The Saratov Approach 2013

In March 1998, two young missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—Andrew Lee Propst Maclain Nelson and Travis Robert Tuttle Corbin Allred—are stationed in the Ukrainian-bordering landscape of southeastern Russia, carrying their faith and a quiet resolve. While working in the city of Saratov, they are approached by a man named Nikolai Nikita Bogolyubov, who invites them to his apartment to learn more about their beliefs. The next day, however, Nikolai and another man, Sergei Alex Veadov, ambush the young elders, beat them, bind their wrists, and force them into captivity. The two missionaries are tied to a pipe in a remote location, held at gunpoint, and photographed, while the kidnapers demand a ransom of $300,000. News of the kidnapping reaches Propst and Tuttle’s families, and Propst’s father is contacted by Senator Gordon H. Smith Bart Johnson, who pledges to do everything in his power to help.

Far from the comforts of home, in Russia, Propst and Tuttle endure five days of captivity. Propst clings to a hopeful belief that Nikolai will show mercy and release them, asking for small favors—food, a bathroom break, a change of position—that Nikolai grants with a surprising gentleness. Sergei, however, grows increasingly impatient as the ransom remains unpaid, and he pushes the Elders to write to their families in hopes of accelerating payment. Back in the United States, the ordeal resonates across the nation, sparking prayers from people of many faiths for the two captives. The Propst family even receives an anonymous check for the demanded sum, yet they choose not to pay, fearing that such a payment would encourage future abductions of missionaries for easy money. The Tuttle family, meanwhile, receives a hopeful message from Mark Larsen [Brett Merritt], who was once kidnapped as a missionary in Argentina years earlier and who urges patience and faith as a pathway to resilience.

A glimmer of possibility arrives when Propst manages to slip free from the handcuffs and hatches a plan with Tuttle to escape. Yet in a surprising turn that underscored their mission’s purpose, the two choose to reset their restraints and continue their work rather than mount a bold escape. Nikolai eventually confesses his guilt to the Elders, explaining that his girlfriend is pregnant and that his involvement in the kidnapping was driven by a desire to secure money to provide for a family. The Elders press for the meaning behind a tattoo on Sergei’s hand, and Nikolai reveals that it was earned during his days as a Russian Naval hero, signifying “forever loyal.”

The next morning, Sergei drives Tuttle and Propst to a snowy field and prepares to kill them. In a moment of doubt spurred by recognizing markings on the missionaries’ hands—similar to Sergei’s tattoo—the police of fate intervene: the missionaries’ hands bear signs that give Sergei pause, and the captors decide to abandon their plan. The two young men run, escaping into the frigid landscape and making their way back toward Saratov. In the wake of the dramatic turn, Nikolai and Sergei are arrested by Russian authorities, and Propst and Tuttle are freed as news of the escape spreads. The two missionaries, their faith tested and strengthened, continue their missions—this time with renewed purpose—as they carry their stories onward across Europe.

• Propst’s family: Propst’s father Lee Propst is grateful for the unraveling of the danger, while the broader public and lawmakers rally around the hope that such faith can endure under pressure. The film closes on a note of quiet resolve, illustrating how belief, courage, and humanity navigate even the most harrowing moments of captivity.