Tadje Tidbits

frog pond, shoshliks, and Smoglucks

2011-05-07T17:00:00.004+03:00

Denis wanted to take us to a beautiful pond with lots of frogs and have a cook out. We were going to cook shoshlik on his portable grill. He picked us up, drove to his apartment to see where he lived, bought the meat for the shoshlik, and then drive to the park with the frogs. We had a great time with Denis Smogluck and his wife Jenna, and son Andre.

Setting up the grill.

Beautiful!

Picking up a frog to show Andre.

Andre has decided to touch the frog.

Preparing the shoshliks.

cooking....

and eating...delicious!

Denis, Andre, Jenna, Me

More Riga

2011-05-01T13:36:00.001+03:00

Our last trip to Riga!

Delicious Hot Chocolate
It is just as thick as a melted chocolate bar and very DELICIOUS!

It was so good...but we shared because it was so rich!

Playing chess with the old men.

Jim got creamed - and loved every minute of it!

Another great memory!

Beautiful architecture

Spring Flowers - we don't see very many!

Easter at the Cathedrals

2011-04-24T13:03:00.000+03:00

Easter weekend everyone takes their food to their churches so the Priest can bless it.

Everyone is in line to go into the church grounds.

The people have put their baskets of food out on the tables so the Priest can bless it.

A basket of food.

We stopped by the Big Cathedral on our way home from church. Security was very tight because...

A Priest on their way into the cathedral.

More Priests

Another Priest

Ofice Diner at Lochhead's Home

2011-04-14T12:44:00.000+03:00

Beautiful and very delicious dinner at Lochhead's

KLynn, Jenna, Denis, Andre, Olga, Vladimir, Nikita, Bob, can't see Oleg the driver and his wife, Alexander, and me

during dinner Denis held Andre

during dinner Vladimir held Nikita

Alexander, the Oligarch

cute moms and their babies

it must be spring...

2011-04-07T11:52:00.000+03:00

It must be spring! When (and if) the sun comes out we can feel a little warmth on faces - the only skin that is exposed to the weather. In addition to seeing buds on the trees - yes, the ground is still covered with snow but there are small buds on the trees - the work crews will start the annual spring painting of fences and buildings. No preparations are done before the painting! The paint is just brushed on over cement, dirt, and whatever else is on the fence. The workers are not worried about dripping paint (because it is all over) and there is never a "fresh paint" sign. We have been lucky so far on not getting any paint on us. However, don't get me wrong...I LOVE SPRING AND I WILL TAKE IT ANYWAY IT COMES!!!! YES, IT HAS BEEN A LONG WINTER!!!

snow 2011

2011-03-15T20:25:00.004+02:00

When it is time for spring, the workers start to get rid of the snow. Notice the big chunks of ice in the middle of the road waiting for a truck to come and take it away.

A closer look at the ice ready to be taken away. If the driver comes and needs to get out, he will probably drive over the side walk to an open spot. We don't know if the people are sharing the roads with the cars or if the cars are sharing the sidewalks with the people. Notice the 6-8 inch think ice on the path where the men are walking.

This car has been parked in this spot for a while.

This car has been parked for a while too!

Womens Day at the Vetrans home

2011-03-12T20:57:00.002+02:00

They invited us back because they had so much fun with our branch in January. This time we celebrated Womens Day. It is like Valentines Day and Mothers Day all together. Our branch sang a few songs and then Ksusha, a young 6 year old girl, gave a poem, and then the three men in our group, President Makarov, Alexander, and Jim, handed out a rose and a chocolate bar to the women.
Some of the women didn't come to the big "entertainment" room so we walked down the hall to their room to give them their flowers and candy.

One of the women, in her cute little room, holding her flower from Alexander.

Another lady getting her flower and candy.

Cathedral Bells

2011-03-06T20:06:00.003+02:00

Natalia, our neighbor, met the Chief Bell Ringer for the Moscow Kremlin Bells and also for the Christ Our Savior Cathedral, Igor Konovalov. He invited her and a few friends on a tour and to watch them ring the bells on Sunday morning. We LOVED it!

There are bells outside on all four corners of the Cathedral. This is looking from one bell tower to another.

In this bell tower there are 14 bells. The clapper is attached to a wire and the bell ringer will push on the wire to ring the smaller bells. He uses a foot pedal to ring the larger bells. Igor Konovalov is the man in the brown coat, Natalia is in the blue scarf, Jim is behind her, Katya is next and her friend is behind the bells.

Ivan, Natalia' son, and Jim. Katya on the side.

I am standing underneath a bell and touching the one metric ton clapper. Notice my Babushka scarf! Katya and her friend are behind me.

Looking down from one of the bell towers I could see this wooden church on the grounds of the Cathedral.

sokolniki park and ice

2011-03-05T20:30:00.003+02:00

We thought it would be fun to visit Sokolniki Park. At the park we saw rides for children, cross country skiing, skating, an ice museum, food, AND couples dancing on the ice! Ice sculptures like this are all the way down the plaza on the way to the park. Those are real gerber daisies inside the ice.

We heard music playing and saw all of these people dancing on the ice. YES, our group all danced on the ice and had a great time!

Before going into the ice museum, they had us put on these blue coats...to keep us warm?...we already were dressed for the freezing outside temperature!

Lynn & Paulette Patterson, Me, Linda, Budd, Jim, Leon Budd

Flying horse

Knight

handy man?

Castle Gate

ice bed - ice floor

mirror and dressing table with a bottle of perfume some books

fireplace - the only one I have seen in Russia and it isn't warm!

getting ready to ski

skaters

ПОНЧИК (donut)

We stopped for a fresh donut that had been deep fried and covered in powdered sugar...delicious!

and the doggie says...

2011-03-03T11:59:00.013+02:00

If a dog has an owner, he will wear a coat in the winter.

homeless dog

homeless dog

Do Russian animals speak differently than American animals? I asked Denis to tell me what these animals "say." His Russian accent helped a lot.

A Russian dog says gaf gaf
- a sheep says baaay, baaay
- a bird says cheek, chee-reek
- a mouse says peep peep
- a Russian goose says ga-ga
- a rooster says ku-ka-ree-ku
- a duck says krya krya
- a pig says khru khru (хрю)
- a the horse says eeee go-go
- and a cow says moo.....of course!

YA Conference

2011-02-26T19:46:00.003+02:00

The Young Adults in the Moscow area had a conference in February. The leaders want the youth to have opportunities to meet and have fun in a good atmosphere. They are also hoping that they will find eternal companions among each other. The conference was focused on dating and marriage. The couples were asked to help and serve them dinner (take the plates to them at the tables). Many of the young adults were surprised and felt a little uncomfortable that we (and Elder Neuenschwander) would SERVE them dinner. The District Council did not help, and did not feel that they should. We decided it must have been a culture difference.

Serving ice cream with heart shaped brownies.

Don, Jim, Joni, Marsha, Chad, Dennis

Anna Ashtoshova (blessing transcriber) and her baby - Olga dancing with Temr Kaderov

This room is the chapel on Sunday.

Temr Kaderov and another Olga.

Olga

Natalia from our Branch dancing.

Veteran House Service Project

2011-01-15T12:21:00.008+02:00

Early Saturday morning, we left for a service project with our Branch down in Ramanskya. After the metro ride, we were picked up in a warm van driven by Alexander "Sasha" Zakarov, a member of our branch and the driver for the Russia West Mission. We drove for almost an hour and during our drive we saw first hand the devastation caused by the ice storm that had arrived over three weeks before. At lease one third of all the trees and branches were split and on the ground because of the weight of the ice. The storm had caused major power outages in this area that had not been fixed yet. Everyone heats their homes from the steam plants so the lights (candles?) and elevators (I don't want to think about it) and telephones (not cell) were not working. That makes for a long dark evening in the winter over here!

Jim was asked to write an article for the Liahona about our service project so I included it.

Members of the Perovo Branch of the Moscow Mission brightened the lives of the senior ladies in Ramenskaya, Russia, on a recent Saturday morning. Branch members met with the ladies in the Ramenskaya Veteran's Home for Women. When the ladies had gathered in their large common room, Branch President Makorov greeted them with his warm smile and gave them a beautiful Christmas message. Then, branch members, including missionaries, sang Christmas songs. Afterwards, all were invited to join in Karaoke singing, which the ladies greatly enjoyed as they sang the words shown on a screen, clapping enthusiastically at the end of each song. During the singing, some of the ladies were even invited to dance by branch members. After the singing and dancing, the branch presented a Christmas sack full of gifts to each lady. The sacks were delivered personally by the youngest member of the branch, 5-year old Ksusha. The gifts included warm stockings, hand and laundry soap, towels and other personal items. When all was done, the ladies exxpressed their gratitude with hugs and kisses and gave a warm farewell, expressing their desire for a return visit--which is already scheduled in the near future. One lady even promised to be part of the program and sing a solo. Everyone's heart was fully warmed on the bright but cold Russian winter's day.

Sisters Trunova and Perry with Nadeshda and Ksusha
Jim making notes for the article. Notice the new wiring for the lights - but the wires are not covered!
President Makarov, Irena, Sister Trunova, Nadeshda, Ksusha, Anatoli
Sister Perry teaching Kusha on the piano.

Irena translating so Jim can talk to the women.

some of the women

Sister Perry visiting with a lady.

Beautiful Babushka!

another Beautiful Babushka

dancing

Sister Trunova with a lady.

Jim sitting with the women.

Ksusha handing out the packages with Anatoli's help.

All of the women took their special sacks back to their rooms to open them.

Ice and Snow

2011-01-01T15:22:00.005+02:00

As we were walking to church we saw a lot of ice cycles on the ground and heard cracking noises in the trees. A lot of trees were broken just like when an east wind comes through Davis county. There had been an ice storm the night before. From far away the trees looked beautiful!

The ice surrounds every twig! The ice is so heavy that the branches and limbs break off.

Amazing!

Walking home through the ice covered trees.

Jim and the Anderson's

We decided to walk across the ice (pond) instead of crossing over on the bridge. I don't know how thick the ice is or how long it will last but the cross country skiiers love it and the parents pull their children on it in their sleds and all of the Russians walk ON the ice instead of OVER the bridge...so we did too!

It is 12:00 noon. See the sun...it is just above the tops of the buildings. There are people sledding down a very fun hill onto the ice pond!

A closer look at the sledding hill and the beautiful trees.

New Years Eve Russian Style

2010-12-31T15:02:00.005+02:00

New Years Eve has to have games and lots of munchies right?...we thought so! We invited our cute neighbor, Natalia and her son Ivan to our apartment along with the Anderson's to celebrate and bring in the new year. Natalia said, "OK all of us together" and then motioned her arms as if to show everyone together. We told her to come around 8:00 in the evening. She came all dressed up and said that Ivan was still chopping up food...ok...the night is young.

Jim, Natalia, Mark, Fran eating...

chips and carrots with dip, 7 layer dip and chips, cheese and crackers, juice, cream cheese fruit salad, clementines, candy, pizza...

Natalia let me try on her REAL fur coat!!!

A short time later, Anna (8 years) and her brother Vanya (short for Ivan, 11 years old) came to our apartment with a picture of a kitten she had drawn for us. They told us to come to their apartment at 9:00. We asked them if they wanted to have some munchies and Vanya said, "no, not before the feast!" The feast?...
This is Anna with pictures she has drawn and painted.

Our neighbors Katya, Vanya, Maxim, Anna, and Juliet the dog.

THE FEAST!!!

