushkino, in the region of Omsk, into the family of Sergei Markelovich Azaripin. My father, Sergei Markelovich, got married in 1904 to a Mormon, Anna Ivanovna, from the Mormon family of Dmitrievs. Soon he joined the Mormon church. My recollections begin at the age of eight. My family lived in the city of Omsk and was very prosperous. My father had a large expensive house, a large cattle stockyard, a poultry yard and a grocery store. We also had property in the taiga with a house and stockyard. My father worked very hard. The people he worked with, who he had hired, respected and loved him.
We had five children in our family. We all went to middle school and then continued our education in other academic institutions. Before 1924, I knew my parents believed in God and called themselves Mormons. They cared about us and watched over our spiritual upbringing. As an eight year old girl in the second grade, I loved to read the Bible. I loved this book immediately. I did not understand much, but I liked to read it as the story of Christianity and the ancient world. We did not have the Book of Mormon, but my parents knew about the dream of Lehi, the tree of life and about the rod leading to it. The Book of Mormon was translated into the Russian language in 1930, but at that time all religions were forbidden in Russia. Papa and Mama sang hymns and prayed together with us. Papa always prayed and blessed the food before meals. My parents often drove to the chapel in the village from where we had moved. My grandfather who lived in that village, also joined the church.
But in 1924, all religious communities were closed and forbidden and the members were persecuted by the authorities. Our chapel in the village was closed. My parents had a large house and a very large yard where we could put people and horse wagons. A very tall fence was around the house. On Sundays, members of the church came to our place in order to hold their meetings. This was a great secret. We closed the windows and doors tightly, and we watched that our neighbors did not suspect that we were holding meetings in our house. Christians were deprived of freedom, sent to camps and prisons, and their property was taken away by the authorities. I was present at these meetings which took place at our home, as were all the children. I remember these meetings well. Before starting a meeting, members of the church sang hymns, knelt in prayer, and asked forgiveness of each other. Even though much time has past, I still remember many members of the Church who came to us often. Many of them were our relatives. I can name some of the family names: the Lyubushkins, the Bodrovs, the Kudrins, the Sayapins, the Aistovs, the Kondrashovs, the Dmitrievs, the Chistyakovs, the Samoylovs, the Lonshakovs, the Mamontovs, the Bocharovs, and the Santalovs.
Mormons were friendly families with many children, hard-working and rich, strong in health and material well-being. They and their children received the best education.
After the chapel in the village was closed, persecution of the members continued. Many were arrested and they disappeared to unknown places. At best, they were sent to an unsettled place in another part of the country, but all their property was taken away from them. My Papa had told me that earlier 300 Siberian Mormon families had migrated to Canada with their Bishop, Ivan Philippovich, as Papa called him.
One night, someone knocked at the gate. This was one of my parents' acquaintances. He came secretly to warn us that Papa was to be arrested as a member of the Church. It was necessary for Papa to leave the city immediately that night.
After Papa left the city of Omsk secretly at night, he went to Kazakhstan, to the city of Semipalatinsk. Members of the Church who had been evicted earlier were living there. In this city, they began the construction project of the Turkestan-Siberian railroad. My father had to change his last name to Abramov in order to avoid arrest. After some time, Mama received a message from him, that she must immediately gather the children and prepare to go to him. She grabbed the children, a bucket of eggs, and a bag of dry bread, and that night we left the city. Most of all, we regretted not being able to take our large library. With difficulty we reached the place where Papa was. For our family's residence we were given a freight train wagon. In these freight train wagons, all the people who built the railroad, lived and moved on the laid tracks. This was only the prairie, so there was no school and we did not have the opportunity to continue our education during this time. Papa worked on constructing the railroad. Mama cared for us and was expecting a baby. And we, the children, also worked, laundering clothes for the workers.
After a year of living in this way, we reached the city of Alma-Ata, the capital of Kazakhstan. Papa worked there as a railroad switch man. Mama and the children earned money washing linens. We also continued our education. Papa worried very much about his friends who had stayed behind in the city of Omsk, but it was dangerous to go there.
I went to Omsk in order to study in the medical department at college. I worried very much. I was very afraid that I would be expelled from the college, because I bore my father's real last name. The whole time that I spent there, my stomach was clenched in fear that they would find out that my parents were Mormons. In this country, children of Mormons did not have the right to receive an education and all academic institutions were run by the government.
One time, a man I did not know came to me and gave me a passport for Papa in his real name. Papa wanted very much to have spiritual association and he wanted very much to return to his friends in Siberia. I put this passport in a wooden box, spread cedar nuts over it, nailed it shut, wrapped it with cloth, and mailed it to Papa. Soon Papa returned to Omsk with all the family. He was very happy to meet with his spiritual brothers and sisters. But we didn't live in Siberia long, because we had to escape. Now we moved further to the south of Russia, to Krasnodar. Papa was a farmer. He raised cattle and chickens, because it was dangerous for him to apply for government work. I entered the medical university, graduated from it, and found work as a doctor.
All this time, Papa didn't stop looking for the Mormon Church. He went to different villages and cities in Southern Russia in the hope of finding his favorite community, but he didn't find it. He tried to join another church which proclaimed Jesus Christ as their God and Savior, but he wasn't able to feel the Holy Spirit there. He tried to tell about the true and complete Gospel, but it didn't give any results. At home, Papa and Mama sang hymns, read the scriptures and prayed.
Years passed, but my loving parents did not join any Church. My friends asked me what was the name of my church, and I answered that it has the name of one of the ancient prophets – Mormon. I didn't know any other name of the church.
My parents died, but there are some of my father's words in my memory: "The Mormon Church is the only true Church of God on the earth. Only this Church has the fullness of the Gospel and the Holy Spirit." All his life he was trying to find a similar church, but he didn't find it.
One warm October day, I came back from the market and I saw my friend Irina, the daughter of a deceased friend. Irina told me that she needed my family's help. She had got acquainted with American missionaries and had a desire to listen to the discussions. But she could only listen to them in a family where there was a man, since she was a single woman. Then I wondered which church these missionaries represented. Irina said that they were Mormons. At that moment my legs got weak and I saw a bright light like lightning before my eyes. A great joy filled my whole mind. I thought about my parents who had not lived to be with me this happy day. On the next Sunday I was in the church meeting. The church was situated across the street near my home. I was very sick but I wanted to be baptized as soon as possible. In a month, I was baptized and received the gift of the Holy Ghost.
I am very grateful to God for his mercy to me. It is a great joy to be a member of the true church of God on the earth. I can't express it with words. Finally I am in the place I belong in the house of God. I still cannot believe that it happened in my life. I pray in the morning, in the afternoon and evening, and I thank God for the Atonement of Jesus Christ and for his Church. Jesus Christ is my older brother. Now I am 86 years old and I feel happiness, joy and hope, that I will have an opportunity to meet Him soon. The support of God and a loving church help me to live here on the earth.
I have been to the temple in far away Sweden twice. God blessed me with health, so that I could go this difficult way to do the necessary ordinances for myself and my parents and other relatives. It took me 2 nights and a day by train, then 2 days and a night by bus, then one night by ferry and several hours by bus to Stockholm. I am planning to go there for the third time and now I am praying about this blessing. And all this I say in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Editors note: On November 21, 2007, at the age of 91, Sister Lubov (translated literally "Sister Love") passed away in Sochi, Russia, where she had been living for the last several years of her life. She is fondly remembered by all who knew her or met her.