Sunday, December 18, 2016

Dear Family,

Thank you all for going to see grandma. I appreciate your efforts and I’m sure she does also.

Wow, we’ve had an eventful week.  It’s been so cold. Last Monday was -13, Tue -14, Wed. -17, Thur -18, Fri -20, Sat it warmed up to -16. Today the low is -8. Needless to say you don’t go outside unless you are bundled up to your eyeballs.  We walked to and from work every day and to the market on Saturday.

So many Elders and Sisters were in and out of the office because of the 11 leaving and their companions. Plus there was a mini Transfer happening because we had 5 sisters and 6 Elders going home, so we had to move people around. So it was very busy. Monday, Sister O and I went to the Bezi branch building. It’s taken 10 years for this building to get open. There has been one problem after another preventing it from being finished (It used to be a mini mall). 20 foot ceilings, its beautiful; three floors and no elevator. Anyway we figured out that it would work for us to have our party/conference there.

The very small kitchen is on the second floor. I knew that meant that I’d be up and down the stairs several times. Wednesday Sister O and I, Elders Lytle, Hemrick, Buchanan and Quarnberg went and sent up tables and set them; got the crock pots set up, worked on the sound and video system. Sister O has been frying hamburger, and freezing it along with cooking pasta and put it in zip locks and into the fridge. She is amazing. I asked if I could do anything and she said she had more time than I did and to just make a cake.

Then Wednesday night was the dinner at the Ottesen’s for all the Volunteers leaving for home. I made a big pot of taco soup for that and a huge apple crisp. I brought chips and grated cheese. Sister O made rolls, rice and chicken enchiladas. We topped the apple crisp with ice cream. Dad and I had to carry all of the stuff we were bringing to the Ottesen’s apartment. It was really nice to be there with all of the returning volunteers. We’ve grown very close to a lot of them.

Then Thursday was our Christmas Zone Conference. President bought 75 cinnamon rolls and Sister O bought juice. Everyone got there by 8:30 AM, we got there at 8:00. They mingled while we stashed the food upstairs and got them into crockpots. We made fruit cups and Sister O and Riesa, the cleaning lady from the office, made a huge pasta salad. Some sister had already cut up vegetable for us for our vege tray. Sister O made a huge bowl of ranch dip.

We started the conference with Sister Ottesen speaking and then President. We had several musical numbers. Then all the Volunteers stayed down stairs for watch the Christmas video and some others while we got lunch ready. Sister O had made something like 15 loaves of French bread. She had it sliced and garlic buttered then wrapped in tin foil. We put it in the oven in the morning and it was just right for lunch. Sister O really wanted to give these guys a home cooked meal for Christmas.

After lunch we reconvened and each of the AP’s spoke. Then it was mine and Dad’s turn. Our topic was how to live a Christ centered life and have a Christ centered Christmas. I don’t have a copy of my talk at home so I’ll send it to you later. I started then Dad talked about two Christ like attributes, Obedience and Bravery. Dad doesn’t have a talk written out he just uses bullet points. He did a great job. Then I finished by giving them 5 things they are doing now and if they continue to do will help them stay closer to Christ their whole lives and then I bore by testimony to them. Several people came up and told us what a good job we did.

Then the Ottesens started a game. It was the Samara Zone verses the Toliatti Zone. They asked Book of Mormon, President Ottesen and Mission questions. There was a present for the team who answered correctly. They kept going until everyone got a present. Then Roman (our driver) brought in Subway sandwiches. All the volunteers loaded up their backpacks into the Roman Van and then taxied to the Ballet. We went with the Ottesen’s in the Van.

Swan Lake was beautifully done and since there was only music we didn’t have to worry about translation. Here is what the internet says about the story:

Swan Lake

The story of Swan Lake is woven around two girls, Odette and Odile, who resemble each other so closely they can easily be mistaken for the other. Originally their roles were entrusted to two separate dancers, but as there is only one brief fleeting moment when they are seen simultaneously, it has long been customary for a single prima ballerina to perform both parts, differentiating them by characterization and general style. The action takes place in Germany in the distant past.

Act I

After a glittering musical introduction, the first scene is set in a splendid park, with a fairy-tale castle in the background. Prince Seigfried and his friends are seated, drinking, and peasants enter to congratulate him on his coming of age; meanwhile, his tutor Wolfgang encourages them to dance for the young Prince's entertainment.

A messenger presages the arrival of the young Prince's Mother. She follows to pronounce that her son should now marry, choosing a bride from the young women to be presented to him at a ball the following evening. She leaves and the rustic dancing resumes until darkness suddenly falls and a flock of swans appear. The Prince has an idea of shooting one of the noble birds and, armed with a crossbow, sets off with his friends and heads to where the swans are heading.

