Everyday Life


Everyday life kinda things…



Statues and monuments are everywhere, in parks, at schools, churches, small, big, huge, busts, bellys…
 

Military equipment, two of the sister volunteers live near an anti-aircraft monument.



They have very old, very cool, sidewalks, streets, floors.

Shoes are always removed when you enter a home,
sometimes they even loan you a pair of ‘community’ slippers.

Some of our Young Single Adult friends, that belong to those shoes. We host Family Home Evening once a month. From left to right, Olya, Maxim, Miroslav, Katjia, Alyonna, and Anya. These young adults are so important to the growth of the gospel here. We love them!!!





Flowers and Wallpaper, both are everywhere. Dad buys me flowers every week except for when he forgets and then I buy them for myself. Street florists Marina and Nastia (no pic) have become my friends as I show them my rubles and point to flowers and they let me know how many I can get. You always purchase an odd number of blooms unless buying for a dead person. And isn’t our kitchen wallpaper awesome!!! Waterfalls!


Sergei and Svetlana from Balakova, covered their vintage wallpaper with so many inspirational pages.
He calls it his wall of light. It was very ‘koosna’ (cool)!


Dad and I were invited to the wedding of two of our Institute Students, Mosha and Nakita.  We felt very honored to be there, especially when we noticed we were the only non-family guests. This is everyone that attended the simple ceremony (plus dad and I). Communication was difficult, they know about as much English as we know Russian. Nakita is taking the missionary discussions. The good man on the right is the newest member of our Stake Presidency.




The porta-potty game continues here, even though I don’t see many.




The food can be interesting… Sprite with cucumber was actually pretty good. The kids’ faces are potato somethings.



No thank you!



An Adidas dress. So many young people wear Adidas. It’s so fun seeing some of the English that is printed on their clothing. I see more on actual people, but that would be rude (and illegal) to stop them for their picture.




Running is game on





The Chapel ‘decorated’ for Institute/Seminary Graduation. The volunteers moved them to the ‘cultural hall.’


My testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Russian.
First two lines phonetically: Yazh nigh you shto bowg sheev
Yash nigh you shto Eesoos Xrees toes nawsh spa see tell




Dad walking to the bus stop as seen from the window of our flat. And here I am riding the bus, going somewhere by myself. Always hoping no one asks you anything. It is a bit bizarre as we travel around this very big city, with no language skills.
Dad and I are still so humbled to be here, so far away from everything we know and love, yet we are happy. We have adjusted to life in Saratov (suh rah tiv), and love the members here. They are the happiest Russians we know. It’s so awesome to be with these members of the lost tribes of Israel.

We would ask you dear family to do the same thing that we ask members here to do…
Will you please read the Book of Mormon every day (for the rest of your life)?
We promise you, really really promise you that your family and home will be blessed with peace.

Happy! Happy!
Joy! Joy!

heart clover bee whale
heart clover bee whale
heart clover bee whale

Love you and really like you,
Mom and dad, nan and pops, Kath and Rob

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