Wonderful Service Day

 We had a great opportunity to provide service at a sheltered work group home - way out in the country - actually in some small mountains!  It was a WWII military base given to the private group home for disabled men.  We have a trio of sisters, so with the elders and us - we brought 7 people willing to work!  The mud was pretty thick and they provided muck boots for us - the smallest ones they had were white and still too big - but I was grateful for them.

 Elder S. taking pictures - Sister W. resisting!  One of the old buildings - they told us they used to have celebrations and dances in it.

 We were given a tour of the facilities - this is the wood shop.  Volunteers come in to help the residents make things to sell - cute wooden trucks, etc.

 Some of the good work they do.

 All the missionaries wanted to buy this - it'snot for sale!  birch bark is good for things like this.

 Another side of the work shop.

Statue to Siberian Women and Birthday dinner

 This is neat statue honoring the women who followed their husbands into exile in Siberia in the Revolution - they brought children and stayed 30 years!  One stayed her whole life and is buried here.

 Amazing - and Irkutsk is over 350 years old - another city in northern Siberia is over 500 years old!

The Women's monument is at the end of this brick walkway in a city park.  The yellow building you can see at the left is a wonderful fabric store and sewing machine repair place!

 Sister Wilcox had a Birthday - and we all went out to dinner to celebrate!  this is the birthday dessert the restaurant had on the menu! Ice cream shake, two donuts, candy, etc.

 Sister Melton - her companion - decided to have the other flavor - chocolate shake, etc. love these volunteers!  and very happy to celebrate with them.

Our District at the moment - a darling trio of sisters and handsome elders - and one old couple!

More Easter Celebrations

 I am liking the Russian's using the Julian Calendar!  Two Christmas's and two Easter's!!  Here is the lunch we had at the church to help celebrate.

 The chocolate candy on the left were supposed to be Home Made Reeses cups - I called them Reeses messes - and they were all consumed!

 Elder Smith opening the juice boxes - there are many delicious fruit juices available here.

 Sweet Sisters!

 Handsome Elders!

 Old Senior Couple!!  I realized there is a picture of us on Easter in Kent, Ohio when Sam was 15 - same skirt and blazer - - this is my Easter Outfit!!

Sure love these wonderful young volunteers!  I was blessed to help Sister Melton with some sewing on her new dress - love serving with these dear ladies.

Russian Easter Bread - delicious with raisins, nuts, and decorated!  Russians also have a cultural event that on the street you hear people greeting with "Christ is Risen" - and the answer is "Yes - we are blessed!" or something like that!  Course it's in Russian and my understanding is limited..

FHE Easter Eggs

 There are these small packages with Easter Egg patterned 'sleeves' - I really liked the Matruska Dolls ones.

 Here's how you do them - put the sleeve around an already boiled egg -

 Dip in boiling water - and done!

We also used the usual method of dyeing eggs ... and then we played a game they do here.  Each person takes an egg - pushes to toward the other persons egg - and usually one cracks!  then you eat the cracked one...someone told us about a friend who 'won' that game with a wooden egg!!

Easter dinner

 Easter Dinner with the young volunteers - plus an American young lady that is here studying Russian...wonderful way to celebrate the Resurrection of our Savior - - being of service to his missionaries.  We had ham, yummy cheese potatoes, green salad, home made rolls, and cupcakes!

 The Easter Bunny found the young people all the way in Siberia!  The paper "Easter Baskets" are actually papers that they bake a Russian Easter Cake in - but we used them for baskets!

Cup Cakes for desert - they don't have flaked coconut but had this chocolate green 'grass' looking stuff - tasted good too!

Around Irkutsk

 I wanted to share this slide from our Moscow Training - pretty interesting I think.

 Sister Heiselbetz told me in Novosibirsk that I would want some shorter boots for fall and spring - I thought that my tall ones would do fine ... I was wrong!  they are too warm!  so I got some shorter ones!

 Now that it is a bit warmer we are walking further and further - this camel statue was interesting - covered in plastic grass - sign near it told an interesting story.

 I like the tourist signs around town - using the Union Jack for the English language!  I guess they were first right?

 Our back yard playground melting!

 People playing even in the slush and snow! 

Pretty orchids we found in a window as we were walking downtown - fun to think we saw some growing wild on the trees in Jamaica! 

Church Nursery Manual

 This is the Russian Language version of the Primary Nursery Manual ... check out page 74 (I think!)

There's Sophie and Grace !!! about 12 years ago!  I love it - and showed all my Russian friends!