25 February 2008

This is a picture of the monument to the "Unknown Soldiers". It is across the street from the Lee's apartment. They call it the smaller version of the Washington Monument. It has an eternal flame at its base but Brent told us on the holiday to celebrate the soldiers the base is covered several feet in depth with flowers - he states that it is pretty impressive. That is a landmark to their apartment now we want to show you the landmark to the Metros.


That is correct Mc Donalds. Mc Donalds is the only fast food place in the Ukraine. When they became independent in 1991/2 Mc Donalds made an greement with them that they would be the only fast food place for so many years. (Might have been 15-20 years). So every time you get off or on the Metro there is a Mc Donalds around and you also tell everyone that you will meet them at McDonalds by the Metro if you are going some place with them.


We went to the baptism of Brother Gregory, who is 96yo. This is the font. He was afraid that it would be cold but the water was really hot, the Elders even said it was and as you fill up the font, which is white tile, it becomes green. No wonder my new garments are already not really white! Brother Gregory was so excited when he came out. He proclaimed that he was "a new man". He is rather cute and very alert for his age. They also confimed the priesthood on him and he was so excited when he got home that he was telling the lady that lets him live during the winter as he entered the door. He was very excited! We had to take the Metro then a Tram and it took us over an hour to get to where the font is.



This is a picture of the State Church being built down the street from us. It has been in the process for over 3 years. Since we have been here they have put the fourth dome on the top. We will see how long it takes them to put the top dome on.


Dad and I are both hobbling around a little. I thought it would be fun to slide on the snow last week, just for fun. However, my one foot stopped and the other knee pulled something behind my knee. Then I decided to ride the exercise bike the next day. And of course we walk somewhere almost every day. Hopefully it will get better soon. Dad thinks he has plantars facia from walking on the concrete floors, but we will keep going. It could be worse. We did go to the Lee's and met with the three international couple who are here. Had a nice dinner. This week we will go to Zone conference and then to a dinner at the Mission Home, as the mission office sister is going home next week. We have made plans to go to Armenia in April. Putting together some power point presentations. All is going well. Love to get your email and talk to you every so often. Hope all is going well. We love you all. LUV MOM and Dad, J&J for our friends.

Apartment pictures

2 picture. Our apartment is the second one up from the arch on the righ. That is where the living room is. Our bedrooms are to the left 4 windoes up. John said if we should you these pictures you may come looking to take us home. The green wall is the key to our door. We walk, who would dare to get into the elevator, four flight up even though we are 223. We are locked inside the apartment with two doors and about 6 locks. Sometimes it takes us 5 minutes to let anybody in. Think we have finally figured out the three keys, two tunr knobs and a chain lock. Luv mom

Picture of Our Apartment

18 February 2008

Dear Family,

Did not write last week as we spoke to all of you on the phone. The past two weeks have gone rapidly by. As I look at each of us, Dad and me, sometimes I wonder were the last forty years have gone. Not that I want to return to being 20, but I just hope that all of you are enjoying the time of your life right now. Appreciate each day that you have and enjoy, cherish the ones around you because soon you will turn around and wonder! We have had a few missionary call us with their sickness. One of our main concerns right now is the way to make sure the missionaries are careful around people who are coughing. A missionary who went home from Armenia about 3 months ago now has converted on his TB test. They also have a member there sick with TB and wonder what to do for the Elders who contacted her. We are in the process of getting some TB test and hope to go there to evaluate the situation. The missionaries on their return home are to get a TB test but only about 20% comply with that request. See that principal of odebience is always important. We may try to set up a program to get them tested before leaving the mission field. Last Sunday we had dinner with the Lees but yesterday we had the Elders over again. Have actually discovered that I can still cook if I but take the time. Made my Sweet and Sour Pork for them which I haven't made for ages. Dad is enjoying the renewal of this old skill. Thurs. night we had a member couple and their two children over. Made Sarah's easy lasagne receipe and it was the best ever. Even made a chocolate cake from scratch. I thought there was to much baking soda in it but John thought it was great. We bought a cake from the market for Sunday, turned out to be a $13/oo pound cake that was dry. Won't try that again. We are going to have FHE every other Monday night with the couples. I will host it next week. Will need to come up with some new dessert receipes. All help is appreciated. Well enough about food. We did meet with a member doctor who works for the Peace Corps. He gave us a lot of help about medical care in the Keiv area. He was also able to get us some medicine that we had trouble getting. Basically you can walk in and get any medicine you want except for the sleepers and controlled one. Just have to be careful where they are manufactured. We went to inspect the missionaries apartments this week, surprising they were pretty clean just a little sparse and not very big. We went to a district leadership meeting and they made us a pizza. We also went to a stake concert where they hired a violinist and pianoist/singer. The music was also all original. The music was high quality but the singing was very Ukrainian. As our tutor told us they love to sing even if they don't sound very good. Saturday we went into Kiev for the International Branch RS meeting. This time we learned to make chocolates. John came down with me so I wouldn't get lost! You don't know how many times I have had to correct his directions on even getting to the church. Sometimes I feel like just going his way to see where he would take me! I did finally get a pair of dress boots. It snowed some and this week has been the coldest since being here. We are still walking and walking and walking. We have made a few appointments for this week. Will meet with Olena, she makes the missionaries Dr. appt. in Kiev for us. Are trying to learn how to bypass her because everyone gets a cut. We had a sis. miss. we sent to her clinic for sleep disturbance and because she had a headache they wanted to do a CT scan. They are big on ordering lots of test here for the miss. The more they do the bigger cut they get. Only get paid for what they get done. The PC Dr. said that was a big problem here. There is a baptism planned for Saturday for the 96 yo. Yesterday in church there was an investigator who introduced herself. Then this 96yo started telling her about the church and its correctness. I thought it was a great moment even if I couldn't understand. till trying to learn that Russian. Luv MOM