We had been invited to their apartment for a traditional Russian New Years Eve! How wonderful! We must have missed something in the translation..but we were having an adventure of a lifetime (and glad to leave our munchies back at our apartment)! She served all kinds of mushrooms (pickled, garlic, regular), pickles, cabbage with carrots (pickled), bread, fish pies, sliced cheese and ham, lettuce and mayo salad, olivia salad (similar to potato salad), and a very traditional salad called (with the English translation) herring in a fur coat (made with fish, potatoes, beets, and cream). They also had many things to drink because we were making toasts all night long to the new year (out with the bad and in with the new). Natalia was very protective us us making sure that everyone knew that we didn't drink anything stronger than juice!

Natalia, Fran, Mark, Maxim, Katya, Vanya, friend, Anna

The evening was not over yet! At 11:00 we left and went over to Natalia's apartment where Ivan had been chopping up more food for us! He had made the olivia salad, the herring in a fur coat salad and Natalia had also cooked a turkey! It was delicious! I have to admit that I didn't eat the "fur coat" salad because of the fish...but Jim did! Natalia sat by him and dished him up a very healthy portion of the salad at both apartments. He said that Natalia's "fur coat" salad was much better and not as fishy. I loved the olivia salad and the turkey was wonderful!

Natalia and Ivan (21)

(another son Sergey, 26, is married and lives in Holland)

This is Natalia's apartment. We visited and watched President Medvedev speak at midnight and wish everyone a wonderful New Year. They had fresh berries (they were very small and orange) ground up in a blender and gave it to us to drink and use for our many toasts. Ivan and Natalia toasted with champagne. After the toasts we watched some fireworks from her window and then ate some more. However, the evening was not over yet! We put on our coats, hats, gloves, boots, and scarves and went out into the snowy night so that Anna and Vanya could go sledding! We walked to the park and watched the fireworks, sang songs, and had a snow ball fight! We had a great time. Natalia and Ivan had Santa hats on and that made it all the more memoriable! (fyi - President Sorenson told all the missionaries to be in at 6:00 - the secretary to the area presidency was with us and he forgot and we're glad he did!)

Mark, Fran, Me, Natalia, Ivan

Olivia Salad

Herring in a Fur Coat salad

and a Turkey!

It is Russian tradition to have a lot of food for this meal. Left over food means you will have enough food for the coming year.

Christmas 2010

2010-12-25T14:51:00.009+02:00

Jim had the Christmas tree up about 2 weeks before Thanksgiving! He also had the Christmas music playing in August! He found some decorations in the apartment and put everything on the tree that he liked and then waited to see if I would add anything...like all of the ornaments that we have been buying at Izmylova! Yes, I did add some cute little wooden ornaments and would have liked to add lights to the tree but there wasn't an outlet on the wall by the tree...so we enjoyed it without lights!

Jim decorating the tree.

Our Christmas Tree!

Our Christmas day adventure begins with a visit to Red Square! All of our family was back home with the "children all nestled all safe in their beds" and their parents had "just settled down for a long winters nap" (and it was between Skype calls) so we took our picture with Lennin's Tomb, St Basil, the Christmas tree, the GUM mall, and the ice rink on Red Square!
Unforgetable!!!

Because no one was home fixing a Christmas turkey for dinner, we decided to go to a Chinese restaurant (Ra Ra Ra Ra Raaa, Ra Raa, Raa Raaa!)!
E/S Homles, E/S Gronning, E/S Overly, E/S Anderson, E/S Hatch, E/S Budd, Me

For dinner we had delicious noodles...

...sweet and sour chicken...

...and a surprise dish - mystery meat with red hot chilie peppers! It was all very good. The mystery meat had little bones in it (one piece had 3 bones). We thought it must be some kind of rodent or bird...I think we are better off not knowing!!

Memorable Christmas Day!!!

Mission Christmas Party

2010-12-24T14:30:00.003+02:00

I really looked forward to the mission Christmas party this year. Sister Sorenson asked the couples if they would do a skit along with the other "young" missionaries. She had an idea for us and the best part is that we could learn it at the party! Great! The activity started at 10:00 in the morning with a short meeting and message by the Holmes about all of the humanitarian projects that have been happening in the EEA. We were all touched and impressed with the special projects that were/are happening. Movies, skits, food, games and a good time followed the meeting.

The meeting just ended and we are off for a delicious snack and to practice our skits.

Munching on cheese and crackers.

Elder Nickoliachev with a "cheesy" smile!
Elder Breedlove

Skits...with "little" missionaries singing...

Skits...with everyone thinking other thoughts...

Skits...going back in time and changing things (babushka with a beard)...

Skits...?...

and more Skits...a lot of missinaries had been hurt during the last month, this was in memory of them...

...and President Sorenson introduced our skit (of which he participated in too)...

...we did arm movements to a song from the Nutcracker...

...and foot movements...and we even turned around!

The missionaries all had a great time.

Later, we had a wonderful dinner and continued making great memories that will last a lifetime!

the childrens choir

2010-12-18T20:59:00.005+02:00

We went to hear a childrens choir at the Catholic church. The children were magnificient! Their voices sounded wonderful in the big cathedral. They sang 22 songs... some in Russian, German, Spanish, and English. There was also a slide presentation about creches, decorations, lights, and treats. This was a wonderful treat since we were not able to hear our grandchildren sing or perform this year.

the childrens choir

It's snowing and we are standing on the snow covered steps outside the cathedral. We wore our coats inside too because it was so cold inside.
Jim, President Schwitzer, President and Sister Lawrence, Sister Schwitzer, Elder and Sister Anderson in the back

This time I am in the picture!

President and Sister Schwitzer, President and Sister Lawrence,

me, Elder and Sister Anderson

One Year in Moscow

2010-12-05T20:35:00.010+02:00

One year ago on Saturday, December 5, we arrived in Russia. The sun hid from us, the snow had not started to come but the freezing cold weather welcomed us with open arms! Since that time we have had the adventure of a lifetime!!! We have met great people who are the pioneers of the church in Russia (everyone is a convert - the Church is only 20 years old in Russia). We have seen beautiful Russian buildings, palaces, cathedrals, museums, towns, and cities. We have seen Soviet era buildings that are functional. We have ridden on Russia's finest transportation systems, the Metro, trains, buses, and marshrootka (and Denis' car that he drives from the right side). We have experienced the coldest winter (with ice everywhere) and the hottest summer (complete with thick smoke) that will go down in history, and the bombing of the metro (two stops were bombed - Jim was riding the metro at the time). We have been on visa and courier trips (to get new visas for the missionaries so they can continue to serve) to Prague (with a side trip to Freiburg Germany to visit the temple) and Riga. We have met and provided lunch to six General Authorities (Elder Perry and Elder Scott included). I have registered missionaries and processed blessings while Jim worked on many legal problems in Russia, Armenia, Ukraine, Lativia, Georgia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Kyrgistan, Tadjkistan, and Estonia. We have eaten borsch, pelmini, tvorg, beef stroganoff, blinis, shawshlick, sharma...and loved it all! We have walked everywhere (one and a half miles just to get to the metro) to see everything and had a few slips and slides and falls! (Jim and I have both taken our shoes to be repaired plus I have almost worn a hole in my boot - imagine that - holes in my missionary shoes!) We have listened to English whispered in our ears while Russian is being spoken in our church meetings (thanks to our wonderful translators). We have served with strong, wonderful, and dedicated missionaries (both senior and young) that miss their families but know that this is where the Lord wants them at this time. We have made omlets, pancakes, french toast, scrambles eggs, cinnamon rolls to serve the missionaries for breakfast when they come over for district meeting on Saturday mornings. I have also made a pot roast and cooked a turkey dinner for these great missionaries. We have participated in the missionary discussions in our home and helped with English club and institute classes. We have shopped in the renik where everything is weighed in grams and paid for in rubles. Jim has learned a lot of Russian words and can understand a few things. I have learned to use "sign language" to help me get by. (Jim's Russian words combined with the gestures of the merchant and myself alow us to get along great!) We enjoyed watching conference live on the computer (at 8pm, 12 midnight, and 4am - we felt we were experiencing it with our family) while our neighbors were sleeping. We have taken cold showers while the hot water was turned off for two weeks for matainance on the pipes. We have watched fireworks being set off from at least 8 different places (one of which is Red Square) from our balcony. We have watched the trees that were covered with frost and ice in the winter, get leaves on them in the summer, turn orange or yellow or red in the fall, and then float to the earth where the ground workers quickly sweep them up with "Harry Potter" brooms. We have checked into getting some Russian shoes that allow you to walk extremely fast on the ice and not fall down but they don't come in my size! We have not driven a car. We have shopped at Izmylova - it has everything we want but nothing we need. We have been on all 10 lines of the metro (red, green, blue, light blue, brown, orange, purple, yellow, gray, light green). We have been able to talk with family through Skype - priceless! We have visited with the young children in our building (they like to practice their English) as we ride down in the elevator together. We have made friends with Natalia, Evan, Katya, Ann, Vonya, Maxim, Katya and their dog Juila...

...and we are only into this adventure 365 days...

Celebrating a 1 year anniversary with a good old American dinner at Starlight Diner. Jim is eating a steak with mashed potatoes and a chocolate shake. I am enjoying fajitas (I know it is not really American but Mexican, however, it is what I wanted) with a blueberry shake!

our frozen park

2010-12-02T20:50:00.000+02:00

Every Sunday after church we like to walk through the park on our way home (sometimes we walk through Red Square first.) It is about a mile and a half walk home after we get off the metro. This is the same park where we heard and saw the baseball game, the dog races, people flying their toy airplanes, the little amusement park, people fishing, and people swiming by the NO Swimming signs.

This is a beautiful path covered in snow hidden among the birch trees. We usually see mothers pushing their babies (even new born babies) in a buggy. If the children are older, they are usually in a stroller. The infants are all bundled up so only their faces are exposed to the freezing temperatures.

This is the pond all frozen over. There are little sleds for the parents to pull their children. Pulling the children in the sled is not just for fun, this is how the mothers take their children everywhere!...it is easier than holding them.

This is the same view where we saw the men fishing and the beautiful autum leaves. Everyone just walks across the frozen water instead of using the bridges...everyone except us...(so far.)

Someone is always "cross country" skiing around the frozen pond. The pond is VERY BIG. The dogs love it and the parents and children do too.

Notice the skier and the sign that says no walking on the ice. In the summer the sign says no swimming!

cookies, cookies, and more cookies...

2010-12-01T18:10:00.002+02:00

Sister Packard had a great (BIG) idea. A lot of the Russian missionaries are the only members of the church in their families. Some of their parents are not very supportive of their missionary son or daughter. One day while making chocolate chips cookies with Sister Elistratova, a young sister missionary from Russia, one of the senior sisters asked if she thought her mother would like some cookies. "YES! and maybe my mom will be happpy for me." So, to make a long story short, each senior sister was asked to make 4 to 6 dozen cut out sugar cookies so the Russian missionaries could send some (18) home to their families and all missionaries could deliver some to their investigators. Great idea! The adventure begins! I do not have a rolling pin (and have not been able to find one thus far) so I used a can (of spray starch) to roll out the cookie dough! I could only bake 9 cookies at a time and my oven does not heat up to temperature but those were only minor obstacles to overcome. The cookies turned out great! The missionaries all came to the Central Building on their p-day, December 1st, to decorate them. The Russian missionaries each wrote testimonies to put with their cookies to send to their families. The testimony that Sister Elistratova wrote was many pages long - she wanted to share her feelings about the Savior and her love of the gospel and "it just took that much paper to bare my testimony to my family!"

Elder Larsen with his cookies for investigators.

Sister Johnson's snowman

cookies...
cookies...
and more cookies!
From the creative hands of Sister Barash, Sister Elistratova, Elder Bogdanov, Elder Bruev, Elder Nikolaichev, Sister Martyanova, Sister Trunova, Elder Baldakov, Sister Vizitiv, Sister Khmelinina, Elder Perfilyev - the Russian missionaries.

Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T18:05:00.002+02:00

Sister Sorenson asked all of the missionary couples to host a Thanksgiving dinner for their district. She would furnish the turkey and a can of pumpkin. Great! Do I have a pan to cook the turkey in? Where can I find poultry seasoning so I can make dressing? I do not have a pie plate.

We only have two American missionaries, one from Arizona and another from Florida. Our other four missionaries are from Ukraine, Russia, England, and Denmark. So... we had an international Thanksgiving! We invited another senior couple that live next to us to join our dinner and she volunteered to make the pie (she has a pie plate) and the mashed potatoes. I cooked the turkey (we found a cooking bag that came in a long roll that you cut off as much as you need - it was only big enough for a chicken so I cut and rolled two pieces together) and the turkey turned out super AND very moist! We had gravy (not very good) and dressing (found poultry seasoning) beans and carrots and a Russian salad called "Olivia," plus pumpkin pie and chocolate cake, and a relish plate, chips and deviled eggs for munchies to start with. There were ten of us around our table. I found a table cloth and most of our dishes matched!

Thanksgiving dinner

Sister Trunova (Ukraine), Sister Champenios (Denmark), Elder Ablet (England), Jim, Elder Baldakov (Russia), Elder Hansen (Arizona), Elder Dunn (Florida), Anderson's (Lindon,Utah)

hanging out in the computer room
Hanson, Dunn, Ablet, Champenios, Baldakov, Trunova

A game of Phase 10! (while we watched the Polar Express)

Eight cameras were set up to take pictures - where to look?!

Riga again...

2010-11-13T13:45:00.003+02:00

As of this writing we have been to Riga four times carring passports and visas for the missionaries. We have a great time while we are there. The town is not that big and we have seen old town, museums, been on walking tours, seen a movie, rode the train to Jurmala, put our feet in the Baltic Sea, read books, been to church (Russian and Latvian branches) walked around the city, ate at wonderful restaurants, etc.......

Breakfast buffet af the hotel - omlets and all kinds of eggs, fruits, breads, different flavors of yogurt, juices, milk, hot chocolate, meats (sausage, bacon, cold cuts, salmon), cheeses, many kinds of breads and rolls, jams and jellies, cereals, and a few other things that Europeans eat...

We have been doing so much walking that my shoes have worn out! I needed to put a new heel on my black boots. We walked around Riga and found a shoe repair (remont-ремонт) and they fixed my shoe while we were waiting! Then we walked all afternoon through a different part of the town to get to the "Lido" so we could have a fun dinner.

On our walk through town to get to the Lido we passed many wooden buildings that have a historic value and are not to be torn down. Yes, people are living in them.

There are at least 10 different flower shops on this row. It looked and smelled wonderful!

Lisa and Kelly Busby and their three cute children! These two little boys and one other girl make up the primary for the Russian Branch in Latvia.

The Radisson Hotel where we stay. The large windows look out over Old Town and the river and many cathedrals. It is an amazing view!

While walking through the park, Jim saw and was fasinated by these dogs. The owners were very happy to talk about them and let Jim have his picture taken with them. The dogs hair in very interesting, it matts and needs to be cut into strips when they are young.

Look at that SMILE!

We visited Riga the end of October so we were able to see some Halloween decorations.

On the steps into a building we saw more Halloween Pumpkins! Jim really was happy because he was able to wear his levis.

October 28,2010

2010-11-12T14:07:00.002+02:00

I had a wonderful Birthday! I talked to and had cards and messages from so many great people! THANK YOU!

Even the missionaries from our district brought me flowers! Then Jim and I went to dinner at a familiar restaurant called "Friday's" and had a very tasty meal!

Elder Hansen, me, Elder Boldakov

Victory Park

2010-11-12T13:27:00.010+02:00

We were home all morning and then decided to head to Victory Park and look at the indoor and outdoor museums. We couldn't take pictures inside but we took pictures outside. There are so many monuments and museums dedicated to The Great War and the veterans. (There are also many political leaders we see statues of too!) The inside museum was very enjoyable too, but those pictures are inside my memory!

Me standing in the large square that leads up to the monument and indoor museum.

The flowers had just been taken out of this garden. This is part of the large square.

Jim is standing in a bunker.

Looking at the life size diorama.

train

helicopters - like the eyes

mig - 29

nice paint job!

bi - plane

ambulance

B MW

Tank that is dug in the ground.

Moscow River Trip

2010-10-16T10:19:00.011+03:00

On the bridge over the Moscow River before we took the Moscow River Boat Ride.

I wanted a picture outside the boat and asked Jim to stand by the captain. The captain quickly took off his hat and put it on Jim and then stood right next to him.

On the Moscow River looking at one of the seven sisters.

We saw this ski jump from the river.

Neskuchnyi (Not-boring) Garden

The oldest landscaped park of Moscow. Notice the cement edge on the side of the river.

Metro Bridge - the metro does not come above ground very often. It just runs around underground not getting caught in traffic!

Russian Academy of Science - crowned with strange orange stuff...

nick-named "Golden Brains"

Headquarters of Russian Land Forces

Gorky Entertainment Park

Gorky Entertainment Park - that monument looks like it came from Southern Utah!

Statue of Peter the First

Statue of Peter the First - Popular legend tells that the monument was initially designed for Columbus and should have been sent to a certain foreign state as a present. However, something went wrong with negotiations and the admiral ended up in Moscow with the head of another great navigator - the first Russian emperior.

Red October Chocolate Factory

Christ the Savior Temple
Khrushchev made a swimming pool in the Cathedral during his time

House on the Embankment - built in 1931 - 505 huge apartments filled with military officers. Probably the first house in Moscow that had running hot water. The house had a laundry, food store, library, kindergarten, post office, bank and even the centralized cooking facility.

The Kremlin

Always a thrill to see St Basil's Cathedral!

the building that houses the music conservatory

large gold-colored treble cleff on top

Jim, Chad, Bethany, John, & Dori
(don't they look cold)

Tolstoy Estate- Yasnaya Polyana

2010-10-13T16:00:00.012+03:00

Another beautiful Saturday, another wonderful adventure! This time we are going to visit the estate where Tolstoy was born and buried and lived most of his 82 years. His grandfather bought the land in 1763 and build his manor house. Tolstoy's Prince Bolkonsky in War and Peace is modelled on his grandfather, and the estate itself comes up in many of his works.

A man by the name of Dr. Andrew D. White, was visiting Leo Tolstoy. Tolstoy asked him, "I wish you would tell me about your American religion." Dr. White explained that there were a number of religions in America. Count Tolstoy said, "I want to know about the American religion...The Church to which I refer...is commonly known as the Mormon Church." Dr. White said, "I know very little concerning them." Count Tolstoy said, "Dr. White, I am greatly surprised...[They] teach the people not only of Heaven and its attendant glories, but how to live so that their social and economic relations with each other are placed on a sound basis...If Mormonism is able to endure, unmodified, until it reaches the third and fourth generations, it is destined to become the greatest power the world has every known" (A marvelous work and a Wonder, rev. ed. [1966], 435-35).

The bus we rode from Moscow to Yasnaya Polyana.

The marshrutka let us off at the top of this path that leads to Yasnaya Polyana. We walked down the trail and through the trees and field and found the wonderful world of Tolstoy.

Looking at the pond and up to the estate where Tolstoy lived. This is one of the three ponds on his estate.

Me, Aliene, and Marina. It was a great day!

The avenue of birch trees that go up the hill towards the main house. Tolstoy was particularly fond of the avenue and wrote to his wife about the "play of light and shade" and abundance of wild flowers, all "just as it was sixty years ago when I noticed its beauty for the first time and fell in love with it".

Scott, Jim, Marins, Aliene and Don

More birch trees. We were told that autum is the best time to visit. It was great!

The apple orchard through the birch trees. There are two horses in the orchard but they are very hard to see.

This is the stable where we saw horses, cats and geese wandering around.

Volkonsky House

More buildings on the grounds.

Tolstoy's house front view. Marina, Scott, guide, Aliene and Don. To the left is a temporary tent where we put on cloth shoe coverings. To the right is the veranda that is usually covered with vines but the veranda is being worked on.

Leo Tolstoy spent 50 years of his life in this house. The Tolstoys moved here after marrying. When the family was too big for the original building, it was enlarged by adding a closed-down tavern taken from the main road. Tolstoy moved into it (the tavern addition) to work on his War and Peace manuscript. Objects in the house are genuine. There are portraits, books and clothes displayed exactly the way Tolstoy had them. There are photos of the rooms with Tolstoy in them that show that the rooms are still in their original condition. In his library there is a copy of the Book of Mormon. WE SAW IT!

Walking to Tolstoy's grave.

Don, Jim, Marina, and Scott

Tolstoy's simple, unmarked grave

Nikolai, Tolstoys brother, invented the family myth of a "green stick" on which was written the secret of human happiness. The young Leo searched endlessly for the stick in the ravine where his brother had said it was buried. Tolstoy wrote in his diary, "all my best memories are conected with him" (Nikolai). Tolstoy asked to be buried there without any ritual.

Small fence around the grave made out of twigs from the Hazel nut tree.

We saw this fun tree while wandering on the grounds.

Beautiful landscape on the property. This picture was taken from behind Tolstoy's favorite bench.

Replica of Tolstoy's favorite bench made of slender sliver birch branches.

Geese and cats wander by the stables with the horses.

Having a break to eat corn chips and fruit!

Jim, Don, Aliene, Marina, Scott (I'm taking the picture)

This is a fun blossom/flower that was on a tree. Marina said when she was young she and her friends would pick the flowers and glue or tape them to their ears and pretend they were wearing earrings...darling idea!

A beautiful pond that has a bath house built on it.

This is the bath house. The first room with the door is where you would change. There is another room further back that does not have a floor. That is where you would get in the pond to take a bath. Clever!

Fun bridge made out of birch trees. There must be water under the bridge in the spring.

Parking lot where people are selling produce and freshly picked mushrooms from the forrest.

Tolstoy on his favorite bench.

Tolstoy by the pond on is estate.

A picture of Tolstoy in his house. This is one of the pictures used to keep the house looking original. This is the room where Tolstoy wrote Anna Karenina.

Tolstoy in the birch trees.

Sergiev Posad

2010-10-01T17:17:00.007+03:00

Sergiev Posad, Сергиев Посад, is another fun town a "few" miles or kilometers out side of Moscow. On a beautiful day, we decided to travel by train out to this town. We got up early (as we do on all adventures to walk 25 minutes to the metro, ride 30 minutes on metro, travel one and a half hours on the train) so we could arrive at the town and spend the day. We went with the Andersons, and the Burtons.

View of the 14th-century monastery.

The Bird Lady (just like in "Mary Poppins") feeding the birds. She is outside the wall of the Church property. The wall is being worked on so all of the scaffolding is in the picture.

Trinity Monastery of St. Sergius

Sergius of Radonezh founded the monastery 1345. His blessing of the Russian military was believed to have inspired victory in a most crucial battle against the Mongol Tartars in 1380. For centuries, Russian czars and commoners trekked here in pilgrimage, traveling in gilded carriages or on foot for days or weeks, many fasting throughout the journey. The site was so charged with history that Stalin couldn't bring himself to raze it, however the monks were sent to labor camps after the Bolshevik Revolution. Stalin allowed the monastery to reopen after World War II.

A closer look at all of the detail.

We could buy bread and "pies" if we were humgry. Food is prepared in the basement for the monks and pilgrims. room and board is free to "pilgrims" if they help (sweep leaves, work in the garden, etc) at the monastery.

