Andrew Chernyavsky
Returning from the college last week we decided to go to the center of the city. We got in to an overcrowded trolley-bus, two elderly women were speaking about their problems. They spoke about illnesses, hard life, high prices, lack of money. One of them said to encourage the other, that with God's help they would overcome all difficulties. I decided to join in their conversation. I voiced my understanding of their hardships. They agreed with me that young people didn't want to help them.
I told them that in my opinion many cruel things round us happened because we were getting used to violence. We saw so much violence on TV, that we became indifferent to pain and suffering in real life. I decided not to watch TV at all not to be contaminated by its thoughtless attitude to life. I told them that I decided to give my life to Christ, to become His servant. The women were surprised and I continued to tell them about Jesus. It turned out that one of them attended a Russian Orthodox church from time to time, but it was very sad she did not know why Christ had been born. I told them in short about the Gospel, gave them books "Four Spiritual Laws". I noticed that one woman was very interested and asked questions, the second - looked out of the window most of the time. May God help them to know Him, our Lord and Savior.
Sergei Divakov.
On Mondays we usually have a seminar for men in my flat. We had a very good fellowship, when everybody was about to leave, my neighbor came, I invited him in but he told that he dropped in for a moment only. His friend came to see him and they had nothing to do, so they decided to drink some vodka. The reason he came was to ask if I could lend him a bottle of vodka. I had spoken to my neighbor many times before and explained my beliefs. But he, perhaps, whether did not listen attentively or simply forgot. Maybe God led him to me, so I used the opportunity to speak about God and His commandments, about evil things that vodka caused. I pray my neighbor will change his life and come to God.
Ekaterina Kozlova.
I want to describe one event from my life. I had a free afternoon, so I decided to go home after my classes and to have a rest. When I was heading home I remembered that I did not have the key. The girls I live with were going to their ministry place in the suburb, so I had to go to the railway station in the hope to catch them there. So I came to the railway station and began to look for my friends everywhere. Then a thought came to me that possibly I was there not by chance. I watched crowds of people and thought that they needed salvation. Suddenly a young man came up to me, he asked me what the time was. Having answered his question I felt an inclination to speak about God, His Greatness and His Will. I felt as if God was with me and helped me. It was so easy to speak that time. We had a very good talk, I told my testimony and the young man listened attentively and asked many questions. He was really interested in knowing more about God and in the end he told that he was going to think about his sinfulness, about God because now Christ was not a character from a book but a Savior. We did not notice the time though we spoke for two hours. Thank God.
Zhanna Artuch
After lessons on Thursday I had a free hour and decided to speak to the people that came to the church to get charitable dinner. I asked one elderly lady about her impressions. She smiled at me and said that everything was simply wonderful. She told that most of all she liked joyful and cheerful faces of the people that served dinner. I explained that when Christ was on the Earth, He also fed people. I told why Christ came to people and about salvation. The woman was delighted to tell me that she was given the New Testament and she was going to read it. I invited the woman to come to the church on Sunday. She promised to come.
Olga Sosnovskaya.
On Monday we went to visit one sister. Entering her house I felt that she was not in a good mood. We told her that we were from the Bible College and asked her how she was getting on. She replied that everything was bad. Wishing to cheer her up I reminded her of the Heavens. I told only there people would be happy and have no problems. The woman paused a little and
asked if we earnestly believed in it. We answered that we believed because it was written in the Scripture. We asked her if she was reading her Bible. She said she was, but could not tell what. We decided to sing some psalms. During our singing the woman was crying bitterly. We realized she had some spiritual problems. Now we plan to visit the woman and speak about His love with her and to help her to know the Gospel better. Please pray about it.
Tanya Osipenko.
On Wednesday when I was going to the church by bus, one woman addressed me and asked if I was feeling well. I really was not feeling fine, so I told the woman.
- People are sick because of their sins. It means you have done something bad. Have you eaten meat today?
It is forbidden. We were animals in our previous lives.
- I don't believe in it. Why do you think so?
- People are turned into animals because of the sins. It is written in the Bible. It is forbidden to kill the animals according to the Bible.
- Where? Show me the place in the Bible! And what about sacrifices? God wanted people to bring sacrifices to him.
- It was only true for that time.
- Well, but will you show me the place in the Bible forbidding to eat meat?
- I don't have my Bible with me.
- I have mine. Here it is.
- Sorry, I have no time.
- There is no such place in the Bible, but it is written that people are sent to hell for their sins and it is also written that we must not add anything from people to the Bible. Such people will be anathematized.
- Oh, it is my stop. I have to get off.
The woman left the bus and disappeared in the darkness. May God save us and other people from a false teacher.
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