IT WAS OFF TO TURKEY FOR FIVE DAYS OF SUN.....NOT

Our week started Sunday with the confirmation of Andre who was baptized a couple of week ago. Paul was asked to stand in the circle and felt blessed to do so. Then, after sacrament meeting, I was asked if I would give a spiritual thought in Relief Society.  I spent the time in Sunday School thinking about what to say. We had just taught a lesson on the tree of life so my thoughts went to the iron rod and the mists of darkness that can envelope us all. The lesson that followed my thought in Relief Society was also on the iron rod. I didn't know that before class. It must have been inspiration from the Lord as it fit right into the message of the lesson. Our day ended with a CES fireside broadcast at which Elder Tad Callister spoke. It was a wonderful talk comparing the church the Lord established when He walked the earth to His church on the earth today. So simple yet so powerful. Quite a testimony of modern day revelation and the truth of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. We took brownies for refreshments. They were devoured except for one.  No one likes to take the last one of anything. That was good because I had put that one and three others aside for Paul for when we got home. Only one survived our hungry young singles.

We went home that night and immediately started to pack for our trip to Antalya, Turkey. We spent five days in Turkey at a CES conference. The CES couples from all over Eastern Europe came for information and inspiration. It was a wonderful change of pace....quite relaxing, in fact.  We flew out Monday afternoon and arrived in Antalya around 5 pm.  It was dark and rainy.  Our local guide welcomed us to Turkey telling us how the sun shines 300 days of the year. We experienced 3 of the 65 no sun and rainy days. It was warmer, though.  We stayed at an all inclusive resort situated right on the Mediterranean.  It included at least three swimming pools and a water park with a couple of water slides, an enormous children's play area, and miles of beach front.  We were there in the off season, but we could imagine how beautiful the resort would be in the spring and summer.  The food was a buffet, all you can eat.

The resort grounds

One of the pools and one of the slides.  Water would be

cascading down the white rocks if it were Spring.

The children's play area

The grounds looking out at the Mediterranean from our balcony

Our days (Tuesday through Thursday) were spent in meetings with our CES area coordinator and three coordinators from other Eastern European districts. The classes gave us a lot to think about and inspired us to want to do better in reaching out individually to our young singles. On Tuesday, we had to give a 20 minute presentation on the young single activities we have had in Moscow. We did a slide show presentation but had to speed through it because the couple before us took almost an hour.  They were scheduled to have only 20 minutes, too. Oh well.  

One of the activities the other couple presented

Wednesday, the weather was incredibly windy and cold but at lunch time several couples walked down to the beach front anyway. One of the elders had changed into a swimsuit and dove right into the rather cold water. His friend followed suit, but in his suit. He gave his coat to his wife to hold but went into the waves wearing his suit pants and white shirt. We all got a big kick out of it but all the time we were wondering if his suit pants would be ruined.  

In the water, Elder Nelson (in the white shirt) and Elder Walker

For you Spokane readers, this is Gordon Hawkins' younger step brother.

Small world when you are in the church.

During the conference, most couples had an assignment or two. Our second assignment was to conduct the day's meetings on Thursday. Paul did a wonderful job as he always does.  

President Bennett of the Area Presidency spent most of the conference with us. He spoke to us at firesides on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings and gave us some inspired messages of encouragement. On Thursday he rehearsed with us the history of the area in which we were staying. The apostle Paul sailed from Antalya. He also taught in Perge, a city just 30 minutes from Antalya. We had the opportunity, that afternoon, of taking a bus to the ruins of Perge....not as extensive as Ephesus but amazing just the same. We could see the pillar lined main roads on which Paul probably walked, the market place in the center of the city, and the bath houses used by the upper class of the time.  The main city gate of Paul's time was replaced by a Roman gate when the city had to be enlarged. The water system that carried water to the city from the nearby hills ran down stone lined troughs in the middle of the city.  The sewer system was built just below those troughs, all running out to the sea. We were amazed at the workmanship that must have taken place when the city was in its prime.  All the stone buildings we see today were once faced with thin slabs of marble. A few of the intricate stone carvings, all hand chiseled, are still intact. We could imagine how beautiful this city must have been when Paul walked it's streets and taught the people of Perge.  An amazing and educational side trip.