Cathedral of the Assumption

This is the oldest church. All of the monks take turns praying so that a monk is always praying in this chapel.

Bell Tower (blue) with the Chapel Over the Well in front. The structure over the well is carved with flowers and vines. The spring was discovered in 1644. Pilgrims still come with empty bottles, jugs, and buckets to fill with its holy water.

Residence of the Patriarch

Painting one one of the walls in the Cathedral of the Trinity.

Cathedral of the Trinity

Servius was cannonized after his death, and his remains lie in this cathedral. This cathedral has several woks by Andrei Rublev, Russia's most famous icon painter. This cathedral started a trend with its use of kokoshniki, the pointed arches that became a defining feature of Moscow church architecture.

Iconostasis is through the arch.

Closer look at the iconostasis, Old Testament Trinity.

Novodevichy Cemetery

2010-09-26T16:19:00.001+03:00

This is a GREAT Cemetery!

After visiting the Convent we walked down the street to see the Cemetery. The entrance was no different that any other entrance in Russia...with a gate and a fence. The cemetery was used for Russia'a feudal rulers and church officials. Later it came to be used for Russia's intellectuals and merchants. In the 20th century, it was the burial place for many of the Societ Union's most well-known citizens. Now, there are Russian authors, playwrights, and poets, as well as famous actors, political leaders, and scientists. More than 27,000 are buried here.

Looking into the Cemetery.

Headstones in the cemetery. They are all monuments.

notice the man, dog, clown, and other monuments

ballerina

This is the marker for Boris Yeltsin.

It is a Russian Flag.

Various markers of magnificient men or men that could afford magnificient grave markers

Nikita Krushov

(Nikita Krushov)

This wall has the markers of people that died 1972-1973.

Baby Doctor

Chekov

Tree

Hands with a precious stone/heart?

Tank

This lady left her store at the entrance to show us where the tank was located. We were having a difficult time finding it.

Novodevichy Convent

2010-09-26T15:58:00.003+03:00

Great day to play! The tour book said if you only visit one religious sight in Moscow it should be this one. So, we decided to visit it. Novodevichy Convent is still in use. It was a place where Ivan the Terrible and Peter the Great sent their "female foes." The convent was founded by Basil III in 1524 and the Cathedral of the Virgin of Smolensk was built. Most of the other buildings were added in the late 17th century by Peter the Great's half-sister, the Regent Sophia. She was confined here after Peter reclaimed his throne in 1689 to spend the rest of her life. Napoleon's troops tried to blow up the convent but, according to a popular story, it was saved by the nuns, who snuffed out the fuses.

We started with breakfast, hosted by Scott Conlin at his "mission home" apartment. Chad, Bethany, Jim, friend, Scott, friend, Devere, Leon, Arva, Linda, Aliene, Don, (I am taking the picture)
Novodevichy Convent

Chad, Bethany, Leon, Don, Linda, Aliene, Jim, Arva, Me, Devere, Scott, Friend, Friend

Another digital moment with two crazy volunteers from Kaysville

another view

Cathedral of Our Lady Smolensk

We were invited into this building to hear five men sing beautiful Russian songs (both religious and traditional folk songs) in their deep Russian voices.

One of the songs the men sang was the "Volga Boat Song."

WOW!

Inside the Cathedral of Our Lady Smolensk.

The fortress-like walls surrounding the convent to sequester daughters, sisters, and wayward wives of the nobility!

Icon painting

Crown

Brocade Gowns

С ДНЕМ РОЖДЕНИЯ ТЕБЯ

2010-09-24T19:17:00.004+03:00

С ДНЕМ РОЖДЕНИЯ ТЕБЯ,

С ДНЕМ РОЖДЕНИЯ СТАРЕЙШИНА ТФДЖИ,

С ДНЕМ РОЖДЕНИЯ ТЕБЯ.

Jim had a GREAT Russian/American Birthday!

Everyone sang Happy Birthday to him in Russian during the Devotional, he had fresh (not factory made as the Russians call the cake here) chocolate cake to share, and a delicious dinner at the Starlight Diner (a favorite American restaurant where a fairly good milkshake is served.)

Jim, Leon, Linda, Devere, Arva, Scott and I am taking the picture!

Sunday afternoon surprise adventure

2010-09-23T17:29:00.003+03:00

Sunday afternoon, on our way home from church, we like to walk through Red Square and go past St Basil. The bus stop we use gives us a bit of a walk, and we like it. However, we decided to get off the bus at the next stop and see where that put us-closer or farther away. Surprise! It was about 2 miles past our original stop and right in front of Christ the Savior Cathedral. Great! We always wanted to visit this cathedral and now was a perfect time! We can see this cathedral from all over town because it is so big. We have read that it was used as a swimming pool during the war. We went inside and as usual, it was beautiful.

Christ the Savior Cathedral

Bell tower to the side of the Cathedral.

The grounds by the Cathedral.

Peter the Great statue in the Moscow river. It is by the Cathedral.

Standing on the bridge behind the cathedral.

Standing on a bridge behind the cathedral. The Kremlin is behind me.

There are two lions at the entrance to the grounds to the cathedral. (Reminds me of the lions at the Capital building in Salt Lake City.)

Sand sculpture event by the cathedral. Great detail!

As we were walking around the grounds, this limo pulled up and and bride and groom with their party pulled in front of us. Wedding couples travel all around town with their wedding party and put flowers on historical monuments. (The Krasny Oktyabr Chocolate Factory is the red building on the left in the back. Krasny Oktyabr was the Soviet name of the company, meaning "Red October" and celebrating the Communist Revolution. The factory was first called Einem. In 1918, it was renamed Government Factory No.1, Formerly Einem. It became Kransy Oktyabr in 1922.)

More of the wedding party and the photographer!

Honey Fair

2010-09-23T16:44:00.000+03:00

Honey is VERY popular in Russia. Everyone LOVES honey. Therefore MANY people have bee hives and create all types of honey flavors. We decided to visit the honey fair that is always held for 3 or 4 weeks in September. Great adventure! It was located by Tzaritina Park. We got off the metro and followed the line of people that were passing us with sacks full of plastic containers full of honey! The fair was amazing. Jim figured there were about 700 booths or venders with their own special kind of honey. Each booth had a little shelf in front with small cups or dishes full of their different types of honey. Small plastic toothpicks or spoons were close by for us to sample the honey. How fun! Every sample of honey I tried was delicious, however, this was not the case with everyone. I always tried the normal looking honey but others were more daring and tried honey that had "stuff" in it. Yuck! BUT, we did come home with some great tasting honey! We had a great time! It was so good I made hot bread with butter and honey for the young adults on Monday for FHE!

One of the many vendors with their honey.

Linda, Jim, and Jack standing with our honey on one of the long rows at the honey fair.

Francis holding a large wooden spoon/ladel used for putting honey in our containers.

The Chambers of the Tsar Alexey Mikhaylovich / the wooden house at Kolomenskya Park

2010-09-20T16:49:00.004+03:00

This building was worth the wait. It was being rebuilt in a different place in Kolomenskya Park. We found this sign that told us about the building. It is the Chanbers of the Tsar Alexy Mikhaylovich.

The Chambers of the Tsar

Alexey Mikhaylovich

Standing in front waiting for our tour in Russian. No English tours available. Jim, Jack, and Leon

Linda, me, and Francis

The front view of the "Chambers."

side view

The wood work and the decorations are amazing!

A different side of the building.

The back of the bulding
While we were waiting for our "Russian tour," we decided to go to the apple orchard and pick some apples from the apple trees. However, the apples had already been found, picked and eaten by all of the other park visitors!
This is our Russian tour guide dressed in a traditional dress of the Tsarina. The Russian women were to keep their hair covered. The detail on her head covering is amazing!

Standing on the front steps, on our way into the building, we looked up and saw this painting on the ceiling...a lion and a unicorn. Maybe the guide talked about this but we didn't have anyone there to translate it for us.

This is the front door into the buildilng.

This is the double headed Eagle. It is on the ceiling in the first room.

hallway

This is the dining hall. The Tsar's table is to the left. He has his own table. No one shares it with him. It is about the size of a card table. (I had a picture of the Tsar's table too but it accidently got deleted from the blog when I was deleting extra spaces...oops!)

Another celiing picture. This has the sun and moon and stars.

Looking at the Throne.

Another look at the Throne.

The Tsar's Throne

This chandelier has two cows in it.

Bed Chamber

another hallway

furnace in the Bynya

Hot Tub in the Bynya

The Bynya

Kolomenskya Park

2010-09-17T10:04:00.000+03:00

One Saturday we decided to visit Kolomenskya Park. The weather was great and we wanted to see one of the beautiful parks in Russia. We saw churches and a palace, noticed a horse and carriage, were amazed at their "stick" fences, had a picture taken with a lady in her traditional costume, enjoyed the view of the Moscow River, strolled forever through the apple orchard (it was planted for the "people"), and tried to find the wooden building that we were told was in the park. We loved the day but could not find the building. Just before we left the park on our way to the metro we found the wooden building. That will be an adventure for another day!

Stone Church of the Ascension of the Lord. Built in 1529 by order of the Tsar Vasily III to commemorate the birth of his son and heir, Ivan the Terrible.

Colonel Palace

Horse and carraige ride in Kolomenskoe Park.

Russian native costume / American tourist

I took a picture of this building, but I am not sure what it is used for.

We really like the stick fences they have over here.

mmmm donuts

2010-09-06T17:10:00.002+03:00

We walk past this little place every time we are at the service center. He makes donuts and cooks them while we watch. After they are done, he sprinkles powdered sugar on them.

TASTY!!!

buying the donuts...
eating the donuts
YES, they are very good!

Institute Registration Party

2010-09-06T17:03:00.004+03:00

In Institute this year they will be studing the Doctrine and Covenents. So, the theme for the party was pioneers. White beans with ham, corn bread, and honey butter was served for dinner and peach cobbler for dessert. Yum, they all loved it! Before eating they had to register - the guys received a red bandana and the girls received a sash. After dinner there was a spiritual thought with pioneer stories followed by pioneer dancing and then a special pioneer movie. Everyone had a great time.

Andre and Sergy with some young adults
more young adults

the food table
corn bread, honey butter, sliced white bread
beans in the crock pot
Bethany, K Lyn, Dori - Aliene and Don in the back at the registration table

clean up crew
Don and Jim

home made Caviar...

2010-09-06T16:39:00.004+03:00

Alexander went fishing in his home town area of Vladivostok. This is some of the "cavier" from the fish. Russians LOVE cavier.

Alexander was very excited to share his caviar (that his sister in law had made) with the office. Most were excited to taste it. Take a slice of fresh bread, apply some butter, and then spoon on the caviar. Take a big bite...delicious....?

Vladimir, Alexander (holding the red caviar), Bob, Jim, Denis, Andre

all excited for the caviar party...
the Caviar
(comonly known as fish eggs)

Alexander, mmmmm

Jim has it in his mouth.....

I just asked him if it was good...

what do you think?

Elder Anderson was raised in Alaska...

he is going back for seconds like all of the Russians.

