WE'VE REACHED A MILESTONE

Today marks the half way point in our service as senior missionaries.  When we arrived in August 2017 it was the Ukraine Kyiv Mission.  When we leave in July 2019 we will be leaving the Ukraine Kyiv/Moldova Mission.   

As I write this blog I'm looking out on a humid, summer day.  Clouds in the sky, thunder, lightening and rain showers.  The weather has certainly been a change from what we had in California.  Here are some random thoughts on our experiences from this past year.

What We Have Enjoyed

1. The missionaries - both young and older.  We enjoy being with them in district councils, zone and mission conferences and good-bye dinners.  We've enjoyed the companionship of the senior couples both in serving the members in Ukraine and now Moldova and in socializing when time allows.
2. Meeting with the members of the Church throughout Ukraine.  They are dedicated, loving and kind with strong, firm testimonies of the Savior, the Plan of Salvation, the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ in the latter days and the truthfulness and power of the Book of Mormon.
3. Watching Ukrainian families as we travel each day; how they interact with their children.  The children are so cute and the mothers and fathers are so soft and kind with them.
4. Traveling by train and seeing so much of this beautiful country.
5. Seeing our first and second ballets - Swan Lake and Don Quixote.  
6. Seeing an indoor circus.
7. Seeing a concert of Ukrainian dancing - WOW.  What you normally equate to Russia actually originated in Ukraine.
8. Serving in the Kyiv Temple as ordinance workers once each week.  We have met faithful members of the Church from all over Eastern Europe - Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia and Turkey.  They come for a week at a time to serve as patrons and ordinance workers,  The temple is led by President and Sister Roth - from Austria!
9. Seeing beautiful gardens/parks in Kyiv.
10. Having Flat Stanley come and visit us; giving us an opportunity to show him the sights of Kyiv.  
11. Change in seasons - loved the snow as it blanketed the city in quiet and peace.
12. Helping Hands with the Kyiv Ukraine Stake spring cleanup of a beautiful park.
13. Two trips to Moscow for Area meetings.  Took a bus tour of the city and visited iconic Red Square and Lenin's Tomb.
14. Snow Queen on Ice during Christmas
15. Losing 50 pound (Gary) - change in diet and lots of walking
16. Fresh fruit and vegetables.

Some of the Challenges

1. Language - people either speak Russian or Ukrainian.  In the east mostly Russian speaking; in the west definitely Ukrainian speaking; in Kyiv a mix of both but Ukrainian is on all the street signs and stores and buildings.  We studied and continue to study Russian.  We are not fluent since we are not immersed in the language like the young missionaries.
2. Transportation - no car.  We travel by foot, tram (electric street car), marshrutka (small yellow bus) and taxi (Uber).
3. Shopping - combines both transportation and language challenges.  Labels are in Ukrainian and contents are not what you are expecting from the pictures on the jars/packages.  Managing the bags of groceries on a crowed marshrutka.
4. Changing water filters - water is not potable unless filtered. Change three types of filters every other month.
5. No hot water in the kitchen.  We boil the water to do dishes.  But, have a small hot water boiler for showers.
6. Small washing machine - can't hold a full set of towels.  No clothes dryer.  Clothes hang on a drying rack in the living room.
7. Elevator in apartment building very small.  Will only take two at a time. If you add a third person you are playing Ukrainian roulette - you either get stuck between floors or let off at a random floor.
8. Watching out for cars/vans/motorcycles on the sidewalks.  When there is bumper to bumper traffic the sidewalk apparently is another lane.  However, there are no lanes marked on the roads.

What We Have Missed

This is pretty common for all of us senior couple missionaries

1. Our family
2. Thanksgiving and Christmas with family and friends
3. 4th of July in Vernal
4. Baptisms and priesthood ordinations
5. High School graduations
6. Watching our grand kids doing water polo, swimming, basketball, softball, baseball, soccer
7. Our Benicia Ward family
8. Meeting Patrick's girlfriend
9. Peter Pan, Once Upon a Mattress and Lion King - all in Pennsylvania
10. Temple Hill Choir
11. Lamb of God Oratorio
12. Musical Theatre productions - both to see my friends and to be in a show or two
13. Vocal lessons with Ron Pickett (Gary)
14. Gardening (Vivian)
15. My Ford Fusion
16. Sandovals
17. Friday dominoes at the Plasketts
18. Our backyard

Mission welcomes us to Ukraine

Missionaries

 Senior Missionaries/New Friends

Vivian and Gary - Out and About

 

Cultural Opportunities

Helping Hands

Moscow

Kyiv Temple - Winter