They came to know Jesus Christ from different faith backgrounds. Nevertheless, in 1990, the first two women who would serve in Russia as local Relief Society president and Primary president found the same truth in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.
The missionaries who taught them said these women pioneers — Tatiana Turutina and Ludmila Iazykova — were prepared by God to lead people to Christ for healing, strength and direction during a time of great uncertainty, social upheaval and significant economic shortages.
Ludmila Iazykova: ‘Like fresh air’
Iazykova’s early life was shaped by summertime experiences with her grandmother, who shared cherished stories of Jesus Christ and practiced Russian Orthodox traditions. Iazykova also has “really good memories” of spending time with a dear childhood friend, the daughter of a clergyman at the local church.
However, as she entered her teenage years, a wave of questioning the importance of religious belief swept over her — she even argued with her quiet grandmother. This spiritual detachment persisted until the winter of 1989. Yuri and Ludmila Terebenin, friends of the Iazykovas, had returned to Leningrad from Hungary. While visiting with friends in Budapest, they had learned about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and were baptized.
When the Iazykovas expressed interest in learning more about this faith, the Terebenins told them of a member family, the Semienovs, who lived in Vyborg. Through canoeing expeditions earlier that year, Andrei and Marina Semienov had become good friends with Aimo and Nellie Jäkkö, Church members living in Lappeenranta, Finland. Fascinated that the Jäkkös both believed in God and were “normal people” caused Andrei Semienov to ask his new friends more about God.
When the Iazykovas called to learn more about their friends’ new faith, Semienov told them a missionary was actually in Vyborg visiting his family for the day. The missionary, John Webster — originally called to speak Finnish — was not yet able to adequately communicate in Russian, so Andrei Semienov, who spoke English, interpreted for Webster.
Iazykova, having attended church services only spoken in old Slavic or old Greek, was accustomed to not understanding what was being said, but hearing the gospel spoken in her own native tongue had a surprising effect on her. Webster’s message rekindled a sense of spiritual truth and resonated deeply, drawing her back to God. She described her feelings as that of someone opening a window — “It was like fresh air.”
Iazykova said the Church’s teaching about the value of family also spoke truth during a time when she saw many individuals searching for belonging but often gathered for drinking, smoking, gossiping and lawless behavior — activities that did not promote positive growth.
“We have to put our kids in an environment where they can hear and communicate good things,” Iazykova explained, adding that coming together as families to learn the teachings of Jesus Christ was very important to her.
Her family joined the Church. She was baptized in April 1990.
Tatiana Turutina’s search for ‘a celebration of the soul’
Born to a family of atheists, Tatiana Turutina grew up with no encouragement to believe in God. Her grandmother was a staunch atheist, but that mindset softened with her mother, who leaned more agnostic. Turutina’s mother was an intellectual, a deep thinker who passed on her inquisitive nature to her daughter.
Turutina, also a thinker, had always believed in a supreme power. To her, it felt impossible not to seek the origin of something as profound as life itself. She longed to find a church that taught truths she could feel in both her heart and mind — and knew that when she found it, she would join it.
As a shipbuilding engineer, she traveled to many places across the Baltics. In every place, she visited churches during her free time, acquainting herself with various faiths but never fully feeling the warmth and light she had hoped to find.
She felt impressed to see if the local library could help her study. They handed her a heavy, thick encyclopedia of religions. Leafing through the pages, one particular faith with a much longer name intrigued her — “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” she read, curious about the illustration of a modest chapel associated with such a long name.
In February 1990, her teenage son, Andrei, told her that two missionaries, John Webster and Ivan Stratov, were in town to visit a local member. They were invited to attend a public meeting to learn more about the Church’s teachings. Ever an inquisitive person, Turutina said she “had to find out” what these ministers had to say.
Entering the room, Turutina was surprised to see two clean-shaven men in their early 20s, dressed in civilian attire. In Vyborg, Orthodox clergymen had long hair and prominent beards, wearing various caps on their heads, long robes and other liturgical vestments.
“What kind of missionaries are these, wearing this kind of clothing?” Turutina remembers questioning, though their unfamiliar appearance did not unsettle or deter her.
Turutina found what the missionaries taught very interesting. After a second meeting, she invited them to come to her home to share more. When the invitation to be baptized was extended, Turutina thought deeply about this decisive step in her life.
“I knew that if I made that decision to be baptized into the Church, I would never change it under any circumstances — I will always be in the Church and will never leave,” she said.
