До свидания

Instructions have just come from our Area Presidency that missionaries not maintain blogs. We want to comply. : ) For the record, we asked permission before we began, but as time has passed we have heard things that make us see the need for such direction.

As long as we're writing one last time, we have this to say:

• Heavenly Father loves each one of His children. He wants our happiness.
• Jesus Christ is the Savior of all mankind. He offers exaltation to all who are willing to follow Him and abide by His precepts.
• Joseph Smith has restored the Gospel of Jesus Christ on Earth today.
• The Book of Mormon is true; following its principles will make your life happier--we promise.
• The Church is lead by a living prophet, Thomas S. Monson, who reveals God's will for our times.
• The Heavens are opened. That is, each of us can be guided by the Spirit to have direction for our lives. Prayers are answered.
• To those who already know these things: BE TRUE!

Love to all,

Elder and Sister McEvoy

"Papa, Don't Drink"

Many groups within Russia try to help stem alcohol consumption, use of drugs, and other destructive lifestyles.  This sign was spotted on a public wall in Chelyabinsk.

Fresh Air

Parents and grandparents pull children on sleds. Babies, even newborns, are taken out in strollers for "air." There are times when it is too cold, and even adults will stay in and wait it out.

Russian Christmas

We can't say enough about a traditional Russian dinner at Alexey, Olga and Anna's, with Elder and Sister Nuzman. After feasting on borscht, meat and cabbage turnovers--piroshki, chicken and rice entree, and hot cranberry-cherry compote--Olga heaped the table with chocolates, torte, and fruit. Then it was time to talk and laugh away the evening.

Bright spot

Fun to run into Sister Mezinets (Ukraine) and Sister Hansen (ID), when we were walking to Alexeys.

Sister Mezinets' cute, warm fur coat was made for her by her mother.  We see plenty of real fur coats, but if it's faux, Russians call it "fish fur," a little joke.

At work in Himash

After a meeting with Lilia and her mother and young son, Elders Holden and Cutler dig snow from her car outside the apartment, while Elder McEvoy removes the battery to take inside and charge. It's not uncommon to take the battery inside at night so it will work in the morning. After the work was done, we all headed for the bus stop. (-10 f.)

Warm today

 It was +5 f. degrees Sunday.  At church Lubov, who speaks English, cheerfully announced, "It's warm today!  But tomorrow it will be cold again."  Our -25 temperatures make us appreciate a balmy +5.

Inside homes, stores, missionary apartments, and our office it's plenty warm.  We mostly work in shirt-sleeves.  Missionaries dress to be warm enough when they're out in -20f. (with wind) and still be comfortable inside at +72 degrees on any given day.  Layering is the answer!

 Sister Allcott took winter pictures of all the zones; Yekat Zone here.

Mission Map

Click to enlarge.

One More Christmas Story

These Elders are the ones who were scheduled to fly home on December 22. At the airport, they were told they would be delayed 48 hours; at least they'd make it home Christmas Eve. They took off on the 24th, but we got the "rest of the story" from the Allens today:

"When the four returning missionaries got to Frankfurt, Elder O'Dair didn't have a ticket home. So Elder Shreeve stayed an extra day in Frankfurt with Elder O'Dair so that he wouldn't have to be alone at Christmas. [The two were flying into AZ.] They both came home late, but we are sure their families were glad to see them."

(l-r Elders Shreeve, Krogue, Dasha, us, Elders O'Dair, Isenbarger, 23 Dec. 2009.)

Food, Glorious Food # 1

We haven't said enough about food. Originally we wondered what we would eat here. Well, the brands are different but we lack nothing.

We love trying Russian food, but when we're on our own we gravitate to the familiar. For lunch at the office we've had grilled cheese, tuna salad, and BLT's--Russian style. That is, crisp fried slices of kilbasa and tomatoes; skip the L or use Chinese cabbage leaves. Russian mayo is excellent.

Recent dinners have featured chow mein (frozen broccoli, chicken, fresh mushrooms w/real Asian noodles); enchiladas and fajitas w/ homemade tortillas; pork roast and baked potatoes; pasta alfredo w/chicken; tuna casserole; etc., etc.
(Elder Mac serves enchiladas to Vasylina, Elder Stoops (Norway), and the Nuzmans; BLT's w/out the L.)

General Blog

We could easily post three or four times what we do but we write only when time permits. Then, some things we experience aren't suited to a blog. In any case, thank you for reading and for comments. So sorry we don't always respond back! For the next few weeks we have random items to share.