Dear Family,
This week's letter should be a little shorter because nothing too eventful happened. Now with me saying that, don't hold me to that. Hah!
Tuesday, was our Senior Council Night. We met the Herlins, who are our new Area Presidency Secretaries. They are the ones who he just retired from Deloitte as a partner, and they now live in Park City to be closer to family and BYU! Yes, he and Gpa George get along just great and have done so right from the start!
Friday, we found out Elder Golden was no longer the one in the Area Presidency who we report to, but the Russian Second Counselor, who wanted to change everything we do and have done at our Area Audit Committee Meetings, so all our work was pretty much in vain getting ready for the meeting, so I went over to the office and we had to start on a whole new presentation. Wow! But, we had no choice and had to just grin and bear it. Hopefully, we can all get on the same page soon.
Saturday, we met some other senior couples down at the new Zaradye Park, which is the first new public park opened in Moscow for over 50 years. It is right behind St. Basil's and Red Square. Anyway, we planned to see the 4-D Theater, the four climatic zones including ice caves, and the floating bridge, which ended up being the only thing we did see. They were trying to set a new Guinness Book of World Records for the most hot wheel cars being raced in one day, so the park was filled with people and kids--everywhere. We walked around a little, then went to the Gum to eat, afterwhich, we went to another mall a short distance away to see the new Tom Cruise movie of "Fallout. Seriously, i didn't realize how much Gpa and I miss going to movies. In 11 months time, we now have only seen two movies--this one and "The Greatest Showman." It is difficult to find movies that are in English or not dubbed with other voices over the English words--we know there will be the Russian writing underneath when we watch them, we just don't want pretend actors talking over our favorite actor's voices with us trying to lip read! Hah!
Sunday, we went to our regular Russian-speaking Rechnoy Ward. We really wanted to go out to Ramenskoye, but they have moved the missionaries out of there because they are so low on young volunteers right now, so a pair of them just go out on occasion. We really need them to go with us to translate, but Gpa said the other day that if they aren't able to go out soon, we will just go out by ourselves and do our best because it has been such a long time since we've been there.
Monday, tonight we will host the YSA Family Home Evening here in our apartment. We always look forward to that. We really don't have to do anything but make refreshments and have the place clean. Hah! So, that's why I am hurrying to get this letter off. I, also, need to get out my granny cart and head for the store.
Tomorrow, will be Kevin and Angie's 25th Wedding Anniversary. Happy Anniversary to both of you! What a great job you've done in those 25 years raising such a beautiful and wonderful family!
I remember exactly where Gpa George and I were on our 25th Wedding Anniversary--waving at each other in the two moving trucks and van crossing the country on our way to our new life in Florida! Wow! That was quite the experience--but it was a great move for us and one we will never regret!
This next week, September 3rd through 7th, we are going to Madrid, Spain, for our Visa Trip. Those 90 days role around really quickly, but as all the Americans have to leave the country to renew their Visas, we Senior Volunteers are choosing different locations not too far away to attend the temple, and we've never been to Madrid nor been to the temple there. One other couple (who the husband does know Spanish) just returned from there and stayed in Temple Housing like we are doing for a night, and said it was all such a pleasant experience. We are really looking forward to it. The Visa problem is really becoming a big problem for the church. They have moved all volunteers who aren't absolutely necessary to be in Russia, over to Kiev. They were even thinking of moving all the attorneys over to Frankfurt, but I think they have decided not to do that. Who knows what the future has in store? The Mental Health Counselor and his wife (the Chandlers who you met at the circus, Kent and Natalie), were very surprised when they were told two days before they moved them over to Kiev. They were actually very sad because they loved it here, but of course, they moved and are now adjusting very nicely there. At least over there, they can attend and volunteer at the temple. I guess we will just see what happens in the future with us. We now have one more year left--since seniors come as 23-month volunteers rather than 24-month like the young volunteers do. It has something to do with tax purposes. Anyway, we are just trying to do our jobs and help out anyway we can as we continue our service.
Thanks again to everyone for your calls and emails! Love you all so much! The Back-to-School pics just made Gpa and me so happy--whether you have actually sent them to us or we have seen them on Instagram. There are just a couple more that we would love to see--I know Ethan and Ella are the only ones not in school yet Their school starts very late. Hope everyone is doing well in school and will continue working hard and keeping involved in great activities.
Home from his mission and now starting college.
Much love,
Gma Laura
PS Just thought I would send along these two pics we took on Sunday. Sister Mark, one of my favorite young volunteers who helps me out in translating so much, came up to me and asked if she could have a pic with me (I hope that doesn't mean she is being transferred, but it probably does mean that--I'm already sad!) and Gpa George at the bus stop where we change buses on Sunday morning.
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