Life in ОБалон

4 Feb 2008 We have been pretty busy this past week - at least the week seems to have flown by. Sunday night we had the Elders over for dinner and we were talking about Pes. Hinckley and how he was doing so well for his age. So on Monday when we got the notice from Sarah that he had passed away it seemed so sudden. We are saddened but glad that he did not have to suffer long and he is now with his family and Savior. We watched almost 4-5 hours on his life Saturday evening. It was nice to hear of his accomplishments and how his life was such an example of following the Savior. Simple but examplary. He will be missed. Tuesday and Wednesday Dr. Mc Cune came in from Moscow to orientate us to what we are suppose to do at least part of our time. John is now offically over the missionaries in the Baltic Mission covering Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, Ukraine which covers Kiev, Donetsk and Dneproptrovsk and the Bulgarian and Georgia Missions. We are to receive any calls the Elders may have, or the mission Presidents wives may have about the health of the missionaries. We have had a few calls since then, mainly for the common problem of diarrhea! (Czars Revenage). Part of Wednesday we went on some sight seeing around the city. Went to a folk art museum which featured a local artist, they also had some graphic prints that reminded me of Leo's. We then went to the One Street Museum which had a lot of older history artifacts, trouble was that it was all in Ukraine with no subtitles! Wonder if that is how foreigners coming to America feel? We then walked up the street past the home of Булгаков a Russian novelist whose writings were prohibited to be published while he was alive. Dr. Mc Cune said that they were worth reading so we will try to obtain a copy. Tuesday evening we were invited to Pres. Davis' home for a welcome and going dinner for the Senior Missionaries. On the way home, on the Metro, as we were getting on I noticed a black man get on with us. You must realize that black people in Ukraine are almost rarer than in Pocatello. John was standing on my left and this man on my right. I was hanging on for dear life, as one time I found myself sitting in anothers lap, as the metro moved as I started to set down. At least I was saved from the floor. Anyway we had gone through a few stops when I noticed a lady standing behind me, apologizing I moved over so she could get off. At that time I mumbled something about not understanding her. The man then asked if I did not speak the language in his broken English. We exchanged a few words when he asked where I was from. I asked him where he was from and he stated Ghana. He asked what we were doing in Ukraine where I told him missionaries for the Church LDS. He asked if the head of our church had just died, he expressed his sorrow and talked about how much good the church was doing. He also reported that he hoped that we got a Mormon Pres. that would be good for the world. He stated that he had many books from our religion and had had some discussons. As we were about to get off I told him that there was a church in Obalone and he asked where. Unfortunately we did not know that but he then gave us his telephone number so we could call him the information. His name is Chris, the missionaries are to follow uo on this. Who knows, maybe something will come of that visit. I have walked and walked and walked. But somehow I am sure I will walk some more. You would think the weight would just fall off but we will see about that. Sunday we went to church again in Ukraine. The 3 hours seem to go by pretty fast but I wish we could understand somethings. Oh, forgot to tell you that we went to dance practice for 2 hours on Sat. morning. Then went to the Renicks, which are small market places all in this big area. They all sell a variety of things but so common. Dad bought a cap and we bought a pan for cake and a casserole dish. We are suppose to barter I have been told, but who likes to do that. Sunday we again had the Elders over for dinner. I made a pot roast with potatoes and carrots, etc., with the leftovers we had a little stew today for lunch. Tonight went to the store and I thought we could have stir fry. Found some vegetables that I thought were stir fry with pineapple. Imagine my surprise when I got ready to add the veg. to my meat and again found potatoes, carrots, etc. Same meal that we had for lunch. Oh, well this time I had made rice so we just added a few more starches. Can't even understand the pictures. Dad and I continue to disagree on which way to go and where things are located. Must say that he has finally admitted that I am right most of the time. This morning we had to go to the mission office, we have been there abot 3x. as I turned to ring the door bell his reply was what are you doing. I just continued to walk in. Maybe he will learn this place before we go home. We are both doing fine. Today we set up some more of the office. Think we will find enough to keep us busy. Hope this finds you all doing well. Write when you have time. Luv J J