Act II

By the banks of a lake by moonlight, a flight of swans glide past, led by their own Queen. The Prince's friends are eager for the chase, but he begs them to leave him, and whilst he is alone the Swan Queen comes to him in the human form of Odette and tells her story.

She is under the spell of an evil magician, Von Rothbart, and reveals that by day she and her friends are turned into swans. Also persecuted by her stepmother, that subjection will only end when she marries; until then she has only her crown to protect her.

The whole swan group arrives and they reproach the Prince for attempting to deprive them of their beloved leader. Odette intercedes and the Prince discards his crossbow. He and Odette dance, professing their love. The entire flock joins in; and the act ends as an owl (the wicked stepmother) flaps heavily above.

Act III

It is the following evening and in a luxurious hall in the Prince's castle preparations are underway for the feast. Wolfgang orders the servants around; guests start to materialise; and finally, the Princess-Mother and her entourage. A sequence of turns commences until the Princess asks her son which of the women he favours. 'None', he replies to her annoyance.

At a sudden fanfare Baron Rothbart enters with his daughter Odile, whose resemblance to Odette strikes the Prince. Odile herself dances enticingly, followed by an elaborate sequence of national dances by the company. The Princess-Mother is pleased to see that Odile has caught her son's favour. The young couple themselves conjoin together and the Princess-Mother and Rothbart advance to centre-stage to announce a betrothal.

With that, the scene ominously darkens, an agitated version of the principal swan theme is heard; a window flies open noisily and through it can be seen a white swan replete with crown. Horrified, the Prince pushes Odile away and rushes out amid general confusion.

Act IV

The girls, including Odette, gather around the lake. Odette is heartbroken. Prince Siegfried finds them consoling each other. He explains to Odette the trickery of Von Rothbart and she grants him her forgiveness. It isn’t long before Von Rothbart appears and tells the prince that he must honour his word and marry his daughter or both he and Odette will die. Prince Siegfried refuses. A fight follows, Odette and Siegfried die in each other’s arms. Von Rothbart’s evil spell is broken by the power of Odette and Siegfried’s love for each other and Von Rothbart is destroyed by the swans, who are released from their enslavement.

The theatre is gorgeous. It the one we went to with Sister Schwab. The Volunteers seemed to love it. Afterwards we took a group picture but the one the guy took with our camera was all blurry. Sister Ottesen’s was marginally better. We didn’t get home until about 10:00 AM. It was so hard to say goodbye. We got up at 6:00am to skype with Brian and Grandma but the Ottesen’s and AP’s were up at 2:30 to pick everyone up and get them and their luggage to the airport.

Friday still had Elders and Sister in and out. Everyone had been coming in all week to pick up their Christmas packages. Normally they get them at Zone Conference but I woke up one night and thought “how are they going to take those boxes to the ballet and then get them home. So President and Sister O decided to have them pick up their packages either before or after the Ballet.

I decided to go simple for our Sunday dinner so Saturday I put together another pot of taco soup. I also make corn bread and a cake. The bag said it was an orange cake, I’m not sure I could taste orange. Most the cakes I’ve made have turned out dry. I read on-line that if instead of adding whatever moisture they tell you, like milk or water, add that same amount of either sour cream or mayo. I tried it with sour cream and it made a big difference. I can’t believe how moist it is. I also fried up some flour tortilla chips which taste great. I had grated cheese and sour cream also. We invited the NovoK Elders over for dinner along with AP’s and one Zone leader. The other one left for home and another one hasn’t been assigned yet. Well Elder Quarnberg and Elder Lytle had an appointment so they didn’t come. Elder’s Kennedy and Nedelev (Russian guy) were on splits with Elder Buchanan. So we had them and the NovoK Elders.

Today the Bezi Sister came to NovoK with us. Our Elders set up several appointments for them after church. Our branch loves having the sisters there. We took a picture of Dad and me in front of the Christmas tree.  The Elders told me they have two baptism dates set. One date is for Lena, who has been coming with her granddaughter on Jan 7th. The date is for Anatolli’s wife, Lena on Jan 27^th.

Saturday there was a baptism in Orenburg and another one on Sunday. There is a baptism set in Saratov for a guy that was meeting with our Zone leader out there. They were doing a behind the walls thing and joined a health club. Elder Poulton and his companion were working with a weight trainer. After a while they invited this guy to church and he went out and bought all new church clothes and came to church. He stayed the whole time and even went to an activity afterwards and then wanted to be baptized. It’s really amazing to see how the Lord is working to bring to Gospel to people.