Week 18 - January 23, 2018

Dear Family,

Wow!  This past week has been soooo busy.  Last Monday night, we had the Young Single Adults at our apartment for Family Home Evening.  There were 12 in attendance, which we were very happy about.  Two young Elders directed the evening.  They had one new young member give a short lesson, then they all played a fun game.  They all seemed to really enjoy themselves.  I had fixed a huge tray of cheeses, ham cut in squares, carrots, celery, and cucumbers and gave them those sticks like you kabobs on.  They just kept getting what they wanted on the stick and all stood around the table.  That's the way they do it here--no one sits down.  They just all stand around the table and pick off the things they want, while eating and talking.  It is pretty interesting!  Then I had made lots of chocolate chip cookies and Texas sheet cake.  I think the evening turned out to be a great success!

On Thursday, we had to make our monthly presentation to the Area Audit Committee, where Elder Golden of the Area Presidency presides.  It is always such a nerve-wrecking thing to do because his time is so limited, so we work so hard to try to make it interesting and informative (as you can do with just lots of numbers!  Hah!)   George gives me all the directives and information, then I make the Power Point Presentation.  We were so happy with how the meeting turned out.  I believe we are getting more accustomed to what is expected and how to get it presented, then from there, how to problem solve.

Friday, we worked so long and hard to finalize all the presentation for five countries that we would be visiting.  Every country has their own statistics and items that need to be addressed, as well as we have to make some with language differences.  In addition, George had to line up the auditors, Branch Presidents, Mission Presidents, etc., in each country that we would be working with.  Then, there was all the airline tickets and hotels for each country, going to and from.  It was monumental!  Whew!  But, after really working on this for the last month, we felt ready to leave!  

Saturday,  we caught a taxi to the airport and left for Istanbul, Turkey.  It has only just recently opened up to allow Americans back in.  

(What a difference between the two climates--Moscow as we left and had to have the run-ways cleared and plane de-iced to Istanbul where there was beautiful green grass!)

We had our Turkey Visa ready to enter, and surprisingly enough, it went very well in getting there--however, there were so few booths going through the Passport Control, so we stood in huge lines for over an hour.  

Then finding the luggage and finally getting outside was a miracle!  We were thrilled when Kyle's Area Manager's best friend came to pick us up.  We were like little kids seeing a parent when he found us!  It made us so happy to have someone take over to get us where we needed to be.  He was so kind to wait for us through all this time that we were in Passport Control--and he doesn't even work for Kyle!  He is a friend of the man who does!  That is truly a good person!  Anyway, we bought him lunch--everything was a specialty from Turkey, and it was delicious.  

Then he took us to our hotel--Wyndham Old TownIstanbul.  We had asked to be close to the tourist sites so we could just walk from there, but being literally across a little narrow street from a Mosque was maybe a little too close!  Hah!  Calls to prayer happen five times a day, and we definitely admired those who adhere to that strict of praying when they hear that call!  We were so tired, however, it didn't bother us as much as I thought it was going to. 

(Our Hotel--Wyndham Old Town Istanbul)

Sunday, we took a taxi to the church.  It is a small Branch that had about 60 people in attendance, but seriously was one of the best meetings we've been to in a long time!  There were several Filipino ladies there who are housekeepers or nannies and just send their money back home (just like what you had, John and Alison, in both Paris and Shanghai).  They were so enthusiastic and one played the piano who was self-taught because they didn't have a piano player in that branch before, a couple were in the Relief Society Presidency, one spoke in Sacrament Meeting, anyway, they all added so much.  In addition, they had several young men from Ghana who were very active.  One young man, a Returned Missionary, gave the Sunday School lesson.  They, also, had a few couples who were there working in the embassy, and they said more were coming soon.  Anyway, the meeting was fantastic!  Afterwards, two senior couples and George and I went to one of the senior couple's apartments where we were doing the training.  In addition to the two couples, we added in two other senior couples from far out places that were too far to come in.  We felt really good about the presentations this time--but sometimes we laugh because some seniors are very set in their ways--shall we just say?!  Hah!  I think the one was kind of being stubborn because he and his wife had just arrived in Turkey three days before and they were still pretty tired.  Plus, they hated their apartment and weren't thrilled about having to live there.  They had two homes in the U.S. and live in an area close to where John and Alison live in California, so they were used to nice things.  But, we all had an enjoyable time--especially afterwards.  The one senior wife made us probably the best homemade meal we've had since we left home.  It was absolutely fantastic!