Jim and Bob only needed to have it one time.

tzaritsina park and fountains - digital moment

2010-08-31T20:09:00.000+03:00

We have been to Tzaritsina Park a few times during the day time but we all decided to go in the evening (after watching the 'dress rehersal' of the culture event for the Kyiv Temple) because we had heard about the lights and the fountains. We are so glad we did! The fountain and lights were magnificient! We took the opportunitu to have many digital moments.

the fountain with lights - the fountain was choreographed to music

Aliene, Me, Doty, Linda, Linda, Fran

John, Leon, Scott, Don, Jim, Marc, Steve

Us with Linda and Steve

Leon and Linda Budd, Linda and Steve Rees, Fran and Marc Anderson

Aliene and Don Overly

John and Doty Carpenter with Linda and Steve

Scott Conlin with Linda and Steve

Russian Buildings at Izmylova

2010-08-30T19:05:00.000+03:00

We went to Izmylova to do some souvenier looking with Rob and Marsh. We went up passed the shops to the buildings. I started taking pictures and a guard told me to stop and pointed to a building. We figured we were to go in and by a ticket to allow me to take pictures. We bought the pass and then took these pictures. I thought it was worth it to get these beautiful Russian buildings in the summer time. I do have a picture of this building in the cold winter!

Kyiv Temple Dedication Events

2010-08-29T06:00:00.001+03:00

A picture of the Kyiv Temple should be here BUT we have not been there YET...however, we were able to be a part of the Dedication and the Culture activity from Moscow. The members are so excited to have a temple in their area. Many of the youth practiced and learned dances to be performed the night before the dedication at the Culture Event. They were so excited to be able to perform in front of President Monson, President Uchtdorf, Elder Nelson and the Area Presidency. There was a group that learned songs because they would be singing at the dedication. We watched the last "practice" before the youth left on the night train for Kyiv. It was great because of all of the excitement for the event. The Culture Event was broadcast live from Kyiv to Moscow and other areas. It was exciting when our youth in Kyiv were dancing on the television and the members in Moscow cheered them on from our little building in Moscow! Unforgetable Memories!

The room where the Temple Dedication was being broadcast in English. Missionaries and the International Branch were in this room. Jim is in the center of the picture in his dark suit, gray hair, and big smile!

At the end of the Culture Event, all of the Missionaries in the Kyiv area, and maybe more, filed on to the stage.

Our youth the night of the last practice.

Tonya

All of our youth after they performed in our small building in Moscow.

Some of our young men doing a Russian dance.

Victor, Sergey, Maxim, RM Elder Kadirov

Our young women doing a Russian Dance.

Tonya, Marina, Sofia

The group of youth that sang at the dedication.
Acia (in the purple skirt)

Riga and the Baltic Sea

2010-08-17T19:21:00.000+03:00

Lucky Us!

Serving in Russia has its perks! We were able to go to Riga again for our Visa activation. This time when the driver picked us up he took us to the Baltic Sea on our way to our hotel. BEAUTIFUL!! We liked it so much that we went back after we checked into our hotel. We found the train station and bought two round trip tickets to Jumalya which is the big resort on the beautiful beach. We walked down a cute little street in Jumalya and then turned and walked the other direction down the white sandy beach. It was wonderful! There is always a new place to explore and something new to see.

Fun street in Jumalya

8:30 am on the Baltic Sea

Valeri, a member of the church, and the person that helps with the visa process. He picked us up from the airport and took us to the beach. He lives walking distance to the beach.

beautiful beach

Walking down the beach, we needed to put our feet in the water and cool off. Remember, we are volunteer's and it is OK for us to do this!

Notice how shallow the water is. There is a child way out behind me on his knees.

Beautiful Bolshoi Beach

The train from Riga to Jumalya

While walking thru Old Town in Riga, we found these cute ladies singing some really fun songs.

We ate an early dinner in Old Town Riga at the Steak House and yes, we ordered a steak! It was pretty good.

We have seen these two men playing their accordians every time we have been in Riga. They play very fun music and are located on the street leading into Old Town.

This is the view out our hotel window...beautiful!

Lido

We rode on a red double decker bus to this restaurant. It was a cafeteria with good food. I ate a blini that was made out of potatoes (just like the blinis WE make at home...tasty!)

We stayed thru Sunday so we could go to church. This is where the Branch has their meetings.

Can you tell...the top sign belongs to the church.

smoke

2010-08-16T18:29:00.002+03:00

Moscow is not known for its clean air BUT THIS WAS TERRIBLE. I am happy to say that we are still healthy after breathing all of this stuff!

The summer temperatures were HIGHER than normal and the percipitation was LOWER. We had been smelling fires from what we were told were peat fires for amost two weeks. Then on Wednedsay, August 4, we woke up to SMOKE! We couldn't see a thing. Yes, we walked to the office and smelled like smoke (my favorite smell from Muler Park). Thursday was not as bad but it was still stinky and smokey. Friday we could not see across the street so they let the office workers go home early. Saturday was terrible. Most of the people do not have air conditioning, they just open their windows. Going home to an apartment, for most people, was not the best solution because they were still breathing smoke. Most people left Moscow. We were told that Monday, August 9, was a record breaker for people leaving Moscow. However, how do you cancel a vacation that has been planned with tickets purchased? You don't. Rob and Marsha came on Sunday, August 8, and we all had a great time. As a matter of fact, most people were gone when the smoke began to clear out. Rob got some beautiful pictures every day as the smoke gradually went away.

looking out my apartment window with no smoke

looking out the same window with smoke

another picture without smoke

same window with smoke

looking out the office window

We finally got out masks....and we are safe for now!

a Quilt for Marina

2010-07-28T14:02:00.003+03:00

Marina and Vasily

Great Friends

Vasily and Marina holding their new quilt.

Me, Linda, Aliene, and Marina

A message that was placed on the quilt.

We have a wonderful friend. Her name is Marina. She is so thoughtful and kind and always willing to help and do anything for everyone. Linda, the EEA doctor's wife, wanted to do something for her before she went home in September. She decided on doing a pieced quilt. I told her I would be happy to quilt it with her. First, we had to find quilting frames in Moscow. If anyone would have them it would be someone from the International Branch because they have their home belongings shipped, not brought in a suit case like all missionaries. Quilting frames were found but not the ones we were used to. These frames were made from PVC pipe. They were easy to put up and take down and one person could do it. We didn't have to "roll" the quilt, use metal clamps or thumb tacs. They worked great! (I figured the man that created them for his wife, and packaged them to sale retail, must have been related to my dad.) So...Linda, Aliene and I spent a few days quilting.

New Jerusalem

2010-07-19T07:51:00.002+03:00

We decided to go an another adventure to a place called "New Jerusalem". It is a Monastery that was founded in 1656 by Patriarach Nikon. Jim and Don just bought tickets for the train. See the long line? The line usually goes fast but there was some confusion about the tickets when they were buying them and the line grew very long! Oh well, Russia is known for lines!
It is Saturday morning and everyone is on their way to their dacha's for the weekend so....the train is crowded and warm! I am sitting about halfway back on the left and Aliene is on the right.
Never a dull moment! Our ride is over an hour so someone will come by with a cooler full of drinks or icecream or things to buy...someone was selling duct tape! This man is playing a song and singing. If we like it we can give him some money.

Entering New Jerusalem. The site was chosen for its resemblance to the Holy Land. The River Istra represents the River Jordan, and the buildings represent the 'sacral space' or holy places of Jerusalem.

Gate and Resurrection Cathedral built 1665 - 1685, identicall to a cathedral in Jerusalem with the same name.

Stone wall with towers (1690 - 1694)

Inside the Resurrection Cathedral...we tried not to disturb the service that was going on.

Stop for some fruit (nectarine) and a drink of water.

This place has a special bridge too but I an not sure it is for newly married couples. Instead of locks (I counted only 2 locks), fabric is tied on the bridge...maybe with a prayer?

This was Patriarch Nikon's residence (hermitage).

This is the River Jordan. Notice the cross, it has three boards that cross the main pole.

Jim has his hand in the River Jordan in Russia! There were many people by us getting ready to get in the water....changing in the bushes...some were already in the water.

Russian wooden building.

This is an old Russian home. It looks quite big and I don't know if all houses were this big. On the left is the shed and on the right is the house. A cute young man translated for us all of the things a babushka was telling about the house. It reminded me of a pioneer houme. The windows were made out of maple to keep the bad spirits away.

This was a special room for weddings and special occasions. There is a loom in the middle of th floor, a special dress, and benches all around the walls.

This was heavy!

That is a cradle hanging from the ceiling in the bedroom.

This is an eating area. Notice the special religous picture in the corner with the scarf around it. This is a very common look (the scarf around a mirror or picture) for old Russia.

Babushkas and Dadushka and children would sleep on top of the stove (behind the curtains). Notice the boots stuck in the holes on the side for drying.

Beautifully carved shutters.

Fun sledge with a beautiful and very common design painted on it.

Toboggan and old wagon wheels in the back.

There was a windmill on the property for grinding grain.

Wooden parts to the windmill.

wooden parts

This is the beautiful view out the front of the windmill.

June 21, 2010

2010-07-08T10:17:00.000+03:00

This picture was taken on June 21, 2010 at about 10:20 pm. You can just see the sun setting above the buildings. Look how much sun is in the sky! WE LOVE IT!! It will stay really light for almost another 40 minutes. This is out our NORTH window. We see the sun set and the sun rise like this out the SOUTH window at the office in the MIDDLE of the day in the winter time...but that is another story for another day and right now we are loving the SUN!!!

To celebrate the longest-day-with-the-most-sun (and because it was our 38th wedding anniversary) we went down to Arbat street. We had a mikshake at the Hard Rock Cafe and then walked the street and saw all of the artists and their paintings. Great evening! A few weeks back we bought two water color paintings of St Basil on this street and as we were coming out of Starbucks with our pastry, an artist stopped me and started sketching my face. We started to walk away because we were not interested in a portrait, however....he just kept drawing...and now I have a self portrait! Yes, it does look like me!

Suzdal

2010-07-04T10:03:00.003+03:00

One Saturday morning we left early and drove (we hired a driver) to the town of Suzdal. We were told it was an important town to see on the "Golden Ring" around Moscow. It was 134 miles out of Moscow and it should take about 3 hours to get there, alowing for traffic. Well, it took us 6 hours to get there because of traffic! However, the ride was great because we weren't driving and we could visit and see the beautiful green trees and the creative way the Russians drive...they make 5 lanes out of 2! They pass on the shoulder! The return trip was only 3 hours.

We loved Suzdal and felt like we were going back in time. It is always good to out of the city!

We are on our way to Suzdal, this is what the name looks like in Russian.

Old brick sidewalk through town.

It is a beautiful little town. It reminds me of a little pioneer town but it has cathedrals and an old Kremlin (Kremlin means fortress in Russian) wall around it. Not a lot has been refurbished so we can see buildings as they really were. This town has written history from 1024.

Sweet little babushka that makes little boots (the size of a finger). She prayes while she makes the boots so they will bring you safety, health, or happiness.

Alene and I by an old gate.

(digital moment)

Quilt Sale

These ladies are dressed up in their native costume and selling their quilts and other bazzar items.

Cathedral inside the Kremlin

The white wall is the Kremlin wall. I love this quaint little road with the pink peonies and the horse at the end of the lane.

The Nativity Cathedral inside the Kremlin.

Jim, Don, Jack

Beautiful countryside with a Russian building on the left.

A beautiful Russian wooden building.

Lunch in a Russian Restaurant

Jim, Aliene, Frances, Don, Jack

Daches and gardens on the river.
Daches are summer "homes" and most don't have water (plumbing) or electricity.

cathedrals in the background

BEAUTIFUL countryside and river

cathedrals

A Lunch to Remember!

