IT'S SPRING IN UKRAINE!

Today is when the Orthodox Church celebrates Easter.  The sun is shining brightly.  Yesterday we went to Sofiyivska Square to join in the Easter Celebration.  This is a big deal in Ukraine.  Thousands of people were out with their families in the beautiful sunshine taking in the sights, sounds and smells of all things Ukrainian.  There was plenty of food from the various food stands; lots of Ukrainian Easter Eggs.  These are traditional.  They are usually made out of wood and hand painted.   I loved seeing all the families out and about.  The little children are so cute and precious.  Also, got to spend the time with the Haldemans and Andruses - other senior couple missionaries in our mission.  We also ran into President and Sister Roth, the Kyiv Temple President and Matron.  They are from Austria serving in their callings for 3 years.  A wonderful couple.

What?  Doesn't everybody hide their Easter Eggs in the trees?

Vivian and I thought the design on this egg looked very Ukrainian.  This egg is about 4 ft tall.  There were over 100, at least, of these decorated eggs all over the Square.

Red poppy is very popular in Ukraine.  In fact the major candy manufacture, Roshen, has a chocolate candy named for the red poppy.  Very delicious.

 I really like bears so I really liked this particular egg. 

 In Russian bear is:

медведь 

(pronounced Meedveed in English)

 In Ukrainian bear is:

ведмедя

(pronounced Vedmedya in English)

 This is the food stand Vivian and I purchased our food. As you can see sausages, mushrooms, vegetables and roasted potatoes and roasted pork, beef and chicken.  The smells were incredible and this is one of a dozen or more food vendors we saw.  I liked the server in the traditional Ukrainian clothing.

These are two of the senior couples serving in the Kyiv Mission.  In the foreground is Steve and Joyce Haldeman from Las Vegas Nevada. Then there is Merrilee and Rolfe Andrus from Orem, Utah. You can see Vivian in the back and of course, I'm taking the picture.

The couple on the left is President Gerold and Sister Gertraud Roth from Austria.  They are serving as the Kyiv Temple President and Matron.  They saw us on the street eating our meal and joined us for a little bit.  Notice President Roth is enjoying an ice cream cone.  

I'm including this picture of myself.  When I was taking the group picture Vivian started cracking up.  My shirt tail was out, my pants were drooping and I just looked like a rumpled mess.  Even my missionary badge is messed up.  So I had her take a picture of me.   I've lost a little weight and my clothes are much too big now.  One of the blessings of serving a mission!

Please notice the chic over the shoulder bag I'm carrying.  This is like the "European Man Bag" or "Carryall" made famous by Jerry Seinfeld in one of the "Seinfeld" TV episodes.  I'm sure all of my six sons will remember the episode. This is a fairly common method in Kyiv in which men carry their valuables.