Anyway, enough of this past week.  Next week, I will let you know about our travels through Istanbul, and our time here in Armenia.  We just got in about 1:30 in the morning here, but had to be ready for the church van to bring us up to the mountain area of a little branch to do the auditing here.  Gpa George and his AAA Auditor, Elder Cook, are actually performing the audits themselves here, so we'll be here six days.

We send our love to you all.  We couldn't ask for a better family who supports and loves us so much!

Gma Laura

Week 17 - January 15, 2018

Dear Family,

First of all, let me wish Kade and Cameron a "Happy Birthday!"  Kade is working so hard on his mission in Ecuador, and we are so proud of his diligence and great attitude.  

Also, we surely do love and appreciate Cameron for the great son that he is and hope he has a great day!  We plan on calling him, for sure.  

Thank goodness they allow Seniors to call whenever they are able to and we don't have to wait only until Mother's Day or Christmas!  However, the time element proves to be quite a problem.  We always feel like we are a day ahead and when I think of something, you all are asleep, and you probably feel the same.  I think most of you think Gpa and I live in our PJs because every time you call, that's what we're dressed in!  When we come home from being outside in the cold, we just end up getting in our pajamas rather than having to change again!  So crazy!

This past week, Gpa George and I have been working hard to be ready for training in five different countries:  Turkey (Istanbul), Armenia, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.  In each of the countries, we have to have preparations for the language they use there, and after the difficulties we had in Rostov-on-don with all the connections to the different areas and with hardly anyone speaking English, we hopefully have learned a little more on how to handle the situation.  Anyway, it has been very busy.  In addition, Gpa George has to make a presentation at our monthly European Area Audit Committee where the Area Seventy, Elder Golden, comes and he has to make a presentation of how each of the countries and areas are doing as far as handling their money, audits, etc.  So, we've been getting ready for that, too.  So, this coming Thursday we have that meeting, then Saturday, we leave for Istanbul.  Kyle has another Area Manager in Istanbul, who I hope is as nice as the one he has here in Moscow.  He has helped us so much while we have lived here, and we hope this manager will help us around in Istanbul.  That is the place I feel the least assured about getting around in because the  State Department has just started letting Americans back in there.

Last Monday night, we went to the State Folk Dance Festival where we really enjoyed watching beautiful productions of Russian dances, as well as some from other countries as well.  It was a fantastic evening, for sure.  Then on Saturday night, we got to go to the State Kremlin Palace to see The Nutcracker performed.  The Kremlin Palace was built in 1951 by Nikita Khrushchev for Communist Party Meetings.  The main hall can seat 6,000 people and is now used for concerts and the Kremlin Ballet Group  It was a fanstastic performance, and I think Gpa George even enjoyed it basically!  It will never match up to a great ballgame for him, but he's a good sport.  

On the way home, there were more fireworks (because it  was the Old New Year's Eve with Old New Year's Day being on January 14th!  The Christmas season keeps going on and on here--which I love!) and snow falling again as we crossed the bridge over the frozen Moscow River.

Gpa George went to the  European Medical Center this past week for some spots that were on his legs and ankles.  Wow!  It was like a Mayo Clinic.  They don't want to just check for that, they want to do this and that and before you know it, you have gone to every kind of doctor there is and it took three different days!  But, it was good because after all those different kinds of doctors, we find out that he's doing just fine and by just putting some cream on the spots, they will go away.  We'll see, but anyway, while he was in all those doctors' offices, I ventured out to see a huge Islam Mosque and a Catholic Cathedral that are nearby there.  I really find it fascinating to explore wherever I am now, and especially churches of other faiths.