2010-07-01T09:46:00.003+03:00

It is so fun being in the mission field because General Authorities are always coming to visit! There are 14 missions in the Europe East Area and something exciting is usually happening. The Moscow Mission was having a special conference and all of the members were invited. A convention hall was rented at a hotel that was big enough to fit everyone. Elder Perry and Elder Rasband came for that meeting. Both of them spoke along with their wives...EXCELLENT! We (the missionaries) were able to have a special meeting with them the day before and introduce ourselves and shake their hands...MORE EXCELLENT!! It is a blessing to be able to be in their presence and exciting to see how they have meetings with the missionaries. They are constantly asking questions and having missionaries respond! They were "here" for a week, along with Elder Scott, flying to different missions. At the end of the week the Area Presidency was having a two day meeting with Elder Perry, Elder Scott, and Elder Rasband. I was asked to prepare a lunch for them on those two days. YES, OF COURSE I WILL! To be able to visit and have a "digital" moment with two apostles and 4 members of the seventy...PRICELESS!!!

Elder Scott, Me, Nancy and Hyrum Hall, Elder and Sister Rasband, Elder and Sister Perry, Lydia, Linda Rees,

President Schwitzer, President Paul, President Manzhos

Just visiting...with Elder Scott!

More visiting.... with Elder Perry!

Yes, we are loving every minute!

Elder Scott, Elder Rasband, President Schwitzer, President Paul, President Manzhos, Elder Perry

Marina, Acia, Elder Perry and Sister Perry, Lidia, Me, and Linda

President Paul, President Manzhos, Elder Rasband, Elder Hall, Elder Perry, Elder Scott, President Schwitzer

another view

Linda, President Paul (President of Europe East Area), Me

On Thursday we served chicken salad croissants, strawberries, fresh pinapple, grapes, veggies, and chocolate cake with ice cream for dessert. On Friday Elder Perry and Elder Rasband had their wives for lunch. It was served in the conference room and not on this small table. Elder Scott said to me, "my wife is here, you just can't see her". We served broccoli salad, homemade rolls, fresh fruit salad with pudding on the top, and a peach dessert.

Clean up crew:
Steve Rees (doctor for the Europe East Area), Jim, and Linda, I helped too but someone had to take a picture!

Our adenture to Gzhel - to shop!

2010-06-30T10:27:00.003+03:00

Waiting for the train from Moscow to Gzhel.

Linda, Arva's two daughters, Aliene, Arva, Arva's sister, Linda

Lunch at McDonalds in the "special birthday party room". There were 14 of us so the manager put us in this room.
Left side is Arva, her 3 daughters and her sister, Sisters Jones and Dayberry in front between Shrek, Linda, Don, Aliene, Linda, and Bethany in back, Chad and I are taking pictures.

We have arrived at the Gzhel store.

Look at all of the porcelin that is made right in this town of Gezhel! The factory is very close but we had already missed one train and taken a marshootka (and it was raining) so we didn't get to the factory.

Linda. Linda, me, Aliene, Sister Dayberry, Sister Jones and Bethany (in front) in front of a dacha in Gzhel.

produce (this looks good) being sold in front of a dacha

dacha

After shopping, we walked a mile or two and then through a little muddy trail, down through the trees to find the train.

Waiting for the train

Linda and I at the Gzhel train station. It has been raining all day...cute hair?

Culture Events

2010-06-23T00:02:00.012+03:00

Performance hall at night - a large golden treble cleft rotates on top of the building

We were on our way to watch a Russian Dance Group
Inside the building, looking out at the city (one of the seven sisters is in the background)
Don, Jim, Marina, and Aliene

Russian dancers

Russian Dancers with an accordian

Russian dancers

Russian dancers - they look like they are floating around the stage as they move from one position to the next.

The print of this fabric is a popular design in Russia

EMBASSY EVENT

We were invited to go to a Jazz Concert and the Spaso House. The Spaso House has been the residence of American ambassadors in Moscow since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and the Soviet Union in 1933. It was a great evening. Cold appetizers were served before the concert. Waiters were walking around serving drinks (Coke, apple juice, wine, vodka,...) on trays, and two big tables were covered in all kinds of finger foods. Three men played instruments (drums, saxophone, and organ/keyboard) for the concert. It was held in a room that looked like the ball room from the "Sound Of Music." They really "felt" their music. After the concert we were served warm "appetizers" and delicious desserts.
my napkin

THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO
The missionaries in our district invited us to go to the play/musical. It was fantastic. The music, staging, costumes, and acting were wonderful. It was all in Russian, but very easy to follow the story.
Missionaries: Elder Bruev, Elder Breedlove, Sister Champenois, Sister Khmelinina, Sister Jones, Sister Abram, Elder Nikolaichev, Elder Baldakov

Jim, Elder Baldakov, Elder Nikolaichev, Elder Breedlove, Sister Abram, Elder Bruev, Sister Jones, Sister Champenois, Sister Khmelinina, Elder Lex, Elder Miller

Jack Holmles, Sister Coles, friend, Sister Trunova, Elder Rudd, Gulya, Elder Perfilyev

actors - Count of Monte Cristo

Jim and I at the Russian National Dance with our missionary district.
RUSSIAN NATIONAL DANCE

Elder Bruev, Me, Elder Trotter, Elder Baldakov, Sister Khmelinina, Sister Abram with an investigator, and Elder Jessee behind

SLEEPING BEAUTY

Entering the Kremlin on our way to see Sleeping Beauty.

It was a beautiful ballet and music by Tchaikovsky (performed by a live orchestra) was great!

This is the building where we saw the ballet.

Inside the auditorium waiting for the ballet.
Me, Bethany Packard, Linda Rees, Alene Overly, Linda Budd (back), Arva Burton (front), and Dotty Carpenter

This is the Prince and Sleeping Beauty with other dancers after the performance was over. We could not take pictures while they were dancing. I could not believe how graceful the moves were. Did you know that Cinderella and her Prince, Little Red Ridinghood and the Wolf, Puss and Boots and the White Cat, and a Blue Bird and a Princess, all came to the wedding of Sleeping Beauty and her Prince....they did in this ballet!

THE MASTER AND MARGARETE

Our District went to see a play called The Master and Margarete. It was in the Tanganka Theatre (the theatre was built where a prison had been located). Interesting. During the Soviet period nothing could be written about God. This play was both light and dark. The story is of a man who has written a book on Pontius Pilate and Jesus' trial. The manuscript was rejected the author burns his manuscript, but it shows up again because...manuscripts don't burn! Margarita is in search of her lover (the writer) who has collapsed because his manuscript was rejected. She calls on the help of the devil. "The play is funny and sometimes critical of the soviet society between 1920 and 1940 and the devil does not at all appear a bad chap". This play was written during that time. Jim enjoyed the play...I thought it was interesting.

Jim and I, Sisters Abram and Dayberry, the Overly's, Elders Trotter, Miller, Cardoza, and Arutunyan.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

This poster was on the metro and was advertising the play Beauty and the Beast. We went to see it and the scenery was magnificient and the singing supurb. We knewthe story (no surprise there) so the only thing hard to understand was the jokes that were in Russian. We went with the couples and Sister Missionaries. I found myself singing the songs in English while the actors were singing in Russian. Sister Samsanovich was singing too, fun for us but probably not fun for those around us. We will have to ask Jim, he was sitting between us!

Beauty and the Beast group.
Jim and I, Sisters Sampsanovich and Elistrativa, Burtons and Holmes

RUSSIAN DANCE AND SINGING PERFORMANCE

Russian dancers and singers.

Costumes and dances and music was wonderful. This event was the singing and dancing "concert". The costumes were really fun and colorful. They were peasant looking or traditional looking and the singers and dancers changed a few times during the show. They have a different way of singing. Most of the sounds for the language are formed in the back of the throat so the singing is very full sounding. We were sitting close to the front and could see the singers very well. I loved it! They danced and I took a video of the famous Russian dances when they are down close to the ground and kicking their feet out in front of them. They were accompanied by an accordian and also three different sizes of the "Balalaika". That is the triangle looking guitar. There was a small one , three medium size ones that were played all the time (their hands were strumming extreamly fast), and one really BIG one that was used like bass fidel except it was not being played vertical, it was horizontal. I loved the Balalaika. It sounded so Russian and just like Dr. Zhivago. I think all of Russia is a culture event for me. We (yes, even Jim) loved everything (the dancing, the singing, the costumes, and sitting on the third row) about this event.

Riga--activating our new visas

2010-06-02T14:52:00.001+03:00

We had been in Russia almost 6 months and our visas were going to expire so it was time to leave the country (again) and activate our new visas. There were some passports that needed new visas put in them so we took them with us when we left Russia and went to Riga, Latvia. I had not heard a lot about that country so it was very fun to walk around and explore. It is a beautiful city on the Baltic Sea with a lot of history. We arrived early on Thursday morning and didn't leave to come home until Saturday afternoon so there was a lot of time to enjoy the city. We walked through Old Town, visited a museum, looked at buildings, ate ice cream and pastries, dined at the Blue Cow (delicious steaks) and Klondikes (a Mexican restaurant believe it or not), took a walking tour, shopped, strolled over a bridge, watched an American movie (Clash of the Titans) in ENGLISH accompanied by a LARGE bucket of popcorn, AND found 8 or 10 groups of men playing CHESS in the park! We had a great time!!

Riga Airport

A beautiful park by our hotel on our way to Old Town.

Lock Bridge

Newly married couples put their lock on the bridge and throw the key in the water.

Old Town Riga

Riga Cathedral

Old Town City Wall

This building is call the Cat house. On the top of the roof there are two cats. When the owner put them on the roof, they were looking in towards the house with their back sides facing out towards other buildings. The owner of the 'cat house' was upset because he had been rejected from joining the Guild which was housed in the building on the other side of the street. The owner of the other building was very upset and told him to change the direction of the cats (so that the back side of the cat was not facing his building). He would not, so they went to court. The other man won, therefore he turned the cats around.

Another picture of both cats on the Cat House.

Information Center

Our dinner at the Blue Cow.

Dandilions and daisies in the lawns.

Lilacs and lawn flowes?

Riga Old Town street.

Window box in Old Town.

The Swedish Gate in Old Town.

Wooden Shutters

Bridge looking back on Old Town.

Passing the time with CHESS!!

The Big Park

2010-06-02T11:44:00.000+03:00

The other day as we were getting off the metro we decided to go exploring behind the metro stop to see what was there. The snow was gone and there were no mud puddles to fall into so we figured it was safe. We walked along a long path, through many trees and then came out looking at this BIG area of grass where families were playing and people playing soccor. We couldn't believe that this BIG park was so close to our apartment. Little did we know that we were only looking at a very small portion of the park. There were ponds with fisherman and playgrounds and an amusement part just waiting to be found. As we were watching the soccor game we heard some sounds and words we understood...foul ball...strike...safe. We followed the sounds and came to another area where two softball games were being played! Imagine, an American game with American words in a beautiful park on a Saturday afternoon. We watched the rest of the game and enjoyed every minute!!

Soccor Game

Softball Game

One of the Ponds with Fishermen

Childrens Amusement Park

Not a perfect picture of Jim but the popcorn in the amusement park was great!

GREEN--and loving it!

2010-06-01T15:30:00.000+03:00

GREEN LEAVES ON TREES!!! When I look out my kitchen window, this is what I see. No more snow or mud or branches without leaves. I do not have to "imagine" what it will look like because I can see the green and I LOVE IT!! Also I would like to mention that as I look out this NORTH window, I can see the sun come up in the morning (if I happen to be awake that early--around 4 am) and set in the evening (around 11pm). In Russia, the sun does not come up in the East and set in the West. In the summer the sun comes up AND sets in the North (Northeast and Northwest). In the winter the sun comes up AND sets in the South (Southeast and Southwest).

Looking South towards Red Square and the Kremlin.
We watch fireworks out this window.

Another view looking South.

Alexander Gardens around the Kremlin

Tulips

Lilacs

Lilacs, tulips, grass and a piece of ground where nothing is growing.

