A WEEK OF PAIRS - 2, 2, 2, 2, 2 and 1 with 2

It seems that things came in twos this week....2 pizza parties, 2 days with our missionaries, 2 missionary opportunities, 2 lessons taught, 2 days of conference, and 1 Russian folk dance performance with 2 amazing acts.  Let us explain.....

On Monday, the missionaries were given permission to have a pizza party in celebration of a goal met and exceeded. Two hundred rubles were put on their expense cards so they could buy pizza as a district and have a 2 to 3 hours get together. The goal they met and exceeded......member present discussions. The target was 104 in a week. The total in one week was 175. Quite amazing! (The new goal is now 200.) Our district met at our home on Monday afternoon, visited, played a game, and ate pizza. It was a nice break for them. Of course, they were back at work by 6:00, the end of their preparation day.

Elder Friar wearing

pajama bottoms because he

 needed his suit pants sewn up

in several places.

Elder Knight, one of our

cowboys, was delighted

to finally get his lasso.

Our district playing a game

The second pizza party was in conjunction with the semester end of Institute and Pathway. We ordered 7 large pizzas and brought vegetables and dip, pop and juice, 2 cookie pizzas, and a cinnamon roll cake. It was all gone before the night was over. We now have a week break before the new semester begins again.

The two days with our missionaries were the pizza party on Monday, and a lunch on Tuesday. Because of a zone training on Tuesday, there were no district meetings scheduled. Knowing our elders and sisters would need lunch after the training, we made a big pot of chili and invited them over for chili on chips with all the trimmings like cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream and guacamole. They really appreciated not having the buy something at the local grocery store for lunch....and, of course, we loved having them in our home two days in a row.




The two missionary opportunities came on Wednesday.  In the morning, we had the privilege of meeting with Michael.  He is a young man whom we met with several week ago and were so impressed with his spirit.  The elders have tried several times to bring him back to our home since that time but had been unsuccessful.  Well, Wednesday it finally happened and we learned he has set a baptismal date. We were so excited for him. The lesson was on the Word of Wisdom and we both had an opportunity to express our testimony of and our gratitude for this law of health. 

Later that afternoon, we went to Shake Shack for lunch. We were craving one of their great hamburgers but we also wanted to deliver an English Group announcement to one of the employees there. Several weeks ago this employee had expressed interest in learning English. Sasha was with us that time and gave him the telephone number of the elders in our district so they could tell him about English group. That was the last week of English for a month and we wanted to let him know that English group was starting again that night. After we showed him the picture we had taken of him and Sasha, he remembered the conversation...at least we think he did. Not knowing Russian made it a little difficult to communicate, but at least the announcement was in Russian. Just trying to do our part.

Paul's second semester math class students

On Thursday, because it was the last Pathway gathering for the semester, we each taught the lesson for our individual class. The lessons were a review of the semester's learning and a discussion about the impact the class has had on the student's lives. Of course, we also had to teach the Institute class that precedes the Pathway gathering .....hence the two lessons taught this week. Our Institute lesson covered the missionary efforts of Ammon and Aaron.  We had one of the students come up and read a personalized mission call to go with Ammon among the Lamanites. It described the dangers they would face, what they could take, and when to report to Ammon.  It was quite effective to introduce the subject. We then discussed the good missionary principles practiced by Ammon and Aaron and applied them to our lives today. It was an effective lesson.

Shirley's first semester life skills class

Two of our favorite Russians sisters who listened

to conference with us.  Lada, on the left, is a new 

convert.  Sasha, on the right, served a mission here

 in Moscow and now lives here. 

She was the first missionary to teach Lada.

And then there were two marvelous days of General Conference, Saturday and Sunday. Here in Moscow, the conference broadcasts are delayed a week so a Russian translation can be completed and sent here. While the Russian version was shown in the chapel, we showed the conference sessions in English upstairs in the Institute room. There is nothing better than watching conference with a room full of elders and sisters. The conference addresses were so uplifting and inspiring. We came away from these two days determined to try to be more like our Savior and to rely on His atonement more completely.  

The elders and sisters eating lunch between sessions.

Between sessions we got lots of help on our puzzle.

The theater

Tuesday night was the Russian folk dance performance to which seven couples went. We met at a Starlight diner, close by the theater, for dinner and then went to the performance. It was delightful..... two acts of beautiful costumes, amazing choreography, and unbelievable talent. The first act was all Russian type folk dancing while the second act had a more international flair to it.  We noticed two interesting traditions during the performance. One tradition had to do with how the audience claps. After a dance the audience claps in rhythm, begging for more. The other tradition involves flowers. At the end of some of the dances, especially the ones that spotlighted solo dancers, people from the audience would come down to the front of the stage and present flowers to their favorite dancers as they took their bows. It was a wonderful evening. Paul liked this dance performance much better than the ballet.

The finale

One other thing from this week is worthy of mention.  Friday we went to Metropolis Mall for a lunch at Wendy's again.  As we came out of the metro, we saw these people with yellow plastic floor length sack over them. They were handing out yellow sale brochures for Stockman's, the big department store in the mall. As we were walking we noticed everyone coming from the mall was carrying yellow sacks. When we got to Stockman's we realized that this was a big sale, called crazy days. It was crazy, for sure, with massive crowds, and boxes and boxes of merchandise in the middle of the aisles in the store. We decided to go in and check out the prices, anyway. We found Dr. Pepper for about a dollar a can. (We've seen it as high as 3 dollars per can.) Their yellow cheddar cheese (hard to find in most stores) was a better price, too. Their Campbell's tomato soup was only $2.50 a can instead of $3.00. It was crazy but worth the hassle.

All the yellow sacks

The stock in the aisles

We joined the crowds carrying our yellow bags.

Our purchases -

even American mayonnaise.

Saturday after the last session of conference, two sets of elders asked if they could come to our home to use our computers. (Wow, there's another 2.) Elder Merrill needed to email a professor about a class he wants to take at Utah State this Fall. The North zone leaders wanted to use skype to hold a zone training with a district in an outlying area. We had 2 elders in the living using one computer for their meeting and 2 elders in our office using the other computer.  Our apartment is a busy place....and we love it.  Luckily I baked banana cookies on Friday so I had some sweet treats to offer them.  

Elders skyping their zone training

And that's our week of pairs.

LIVING IN RUSSIA SPOTLIGHT

When we went to Shake Shack we noticed something very interesting.  Their restroom was a coed one. It wasn't where you go in and lock the entry door while you are using it.  When you go in the door to this restroom there are three stalls and one sink for all to use together.  A little strange we thought. 

It is Spring and we are again noticing something we had forgotten about in the winter - the goobers (gobs of spit) on the sidewalks. It seems that it is acceptable to just spit on the sidewalks when you feel the need. In the winter they weren't noticeable because of the snow or because they would freeze. They are very noticeable now. We watch our steps closely.

Russians know how to show love once you become their friend.  Lada is a dear friend and Saturday, after the conference sessions, she presented Paul and me with this gift. It is a ceramic bear - significant for two reasons. (1) It was manufactured at the oldest ceramic factory in Russia. (2)The bear is a kind of national symbol of Russia signifying power and strength, a sleeping giant. We will put it in a special place in our home to remind us of Russia and a dear friend who lives there.

ANOTHER WEEK OF GREAT MEMORIES