Church in Angarsk

 Sunday, January 28th we traveled by bus with the Sisters to Angarsk - they were going to teach a sister after Church and we were asked to speak in Sacrament meeting (with interpreters).  It is a small branch north an hour and half - nicer bus then we have in town - kind of like a Greyhound - bigger, more leg room, nicer seats, etc.  The windows kept freezing up as I was taking pictures .. this is the best I managed!  It is nine in the morning ... see how low the sun is?  It was much warmer today - actually plus 4 when we began - around 7 when we came home.

 The Elders that work in Angarsk met us at the bus stop and showed us how to get to the church ..we took another bus and then walked a little bit. It was so nice to see the sun shine!  Both Elder Witters and Elder Mathson have Russian fur hats - warm!

 Elder Mathson is from Evanston, Wyoming - and has Rex relatives from Randolph, Utah.  My Dad's Uncle Sam and Aunt Bess (Glenn Groesbeck's sister) are from there and Elder Mathson and I think we are related - cool!

 This is the small chapel in the Angarsk Branch - it was peaceful and reverent ... maybe because there were only 17 adults, one baby there.  They have about 30 on the branch list, about 6-8 come most Sundays.  We had four of us missionaries come today, plus a District leader to conduct an audit after church.  The Elders had an investigator for the second Sunday in a row...made them very happy.  Elder Smith spoke about conversion after baptism - a lifelong event.  I spoke about Pres. Nelson's comments two weeks ago - resisting the attacks of the Adversary - I related it to the Russian Three Headed Dragon - Good will win over Evil - in the end!

 Front door of the Church rented rooms - and two darling sister volunteers - Sister Melton and Sister Wilcox.

 Walking back to the bus stop after church ... the investigator walked all the way with us, not certain if he lived that way or wanted to talk English with the sisters, or was worried we wouldn't catch the right bus .. we appreciated his concern.  He asked me where my hat was - I told him my hair was as warm as a fur hat and I had my hood if I needed it - nice of him to worry about me.

 This city plows the sidewalks and just leaves the big ice blocks along the way - Irkutsk has big trucks load them and take them out of town.

 Pretty forest on our way to the bus stop.

The River with frost on all the trees - not frozen over at this spot.  This country is full of beautiful scenery.

Around Town

Outside of our apartment building we noticed this car in the parking lot ... mind you it is in the middle of Siberia - 40 below zero and it is a Ford - with a Thule shell on top ... made us laugh!

Elder Smith and a wall of hats in a sporting goods store at a local Mall ... notice the Green Bay one?  Took a picture for Luke!!

Dental Work

 When we were in Novosibirsk, Elder Smith had a crown on a tooth come off ... the AP's went with him to a dentist to translate.  They had to fill out three pages of forms, show passport, etc.  It was just a twenty minute to glue it back on.  Well ... here in Irkutsk last week - I had a crown fall off!!  A sweet sister in the branch got an appointment with a dentist just a block from our apartment.  The darling Sister Volunteers came with us - bringing their Dictionary so they could look up words they didn't know.  We were pleasantly surprised - no forms, no passports, and very good dental care.  But the dentist said my crown was 'too old' to be glued on again!  So he made a new one.

The procedure took four days - we went on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday!  There was never a dental assistant - the dentist did all the work himself... I have had many crowns and this one is as good as any.  I told him (through the sisters)  that now I will take a part of Russia home with me!This picture is Friday after it was all over!  Sweet Sisters to help me...love them!

Cold Weather

We have had extremely cold weather ... this is Fahrenheit - our mission rules are that if it is -35 or lower you need to stay in ... or only be out for 3-5 minutes between buildings, buses, etc.  The locals say "there isn't any bad weather, just bad clothes for being in it!"

 These snow 'layers' were interesting to me - they are at the side of the sidewalks were we walk to catch a bus.

Winter in Siberia

 It has been bitter cold this week in Irkutsk - walking from the church after District Meeting we took this cool picture of the sun setting - 4:30 pm!  It was funny, as we finished taking it another lady stopped and took out her cell phone and also took a picture of the pretty sun!  We do pretty well because we only walk a couple blocks to the bus stop - both going and coming!  Our mission rules are that if it is -35 F or more you have to stay inside.  This day it was minus 20 or so.

 Even at minus 25 plus the kids were at the playground - sliding, skating, etc. .. tough kids!

 This is the view out of our second bedroom or office - it is interesting to watch the birds fly from one chimney to another!  that's where the warmth is!!

 A little closer you can see the metal railings around the edge of the roofs...

 even closer -= they are for safety when the workers have to shovel the snow off of the roofs! Haven't seen that yet.  It began snowing Monday in Novosibirsk just as we were getting on the airplane to Irkutsk - and it snowed for 3 days!  They had 2 feet plus!  We have had just flurries this week.

 This is also out another window of our apartment - snow removal with big machines!

They do this all day downtown and most of the night!  Makes for more parking places around our building.  We need to shovel out our back porch - only about a two foot drift - don't know what we will use for a shovel - maybe a bucket!

Last of Novosibirsk visit

 Walking to Church on Sunday, January 14th, temp below zero and frost on the fur of my coat.

 This is the lobby of the Double Tree Hotel by Hilton in Novosibirsk that we stayed in ... loved having the holidays extended - even played Christmas music.

 This was made of real gingerbread - well what looked like real bread at least.

 Closer view - frosted onto a framework, of course.

 Decorated with cookies - so much fun.

I took pictures on the evening of the 14th - and the next morning they began taking down all the Christmas decorations - glad I got these. 

More Ice Sculptures

 This Ice Cabin was cool - literally! 

 Inside of it there was a table, fireplace with lights 'burning' and ledge around the outside.

 This was a much larger 'ice bowl' - again with awesome lights and a rope across it so you could pull yourself out if you wanted - whole families would get in there and slip and slide away!  It was fun to watch and I could totally see our family doing it.

 Cinderella's coach and slide - little ones were having fun on this short slide.

 Blurry picture but still impressive - at least to me!

 There was another whole part down the hill that we didn't get to see - it was too cold to stay out much longer. 

Ice bench - it was slippery!

River Park Ice Sculptures

 Saturday evening we went with the Heiselbetz's to River Park - on the Ob River - notice the docked cruise boat - that goes up and down the river in the summer.  I thought the setting sun was beautiful.

 Also across the river on they have built sledding hills, ski runs, and snow board runs - they have lighted runs also and it is fun to see kids with snowboards and carrying skies on the Metro!

 Entrance to the big Ice Sculptures -  pretty cold night - but people were enjoying themselves anyway!

 First big Ice Tower had several slides coming down out of it - long and fast ones!

 People would zip down the hill in the ice slides - they walk back up to do it again!

 Another Ice Castle - made of blocks and lights.

This was a fun 'ice bowl'  - people would put their little ones - all bundled up and they would slide right down!  They loved it! Of course it was easy for the parents to reach over and retrieve their children.

Downtown Ice Sculptures

 Across from the snow sculptures were ice ones - these are the ones we saw being carved with chainsaws just before me moved on Dec. 26th - the lights in them are cool - really cool!!

 Nice slide - yes it was cold!  but fun!!  Elder Smith declined to have a turn.

 Ice Trolley car.

Picture from a display near the sculptures - from other years - this one 1970 ...but it is just like the horse and sleigh I saw from the train ... and didn't get a picture of!

Happy to see this Nativity scene at the bottom of the big tree - the 'real' reason for the season.  We enjoyed Christmas music in many places, our hotel lobby - restaurants, stores, etc.  Not a problem with me - liked hearing it and postponing the holidays!