Christmas on Red Square

Merry Christmas to us! While santa was visiting our homeland we decided to go exploring. We left on Christmas morning (after we had our omlets) and visited Ismylovski Park. Then after finding the bazzar almost empty we decided to visit Red Square. Jim chose the metro stop. He figured it must be the one translated to mean Revolution Square. He is getting so good with his Russian! It was so exciting to be there. We saw St. Basil, a big ice skating rink made just for the season, Lenin's tomb, the GUM department store, Father Frost and his granddaughter the Snow Maiden and much more. A most memorable Christmas day!

Entrance into Red Square is through the arches in the back.

Jim with St. Basil in the background.

We thought you would like to see a REAL Babushka. She is not wearing the traditional scarf around her head because she has a new hat (stocking cap). She must be happy because most babushkas don't smile!

The Historical Museum behind Jim.

Lenin's tomb

Moscow Mission Christmas Party

December 24, 2009

We had so much fun! The party lasted all day (we were gone for twelve hours) and it was just like being with family. There were games and ping pong in the basement. The movie, "It's a Wonderful Life," was shown, missionary skits, talent show, pictures taken, snacks all day and dinner in the evening, a mission movie, a new nativity movie, white elephant gift exchange, lots of visiting and meeting new people. All in all we had a great time!

Games in the basement.

Jim playing Settlers with the missionaries. Just like home
(except Alex and Tate weren't there).
He also played chess with Elder Arutunian.

Elder Hansen. First met him as we were "running" with
Elder Nikolyachev (very tall, therefore we had to run to keep up with him)
and Elder Hansen in the metro on our way to our new branch.

President and Sister Cranney with their two children,
(others are in Utah)
singing Silent Night in Russian.

Signs of Christmas

After the Church devotional and luncheon at the Central building.

We were walking back to the metro (there is always a

10 to 20 minute walk after getting off or going to

the metro). We all paused for a "kodak" or "digital" moment.

Hyrum & Nancy Hall

Dadushka & Babushka

Devere & Arva Burton

Leon & Linda Budd

This picture is for anyone who ever:

worked at a Christmas tree lot,

shopped at a Christmas tree lot,

cut down trees for a Christmas tree lot,

or just drove by a Christmas tree lot

and got excited for Christmas and the wonderful fresh scent of pine.

They are not very big but when you are traveling by bus

and metro they are just the right size!

The Guys at the Office

This is Denis, and this is his car. He drives on the right side of the car! Yes, that is where the steering wheel is. He was taking us to look at apartments. We froze that night and didn't move out of the apartment we were in. Patient, kind Denis!

The office eating lunch at a restaurant on the main floor
of our building (it was Jim's turn to buy).
Jim, Denis, Rick, Alexandr, and Vladimir,
we LOVE working with these guys!

Views from our Windows

Jim's view out his office window. Our office is on the 14th floor.

Everything on the far side of the road is apartment buildings.

Our view out our bedroom window. Yes, more apartment buildings.

Our view out our kitchen window. We are on the 18th floor. Between the two darker apartment buildings in the upper left corner is where our office is. We are glad the sun came out so we could take the pictures. We love it here! Imagine green leaves on the trees!

BURRRRRR many degrees below any temperature!!!

After a 15 to 20 minute walk to the office, Jim stands at the elevator while the guards watch me take a picture. Like his red cheeks!!

Bundled up warm! Ready for the cold (I still have not found a hat.)Yes, I am dressed for the office under the coat!I have a dress and pants on and much, much more!

See, This is my skirt, and red sweater, and black hoodie that zips up and pants and my boots are at the door with my coat and gloves.

This is Jim. His sweats are under his suit pants and his Utahsweatshirt is over his suit coat. When he got to the office, Rick said he couldn't wear that in there.Jim just laughed and explained about the two universities to the guys at the office!

Izmailovsky Park

Saturday we went to Izmailovsky Park. It was ten to 15 degrees Below freezing!! We had a great time. It is like a swap meet or a flea market. You can see the towers of it behind Jim. He is standing by Steve Rees in the Russian mink hat. He is the Area Doctor. Next to him is Hyrum Hall. He is the executive secretary to the Area President. Everything you can imagine that is small and Russian is there. We were outside from 9:00am when we left to about 2:30 when we stopped at the Rees's home to have homemade chicken noodle soup. Jim and I loved this place. Jim found more things inside to buy than I did. Imagine that! This is one place that we will come back to. After all we did not buy anything and we would love Russian ornaments and matryoshka nesting dolls!

While we were in Izmailovsky Park we found this public square and Santa was there with some children. They were dancing and singing songs. I took a video of them. There was also a wedding in one of the buildings. Jim is standing with Linda Rees. The buildings are beautiful.

We are standing in front of some of the shops. They are all outside. This is an open air bazzar. Do we look cold? The red coat I got from mom is a real life saver in more than one way...it keeps we warm down to my boots and when we get off the metro everyone can spot me and the rest of the group. Most everyone here wears black. About ten percent wear real fur coats of bright colored leather. It snowed on one of the first few days were here and they try to shovel the walks but they say that this snow will be on the ground until spring. Other snow storms will just add too it. I love this winter. I don't have to drive in the snow or bad weather I get to walk and I have warm clothes and boots to keep me warm!!

Matryoshka dolls...Matryoshka dolls...Matryoshka dolls. There is every kind of matryoshka and nesting doll you can think of, even a BYU football player! You can buy dolls that nest from three dolls up to 30 or more. However, the most popular is the nesting doll with seven dolls...seven they say is a family!

