Sunday Dinner Guests

Our Sunday dinner guests were the Kovalenko Family.

Oksana, Ivan,Ludmilla, Veronika, Nina, and Malina....

and also Sister Werner, Tonya (an investigator), Dasha, and Sister Oaks

Veronika is three years. It is so fun to hear her speak Russian.

Ivan Kovalyenko is president of the 1st branch. He served a mission in Sacramento, California. The little girl in the red is his sister's daughter. Him and Ludmilla have two daughters. Nina, is his mother. His father is also a member, but was unable to come for Sunday Dinner.

Friday's Fun Fotos

If the stork isn't their national bird it should be.

Notice the hand made rake. These babushkas are such hard workers.

Fun and colorful water drainage system.

Here is an example of patience. He (or she) was a long ways from anything!

Interesting raft--doesn't look too safe to me and I'm thinking with those paddles you would not go too far too fast.

Something New!!

Just when I think we have done it all--Sergei finds us a new adventure. On our road trip this week we ferried across the river.

Where we started....

Driving on...



where we are going.

We made it!!

It was a pleasant, smooth ride and the scenery was beautiful.

Visit to Polatsk, Vitebsk Region

We took Susan and Randy to open a project in Polatsk and while we were there Oxana showed us around her city which is full of history.

This is the group in front of the Statue honoring the first women to be sainted by the Orthodox Church. She was a princess, but refused to get married and instead devoted her life to God and helping other people. Her bones are At St. Efrasinnia Monastery where thousand visit yearly to pay their respect.

Interesting stone--remind you of anything?

Legend has it if you touch this stone and make a wish, it will come true and you will have good luck.

St. Efrasinnia Monastery for women.

The women that visit are required to wear scarves and dresses.

Visitors from Idaho

While Susan and Randy were visiting us, we showed them some of our favorite and famous places in Minsk.
Of course the National Library, which by the way, was voted as one of the top ten ugliet buildings in the world. That doesn't say much for my taste--because I like it.

We even found a car show for Randy. This was one of my favorite cars. It even had a car alarm that went off when people touched it. I thought the little girl was especially cute.

I could see myself driving this car. Does that couple look a little cultured shocked. Actually they were doing amazingly well after it took them almost two days to get here.

I love the light in the city at night. This is just across the street from our apartment and the Landon's motel.

The tulips were in bloom, but they were just a week too early to see the other flowers planted. They were planting them today.

In the winter time this dome is used for an ice skating rink, in the summer it becomes Go-kart course.

Two in One Week???

Igor and Marina Timofyeyev went with us to the ballet when Susan and Randy missed their flight connections and didn't arrive in Minsk until 11:00 pm.

We saw the performance of "The Nutcracker."

Now tell me which do you think would be harder....

to hold a dancer above you head on bare ground or...

on ice????

Fun Road Trip Shots

We see some beautiful country when we leave the city--but you still have to have power lines!!

I wonder what those two are thinking about.

Do you think the bus will give this guy a ride?

Mama milks while Papa brushes off the flies--what a team!!

Happy Birthday!!

During the month of May all the sisters serving in Belarus celebrate their birthdays--so we all went out to dinner at a nice restaurant near Sofia. They serve the best salmon and Belarussian mashed potatoes. You don't want to be in a hurry when you eat there--but the food is worth waiting for.

Sister Werner's birthday is May 18th.


Sister Oaks birthday was May 8th. Of course we had to give her a doll from Belarus.
Sister Wade's birthday is also in May--but when you're my age you don't advertise with pictures!!

Ballet on Ice

Near to our apartment is the Palace of Sport, built for hockey games. This week they had "Swan Lake--Ballet on Ice" performed by dancers from St. Petersburg.

Nastya Davydik, a member of the branch, went with us.

The Stage--those people on sitting on the ice.

Great costumes....

fantastic dancing....

and amazing talent.

Mogilov Wheelchair Distribution

Each Territorial Center we visit always have interesting displays in their reception areas.

One service they provide is craft classes for the adults with handicaps that visit their day care centers.

Irina was at the ceremony to receive a new wheelchair. About six years ago her legs and back started to hurt. She lives alone and with a new wheelchair she will be able to be more independent and keep taking care of herself.

Sister Oaks interviewed this 36 year man--who has been in a wheelchair since about the age of 19.

The adults with handicaps love to make gifts with small beads and sequins. We were presented from the director two hand crafted trees.

They presented to me for my birthday a handmade straw doll from Syvtelana the Chair of the Committee of Labor, Employment, and Social Protection of the Mogilov Region. (How's that for a title?)

Fun Shots

With each road trip I keep thinking I won't find something new to take pictures of. Wrong!! I found some fun shots on our trip to the Grodna Region this past week.

I like this pictures with the leaves on the trees starting to bloom and the church steeple in the background.

Grodna is near the border of Poland and Sergei said these "fancy" stroller are purchased in that country.

Most cities have a statue of Lenin, but this was the first statue we've seen of Stalin.

These Orthodox church and huge and built out of brick....

then covered with a plaster and painted white.

We see churches being built or remodeled all over the country of Belarus. Some day we hope to see a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints built in this country.