Pansies forming the ribbon celebrating 65year end of WWII

Lilacs and Pansies

There is a fountain and an underground mall to the left.

St Petersburg with Kae

2010-05-06T16:10:00.003+03:00

We are on our way to our hotel. Behind us is the Peter and Paul Fortress and also the Peter and Paul Cathedral. We are standing at the spot where wedding couples will drink a glass of something and then step or jump on the drinking glass. The ground is covered with broken glass.

Smolny Cathedral and Convent was built for Peter the Great's daughter Elizabeth , but she became empress instead of living a life of solitude. Our guide told us one of the builders committed suicide in the building so it was never used as a convent.

We are on Hare Island going into the Peter and Paul Fortress. Sergey (in the blue hat) is our guide. There is a little statue of a rabbit that we can see as we go over the bridge to the island.

This is a picture of a plaza in the center of the fort. In order to get all of the rocks to make this plaza, there was a tarriff put on travelers entering the city and ships coming to the island. Each person needed to bring three rocks (the size shone) and each ship had to bring 15 rocks.

Inside the Peter and Paul Cathedral. The tombs of all Russian czars and their families are here.

This is the entrance to the political prison. Many people that were 'innocent' as well as those that were guilty were in this prison. We were standing in the rain for this picture.

Church of the Savior on Spilt Blood. This is where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated. Yes we were enjoying the rain. Life is an adventure!

St Isaac's Cathedral

Inside St Isaac's Cathedral

Winter Palace and the Hermitage Museum

Throne room and patterned parquet wood floor

Ballroom

another throne room

Katherine the Great's drawing room where she would withdraw to visit with her guests.

Imagine walking through many rooms and then walking down this hallway to visit the Czar!

This is a Bank. The "banker" would sit on the bench and have the money under him and inside the bench for him to loan or for when he receives it.

These stairs lead down to the theater room. Yes, just like the ones today except they had a stage and would act in their theater room. We just turn on the 'plasma.'

This is the original 'Prodigal's Son' by Rembrandt. We saw paintings by Davanci, Raphael, Pacasso, Vangogh, Monet, Renoir and others. WOW!!

another drawing room

Catherine the Great's Boudoire

another throne

St George Hall

winter sleigh

Dinner was at Yelki Palki for borsch and a mug of cranberry juice.

I needed a picture of this building. It is the Stroganoff Palace. One of my favorite foods in Russia is BEEF STROGANOFF. Borsch is very good also!

Peterhof was like visiting a story book land. The fountains and beautiful grounds on the property are magnificent. Pictures do not do it justice.

This is one of the MANY trick fountains that Peter the Great had put on his property. As you walk by the fountain, it will 'mysteriously' come on and get the person wet. Notice the man behind the white bench. He has the switch to turn it on.

This is the building where the orange trees would grow in the winter.

We ate at a traditional Russian restaurant called the 'Podvorye'.

Kae and I had beef stroganoff (I have always had it served with dill pickles over here). I was delicious!

Another palace belonging to Catherine the Great.

I could not believe all of the gold we saw in the palaces. The beautiful paintings on the ceilings seemed to change as we walked around the room (on the patterned wood floors).

When Catherine the Greats daughter Elizabeth came into power she decided to add rooms to the palace and decorate them differently. Her mothers style was out of date.

Moscow with Kae

2010-05-05T17:24:00.002+03:00

Izmylovsky Park eating a pork shishkebab (tasty) and Jim with his 'zhezl' stick (policemans stick used to pull cars over just because they want to) purchased as a 'gift' for someone that had been pulled over 39 times. Riding the Metro with our purchases from Izmylovsky Park. Taking the train on our way to church. The front door to our church building. The Tomb of the Unkown Soldier always guarded with an eternal flame. It is next to the Kremlin wall.

Sitting by the fountains that have statues of popular Russian fairy tales.

Outside the Kremlin Wall the flowers are starting to bloom and the walkways have just been painted the colors of the 'ribbon' (maroon and gold) to represent the 65th anniversary of the end of the Great Fatherland's War. (World War II)

Inside the Kremlin we went through the Armory and saw amazing things including the royal carriages, jewels, gold and silver everything with jewels and many more things we could not take pictures of. After the Armory we went through the Cathedrals that were inside the Kremlin.

Inside the Kremlin with the Tzar's cannon and cannon balls that were never used.

Inside the Kremlin by the Tzar's bell that broke and was never used.

We are standing by one of about 15 metal trees that has thousands of locks on it. Tradition says that on your wedding day you and your loved one put a lock on the tree and then toss the key into the river (on the other side of the railing) so your love will last forever!

Closer look at the locks.

Moscow River with the Kremlin wall, an administrative building (the Armory looks just like this building) and some of the Cathedrals inside the Kremlin.

Time for a break at Starbucks with hot chocolate and a pastry!

Beautiful St Basil with the clock tower on one side and the GUM shopping mall on the other side and Red Square in the middle of it all! (We are standing at the back of St Basil. Red Square is in front of St Basil.)

St Basil's Cathedral

Red Square snacking on apples. Bleachers (getting ready for the big celebration), the Kremlin Wall and Lennon's tomb behind Jim and Kae, and the big red building is the history museum. The yellow and white lines have just been painted so all of the military (Russian, all former USSR countries, French, United States, Poland, and Great Britian are invited) to know where to march and the Tanks know where to drive for the 65th year commeration.

Still snacking on apples on Red Square. This is the famous, and very expensive G U M shopping center. The big 'military ribbons' are in front of the building and are decorations for the celebration.

Inside the G U M shopping center.

Walking through the park on our way to one of the many summer palaces of Catherine the Great.

A Summer Palace of Catherine the Great. Back view.

Between the Palace and the Bread House (where the food is prepared).

The front of the Palace.

Trechakov's Art Gallery

Some of the pictures were the size of a wall.

brooms

2010-04-22T18:54:00.000+03:00

When the snow started to melt, I noticed the men that had been shoveling the snow and breaking the ice were now sweeping the sidewalks and all of the plazas. The brooms they were using were not like any brooms that I had seen before (except maybe on halloween). The brooms looked home made with a handle and a bunch of twigs tied around the top of them to keep them connected. Whatever they look like, the brooms work great!

comfort food

2010-04-12T17:57:00.002+03:00

Prague Again

2010-03-31T15:48:00.001+03:00

We were asked to take a passport to Prague to get a visa put in it and we were to wait there until it was compleated. Great!! So we left early on a Wednesday and came home later on Thursday. Prague was just as beautiful the second time. This time we rented earphones and had a self guided tour inside the Prague Palace and surrounding buildings. The passport was compleated later on Wednesday night so we had to stay until Thursday.
This time it was my turn to be in front of the cathedral. It was warmer outside than it was inside the cathedral. How did they enjoy church when it was so cold inside!

We were walking aroung the Golden Lane in the old city right by the cathedral and found this little place that served food. We were still very cold from being inside the cathedral so we went in and had hot chocolate and french fries! They were soooo good!

Mud Puddles

2010-03-31T11:56:00.000+03:00

After FREEZING cold temperatures we have been told that spring will come. However, the snow has to melt and there is no place for the icy cold water to go, therefore we get great BIG puddles of water. There are puddles EVERYWHERE we walk. The snow melts during the day and then the puddles are frozen during the night. If the puddle is deep it will only freeze on top so we could skate across the top (too dangerous) or fall in (this is not an option) or walk around even if it means going way out into the street! Nothing will stop a Russian.
This is a puddle we have grown fond of. Yes, it has been bigger. There is one just like it on the other side of the street and many more every where we go. This is a great adventure!

This puddle is a park just up from the metro (the last stop on the green line). There is a new mall with a food court on the third floor that looks out onto this park (puddle). I wonder if there is grass and if it will grow? Patience, spring is out there somewhere!

Womens Day

2010-03-31T11:05:00.002+03:00

Womens Day is a holiday. There is also a man's day that is called Defender Of The Nation Day. It is also a holiday but we were in Prague on that holiday. I think Womens Day is sort of like mothers day but not on a Sunday. We were invited to one of the branches party to celebrate on a Saturday evening. The holiday was on the folowing Monday. At the party there was a play titled the Frog Princess. It was taken from a fairy tale and very cute. There were also some musical numbers. There were two men that each sang beautiful songs and then a group of sisters that sang some fun folk songs. They were great. The sisters were some of the same sisters that sang at the service project. There was dinner with blenies and then we were taught a fun dance. Yes, we all danced. It was a great evening.
This is the sisters singing some of the fun folk songs. The accordian adds so much to the music.

Elder Dunn and Sister Gale doing a fun skit. Notice the shoes. They are a poor mans woven shoes.

The blue "gifts" are little towels for each sister. The men made them by finishing off the edges of each towel. The blue print is called Gzhel. It is a traditional print and very beautiful. There is a factory just outside of Moscow that makes white porcelin dishes with similar blue hand painted designs.

This is Alene Overly and her husband. It was her birthday so they put this "hat" or "crown" on her head for her to wear for the evening. All the sisters were given "collars" to dress up in for the dance. We had a great time!

Lev Simkin / Dr. Woubeshet Legal Counsel

2010-03-11T19:41:00.001+02:00

We had lunch at cafe Pushkin. It was delicious! We went with Lev Simkin who is the Church's local attorney for Russian. He is not a member of the Church but is very kind and really looks out for the Church. He knows many people in high places and know who to talk to get things done. He is Russian and speaks English with a heavy Russian accent. Dr. Woubeshet and his daughter Mastwal were also at the lunch with us. Dr. Woubeshet has a very interesting story. He is from Ethiopia. One of the Church's missionaries was in jail in Ethiopia because of visa problems and they needed someone to get him out. Someone from the church called Dr. Woubeshet and begged him to help. He replied that he was too busy. Then when the caller was almost in tears, Dr. Woubeshet's heart was touched and decided to help. He had never done any work for the Church before this and was not a member. He looked into the visa problem and found out that the missionary had payed for a multiple entry visa but was given a single entry visa by mistake. Dr. Woubeshet told the government officials that it was not the young missionaries fault but that it was the clerks fault . Jail is NOT a place anyone wants to be in Africa. The missionary was released. Dr. Woubeshet was so impressed with the people and the feelings they had for each other he decided to investigate the church. He was baptized a few months later. The day after his Baptism he left for a trip to Egypt and Russia. We had lunch with him only a couple of weeks after his baptism. He is now one of the attorneys for the Church in Ethiopia.
Jim - Lev Simkin - Dr. Woubeshet - Mastwal - I keep forgetting when we go places we are supposed to check our coats in a room in the basement (or ground floor). There is usually a Babushka there to take them. I have tried to take a picture of the babushkas and they shake their head and put their hands up. Also, everyone in Russia carries two bags. The men carry a "man purse" over their shoulder and also a plastic bag full of lunch or shoes, or papers, or something. So at this restaurant (and I am sure all of the nice restaurants) there is a little stool or table (about 12 inches high and about as big as a legal note pad) that is there just to put a bag or a purse on to keep it clean and off the floor. The waiter will pull the little stool right next to you for you to use. This is a very good idea because of all the snow and mud that is tracked in on shoes. Also, there is someone ALWAYS mopping up the floor in EVERY building ALL of the time. After lunch, Lev Simkin took Jim and I to a museum about Russian history. We both really enjoyed it very much.

We took Dr. Woubeshet and his daughter Mastwal to Conference with us the next day. We met them at the metro stop and walked over to the Central building. He was amazed to see so many people at the meeting. I'm sure he had not been to a conference, just a branch meeting. We got him a Book of Mormon in Russian for him to read. I also had one of the missionaries give Mastwal a Book of Mormon in Russian for her to read. She is not a member of the church. She wants to have discussions in the fall after school and after her trip to Virginia. I was talking to Mastwal after the meeting and she said, "all of the people are so happy!" She was amazed at all of the visiting and laughing that was going on before and after the meeting. We will help her make arrangements for her visa to travel to the United States.

