05 July 2011 Summer in Moscow

Summer is here and it is quite warm.  I think that the humidity makes it feel warmer.  I know it makes my hair look like its been in the water fountain mists.  All frizzy and fuzzy and wet and curly and crazy.  But we did not get to enjoy much summer last year because of the awful heat and smoke.  So it has been fun this summer to notice more of the pretty things around.
All of the senior couples have been sick with some bad cold, cough and fever.  We have it also but are finally feeling better.  We slept the entire weekend.   
President Sorenson has been quite sick.  He has had blood clots in his lungs and has been in the hospital for about 5 days.  He just came home today.  But we are sure he will still be down for awhile.  So we will all pitch in and get things done.  But we miss him and we were very worried about him for awhile.
Big news is our first grandson Cody received his mission call on Thursday.  He waited until Friday to open it so we could all have a group skype call and be part of the excitement.  For us that was 6am Sat. morning.  But we were ready to get up and be part of all the excitement and fun..  Big surprise....Washington D.C. South Mission.  For some reason he felt he would go forgein so he was a bit shocked..as we are all when we get our calls.  But it only took us all a few minutes to realize that was the perfect place for Cody to go.  He will be there during the next Presidental campaign and he will probably have some great opportunies to talk to people about the (Mormon) religion.  We love the NE.  Gene and I love the history and beauty of it.  Cody will too.  There is a blog armiesofhelaman that tells a lot about his mission.  If it is possible we hope to stop by and see him on our way home while we are still missionaries.  A photo of us all.  That would be so great..  Needless to say, we are excited and proud grandparens.  And we can hardly wait for him to expierence the joys and blessings of a mission.  He will be the best missionary ever.  And more good news is that our little Shellie survied the pioneer trek.  It was pretty hard on her.  She has leg and feet aches a lot and she is very small.  So we were so proud of her and her father said she shared her testimony about it in Sacrament meeting and it was wonderful.  She said it was a good expierence and I think she would go again.  Once the blisters on her feet are better and her sore and chapped lips are healed.  We love her.  And the next news is that we will be grandparents of another grandchild, thanks to Mitch and Sonya about the first of March.  Sonya says she cannot keep it a secret for very long.  (Like a week or two) We love her too..But we are very happy about that news. That will make no 12.  Right now we are at 8 girls and 3 boys.
Our mission is moving forward as a stake.  As of last Sunday we had 3 bishops.  Each Sunday a new bishop is made until they have them all.  It is exciting.  But it is also a big teaching and learning expierence for these Russian saints.  They have no idea how to do many things.  Enter the Temple recommentds, process missionry applications, organize the youth and single adults activities and so on..but they are ready and willing to learn. 
The mission is wonderful and it is a wonderful time to be in Russia and watch the saints learn to serve and do all things they need to so they can function as a stake. Love it so much.  I will post pictures.

Happy Fathers day from all the kids.  If they had not told us it was Fathers Day we
would of not known.  We celebrated man day in March,

West Mission packing up to move missionaries on
transfers.  Sometime they go by plane or train.  Their mission
is huge.  The size of it probably compares in Utah to NY.

One of the funny little busses we ride to church in Z-Grad.  This
was a very rainy day.  Appreciate your cars and conviences. We had a long walk after
we got off the bus so use your imagination how we looked.

This is 11pm at night.  It just is not dark around here.  I think that is why
Gene and I have both been sick again.  It is hard to get enough sleep.

Another 11pm view out the window.

Pretty little flowers amonst the weeds on the way to
the office.

I love the little blue ones.

More pretty little white flowers.  We did not see these last
summer but they probably could not grow in the heat and smoke.

Two cute new office elders.  Elder Bruev and Elder Page.
They are both doing a great job.




This was the sunset riding the bus home about 10:15pm
the other night.  It was really pretty.

 

Another picture of the sunset.

Pretty purple flowers by our apartment.




The big white envelope for Cody.Who would
of ever guesses Washington D.C. South?

 



Cody and Melissa submitting his papers. We are proud of her and the
suppot that she is to Cody.





Shellie made it home from trek.  A little dirty and beat up.



Ouch!!!

Oh grandchildren are fun.  We love them all..Can't wait to see them again.