Getting Around

We went to the International Branch the very next day. We left at 7:50 to take the bus, the metro, and the walk 15 minutes. The gray part is where we had Sacrament Meeting. The round part is where we had Sunday School and Relief Society. After we went to Rick's home and had dinner and played some new games. That evening we tried to sleep but with no success.

This is a Russian STOP sign--C has the sound of our S--T has the sound of our T--O has the sound of our O--the last letter that looks like in the symbol for "pi" has the sound of our P.

We are riding the metro back to the Area Presidents office (in our office building) after a meeting at the Area office. This is David Stapley, the Director of Temporal Affairs, Rick Page, Area Legal Counsel, Ray Whitesides, Area Comptroler over finances.

Our Russian Home -- At Last!!

We are here!!! After a LONG flight from Salt Lake to New York (14 or 15 hours plus a 90 minute lay over), we departed the airplane, found our way through to the visa check, found our luggage and then found Rick. Richard Page is the paid legal counsel for the church. This is the airport and the parking lot with Rick's car. Our luggage ALMOST didn't fit. He had a camry. I sat with some of the luggage in the back seat.

This is where we shop. It is called Seven Continents. It is between our apartment and the office. It is very nice. We went there the first day and bought milk and jam. The Nearon's that rented the apartment before us bought us groceries before they left. Yea, and a great big thanks to them! Now we can gradually by things that we need.

This is our apartment. We live on the 18th floor. In case you are curious, this picture was taken around two in the afternoon. It has been very cloudy since we came. We walk past two little play grounds for the children. The parents are always pushing their babies in the baby buggies outside in the below freezing weather.

This is our front door to our buiding. It is the first of four doors we need to go through. The guard is inside the second door, then we have an elevator that is only large enough for MAYBE four people if we hold our breath. We brought our luggage up on the freight elevator that is just a bit bigger.

It Was Perfect

We had five parking places reserved for our family. Twenty-nine names were approved to go into the Church Office Building. Everyone was dressed in their Sunday best. We were all very excited. We drove into the underground parking, left our cars and walked on all of the yellow walk ways to find our way to the entrance to the Church Office Building. We found it! Up the stairs and we were ready to check in at the front desk. It is a good thing we were early because it took a few minutes to get all of the name tags printed. We took a few pictures (after all, we don't do this every day) and made a few memories and then we were off to the elevators to go up to the Office of the General Counsel. What a happy wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, daughter and daughter-in-law I was. This day was a very special day. We were all invited into the conference room in the General Counsel Office. Elder Wickman came in. He very politely went around the room and met everyone. He talked for a minute and then he invited all of the Melchizedek Priesthood holders to stand in the circle. Jim was set apart first and then it was my turn. Jim, my dad, Marcus, Brian, Matt, Brett and Elder Wickman were all around me. It was perfect. Everything I needed to hear was said. Every blessing I needed was given to me. It was wonderful and peaceful and perfect!

Speaking In Church

The hardest part is over! I am referring to SPEAKING IN CHURCH. We were wondering when it would happen. We thought it would be a Sunday before or after Thanksgiving (the 22nd or the 29th) but to our surprise it was on the Sunday before that (the 15th). We had one week notice. Speaking in church should't be that hard...but when you factor in family and the fact that they are part of what you are talkling about and the fact that they came to listen to YOU and the rest of the congregation only listens with one ear...I am very glad we have crossed that hurdle. A BIG THANK YOU to everyone that came or helped or even thought about us that day. We have the best family AND friends. It was wonderful to see everyone (I am NOT referring from the pulpit).

Only three weeks left. The basement is more finished than we had hoped, our traveling in the United States is done and we will be sleeping in our own beds until we leave and our "see you later" parties are over. What's next?

CONFIDENTIAL

We have finally received (July 23, 2009) an official letter from the Office of the General Counsel or in other words we have received our "mission call." We did not receive a traditional letter from the Missionary Department like Jim remembers receiving when he was called in his youth to serve in Germany. Instead, our call came confidential in the form of a contract. ("This letter confirms our mutual understanding of the general terms and conditions of your assignment in this capacity. . . . Please confirm your agreement with the terms outlined in this letter by signing both copies if this letter and returning one copy to. . .") Jim and I both laughed out loud. It talked about transportation, housing, what Jim will be doing, expenses, insurance etc. Everything appears so Legal in the Legal department. We received another letter. This one was sent to our Bishop and Stake President and we received a copy of it. It was very nice and very complimentary towards us. (Elder and Sister Tadje are highly regarded at Church headquarters, as I am sure they are in your stake. I am delighted with their willingness to serve. . .) The big question on our minds is WHEN ARE WE LEAVING? Do you think that "early December" means that I should NOT decorate for Christmas?

I Hope They CALL Me On A Mission

It is OFFICIAL. After many phone calls and interviews and even lunch at the Church Office Building, Elder Wickman called today to extend the call! Jim will be serving as associate legal counsel to the Eastern Europe Area located in Moscow Russia. Susan will be serving with him under the direction of the Area Presidency. We will leave the first part of December. Our calll is for 18 months. We will not be going to the MTC and we will not be wearing name tags. We understand that the winters are very cold (highs are in the 20's) and the nights are extremely long, but the summers are in the 60's maybe 70's and the sun will only disappear for a while at midnight. We are very excited to be going to a new place. Jim is learning the cyrillic alphabet and Susan is wondering about a Russian fur hat...coat...boots...long underware...(just think in layers).

We are so happy that we can be together and serve a mission.