Oct. Activities

I know - as a mother I am suppose to write every week - and I have really good intentions but alas at times I fail. We have not been very exciting lately but we are plugging along. We have been fielding the medical calls from Russia for the last six weeks but have found that not to add a lot of time to our medical calls. That must mean that the missionaries are staying healthy. Don't think we sent any to a medical clinic during Sept and Oct. which I think must be a first for us - that was at least here in Kiev. Have not had any sick enought to go home since the first of August - think that is a great blessing!

Just a short recap of the past three weeks. We had a good Senior Conference where we discussed some changes, ideas and problems. All in all a good time for all. We had three new senior couples there. We did do a half day of sight seeing around Kiev and saw some places we had not had the opportunity to go before. Went to Valdimir's statue which is also the place where Elder Packer dedicated the land in 1991. One night we also went to the Opera House where we saw the ballet "The Wedding of Figaro". Surprisingly we both enjoyed it very much - as we have not gone to the ballet very much in our lives, we also thought the performers were very good.

On Saturday evening we had the young couple from downstairs up for dinner. Natasha was here and they asked if they could go to church with us, not tomorrow but the following Sunday. We told them it was Stake Conference then but would be glad to take them the following Sunday, yesterday. We also watched August Rush with them which they enjoyed very much. They are a really nice couple, have been married just over a year, no children, both working.

We taught English lessons these past two weeks. Having some success in getting a few investigators from those attending. There is a young man, Eugene, who has been attending some that asked the missionaries for discussions on his own. He is getting married this week so haven't seen him much at class but he has been meeting with the missionaries. We hope there was something we "said" that helped him be interested. Last Saturday evening we had another class member over for supper with her husband and daughter. (Sister Lee and Natasha were also her.) They are both doctors but work in the pharmacuetical field. Dad in the past always ask if there are any special food habits, this time he failed to do that as Natahsa was doing the talking. So when it came time to eat they took salad and that was all. Come to find out they are all vegetarians. However, I had a great dish of steamed vegetables and they did not even eat that. Now they did eat the dessert, one of BC cake mixes and ice cream. Natasha thinks some of their eating habits may be a religious issue. So if they would be interested in the gospel is a wait to see thing. Dad thinks maybe - he liked the husband as he is a mountain biker!

We had District meeting here the past two weeks. Lots of changes in the District. Elder Jacobs went home this past week - well actually his parents came to pick him up and we had supper with them this past Wednesday night. They are still in the area but will leave this week. He is a great young man and always worked hard as a missionary. He was the zone leader along with Elder Higgins. Since Elder Jacobs was leaving we thought Elder Higgins would be left but we got "white washed" again. Elder Higgins was made AP. Elder Imangazi who has been with us since he arrived on his mission in March also left. He was sent out West. He was the 18yo that got to come on his mission early and he is a supper missionary. Has already been a trainer for two transfers and got sent out as a trainer again much to his displeasure. Think he had 3-4 baptisms in the last area and left with three to be baptized this Saturday. Since his is "native" I think he had a good understanding of the people, and they like him, and he doesn't have that language barrier.

Now, to finish the rest of the story about the young couple wanting to attend church with us. We stopped by last Thursday to see if they still wanted to go and they responded yes. So we told them we would pick them up at 10:30 on Sunday. Sunday I went down around 10:30 and they were waiting outside their apartment ready to go. I had not told them it would be a three hour meeting but they stayed for the whole time with us. It was Fast and Testimony meeting and with no microphone. The other lessons were on chasity and families. On the way home they were talking in "Russian" but later they told us that they were glad they had gone and the lessons had made them "happy" as they were about families. So tonight they are going to come up again and we will have a English song "I am a Child of God". They both love to sing and have a Karoke machine in their home. They want to learn more English but also wants us to read Bible /BOM with them. Dad is also going to give a short lesson. We told them about Family Night and they liked that concept. Pray for them. Somehow we need to make the transition from only us to the missionaries, as we are inadequate to teach them.

Pray all is going well at home. Now there is alot of uncertainity in the nation but things can still be good within the home. Make yours a place where the children can feel love, peace and security. Love your spouses, show them love, and tell them you love them at least 5 times per day. (acts of love,service, displays of affection, and verbal affection to each member of the family 5x.day makes for a loving family). Make yours one! Luv u all! M&D, GM&GP, J&J