During this time of prayerful and intellectual pondering and learning, Turutina felt the spiritual connection and knowledge she had long searched for.
After attending a conference for members and friends of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Leningrad and hearing messages of faith, hope and family from Church leaders, including President Russell M. Nelson — then Elder Nelson, an Apostle — she described the experience as “a celebration of the soul” and was baptized during the first week of May 1990.
Called to serve
About a month after Turutina and Iazykova were baptized, Webster and Stratov asked them to lead the women and children in their fast-growing congregation. Both women gladly accepted the call — Turutina as Relief Society president and Iazykova as Primary president, each the respective first in Russia. They were set apart on May 27, 1990, in Vyborg.
“We had these people like Tatiana and Ludmila that, once they were baptized, they were ready to work,” Webster told Church News in a recent interview.
Right after Turutina was set apart as Relief Society president, she asked Webster and Stratov what her responsibilities were. The two elders paused, then responded that they didn’t really know because they had never been to a Relief Society meeting.
Nellie Jäkkö, the Semienovs’ friend from Finland, was instrumental in training Turutina and Iazykova in the responsibilities of their callings.
As Primary president, Iazykova remembered immediately feeling the sustaining and inspiring gift of God’s love for all of His children. “It was totally new, but I was enthusiastic about what could be done,” she said. “I felt, ‘Heavenly Father needs me here.’”
She was still nervous about knowing exactly how to teach in a way that all ages of Primary children would benefit. Also, they did not have helpful supplies such as paper, pencils, coloring books or crayons.
One of the biggest challenges was understanding what to teach. Church resources, including Primary lessons and songs, had not yet been translated into the Russian language. Iazykova said the Lord knew their circumstances and prepared a way through willing and dedicated service from members who lived over the border in Finland.
“For a few months, the Jäkkö family would get up at 3 a.m. every Sunday morning and load up their van with materials and books and everything — donated by Relief Society sisters in Finland — then cross through customs to be in Vyborg for church meetings,” she said.
There they would come to help with the sacrament and bring a newly translated lesson for each Primary, Relief Society, priesthood and Sunday School gathering. In time, songs were translated. Iazykova found great joy teaching the children songs that helped them know they were children of God. Both sister leaders felt the Lord’s help through the Jäkkös, other Finnish members and the missionaries.
As Relief Society president, Turutina felt the Spirit guide her to care for the sisters’ spiritual and physical well-being.
“I understood that it was my direct responsibility to help people and thought, ‘Life itself tells me what to do here,’” she said, referring to how families were suffering from the indigent circumstances of the time.
Ideas started coming quickly: Many families had small summer gardens that provided cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage, carrots and potatoes, and the nearby forest was full of healthy herbs and food, which were free if people knew how to recognize them. Turutina taught sisters how to find good herbs, healthy berries and good mushrooms in the nearby forest and how to preserve their garden foods for the winter season. Many jars of food were then stored under beds in their small apartments.
When the Church sent boxes of food to help members and others in Vyborg, Turutina organized a crew of sisters and missionaries who hefted the heavy boxes to tall apartment buildings throughout the town, often climbing several flights of stairs to get people the help they needed.
Relief Society activities often took place in Iazykova’s apartment, when the Church sent clothing supplies. Both Turutina and Iazykova would arrange the clothes in sizes across the room. Then, women were invited to come and take what was needed for their families.
Iazykova said coming together as a Church family and welcoming others was always a happy time amid the challenges, building a sense of community.
35 years later
Turutina explained that finding the living gospel of Jesus Christ has helped her face and overcome difficulty, feel peace and find answers.
“Life has certainly changed,” she reflected. “The living gospel of Jesus Christ was our survival.”
“I have a church, and I have Jesus Christ, my Friend, my Adviser,” testified Turutina. She is committed to sharing the gospel with all around her.
“Sharing the truth I have found brings me great joy and helps me through whatever happens in life. We just need to have patience and faith,” she said.
Iazykova also talked about the “tremendous change” she has seen after receiving the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Her father passed away when she was only 6 years old. Since then — and until she met with the missionaries — she had not pronounced the word “father” at all.
“I learned not only on my mental level — on my soul level,” Iazykova explained. As she learned about her Heavenly Father, she felt His love, “not as a Father who spoils you, but as a Father who helps you to become like Him and Jesus Christ.”
Both Iazykova and Turutina said as they have placed their trust in Jesus Christ, answers are received, help is there, and challenges are overcome.
