Planting Trees Service Project

 On Saturday, May 26, we joined several other people and planted trees!  We rode a bus about 30 minutes and then walked another 20 to the site.  The parking lot was full of people - waving flags and holding shovels and buckets.  Not sure of the sponsor, there were youth groups, church groups (us) and commercial banks and stores represented.  the Police had a large gathering of tree planters.

 Here is our small group - all the volunteers, the sister in Pink is an investigator - she was our leader - since she signed us up and knew where to go.

 The trees were in grocery bags - and the forest had these pretty blue flowers - good weather for planting.

 Sister Johnson and Elder Witters planted this tree.

 Elder Mildenstein holding the tree, Sister Wilkinson digging the hole!

 Elder Smith just finished digging and is reaching for the tree.

 It was a great project to be involved with - I said some of the young volunteers have to come back in 25 years and check on our trees!

The whole digging crew at the last tree planted. 

Monument and pigeons, plus pretty sunset

 We walk past this Maxim Gorky statue on the way to the bus stop - and we thought it was funny to have a pigeon on the top of his head!

 And more - notice the 'decorations' from the pigeons on his shoulders, etc.

 Nice to honor the Arts, not just the Military!! 

Another pretty sunset seen from our 12th floor balcony.

Growing tomatoes

 We are trying to grow tomatoes from seeds - and Elder Smith planted the small plants after they had sprouted before I got a picture of them - so small and poking up through the dirt of only one tray!

 Doing well - they get lots of sun and water and kind words!

 We gave four plants to the sister missionaries they were happy about that - and two to the elders - they didn't have room for any more than that - we are all looking forward to home grown tomatoes! The small tray was for marigold seeds - but I think they are zinna's!

Doing so well - we need it to be warm outside so we can put them on the patio!

Mother's Day

 Mother's Day - May 13, 2018 - Elder and Sister Smith in Irkutsk, Russia - nice dinner and pretty pink rose bush! 

 Cute young volunteers, came to our house to skype their Mother's!  brought me a petunia, that the bloom had fallen off, and a Cotton Candy just because it would remind me of the USA! Darling young ladies...and their families were very happy to talk with and see them!

 I thought it was funny they tucked the dead bloom back into the pot!  It is hard to ride the bus everywhere when you have things to transport - but we manage pretty well.

The same darling volunteers at Zone Conference - we all have on black/white/gray - yes I feel short next to them!  Sister Wilkinson on the left is six feet tall - and plays the piano for the branch - but we had to get a stool for her, the regular chair would not allow her legs to be under the piano!!

Visit to Lake Baikal

 On Tuesday, May 8th - we visited the Outdoor Heritage Park and Lake Baikal with the Office Couple - the Heiselbetz - - they stopped in Irkutsk on their way back to Novosibirsk from Korea and their visa trip. It was wonderful to spend some time with them.  This fun picture was at the Russian part of the outdoor park.

 Our wonderful guide and Sister Heiselbetz - it was cold and snowy but we still had a great time.

 Elder Heiselbetz and Elder Smith at the wood shop.

 Great swings for a large family!

 We had a rented van and driver - with padded sides and roof and fringe curtains - it felt like a hearst!

 At a cold Lake Baikal!

We ended a wonderful day with this pretty sunset seen from our 12th floor apartment.

Relief Society Church Bags Project

 We had a great Relief Society project - making Church Bags for the Primary - here are some of them - we found a simple Tote Bag pattern online and I think they turned out very good!

 Here is some of the things we gathered to put into the bags for the Primary Children - some things for younger ones and some for older children - see the Tom and Jerry comics in the top left - so fun!

 Our Relief Society President learning to sew her bag - with help!  We put up the Happy Birthday because we thought the Primary President and her daughter were coming - and it was her daughters birthday - turned out they couldn't come!

 Treats - flowers purchased for District Conference the next day - cream puffs, fruit kabobs, shopped ham sandwiches and mint brownies!

I made my first fruit torte for the Sunday afternoon dinner with the Mission Pres. and wife and the office couple visiting from Novosibirsk - Stefan Fromm was my inspiration!

Transfers and Zone Conference

 Transfers will take a couple of these awesome volunteers away from Irkutsk!  But more delightful young volunteers will be coming.  We have enjoyed these last few months with these wonderful people and wish them all the best in their new areas.  God be with YOU until we meet again!

Zone Conference is always a great time to take pictures - The Heiselbetz's stopped in Irkutsk on their way back to Novosibirsk from a visa trip to Seoul, Korea!