Riverside

In Ludmilla's family photos, we liked this one
of Yuri and friends headed out on a month-long camping
trip using this raft that they made, about 1960

Yuri and Ludmilla

We went with the Elders, President and Sister Prihodka, and Elena from our branch to visit Yuri and Ludmilla. Once again, we're overwhelmed a their hospitality. Super was prepared at their kitchen on the porch. This loving couple were cheerful and kind and fun to be with.

The summer is so short that people get to work fast at their dachas or sods (gardens) and you can feel things winding down already. Because of the long days, things can grow large, like the big cabbage.

We got to try "summer soup." This cold dish starts with potato-salad-like vegetables in a bowl; then you pour on ka-vas' (a popular drink that tastes to us like carbonated vinegar). Topped with sour cream, the soup was a nice combination of contrasting flavors.

Happy Birthday to You!

Children

We love to see the beautiful children and the wonderful care they're given. They always have hats, even in July and August. Families are small; it's uncommon to have more than one or two babies.






We like these letter magnets for children, in the Cyrillic alphabet, of course.

Branch Picnic

Elder McEvoy plays his first real game of b-ball here; walking to the bus stop afterward--Yekat in the distance; lunch and watermelon; charades; bus stop.

Sister McEvoy talked with a recent convert, Anna, about Soviet times. People talk freely about these things now; they have to explain it to their children since it was some 20 years ago.

Anna said, among other things, that everything was the same. There was no "brilliance," no "color." Since everyone was "equal" when you visited someone's apartment it was exactly like yours--everyone had the same things. Even clothes were the same.

We mentioned that some Russians say the Soviet Era was a peaceful and safe time. They say, "We never had to lock our apartments." Anna laughed and said, "Of course not. There was nothing to steal!"

She did say that immediately after the Soviet demise there were some rough years. More on that another time. Thanks to Sister Sulimenko for translating!

In our belfry

Sister M. woke Elder Mac at 3:30AM to tell him something was flying around the bedroom ceiling. A big moth? A bird?? No, a BAT. While Elder Mac perfected an impressive duck-and-smack maneuver with a fly swatter, Sister Mac offered helpful suggestions from well under the covers. Then a second one joined the first! After both bats were stunned we dumped them out the window.

Russians here had never heard of such a thing happening. They rarely see a bat--or "flying mouse."

Summer's end

Lots of rain recently, so everyone takes advantage of sunny days. At this lake just three blocks from our apartment there are plenty of sunbathers but little swimming or boating; they say the water isn't healthy.

Young Single Adult Conference

It was great to see 260 youth and leaders gather here from three Russian missions. Some came 36 hours on trains.

We stayed in dorm apartments formerly used for communist youth camps in a place just outside Yekaterinburg. Besides the excellent leaders and the beautiful forest, we loved being with these bright, talented youth as they worked on service projects, played games, attended workshops, ate, and danced.

Great talent show. A favorite skit: "If I weren't a Mormon, what would I be?" They answered in cute rhythm and rhyme. One might be a red flag-waving Lenin supporter. Another might be despondent enough to do himself in with his own necktie.

After that, they compared the "World's Way" of doing things with the "Mormon Way." For instance, to get one's paycheck the worldly group greedily pushed and fought to get to the window first. By contrast, their group waited patiently in line, inviting others to go ahead, and courteously thanking the clerk. Then, with check in hand they headed straight to the Branch President to pay their tithing. : )

This age group is the strength of the Church in the near future. They depend on each other, and they keep in touch after they leave. They're all on FB.

The dances all three nights were fun. Lots of costumes and fancy outfits the first two nights; more formal outfits on the last evening, calling for posed pictures.

The project was directed by Elder and Sister Nuzman (CO) and the local youth leaders. President and Sister Schwitzer, who formerly presided over this mission, came from Moscow EEA to speak.

Scripture Power

The members often make book covers for their scriptures. And even though they speak Russian, they sometimes use English words. Also, sparkles and glitzy shimmery things are popular.

From the YSA Conference

Into the Woods

At the Conference we managed some short walks in the forest that surrounded us. So beautiful. It was fun to be with Sister Elaine Palmer who took pictures of every single kind of mushroom. We can see why so many fairy tales happen in the forest. The berries and rose hips are edible. Red mushrooms: Nyet!

Church Educators

These leaders visiting with all of us
at the Young Single Adult conference
broke into the Song of the Volga Boatmen here.

• President Solomein: Member 12 yrs.; a Mission President after 5; architect; CES in Yekat.
• Brother Drochykov: Member 10 years; CES Director in Novosabirsk
• Brother Kosmynin: Samara CES Director; formerly a bomber pilot in the Russian AF.
• Brother Kostak: Raised in East Germany; CES Director for the Europe East Area.

(CES = Church Education System; church classes for teens and college students.)

Kasli

About two hours north of Yekaterinburg in the Chelyabinsk oblast, the Kasli cast iron works has been in operation for 250 years. Their greatest artistic achievement is the pavilion that we've seen in a gallery in Yekaterinburg. (Thanks to Anya for being our tour guide!) The details of the pavilion are wonderful.

You can imagine how pleased we were to receive this beautiful gift, a Kasli filigree plate with mythylogical figures on it, from Galina. So unexpected. We were overwhelmed. (Pavilion photo from "justrussia." You can see more Kasli work on the web.)

Sister Galina

We went with Elders Brown and Ellsworth to visit wonderful Sister Galina at her apartment over the weekend. We told her we were bringing dinner, but she had cooked everything--chicken and mashed potatoes and two salads! She had the Elders bring in a small bench from the balcony that acted as our table.

A chain-smoker who spent her career teaching Marxist philosophy and scientific atheism at a university, she joined the Church in 1995. The Elders began teaching her and she read the Book of Mormon, but the turning point came when they gave her a blessing to help her quit smoking. (Elder Brigham Shelly). She lost interest in her beloved cigarettes overnight. She says she realized, "God is there."

With her great intellect she's proved to be a wonderful student of the Book of Mormon, Church history, and doctrine.

Furthermore, she's very creative. She has made a delightful set of "quiet books" for children with excellent handwork and clever details. Sister McEvoy loved the artistic, tasteful touches all over her book-crowded two-room apartment.