Tourist things to Do in Moscow

 You know those brochure racks in hotels for tourists - listing all the sights and places to eat, etc.  this one caught my eye on our last trip to Moscow.... I thought some of the grandsons would like a Tank Ride!  maybe their Dads also!!

 Here is the back of the brochure - what do you think?  anyone interested?

Close up of the activities offered - Didn't say how much it cost and I;m NOT going to go it!!!

Zone Conference Ulan - Ude

 On Friday, June 22nd, we flew from Irkutsk to Ulan-Ude to participate in Zone Conference on the 23rd.  All mission mail goes to the Mission Office in Novosibirsk - and President and Sister Lamb bring it every 6 weeks to Zone Conferences - When we first saw them they said: "Your children sure love you!" and gave us all this wonderful mail!!! Mother's Day cards and gifts, Father's Day and letters from friends in CA and ID - yay for Mail Call!!! 

 President Lamb getting ready to take a picture on the stairs of the Chapel in Ulan-Ude...notice Elder Smith upper left!

 Masha took the train a day before we flew up - and spent time with friends - she served in Ulan-Ude.  One of the sisters she was involved with teaching was baptized and now is getting ready to serve a mission - in Leeds, England!  When we were in Irkutsk together we learned she had forgotten her jacket - and we knew were these cute World Cup 2018 ones were - so we got them!  She needed a jacket when she was headed to Lake Baikal...it is cool and rainy there a lot.

 Sister Lamb took the pictures for us and wanted one of the back - Elder Smith said it was a 'bum' picture!

 Us on the steps of the chapel - my new skirt - Mother's Day present from Elder Smith - he is wearing the tie we bought in Korea as his Father's Day present.

 On the sidewalk in front of the Ulan - Ude Church Building - made us anxious for the day that Irkutsk can have it's own chapel, not a rented part of another building.

                                                     
Same spot on the sidewalk in front of the building - 6 months ago!  January to June, quite a difference.

 Sister Masha Solokova gave me this wonderful small Babushka doll - old grandma!  She found it at a fair and it is made in an old fashioned method - no sewing, just tying of cloth! I love it and her!

Closer look at the doll - I like the 'no face' - like the American Amish - and the Baptismal Dolls I make for Grand Daughters - a doll is usually always smiling - and life isn't always happy - so with no face you can imagine your doll being sad for a little bit - with you!

Wonderful Visitor from Moscow

 Here we are at the Irkutsk Airport welcoming a wonderful Returned Missionary - she has been off her mission for two weeks!  She came back to visit here and in Ulan-Ude - love this young lady!

 Masha and I at the I LOVE Irkutsk sign...we had a nice time sight seeing, going out to lunch and dinner with the other volunteers.

 Elder Smith and Masha at the Irkutsk - Barbar - mythical creature that is the symbol of the city.

 The Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders were in town for Exchanges, they will go to Ulan-Ude for Zone Conference.  It was fun to get together.

 Sister Wilkinson, in the center - loves fruits and vegetables - she ordered a salad and it came in a big bucket!!

The French fries came in this cute little fry basket!  It is always a good time when we can get together.  Yummy food, delightful company!

Around Town - Irkutsk

 This is a dirt path we walk often - it leads to the best, close grocery store and is also close to a bus stop we use all the time.  There are these cotton-wood like trees that have been sending fluffy seeds into the air for weeks now - it is like snow!

 Handsome Elder Smith in his new summer hat, showing more of the fluffy seed things - if you have lotion on your arms or chap stick on your lips - they stick to you!!

 They have just planted flowers outside of our apartment building front door - - cute Elder Smith is up the stairs opening the door.  Below is a closer look at the flowers - I'll take another picture later in the summer to see how they have grown.

 There is a Georgian Bakery in our neighborhood - this is a sign on our apartment building advertising it - notice the round stone oven - with the bread stuck on the sides! 

 Closer view so you can see how the bread bakes and how they get it out with a long pole.

 Here is the oven and bakery shop - they make a lot of yummy things - we like the bread and also the Chocolate Eclairs!

I wanted you to see the bread, and the hole in the middle where they get it out - I forgot to take the picture before I sliced into the bread!  It is delicious and less then .50 cents a loaf!  Only problem, if you think it is a problem - is that there are no preservatives and so you have to eat it soon - not a problem in our case!

Thresholds to step over!

In living here we have noticed that just about EVERY door has a raised threshold for you to step over to advance forward...you quickly learn to step up when entering!  this is the doorway into our apartment - looking out.

 A little further back so you can see the hallway leading to the elevator.

 This is the doorway into our stairs - a bit wider threshold.

 This older one is at a heritage park we like to visit near Lake Baikal - even higher!

 This is the highest we have encountered!  It is an old house and the guide said they made small doors to keep out the worst cold.

 Elder Smith getting over the doorstep - would keep out small dogs and children!

 Another ancient threshold - wish old buildings could talk and tell us the stories of the people who lived there.

 The doorway into an apartment house where we were visiting a homebound member.

Service at the Farm

 Friday, June 15, we all went out to the Sheltered Workshop Farm for another great service project. It was good to go out into the country and breathe fresh air and see the pretty scenery!

 The sweet sisters - weeding an onion patch! 

 The handsome elders doing some weed-whacking!

 Cute Elder Smith on his knees - we are grateful for our parents who taught us how to weed a garden!  All you kids need to learn and do it!

 Their greenhouse with tomato plants - lots of them!

 Old Senior Missionaries - I brought sunscreen, and gloves and treats!

Pretty good job - I'd say.  They were so grateful - after we worked almost three hours they fed us a yummy lunch - soup, bread, and salad. All the ingredients for the soup they had produced on the farm.  We sure hope we get to do more service there this summer. 

District Meeting and the Last Birthday Party!

We have our District Meetings on Thursdays at !:00 pm - it was the sisters idea to have another birthday party for Elder Witters- in the church kitchen after meeting!  I made a light lunch and we gave his funny presents!  He and Elder Mildenstein are dressed to go do service for an investigator after meeting!  It was fun - and Elder Witters is happy we are finished!

Elder Witters Birthday Parties

 Our District Leader, Elder Witters, wouldn't tell the sisters when his birthday was - we found out it was June 9th - then he said it was no big deal and he didn't like to celebrate - what?  We had a branch activity on Saturday -June 9th - Sports night.  So I made birthday cupcakes and everyone had a good time wishing Elder Witters Happy Birthday!

Birthday Party for FHE

 We had a Birthday Party for Elder Witters for part of our FHE - Elder Smith taught a great lesson on the Scriptural Basis for Family Home Evening - and then we played birthday party games.  I decorated the apartment door - the elders liked that!

 Elder Witters turned 20 but 20 candles don't fit on a cup cake!  Se each candle stands for ten!!

 Cup cakes, pop corn and Happy Birthday napkins - fun times.

 We played "Pin the hat on the gnome" since we couldn't find a donkey!

Decorations in our apartment - parties are fun and it brought back memories to the volunteers to play Simon Says, spin the bottle (no kissing) and drop the clothes pins in the jar!