I Know, We are Here!

See we are really here. I know that I should post more often and will try to do so - some times the thought of sitting down and typing just becomes over whelming, but will try to do better. Several have reported this as a boring blog since we never post, so I will try to keep it updated! As you know we spent nine days in the Donetsk Mission area visiting medical clinics and presenting power points in Zone Conferences. We stayed with the MP and his wife, Pres. and Sister Fry from St. George. We are impressed with all the MPs we have met. They are dedicated, inspirational and sacrificing alot to serve the Lord. They really care about the missionaries and the people of these countries. We saw a brand new medical clinic in Donetsk that was exciting to see as usually on the outside the places look like they are falling apart and they are. It is dismal at times to see all the falling apart buildings. Looks like no one takes care of the outsides, and apparently they don't as the government owns the buildings and they are given an apartment or rent an office space from the goverment clinic for their space. Inside some are nice and most have very modern medical equipment.

In the Donetsk we had an interpreter (think I need one that spells) take us to several cities in a hired taxi. Donetsk is a coal mining region so there is lots more pollution in that area of Ukraine, also more factories. Between clinic visits we had time to run to this park which is full of iron rod sculptures. It was very interesting. Will show more of the work when we get home. Also saw a reproduction of a cannon that sets in Russia's Red Square. Don't know how the ever expected to load and fire this thing. Maybe the size alone was enough to scare people.

I believe in 2010 the Euro Cup will be held in Ukraine, in several different large cities. Here is a picture of one of the new football/soccer for us Am./ stadiums that is being built in Donetsk.

Tonya our guide stated that this was just being started when she left for her mission 18 months ago. Progress is being made and they can finish a project in less than 5 years if they really want to. When the people go pass the temple site they are always amazed at how fast it is going up. They are also impressed that who they consider one of the premier constuction companies out of Austria is building it. They figure it must be something important if that company is doing the construction - oh, if they only knew! This picture of the temple site was taken in June. Have been told that there are now three stories up. We hope to go there in a couple of weeks for a baptism, so will see the progress then.




Just a little to let you know about other things we have been doing. We continue to answer telephone calls for the missionaries' illness. This month we had to send two home with back problems, herinated disc. And you could tell why if you had to travel in a minibus with no shocks while trying to miss the pot holes. Now we have reports that there are rabid bats in the Donetsk area, three reports of bites last week. Rabies serum here is not adequate to use. Mainly we deal with alot of the old N/V and diarrhea complaints.

We have been told that at the present time they have no replacement for Dr. Mc Cune who is over the Russia area, so coming the middle of Sept. we will be fielding telephone calls from there. Maybe with the current situation there, no new missionaries from outside of Russia, they are thinking that the numbers will dwindle and we can handle it all. The reason we are here was to help with the calls in this vast area. The last of foreign missionaries left the MTC for there sometime in June. The reason is that Russia is requiring all foreigners to leave Russia every three months to renew their Visas. This is at a great expense, $400 for a Visa renewal plus the cost of travel and lodging, if they can not stay with other missionaries, so mainly travel. They think that from approx. 700 missionaries in the country they may have only 200 in 2100 if the policies don't change. However, we know that the Lord can have a hand in this if necessary. This may also be a time that the members in Russia will have to step up and do more member missionary work. The Lord does allow for people to use their agency. Ukraine is very nervous about the Russia/Georgia situation we are told. All the missionaries that were in Georgia are now in Armenia. Don't know when they will be able to go back. If anything serious happens here we will be taken care of.

We got home last Saturday and immediately went to the Lee's for a Senior night out. The Reber's, from St. George, were also here along with their daughter and son-in-law, as they went home this past week. This was also Independence week end for Ukraine. By Big Mama, I sent her picture before, they make flower sculptures so we decided to go visit them on our way home, about 9:00 at night. Charlene tells us that it is interesting to watch this process. This starts about about a week before the event. They start digging up large areas of grass and replace it with flowers and more grass. They are then all torn down after about a week and grass is replanted. We went when it was dark and several of these were lit up, they were fabulous. Like a rose parade without the floats. The colors were outstanding and just really nice. Went back on Monday around 4:00 because we wanted to see the difference in the lighting. Boy, that was a mistake. The walk ways were wall to wall people trying to go down and up in a small area with no directions. And to top it all off there were also a few cars trying to get down the walkways as vendors were on both sides. Not a smart move, took us almost an hour to get down there and then could not really see and we had to be back at a dinner by 6:00. So basically went down and came right back. Did get a few pictures but will have to show them later as I forgot to download them before I started blogging. The swans are out of white chrysantheums (sp).





Tuesday and Thursday evenings we are teaching English classes which we really enjoy. Not so much because we are great teachers but because we get to interact with the local people and they love to talk English with us. (Even if I have an accent.) Hopefully we will get some investigators out of this. It is a great finding tool, so pray for our success. We also get to put fliers out, which we did for about 2 hours this week. We tape them on the buildings and on the bullentin boards. I enjoy doing this, next time you go by it is fun to see if they are still there and how many tear offs are gone.

Monday we had to go to the store as we had to take a salad for the dinner that night. We wanted to make a cabbage salad and there were no good ones to be found in the store nearest us. So we started to the renick near by and dad went in while I waited outside. A half hour later I decide I had better head home as he did not show up. Half way home he comes walking towards me. Couldn't find me when he came out and thought I had probably walked home thinking he would catch up with me. Don't know why he thought that as I had no keys and also no phone. Will always try to remember to take that for occassions like this.

We have decided to have district meeting in our home when we are here. That way right after the meeting we can have lunch with the District and they don't have to make another trip back for a night dinner. We have a Elder Higgins that is in our district that lives in Riverton, right next to the high school he tells us. We had a big spaghetti dinner this week. I enjoy them coming and it is nice having a mid afternoon meal that is always appreciated. We continue with bi-weekly Russian lessons. Dad is getting where he can understand quite a bit, me it stills sounds like all the words run together.

We are amazed at how fast it is now getting dark. In a week we have lost over 30 minutes of light. They said soon it will be getting dark here by 4:00. The leaves are also starting to fall off and for them fall starts here the first of September.

Today we will be going down to the Metro area to do contacting with the members. Have not done this previously so want to see how it goes. We have also been invited to attend an Area Medical meeting in Germany the last of Sept. but still waiting to see if the Area will pay for the cost. Right now our plans are to travel around the Kiev Mission to find medical facilities in the outside cities.

Have tried to talk to most of you sometime this week. Hope all is going well in your families. John is moving again! Ivana will be having a new boy soon. Julie and Mom are back in MO. School has started for the little ones. Life continues to go on without us but we love you all and miss you tons. Give hugs and love to all. Luv M&D, GM&GP, J&J