Dmitry the Believer Finds a Book by: Howard L. Biddulph

A few days before Elders Richard Davis, Thomas Wright, Brandon Arrington, and Jesus Condori arrived to open a new city [in the Ukraine], an unusual event occurred.  A professor at the state university named Dmitry discovered a strange book in a bookstore entitled Kniga mormona (the Book of Mormon in Russian).

A Russian born in Siberia, Dmitry was converted to Christianity while serving in the Soviet Red Army, where he read the new Testament.  After completing military service, he attended the Russian Orthodox Seminary, where he was a brilliant student.  Dmitry was unable to accept some of the doctrines and practices of the Russian Orthodox Church, so he was not ordained. As an unordained religious activist, he was arrested and spent three years in terrible prison camps.

After his release, Dmitry found opportunity during the more liberal Gorbachev era to teach a course at the university titled "The Bible As Literature," which was in actuality a course on biblical theology and religious philosophy.  Since he was both a brilliant teacher and a believer, the principal churches in that area sent priests and ministers to be trained by him, in the absence of a theological seminary.

Then came the day in May when Dmitry discovered the Russian copy of the Book of Mormon in a local bookstore.  Its impact upon him was somewhat like the experience of Parley P. Pratt.  Dmitry read the book nonstop, and when he finished, he felt a deep conviction that he had indeed discovered "another testament of Jesus Christ."

A few days later he met Elder Wright and Elder Condort on the street, almost immediately after their arrival in the large city.

Dmitry suffered persecution for his conversion to the restored gospel.  He was banned from teaching priests of the Russian Orthodox Church and also banned from entering any of its church buildings or facilities.  The Orthodox bishop attempted to get the university rector to fire Dmitry because he had become a Latter-day Saints.  Twice he was attacked by young thugs and took his belongings.

Dmitry became the first branch president of the Church in his city and remains a devoted spiritual leader and teacher in the Church.  Although living in great poverty, he is positive, loving, and full of faith in God.