Last night we had the missionary's over for the 2nd discussion with Alex. He was very talkative and entertaining. The discussion was on the Plan of Salvation also know as the Plan of Happiness. Alex shared with us that he had a dream he was playing with his friend Doug and they were with Jesus and they were playing Avatar. (FYI Avatar is a Japanese cartoon character who has powers to bend water? I think?) Then when the missionary's got to the part about resurrection, Alex told this big story about how he will be in a little baby in my tummy and only speak English. (I think he's got reincarnation confused with resurrection?) He's mentioned this before, the wish that he was born to us and not adopted. I don't think he could saying anything more endearing and tell us how much he loves us than that. I told him that we love him just how he is and besides if he hadn't come from Ukraine we wouldn't learn all these great Ukraine words. His answer? If he came from my tummy he would speak a few Ukraine words like b____ (Which is the Ukraine word for hobo and one that I cannot possibly try to phonetically spell let alone say!) Great, as long as we know the word for hobo!
The missionary's went over what resurrection was again just so he was clear. He seemed to understand as he then told us about how the "angel told Jesus mother" (Mary Magdalene) that he went up and bye bye. (You would really have to visualize this as he's pantomiming Jesus descending into heaven and waving goodbye as he goes.) Obviously the boy has had some religious lessons, right? I don't think this was anything they've covered in Primary this year.
Then trying to make an object lesson, the missionary's also asked him how he would feel if his mom left with instructions to clean his room before she got back and when she was coming home how would he feel if he HAD cleaned his room? He said, "My mom say awesome!" Then how would you feel if you HAD NOT cleaned your room? He then explained that then he would have a wishing rock and it would magically make his room clean. Oh brother so much for the object lesson!
When we started talking about Jesus Alex explained that he saw a movie about Jesus in school and then he pantomimed how the two other people on either side of Christ had their hands tied to the cross but Jesus had nails driven through his hands. Our translator said it was probably the Baptist that came to the orphanage and showed this video. That might explain some of his religious knowledge.
Connor (Elder Malmberg-the other missionary I met in the food court at the mall in Kiev) came to translate. Alex told him he doesn't understand Poruski (Russian). But I know he still understands-he's just getting rusty. Apparently Connor has a bit of an accent and at one point Alex said "You sound like speak Chinese!" At first it looked like Alex was having a hard time understanding the translator and often times he'd asked questions and Connor would explain more or use different words but they both warmed up by the end. Which reminds me...
People always ask if we're learning a lot of Russian. No is the answer for the most part. Alex is very leery of speaking Russian to us. (In fact our biggest tears have been when he's frustrated and can't tell me what he's thinking and I tell him to just let it out-say it in Russian-not a good idea-that just makes him cry harder!) But a couple of days ago he just started telling us Russian words. He told us the word for push (don't even ask me to try and spell it or say it) then Devree asked him the word for pull and he looked puzzled and said "Let me think, me not remember." In fact there were a lot of words he couldn't remember. That is bittersweet. Bitter as I don't want him to lose his language but sweet because he's learning English so well. (The school secretary originally from Holland was so impressed with him when he came in telling her that he needed to get the ball off the roof-she was astounded that he could respond to her questions so quickly-she told me he must be thinking in English to be so quick.)
Overall is was a sweet night. Alex helped me serve brownies and the missionary's had to hurry off to their next appointment. Connor stayed for awhile and we shared Ukraine stories.
The missionary's went over what resurrection was again just so he was clear. He seemed to understand as he then told us about how the "angel told Jesus mother" (Mary Magdalene) that he went up and bye bye. (You would really have to visualize this as he's pantomiming Jesus descending into heaven and waving goodbye as he goes.) Obviously the boy has had some religious lessons, right? I don't think this was anything they've covered in Primary this year.
Then trying to make an object lesson, the missionary's also asked him how he would feel if his mom left with instructions to clean his room before she got back and when she was coming home how would he feel if he HAD cleaned his room? He said, "My mom say awesome!" Then how would you feel if you HAD NOT cleaned your room? He then explained that then he would have a wishing rock and it would magically make his room clean. Oh brother so much for the object lesson!
When we started talking about Jesus Alex explained that he saw a movie about Jesus in school and then he pantomimed how the two other people on either side of Christ had their hands tied to the cross but Jesus had nails driven through his hands. Our translator said it was probably the Baptist that came to the orphanage and showed this video. That might explain some of his religious knowledge.
Connor (Elder Malmberg-the other missionary I met in the food court at the mall in Kiev) came to translate. Alex told him he doesn't understand Poruski (Russian). But I know he still understands-he's just getting rusty. Apparently Connor has a bit of an accent and at one point Alex said "You sound like speak Chinese!" At first it looked like Alex was having a hard time understanding the translator and often times he'd asked questions and Connor would explain more or use different words but they both warmed up by the end. Which reminds me...
People always ask if we're learning a lot of Russian. No is the answer for the most part. Alex is very leery of speaking Russian to us. (In fact our biggest tears have been when he's frustrated and can't tell me what he's thinking and I tell him to just let it out-say it in Russian-not a good idea-that just makes him cry harder!) But a couple of days ago he just started telling us Russian words. He told us the word for push (don't even ask me to try and spell it or say it) then Devree asked him the word for pull and he looked puzzled and said "Let me think, me not remember." In fact there were a lot of words he couldn't remember. That is bittersweet. Bitter as I don't want him to lose his language but sweet because he's learning English so well. (The school secretary originally from Holland was so impressed with him when he came in telling her that he needed to get the ball off the roof-she was astounded that he could respond to her questions so quickly-she told me he must be thinking in English to be so quick.)
Overall is was a sweet night. Alex helped me serve brownies and the missionary's had to hurry off to their next appointment. Connor stayed for awhile and we shared Ukraine stories.
1 of my blog friends said something...:
Wow! we are so excited for Alex...
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