This is an interesting book written by the former mission president of the Finland Helsinki East Mission which was the first mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with missionaries in the USSR and Estonia, in the early 1990s. This book contains many first person accounts of conversions and the initial building up of the church in several cities during the very tumultuous time of the collapse of the USSR. A very valuable book with many primary source eyewitness accounts of those eventful days in the history of Russia and the history of the church.
To me what was most inspiring about the stories in this book is how the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is really built up one person at a time, mostly because of individual members of the church just doing their best to share the gospel and live Christlike lives. It was interesting reading.
I served in Ukraine from 1998-2000. It was fascinating to read about the beginning of missionary work in the Soviet Union. Those missionaries and early members were true pioneers. A good faith-affirming book with lots of good stories.
This book is mostly the personal account of a mission president who helped initiate missionary work in Russia from 1990-1993. Browning included many first-person convert narratives throughout the book. I enjoyed reading it, and it is an important primary source from Browning, but the history of the LDS Church in Russia remains to be written.
It was great seeing pictures and reading about old friends and how they joined the Church. Interesting to read about how the Gospel was first preached in Russia.