New Young Volunteers and misc.around town

 We have a new District Leader - Elder Ellsworth - and he and Elder Smith are enjoying the new dress rules - regular shirts and no ties, except at Church meetings - results have been less harassment and more talking to people on the street.

 New Sister Brockbank - with her awesome trainer - Sister Wilkinson - we get the prettiest young volunteers!  Sister Brockbank has 12 siblings - 13 kids in the family - love it!  I always said about our large family:  "It's not always happy - but it is never dull!"

We had a fun make a Church photo book - sponsored by the RS.

 Sister Brockbank was looking in a 2013 Liahona and found this picture of her brother-in-law!  So much fun for her!

 Wonderful pictures painted by our Fairbanks grandchildren - including one year old Tait - who got into his sisters way!

 Tiny wild strawberries for sale in the farmers market...we have picked some at the farm we do service for - they are good.

Famous 'Blood Moon' last Friday night from our apartment balcony!

FHE - Walls of Jerico

 For an activity in FHE we built the 'walls of Jerico" out of sugar cubes.

 Creative people - always figuring out ways to do things!

 Same on the other end of the table.

 Different but wonderful "Jerico's" - then we jumped around and shouted - and they came down!

Anniversary and Farewell Dinner

 July 12, was our last District Council Meeting with all these wonderful young volunteers - Sister Johnson and Elder Witters are being transferred out of Irkutsk - we will miss them!

 Sunday, July 15, we had a Farewell Dinner at our apartment - also celebrated our 52nd wedding anniversary!

More Sakhalin

Heidi and family sent Dad this new tie for Father's Day - he wore it to the Audit Training - and it matches my Sunday outfit - it was cooler in Sakhalin so I could wear a turtleneck again!

 Near our hotel in Sakhalin, there was a kind of street fair - these wooden tables and benches looked so sturdy!

 This gazebo would take a strong wind to blow down!

 Wishing well and small cabin - it was interesting to see their workmanship.

Sakhalin will be the home of the First Children of Asia Winter Games -this is the count down clock.

Mosaics in the Church

 Inside the Church we found these wonderful artist mosaics - not sure who this is - maybe Peter and Paul?

 This is the last Tzar and his family who were murdered - and now are all saints.

 Another mosaic - again not sure what it is about - sure wish we could read and speak Russian!

 Close up of the colored tiles making all the pictures.

 Last one - we appreciate great art and this qualifies!

 Inside the Church - so much gold!

Visit to Sakhalin Island

 On July 6th we flew to Sakhalin Island for an Audit Training - this is the big memorial complex there...War Memorial Arch and Museum, Churches and lots of tourists - see the five tour buses?

 An Old Catholic Church - so much of history has been preserved here - it is very interesting.

 Elder Smith in front of a Russian Tank Monument - with the new relaxed dress standards, he is happy not to wear a tie all the time!  Our young volunteers report much more positive contact with people when they wear 'causal' clothes.

 Sister Smith in front of some gun monument - certain all my sons and son-in-laws know what gun but I don't - okay a howitzer? 

The big Church on the Memorial Complex - beautiful mosaics in it.

More Service

 It began raining too hard to work outside - so the Elders came into the wood shop and used tools to sand down these benches - we have hard working Elders!

 The seniors and sisters went to the weaving room and cut fabric that they make into rugs on the looms in the background.

 We had a great time and enjoyed being of service to the Farm - they fed us a yummy lunch of soup and bread.

 Elder Smith liked the old logs of part of the wood shop and fabric room building.

What a happy group - we love giving service.

Service at the Farm

 On the 5th of July we had the opportunity to do service at the Sheltered Workshop Farm out in the countryside.  Here are Sister Wilkinson and Sister Johnson and Elder Smith weeding - we filled the big buckets and did a lot of rows before it started to rain.

 For a while after it was raining, we weeded inside this greenhouse full of tomato plants.

 Elder Witters and Elder Mildenstein did a huge field all with weed whackers!  before the rain.

 Elder Mildenstein - being good and wearing a safety helmet.

Elder Witters with his weed whacker - it was good to be of service.

Lake Baikal again

 We visited Lake Baikal - southern most part - with a church member who showed us where he lived as a little boy.  He went swimming in the Lake!  I waded into up to my knees - didn't even bring a swimsuit! It was delightful to drive out in the country and explore some more of this beautiful land.

 Looking at the Lake from the top of a cliff.

 Standing on the break water that the Railroad built many years ago.

 Such a fun Saturday afternoon!

 While our friend swam, we hiked along this road - I said we can now say we hiked the south end of Lake Baikal!! See the train in the center?  There were trains every 5 minutes about - very active track.

 We went into town and saw this old Steam Engine - our friend said that the military hid the steam engines here if there was a war on the west coast! 

Old water tower in the town - can't remember the name - Kulkuk town is a little larger nearby. It is mainly a railroad town - but had schools, shopping and a hospital.  Enjoyable afternoon getting out of the big city and learning more about our area of this huge country!