The main street of Perge

Looking through the Roman gate 

to the original city gate

Looking into the market place,

The stone lined troughs that carried water throughout the city

A second street among the ruins.

 You can see the water trough built right down the middle of the street.

These are what were once shop fronts. 

They were situated around the outside of the market place

as well as along the far sides of the streets.

The culminating activity of our conference was a testimony meeting on Thursday night. There was a sweet spirit there as we all stood to bear testimony of our Savior and his church, of our missions, and of the young single (CES) program. It was wonderful to feel the spirits of each of the couples we met throughout the conference. They are truly great people and so dedicated to their missions and the young singles with which they work. We all came away from these few days knowing that we have each been called to our specific missions, at this time, for a specific reason. We also felt sure that the Lord knows each of us and assigned us to where he knew we could function most fully and effectively. By the end of the conference, Paul and I were even more grateful to be in Moscow doing what we have been asked to do.....A perfect mission for us.

Before leaving on Friday we took a walk into the city of Antalya. It was a warm day, the sun was shining, and we had several hours before we would be leaving for the airport. 

On a plaza in town

A beautiful mosque

There were many citrus trees lining the streets,

  We tried to eat an orange from this tree but it was way too sour.

The city's decor reflects the nearby ruins of Perge 

Of course we had to take one last walk out to the Mediterranean Sea.

Our friend, Jeanne, couldn't resist getting her feet wet.  

We flew home on Friday and were grateful to be back home in Moscow by about midnight. We felt sorry for those couples who had another 4 or 5 hour flight to get to the eastern parts of Russia.  Some had to spend the night in Moscow before catching Saturday flights to their homes.

We met one such couple for lunch at Shake Shack Saturday afternoon. Elder and Sister Nelson's flight for Vladivostock was not scheduled until 5 pm. The Piersons took them to see Red Square and the Church of Christ Savior in the morning and we met both couples in the early afternoon for a hamburger and fries and shake. The Nelsons were in heaven at the Shake Shack as they hadn't had a hamburger, fries and a shake since they arrived in Russia. Where they are serving there are no fast food restaurants. Amazing but they say their area is at least 20 years behind Moscow. Later that evening we began our weekly institute study and our night ended with a quick dinner of tuna on toast. (It was the first time we had opened a can of tuna since we've been here.)  It was an early bedtime for us as we were exhausted.


We started our week, last Sunday, talking about Andre being confirmed and we will end our week with Andre, too. He is such a dear man. He came to church this Sunday in a newly purchased suit and looked like he had been a member of the church for years, not just weeks. He received the Priesthood and after church had the Elders bring him over to our home. He wanted to give us a gift for having prepared the 'break the fast' dinner after his baptism. He doesn't speak much English but before he came to our home, he rehearsed with the Elders what he wanted to say. To us, in broken English, he said, "I have prepared a small present for you for your kindness and for making dinner for everyone at my baptism." He then gave us these two boxes of 'chi' (tea). It was special to us as we know how hard it was for him to give up his black tea which is against the Word of Wisdom. He said he had tried many different kinds of herbal teas and the two he gave us were his favorites. So thoughtful. He will be a great leader in the church here in Russia someday.

WE KNOW WE HAVE ADJUSTED TO LIFE IN RUSSIA SPOTLIGHT

We know we have adjusted to life in Russia when.......

........no ice in our soda pop drinks from fast food restaurant doesn't seem strange anymore. We do still love it when they ask us if we want ice. There are also no refills....that has been hard to get used to.

.......we walk with our eyes always on the ground. Not to avoid the looks of other people but to make sure we don't make any missteps. The sidewalks are in no way level. Winter makes it doubly necessary to watch every step. We do not want to take a fall.

.......we no longer notice the cracks in the tile floors of our apartment or the duct tape holding up our shower curtain rod and the kitchen light over the stove. (Thank goodness for duct tape.)

AND LASTLY.........

.......after taking a lovely trip to Turkey, we were so glad to return to Moscow and our little apartment and to get back to our life here where we truly feel at home.