This is the coat room at the church. No, there is not a cute little babushka there to take our coats in an orderly fashion. We were some of the first people there so our coats are under all of these coats. The walk way between the racks is big enough for two or three people to walk down on this end. No room now! There are about ten coats under every coat we see here. Dr. Woubeshet took a picture because he had never seen so many coats and people before. We decided to take one too!

Visa Trip / Prague

2010-02-25T18:52:00.001+02:00

Prague is one of the places we go to get our visas activated. It is also a fun place for a vacation too! Everyone speaks english so it was very easy to get around. When we got off the train from Freiberg and started to look for a ticket for the metro, a strange looking little man started to help Jim. He helped him get change and a ticket and also took us to the correct metro line. However, it took him about 30 minutes to do it. He would tell me "moment" and motion for me to stay put and then he would say something to Jim that he didn't understand. We did get separated while Jim went to get some change and we were both a little nervous about that but this little man turned out to be very nice and was just being helpful. Blessings!!

We had a delicious continential breakfast every morning at our hotel. This is the big room where it was served.

Streets of Prague. We were getting ready for our tour. Jim and I had the guide to ourselves for most of the tour. It was wonderful! He (Jerry) had lived in Seattle for about 35 years and could speak great english and had a fun sense of humor.

Prague with St Vitus Cathedral in the back.

St Vitus Cathedral

Walking across the Charles bridge.

St Valentine statue on top of the Charles bridge. Notice the heart on top.

We stopped for hot chocolate with our guide.

View of old town Prague.

Good King Wenceslas on his horse.

Two buildings they call "Fred and Ginger".

National Theater

Looking through arches on the Charles Bridge tower into Old Town.

The Peoples House

Powder tower, part of the old city wall.

Prague Palace

This is the "home" of the Italian Dutchess of Tuscany

Prague Palace Guard

Prague Palace (again)

Home of the Italian Dutchess of Tuscany

St Nicholas Cathedral

the Church of Our Lady with the Astronomical Clock

Astronomical Clock

Old Town Square with food stands.

Old Town Square

Old Town Square and St Nicholas Church

Czech Sausage being cooked at a food stand on Old Town Square

Jim eating his BIG Czech sausage - delicious!!

This is the church our hotel sent us to when we asked if they knew where the Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints or the "Mormons" was located. It is called the Church of Our Lady Victorious - Infant Jesus of Prague

Prague in every language

The Diplomat Hotel where we stayed on the 6th floor on the side where the sun is shining.

Visa Trip / Freiberg Temple

2010-02-25T17:37:00.000+02:00

It was a wonderful surprise for us to find out that for our first visa renewal trip we were asked to courier some passports also. That would mean we had to leave early enough to drop the passports off and stay until our visa would let us back into Russia. Oleg, from the visa and travel department, also suggested that we take a side trip into Freiberg, Germany and go to the temple because it was only a few hours away by train. We were thrilled and left two days later. Germany was a balmy 4 degrees C and that was warmer than we had ever been in Moscow! After the train ride to Freiberg, we started to walk into town. People smiled at us and offered to help us. We saw lots of children and even the alphabet was something we recognized and felt comfortable with. Jim wanted to use his German but most people wanted to speak English! We found the town and the first place we went was the BAKERY. We bought four pasteries (after all we needed some treats for the evening and something to eat for breakfast before the temple). We ate dinner at the Ratskeller and then it was a short taxi ride to the temple. We stayed at the temple housing and did sealings and a session before we had to leave on the train the next day. However, we walked from the temple to the train station because we knew the way and also we made a necessary stop at the bakery to pick up food for a picnic lunch at the train station.

Freiberg Temple and the patron housing behind it.

Freiberg Temple

Patron Housing

GREEN GRASS!!!

Happy as Ever!!!

A family from Slovinia we met at the temple.

Buying a slice of meat and cheese for a picnic lunch.

Buying rolls for our sandwiches.

Having a picnic while waiting for the train.

Freiberg train station.

Dresden train station where we transfered trains to go to Prague

Gorky Park

2010-02-12T19:34:00.000+02:00

We decided to go to Gorky Park. We really had no idea what to expect. We got off the metro and walked over the Moscow river on the bridge. We could see all of the ice on the river. Yes, it was a cold day and the ice has been on the river for quite some time. Across the river we could see the roller coaster that was part of Gorky Park.

This is the entrance to the park. We bought tickets to the left of the gate. The carousel is out in front and has two levels to ride on.

The ice skaters were everywhere! All of the walkways were covered with ice and the skaters were having a great time. One trip around this circle was much larger than the track around the football field. I should have packed my skates! The people don't rent their skates, they own them.

There are some children playing hockey out on this field. They had shoveled some of the snow away for their game.

We saw some reindeer that pulled a sled that you could ride on. There were also a lot of little childrens rides at the amusement park area. They must only run in the summer.

This is more of the park. We found at least three different large places where they were skating. Some of the areas had some fun Russian music playing. I took a video at one of the places so I could record the music. This was a beautiful place to spend the day!

We are on our way out. We have had a wonderful day and have worked up an appetite watching all of the skaters! We were with Francis and Jack Holmes, Devere and Arva Burton. We have learned to walk on the crunchy or squeeky snow because it covers up the slippery ice. When we walk we hold hands because it's romantic PLUS when we slip we don't fall down!

Ice Sculptures

2010-02-06T18:30:00.004+02:00

The sun was shining so we decided to play! We had heard about the ice sculptures at Victory Park and wanted to see them. We walked down to the metro and took the green line to the dark blue line and then a THREE MINUTE escalator ride UP into the sun shine. Victory Park was in front of us. Blocks of ice were stacked and then carved into the designs.

Frances Holmes, Arva Burton, Linda Rees, and ME! The ice sculpture says: Snovum Godum 2010, in Russian of course, which means "Happy New Year in 2010!"

This has Santa's sleigh on one side of the house and then his reindeer on the other side. Yes, it is cold. Steve Rees, Jack Holmes, Devere Burton and Jim wearing his levis!

Three sculptures are in this picture.

Devere Burton, Jack Holmes, Steve Rees, and Jim in front of two different sculptures.

Can you find the man, the donkey and the dragon?

This one might be a little easier to see the man, the donkey, and the dragon.

This one has Santa's sleigh on the right and the reindeer on the left and a beautiful house in the middle.

What were we thinking?

We saw this slide where all of the children were playing. I said that looks fun, we should go down with the children. So we did! I went first and Jim took a video of me. We only have pictures of Arva and Frances. It was amazing. We just brushed the snow off like it was dust.

The ice sculptures were magnificent! The slide was invigorating! The company was delightful! The day was perfect!

Service Project

2010-01-27T18:03:00.000+02:00

Members of the District, the couple missionaries and anyone else that wanted to, came to a care center for seniors to do a service project. We had so much fun. The sun was shining and that is always great for a start. We rode the metro down to a pretty part of town. There were not many tall buildings and I think we saw a park. We all waited to go inside to sing. (I do not know what the green building is, our building is to the left.) We sang "I Am a Child of God," and "O, My Father," and "As I Have Loved You." The American members all sat down after singing and just the Russian members sang Russian folk songs. I loved it! The folk songs were just like you have heard and imagined. The people in the care center would sing the songs too. It was so fun! After they sang we passed out bags with gifts inside. Later we went to the Burton's home and had lunch. Great day!

This is the Russian members singing their folk songs. The care center has a stage and seats like in a theater. It was a very nice place.

The people in the care center were having so much fun with the folk songs that they got up and started dancing. I took a video of some of the music. I felt like I was in the REAL Russia!

Our Missionaries

2010-01-27T17:20:00.016+02:00

WOW - Moscow was going to get a Stake!
Elder White, Elder O'Briant, Elder Bruev

Sister Trunova always wanting to help!

Elder White, Elder O'Briant, Elder Bruev, Elder Boldakov, Jim

Sisters Bullough and Turnova, Me, Jim,

Elders Bruev, White, O'Briant, Boldakov

Elder Boldakov, SisterBullough, Natalia, Elder Bruev

Elders Cordoza and Jessee

begging cookies from our FHE

Elders Nelson and Miller

Which way out of the metro?

District Meeting on Saturday evening after a service project and baptism. Sister Trunova, Elder Anderson, elder Baldakov, Elder O'Briant, Elder Bruev, Jim

Our neighbor, Natalia, gave us a whole fish (not cleaned) that had been prepared in a salt brine. The Russian missionaries helped Jim prepare it and LOVED it! Clean it, skin it, slice it, add sliced onions, oil and vinegar and eat. Serve potatoes with it.

Elder Bruev, Sister Trunova, Jim Elder Balakov

Sister Perry made lemon glaze to top a Betty Crocker cake. It was delicious!

Sister Trunova wanted to learn to make rolls (and I still do not have a rollilng pin).

Missionaries for dinner! Tacos and Fajitas!

Jim, Elder Anderson, Sister Perry, Sister Trunova, Elder Dunn, Elder Baldakov, Elder Rudd

We were getting ready to sing in church that day.

Sister Trunova, Me, Elder Dunn, Elder Rudd (on the piano), Irina Kolomitseva, Sister Perry

Omlets for breakfast at district meeting! Elder Hansen was not able to eat because he was recovering from food poisoning. Yuk!

Elder Dunn (Florida), Elder Ablett (London), Elder Hansen (Arizona), Elder Bolikov (Russia), Sister Trunova (Ukraine), Sister Chapenois (Finland/Utah)

Sisster Khmelinina, me, Sister Champenois

District meeting with a role playing discussion about prayer.

We had just finished eating omlets.

Elder Dunn, Elder Bruev, Jim, Sister Kmelinina,

Sister Champenois, Elder Jessie, Elder Baldakov

We had our mission district meeting on July 3rd. We decided to have a Red, White and Blue party for our American Independance Day and also the Russian independance that was celebrated on June 12. All of the missionaries wore red, white and blue. We had pancakes with rasberry syrup and jam and blueberry syrup and jam and spray whipping cream to top them! We also had scrambles eggs with ham and cheese. The training was on our strong nations and how to make our mission strong. Great missionaries!

Elder Trotter, Sister Abram, Jim, Elder Baldakov, Elder Jessee, Sister Khmelinina, and Elder Bruev

Elder Kaderov

He taught many times at our home (apartment).

For Districk meeting we had the missionaries over for omlets. Elders Artunyan, Cardoza, Miller, Trotter,Sisters Dayberry and Abrum and us We invited the missionaries over to have a Christmas dinner. They decided December 26th was a good day for them. We had pot roast in the crock pot, fried potatoes, beans, fresh bread with butter and strawberry jam, and peach dump cake for dessert. I thought it was just OK but the missionaries said they loved it. I won't question their motives! Back row: Elder Hanson, Sister somebody, Elder Miller, Elder Demchenka. Front: an extra guest (a member friend of the Sister), Sister Visitiv, Sister Abram, Elder Arutunian. The missionaries called and wanted to use our computer to use "google earth" and mark members and priesthood holders on a map for the mission. They said they would make us dinner. We said great! So here they are making Borsh in the kitchen. It was delicious! Elder Breedlove is grating the beets. He is wearing one of Jim's t-shirts to protect his white shirt from beet juice. Grated carrots are in front and there are two bottles of filtered water from the filter on our sink.

Sister Perry, Sister Dayberry, Elder Hansen and Elder Breedlove in the kitchen. Elder Kodirov and Elder Hochstettler on the computer.