How cold is it?

It's so cold that we have to have an electric heater in every room to keep warm. E. Reese decided to put this one to use and is toasting the bread while I was making dinner! He was also warming our plates! This winter is the coldest winter Georgia has had in 40 years. How lucky are we? This is the view outside our study window.

We have to plan extra time for getting out of the house - it takes awhile to get all the layers on. This was taken on our walk to the church - 20 minutes away. I must say I have been very happy with how warm my coat and boots keep this California girl!

On the Metro

Leanna is the Relief Society President and I am her counselor. Every Sunday she tells me we need to go see someone. We meet at a metro and head out to visit a sick or 'in need' sister. We usually buy some groceries to leave with them. Leanna works, so we usually go in the evenings. This picture was taken on the metro on our way home - we were all tierd.(half hour metro ride, 15 minute bus ride, 5 minute walk home - all in the cold!) Sometimes we have an interpreter go with us - usually we just use sign language and let our hearts talk. Sometimes I forget that she can't speak English!

Georgian Book of Mormon

One really hard thing about being a missionary in Georgia is that the Book of Mormon is not translated into Georgian. They use the Russian BOM that many of the people can read - but there are many who can't or would better understand in Georgian. So we were thrilled when Dion came to visit us to put together a translation team! We enjoyed the 2 weeks he stayed here and loved talking with him about all his experiences. Here they are working on the translation and learning how to do it. It will still take several years before it is finished - but it is great to be getting started!

Art Project

We are finishing a project where we provided some equipment to an afterschool school that help disadvantaged youth learn artistic skills. They have 2 amazing teachers here, one is an artist that teaches art to the 8-18 year olds. We provided easels. art boxes, computers and a heater! The other is a fashion design teacher. What a fun teacher - they are encouraged to design and create. We provided 3 sewing machines and a computer. Hopefully these classes will teach the students skills that can be used to provide a trade or future for them.

They said thank you with a nice luncheon as we got to know each other better.

The very best gift was a beautiful figurine that they made for E. Reese. He had asked about Georgia's Father Christmas last time we met with them and they made one for him. The art teacher made the head, hands and feet, the design teacher made the clothes and another lady made the coat and embroidered on it. What a treasure.

Train Trip

There are 5 new senior couples in Yerevan, so on January 29 we rode the midnight train from Georgia to Yerevan with the zone leaders to go to a senior couple conference to meet them. We had our own little compartment with a bed on each wall. The bathroom was down the hall. We left at 8:30pm and stopped at the boarder to get our visas around 11:00. Then we tried to sleep until we arrived at Yerevan around 7:30. The train moved very slowly and was very bumpy - it was an adventure!

We spent the morning with the Watkins - she made us a yummy breakfast and then we went to a cool musuem built into the mountain. Unfortunately the museum was closed - but we could still go in the building and up to the top for a great view.

Luckily the Yum Yum Donut Store was not closed and we had a yummy apple fritter!!! We had a great meeting with the other senior couples and then went out to dinner for Chinese food. We are now the Senior senior couple - having been in the mission the longest.

We then borded the midnight train to Georgia and headed home - arriving at 10 am. I was so excited to be able to have Honey Nut Cheerios and Regular Cheerios for breakfast - they sold them in Yerevan - what a treat and only 2000 dramm each!