Transfer to Irkutsk!

 President Lamb asked us to transfer - to Irkutsk.  It is a city near Lake Bakial - many English speakers, small branch and wonderful Russian people!  We flew 800 miles on Dec. 26th. This is the view our side our bedroom window - our new apartment in Irkutsk - fun park!  The skating rink reminded me of Green Bay when the fire dept. would pour water for two rinks at each elementary school - one for 'normal' skaters and one for hockey!  We bought used skates for $1.00 at yard sales and you kids would come home from school and grab your skates and head back!

 See the ramp thing just above the rink?  It is a sledding 'hill' so to speak.  Kids bring a sled or just sit on their backsides and some slide all the way to the end of the rink!!  Fun!

 Here are Elder and Sister Clayton - showing us which bus to take to get to Church - so grateful for their kind help!  They were Mission President in Albania a few years ago.

 One of the landmarks - turn left at the tank!  Thought some of you would enjoy seeing this.

 Some of the old wooden houses along our walking route - we walk to the bus stop - ride 20 minutes to Church - then walk another couple blocks to the building.

 The Claytons took us to a fun Mongolian restaurant - here is Elder Smith with his sparking berry juice!  It was delicious - so were the skish-ka-bobs! (sp)

 The dining room had glass windows into the bakery - that big round thing is an oven ...the baker would put dough on the side to bake it.  They brought us a fresh, warm loaf for our table...delicious.

 The cook at the fireplace is cooking our ka - bobs - also delicious!

 Our back door park by night - Christmas tree, hockey lights ...stay on all night!

 The Claytons last District Meeting - wonderful young volunteers - - it is a privilege to serve with them.

 Our new apartment building - our door is in the middle of the picture..we are on the 12th floor.

 No Zamboni but a snow blower to clean off the new snow on the skating rink ... also notice the two handed snow shovel near the top of the picture - you can really move a lot of snow with that thing!

This is for the builders in the audience ... we call these Challenge Stairs - and you have to watch what you are doing - each one is a different height!

Christmas 2017

 The Young Volunteers on Left Bank signing like 'angels' at the Christmas Program - Dec. 24th, 2017.

 Mary and Joseph coming to Bethlehem - on a donkey!

 The Elders Quorum being 'wise men' - bringing gifts.  The Program was after Church and really well done...always love the 'Nativity" with children and adults.

 Christmas morning at our apartment - we are moving and the mission is closing our apartment ... so I divided the none perishable food in 5 bags - we have 5 companionship's in the area - 3 on right bank and 2 on left bank. 

 The rest of the food I put around the room and invited the volunteers to come over for an open house and choose some of it to take to their apartments - the sisters did!  the elders called and they were helping someone move and then they were going to call and skype their families...I took them some things to the office on Tuesday.

 Kind of reminded me of our Smith Family Christmas's with lots of stuff around!

 this is ded maroc - Father Christmas - Father Frost - Grandfather Frost

 Snegoorachka - Snowmaiden - his granddaughter who helps him give good gifts.

Snegaveek - snowman - and pteetsa - bird - fun Christmas stickers.

Another 'around town'

 Apparently there are not many parking laws in this town ...at least not many that are enforced.  Here is a blue car parked on the sidewalk we walk on from our apartment to the mission office.

 The next day there were even more! At least some of the cars are pulled up on the sidewalk with their back tires still on the driveway.

 Elder Smith looking cold! 

 Fresh lettuce at the grocery store - - actually still growing in the small pot!  yes - it is delicious!

One of the stores decorations of Father Frost and Snowmaiden - and the temp is minus 12 C - about 10 F. we've discovered that anything under about 20 is really cold!

The Nutcracker Ballet

 We attended the Nutcracker Ballet with the Lambs and Heiselbetzs on Dec. 22nd - this is looking at the snowy night from the front of the Theater - see the statues of Lenin, and the soldiers on the right and the workers on the left? 

 Each side of the foyer of the Ballet has a coat check - necessary!

 Really Elder Smith was having a good time - he just doesn't look like it!

 Finale - we were allowed to take pictures - so I did! the rest are from the program.  Wonderful sets and of course the music is awesome - always!  Dancing amazing and beautiful costumes.

 Cover of the Program - Nutcracker in Russian ...we found it a little strange that a Russian wrote it and it is about Germany!

 Adult dance scene - lovely set.

 Look at those jump splits! 

 The Man - Pytor Tchaikovsky - wrote three ballets - ALL famous - Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker...amazing music - the Novosibirsk Ballet has an 80 piece orchestra that is a big part of the enjoyment of the dancing.

Some Russian text about Tchaikovsky - amazing talent.

Picture Fabric Art

 There were some large Fabric Art pictures - very detailed and well done. 

 Closer to see the details of the 'art'.

Family harvesting potatoes, carrots and beets.

Office Christmas Luncheon

 President and Sister Lamb, and Elder and Sister Heiselbetz at the Office Christmas Luncheon - it was at a Russian Restaurant (duh) decorated with Russian art - yummy food and good company.

 The downstairs - our tables were on kind of a balcony - overlooking the downstairs.

 Pretty hand painted cupboard.

 Cutting boards - all hand paiinted.

 Story Mytruska's - 28 of them!

 ...and 28 going the other way with another story.

 These fabric dolls were all around our part of the restaurant - they had Russian labels and there was a wall plaque that we assumed told about them.

 More dolls.

This one we decided was "Motherhood"  since every Mother needs 10 arms!!!

Decorating 'Gingerbread' houses

 Sister Heiselbetz and Elders working on decorating their 'gingerbreak'houses...Right Bank multiple use room.

 Aren't they cute - and different?

Everyone had a great time - they used them for decorations at the Branch Christmas Party, Saturday evening.