We received a letter from the Mission President asking if we would help out in a branch that we would have to take a train to get out there.  All in all, it would be about two hours away.  It is small, probably about ten people, but we are happy to do that.  They love to have more people there, and I think we could probably do more good there than in the Russian Ward we are attending where there are very strong members.  Anyway, when we get back from our two-week training trip, we will start doing that.  We won't go out there very Sunday, but as often as we feel the need to each month.  Also, tonight, we are having the Young Adults in our apartment for Family Home Evening.  It all has to be in Russian, so the young Elders are taking care of the lesson and an activity.  We just have to have the place and the refreshments.  They say it can be anywhere from 15 to 30 people who attend.  Hopefully, we will have a good amount come.  

Well, that's about it for the week for us.  It has been a beautiful time reflecting on the life of President Monson.  He was such a wonderful, kind man who we can learn so much from in the way he treated and thought of others.  

We are really interested in hearing about the new prophet and his counselors this Tuesday.  It is such a beautiful way the Lord has prepared for such a seamless transition, isn't it.  We feel sort of a connection to Elder Nelson after seeing him come to the girls drill team presentations when his granddaughter was on the drill team with Alison and Amy, plus George reminded me when he chose his son-in-law, Norm Maxfield, as his counselor when George was bishop, that Elder Nelson came in when Norm was going to get set apart.  Elder Nelson asked Gpa George to do the setting apart of his son-in-law.  That really amazed George that he would allow him to do that.  He will never forget that day!  

We send our LOVE to all!  Take care and thanks again for your love and support!

Gma Laura  

Week 16 - January 8, 2018

Dear Family,

This past week has been another unique experience.  Everything really shuts down the week between New Year's and the Russian Christmas on January 7th.  Oh, but they're not done--we still have Old New Year which comes on January 14th!  Here is a little better explanation than I can give for all these events:

The most extensive New Year celebrations in Russia occur on December 31st to January 1st, like most of the rest of the world, where fireworks and concerts mark off this special holiday, and it is also on this day that the Russian Santa, or Ded Moroz, and his granddaughter, Snow Maiden, visit children to pass out gifts.  So, while most of the world calls it a Christmas Tree, they call it a New Year's Tree in Russia.  Then, because the Russians use the old Orthodox calendar, their New Year falls on January 14th.  This "Old New Year" is spent with family and is generally quieter than the New Year celebrated on January 1st.  There you have it--if you are confused, believe me, it has done the same to us, but we all just go along.  Hah!  I actually like that the lights and celebrations have gone on for so long because I love this time of year when everyone is so happy and we celebrate the birth of our Savior. 

 

The Area Office has been closed this whole week because there are so many Russian people who work there along with the many volunteers who are there.  George went in a couple of times to work--one time working in the dark except for his computer screen because he didn't know how to turn on the electricity for the lights!  Hah!  He is trying to get everything set up for our extensive training that we will be doing later on in the month.  Because we can only go out of Russia one time in 90 days, we have to do a lot of countries at once while we are out, then return.  We will be going to Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Armenia, and St. Petersburg.  We just heard that the State Department is allowing Americans living in Russia to now go into Turkey, so we might go there, too, if we can arrange it all.  To get all the airline, train, hotel stays, and people in each area lined up to do all this is quite a feat, but George tackles it so well, and I just plan what to do in our off hours there when we're not training.  That's not hard for me because I'm a Rigby--you don't leave a stone unturned on seeing everything--right?!  Hah!  

Last Monday, we headed to the Crocus Aquarium with another senior couple, the Carliles.  This was such a beautiful aquarium--so clean with so many fascinating animals.  Then on Wednesday, we found out about a small theater here in Moscow with only eight rows of seats--but very plush, where they show American movies in English with Russian dubbed in.  We got to go see "The Greatest Showman" and absolutely loved it!  I had heard so much about it from all of you, so I knew it was something we didn't want to miss.  It certainly didn't disappoint!  Such a fun movie with such a great message!  Only downside--no popcorn (which is mostly why I go to a movie!), but they had warm Coke Zeros and cookies.  What more could you want?!  Hah!

