Hurricane

This is who was at our Home evening and dinner that the Elders made. It didn't copy right on the web and I haven't figured out how to fix this so half is at the top and half is at the bottom. I just want to keep you on your toes.
This was part of the hurricane of last week. This was a pretty big trunk of a tree. I didn't get too many pictures because we were inside the whole time. The elders were out in it and the water was flooding the streets. The cars were pushing the water as they went down the streets. The Tram-vie had a broken electrical so they didn't work for a couple of days. Because of that I couldn't believe the people that were out on the streets the next day walking because no one could ride the tram. I guess they really need all of these kinds of transportation to get through this city.
This is looking down the hill at the church. The whole hill was covered by downed limbs. They still don't have the city cleaned up yet.

Two of our Elders, fixing Navajo taco's for the Nigerians, just before home evening. They're such good Elders and are always working hard.

Castle in Lutsk

This is a castle in Lutsk. We went to Lutsk to check on apartments of the Elders this last week end, which there is only one apartment but three missionaries. They are waiting for another companion. We also were asked by the Branch Pres. to teach Strengthening Families lesson to there Branch during Sunday School, which we did.
There was a concert at the Castle while we were there. We have no idea who was singing but there were a lot of people there.
Elder Williams looking out one of the holes, I'm sure that they fired there cannon's out of. There were about 3-4 different weddings taking pictures at the Castle, I guess it's pretty popular for that. This is Olya, our translator at the lesson we taught on Sunday. She is so sweet and is very good. She came to where we were to catch the Marshootka so we would make sure and get on the right one. They are so good to us and take such good care of us. There branch is small but what a sweet spirit it has there. There is quite a few families that are members and you could sure see a difference on how close and unified they were.

Arsenal And More

This was also at the memorial at Kiev they had a lot of tanks and airplanes, bombs and more as you can see, sorta.





























This is seen in many of the celo's (villages). This was in the town but they drive on the side of the roads going between towns, with a wife, a companion, hay in the back or produce.




We had our missionaries come over last Sat. to finish off the sloppy joes that we had for zone conference. I had frozen it and we just warmed it up and cooked some fries and had banana splits with carmel topping. The carmel is nothing like we have it's like sweetened condensed milk. I just warmed it up and mixed some milk with it. I was told of some stuff I could buy that was like prepared chocolate frosting, it's called "Pasta" and it's in a jar and you just spread it on your cake, I'm excited!!

Pres. Dinner and WW II Memorial

This is all of the couples in the Ukraine Mission, we all came together to have a farewell dinner with the Davis' before they finished their mission at the end of the month.
The office staff found this picture probably in Salt Lake, of the Kiev Temple that is being built. The temple will be finished in 2010. Maybe we'll have to come back over to the dedication.
This is some more pictures from the memorial with Elder and Sister Lackey, Elder and Sister Reber, and us. The round thing on top is an eternal flame and was always going when the USSR was in charge but not any more because gas is so expensive.
This is the escalator that you ride to get to the Metro in Kiev. It is about 400 feet deep in the ground and their is two of these going down
This is some sculptures through an open tunnel. They are all different and they are on both sides of the tunnel. They are bronze but the weather has tarnished them so they are black. They take a lot of pride in how hard they fought in the war as you probably saw on Red Square back in March on Victory Day. There is also a museum here that we went through that is very interesting. They show all the towns that were taken and also those that were completly destoyed.

Yana & Trip to Kiev

This was a happy day when Yana was baptized with the Elders that taught her. She's a very special person
This was the group that showed up to her baptism. She had a lot of supporters there who love her. She is a very wonderful person who will do anything for anybody.
This was at the World War II Memorial in Kiev. They were very proud of the war and this was an outstanding memorial.
We stayed with Dr. Lackey and Janie while we were in Kiev and Elder Jacobs, who was transferred from Lviv about a month ago is now here with his companion Elder Weissberg, they were invited to lunch when we got there. Natasha who is about 30 and sitting next to Elder Jacobs, who is a returned missionary has been staying with the Lackeys for a few months. We had a grand time.

At the World War II memorial, they call this statue Big Mama, it depicts Victory.

Tourinka

At the church in Tourinka there was a well. We brought some water up and it looked clean so we had some, it was a hot day. They called it Holy Water so we'll see if it makes us better.
We took a rest while the lady was down in the pasture talking to the Viker. That's a wild rose growing. There were a lot of ducks in this field and Uliana had brought me a feather to wear. She had been in our class when we were talking about Indian names and traditions.
They just trail their cows just like we do.
We were talking to the 90 year old man here. There were two farm houses together so maybe his son lives in the other one.
Back to Lviv. The older woman sweep the street with these brooms. They actually do have trucks that spray the streets also and then these woman come along and clean up the trash.

June 7 week

Our last dinner before zone conference with the Davis' and Hinkles. We are going to Kyiv Wed. all of the couples to have a couple dinner with them. They were wonderful Mission Pres. and the missionaries love him a lot.
This is our group. Elder Swiss is the one on the right. The town sounds like Tourinka but see how it's spelled.
The court house
Many people tried to help, the one in black is the one that took us all over. She was very sweet.
The 7th of June and see how tall the corn is. The early stuff is almost gone and we have really enjoyed the strawberries that have been on for a couple of weeks.

Symphony

In what is called the center down by the Opera Center they have all these hanging basket. They are so beautiful.
Here is the director with his orchestra. They are so good and we enjoy hearing them so much.
Here is Tatiana who comes to English class and isn't a member yet, and her husband. They are both Doctors and she is a delightful person and is always trying to take care of you. She would be a wonderful Relief Society Pres. They are so good to us. They are the same age as Elder Williams.
Tatiana and her daughter Tetiana inside of the Philharmonia Center in Lviv with Elder Williams.
The Relief Society display at the open house. Click on it and see the beautiful clothes they have knitted. The pink bags are their display for home storage.

Shopping & Lutsk

From left to right in the back we have milk. Yes this is how we get it. Sometimes it isn't even in the cooler. The date on the back says it will last about a month. Of course we put it in the frig and I get mine from the cooler. You just snip the corner and pour. Then there is baking powder, which I haven't used yet and of course bottled water, without gas, but I have drank with gas and I don't mind it, it's just like pop but with no flavor. Juice is always in these containers. Plastic wrap never has a box so you can cut it so you have to find the edge of it everytime. I think I'll ask for an empty box for Christmas. You can find bread like this all over but it never tastes fresh and it only is eatable for about 3 days, it's dry. Eggs are in these plastic cartons but you always take them home and put them in clorox water and wash them because they're never washed and you always cook them all the way done. I forgot to put the mayo on there, it's kinda like the milk, never in bottles.
Home evening at our place. The elders are acting out Alma and the sons of Mosiah. Also they did Ammon, they were so good. The Africans loved it.
On our trip to Lutsk and Rivne, it was pretty early in the morning and everybody has there cows on a halter by the side of the road letting them eat. Sometimes they have several there.
If you click on this you can see a stork with 2 little babies. They are just out of town going toward Rivne. They are really big nests. It was pretty country but we need Lim Construction to come and lay all new pavement down. It would keep him busy for the rest of even his son-in-laws lives. Of course you wouldn't get much for it. Nobody likes to pay taxes because they don't use the money to fix up the roads.