sunday

it is Sunday afternoon (April 22, 2012).  I think we are through for the day.  We began the day with the weekly mission coordination meeting -- all the missionaries and the  branch mission leader.   Then we spent some time visiting with a number of investigators who were coming to church.  Then we had the three-hour block of meetings and a short planning meeting with the other missionaries.  It is now about 4 pm.  Marilyn made a pot of home-made chicken soup and we had that with some bread and cheese.

This has been an interesting week.  All the other missionaries left town for a couple of days.  Two had to go to Finland for their "visa" trip (must leave Russia every three months to get the visa renewed).  One Elder got transferred and his companion had to accompany him to the mission home and then pick up his new companion.  So, we spent a couple of days with the branch mission leader and his wife.  They took us all over the city.  We went to parks, shopping malls, street markets, etc.  It really helped us get a better feel for the city.  As long as the branch mission leader has his "google translate" on his phone....we got along just fine.  We went to a cafe and bought them dinner one evening.

Our afternoons and evenings have been very busy.  We have gone with the elders and the sisters to visit with investigators and less active members.  Some of the less actives are a little older and seem to relate better to us than to the young missionaries.  On man has been investigating the church for a long time.  He is 70.  We have gone with the elders to his place several times and he is going to be baptized this coming Saturday.

A member of the branch...very active...he is the branch clerk and is a returned missionary ... brought his 84 year old grandmother to church today.  Se is going to be baptized May 1st.  She is very nervous about it...does not like the water.  She uses a cane and has a hard time getting around.......but wants to be baptized.

Tomorrow (Monday)  we are having Family Home Evening at our place, again.  There will be about 12 to 14 people plus us.   The zone leaders will be with us and we are having the young adult age people.  Some single and some married.  The Elders will give a short lesson, we will play a couple of games....then we will serve tacos and Marilyn's home-made cinnamon rolls.  Some of the young adults and the Elders will be over early to help make the taco stuff.  Tomorrow is "P" day....so we will go to the grocery store to get all the stuff we need for tacos.

On Saturday (yesterday)  Marilyn had an appointment to get her nails done!  It took 2 1/2 hours!  The nail lady did it all by hand....layer after layer....hand filing each one between layers.  They look really nice....but it took a long time.  The cost was 1,000 rubles ... about $30.  The nail place is just a couple of blocks from the church.  While she was gone, I stayed at the church and we did "English Conversation Group".....a weekly English class which we do as a public service and as a way to meet potential investigators.    Then, after Marilyn got back, we had a meeting with a young man at the church...then a meeting with the sisters at the home of a sister (a member) who has a non-member lady living with her. (they were at church today)  It took 45 minutes via bus and walking to get to their home from the church.  Then we met up with the elders and walked another 1/2 hour to visit a less active member.   It was late when we finally got home and we were  a bit tired.

Last Monday ("P" day)  we went to a large street market....lots of booths selling all kinds of stuff.  I bought a leather "European Man Purse"  to keep my i-pad and stuff in...so it will not get "Pick-Pocketed"....I also bought a cool European style leather hat and a really cool tie.  I think Marilyn put a picture of me in my hat and bag on our blog.  Se will be adding a bunch more photos today or tomorrow.  She also bought a nice leather purse.

The weather here is beautiful!  Flowers are coming up...trees are leafing out.... it is unusually warm....not complaining.   We did discover one thing when we were at a beautiful city park-----Russian mosquito's are the size of small airplanes  and  there are a lot of them.