So on the Russian Christmas Eve, Saturday, December 6th, we went with the Carliles and Burtons to Texas--well sort of!  We heard about a Texan BBQ place.  No one spoke Southern, but they did dress Western and spoke broken English.  That is always such a pleasure to have someone understand us.  Plus, the food was great!  Almost like being back in the States!  Usually, even when you think you are ordering something that sounds like something you've eaten in the states, it never quite tastes the same.  We are getting used to the foods, however, and many of them we like a lot.  

Sunday, was fast Sunday.  I decided I needed to be brave and bear my testimony.  Gpa George had done it a month ago, so I knew I needed to this time.  You have to take an interpreter up with you, so I asked the Elder who was translating behind us to come up with me.  He goes home in about six weeks and is really sharp.  Anyway, you have to say just a few words, then they translate and you go back and forth.  It is really distracting, but it's the only way you can do it in our Russian Ward.  I brought up Tolstoy's "The Old Shoemaker," and was going to compare how he thought he was going to see the Savior the next day, but all he saw was an old soldier who was so cold, so he gave him a warm drink; a woman and her child who had no coat who he gave some money and a coat to; and a young boy who was so hungry and had tried to steal an apple, so he talked the storekeeper into not taking him to the police, and he bought the apple for the little boy.  The next day the old shoemaker was so disappointed that he hadn't seen the Savior, but then he was reminded of the scripture, "Inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these, you have done it unto me.  I was hungry and you gave me meat, I was alone and you took me in, I was thirsty and you gave me drink."  I told how much we could learn from this little story from Tolstoy (a great Russian author) about helping others and the very best thing we could share and help others with is by sharing the gospel with them (because we can't proselyte--the members have to bring their friends and neighbors to the church for this to take place).  Well, this story had many words that even this seasoned Elder struggled a little with and people were smiling because some of them knew a few English words I was saying.  When we sat down, the Elder kidded with me and said, "You didn't tell me you were going to quote Tolstoy, Sister!"  We both laughed because he said he didn't know how he did, but he knew he would hear about it from the Russians!  We both laughed.  

Gpa George is over working now and I have to get ready soon.  I am soooo excited because tonight we are going to a Russian dance concert.  It should be fantastic!  We have heard so much about it!  I will put pictures on Insta about it.

 Copelands, Harris's, and Carliles

 We got to see a new metro stop.  Amazing!

 Inside each oval was a unique mosaic.

 The State Folk Dance Ensemble Presentation was held at the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall

 The fast paced, full of energy presentation was just fantastic!  Here they are for their final bow!

 And we were fortunate to be able to see the Christmas train.  It is just luck of the draw if it's where you happen to be at that moment!  It is going to be so hard to see all the decorations taken down throughout the city!  I've LOVED the beautiful feeling we've been able to enjoy for these extra two weeks!

Again, thanks so much for all your love and encouragement.  It just brings me to tears to think of all the support we have been given.  We just couldn't ask for better family and friends who are just like family.  It really lifts your spirits, for sure!  And thanks for the wonderful "Care" package we received from Kent and Natalie.  It arrived on our New Year's Eve Day, so it was so special to have something so exciting for that special occasion.  

But, let me tell you, it cost them a fortune to send it.  We certainly don't intend for this to happen!  If anyone wants to send something, just send a card or letter in the church pouch.  We will love that, or if you really want to send something--send it with our special courier--Kyle!  Sorry, Kyle, for volunteering you!   He is such a good sport about transporting things to us. 

Love to you all!

Gma Laura   

P.S.  THANK YOU SO MUCH to Anne who has spent hours on getting the Copeland Family Calendar ready for this next year.  It is currently being printed, and then she has kindly agreed to get it out to all of you.  It is done so well, as always.  I know you're going to love it!