The weekend of October 20 and 21 we had conference in our little branch.  On Saturday morning we had a few members and a couple of investigators come and they stayed until about the middle of the second session when most left.  We had a Russian conference for most and some of the Elders, Sister Hoagland & I and Sister Tolbert watched on lds.org on the branch office computer.  While the big surprise of the conference was already known, people still wanted to see it.  I particularly enjoyed the reaction of some of the missionaries when it was Elder Holland's turn to speak.  They were so excited.  There were many wonderful talks as usual.  In the evening the Elders came to the apartment and we watched the priesthood session on our computer.  Sunday we had a large group for the morning session with some investigators.  They left after the first session and we only had about two besides the missionaries at the end.  I felt good about our participation.

That Sunday evening the Sisters called just about the time we were going to fix something to eat and said they wanted to come and give us some service by fixing us dinner.  Nastia and Rita were with them and brought one of Nastia's friends with them.  

 Rita is interesting in her dress.  We don't know how to tell her she looks beautiful with her hair down and with out the flower adornment.  Sister's Tolbert and Lewis are wonderful Sisters and we are happy to have them in the branch.

 Here we all are (I am represented in the mirror) ready to eat our meal.

 Monday we went to Vika's with the Elders to give her father and mother in-law their final baptismal interview.  We are having so much fun watching Arcen growing so fast.  He is just a pleasant little baby who seems to be very content with life.

 You cannot go into an Armenian home without them feeding you.  We were treated with a bowl of soup with some kind of meat in it.  We don't know if it was beef or mutton.  Bread and cheese are usually on the table.   We are now ready for their baptism on Saturday.

Tuesday is English group night and we always enjoy the experience.  We take the conversational group (the ones who speak pretty well) and we used the creation as a topic this week and I used pictures in my computer to talk about the things which indicate the influence of God in our earth and life.  The week before we used repentance as our topic.  We have one person we meet with on Thursday for private English.  We have her read from a book and help her with pronunciation and definitions.  She writes the words down to look up later.

 Wednesday is family night and we used it to celebrate all the birthdays in October.  We had 20 some people there.  We played a couple of games, the above being where you add two pencils at a time, put them on the back of your hand and try to catch them with the same hand.  Here Rima beat her brother in this contest.

 Musical chairs is always a favorite. This is the biggest we have had since we have been here.  I think we are going to have to stop it as I don't think our chairs can take the abuse.

 This time Radic won musical chairs.  His final competitor walks away with a smile on his face.

Here we are with our celebration meal.  Sister Hoagland fixed a large bowl of pasta salad (green bowl) with to which she added pineapple, apples, carrots chicken onions and mayonaise which everyone seemed to enjoy.

One of our members, who is not even near middle class, gave the Elders money to buy food for our less fortunate in the branch.  Friday night we went to the store and purchased potatoes, onions, garlic, cooking oil, carrots, and cabbage to be distributed this weekend at the branch building.  It was for three families and for several individuals.  The Elders took a taxi with all the food because there was no way we could hall it on a bus.  

I am finding being responsible for the welfare of several families very difficult.  I feel the responsibility  to use  the sacred welfare funds wisely, how difficult it is to say no, and heart wrenching to hear and see how desperate some families are.  I think I am doing all I can to insure they are doing what they should do to be worthy of continued help but I feel so inadequate when it comes to helping them out of their situation.  These people are allowed into the country, but have legal obstacles which take a long time to work through.  We also have some disabled, and mothers of infants who are not allowed to work for 2 years after the birth of a child even though the have people living with them who can't work but could care for the child.  I had one couple come today asking for further help who were truly humble in their circumstance.  They had tears in their eyes and I noticed that the husband had lost weight, which was caused by lack of food.  The mother and daughters are already very slender.  Fortunately I talked with the brother of this sister and he will take care of their nutrition needs while we will help with other needs.   

 At the central market (Renock), we have people selling live fish out of these tubs.  When you enlarge these pictures you may see the women on the right filling a plastic grocery bag with fish.  A customer walking away with their "catch," and another filling a tub with water.  If you get too close you will get splashed on.

 Artiome and Marina with their family and Elders Davis and Law.  Marina is progressing very slowly.  The baby has been an excuse for not coming to church or other activities.

 We had a baptism this week.  Roma here on the right was baptized after we met at the branch building and we all walked to a hotel not far away where they had a pool to baptize him in.

 On the way we saw this door to no where.  We suspect the project is not complete.

 Sister Lewis found a real hot tub at the hotel.

 Here is the pool for the baptism.  The Elders are moving benches for the baptismal service.

 Samvell found this chair to rest his sore back.

 Roma all ready for his baptism.

 Members, investigators, the Sisters and us waiting for the Elders to begin the baptismal service.

 Gathering around the pool for the baptism.  My clerk did the baptizing as we have been instructed that members are to do all baptizing.  Leonid was thrilled.  I think it will give the members a real connection to the new convert.

 A little get together after the baptism at the branch.

 The official portrait of the Lipetsk missionary district.  On the couch Elders Law, Davis, Sister Tolbert, Elder & Sister Hoagland.  On the floor, Sister Lewis, Elders Raymond and Black.  Good group.

 These last two pictures were taken from Arpine's facebook photos.  On the left are investigators, Roma and Agasy.

Sister Lewis, Arpina, Sister Tolbert, Rita, and the happy senior couple.

It has been a great week for the Lipetsk branch.  We received a set of sister missionaries that will be such a great addition to our branch.  Our Relief Society has been suffering for quite sometime and these two beautiful and competent sisters should be a wonderful influence.  Sister Lewis is training Sister Tolbert who is fresh from the MTC.  

We watched the first Saturday session of conference, but got home too late for the big announcement.  We were downtown with the sisters helping them shop for bedding and other necessary items.  We were wanting to see what new temples have been announced as rumor has it that they bought temple property in Moscow this summer.  We went right to Deseret News on line and received all the news.  I had branch counsel in the morning and as no one saw conference I had as much pleasure as President Monson did in announcing the grand changes in missionary age requirements.  I had one 19 year old sister, Rima, want to know how she can put in her papers.  She has been on a "mini mission" and was as good as any of the regular sisters according to President Woolley.  

It was another big day because we finally have the needed callings filled.  All our new adult members now have callings and we have the young men organized.  We only have one 15 year old boy but he has not been functioning in his priesthood duties.  We reorganized the Relief Society, Sunday School and called a new counselor, Elder Raymond, and an assistant clerk, Elder Law.  I am concerned that Elder Law loves his new calling so much that it may interfere with his missionary work.  I will have to watch that.  Most importantly we now have an Elder's quorum President, Elder Black.  

The newest version of the Lipetsk missionary district with our wonderful new sisters Lewis, and Tolbert (L/R).  Elders Davis, Raymond, Law (forground) and Black.  The sad looking character on the left is me.

Many babushkas supplement their meager pensions by selling fruits and vegetables on the street.  These stands are much more substantial than the usual situation.  Most of them have just a one or two items to sell and they sit in a group of three or four outside grocery stores and other high volume stores.

There are many enclosed little shops like this near bus stops.  This one sold cosmetics.  I took the picture because of the cat.  As you can see from my reflection in the window I was being a little subversive in taking the picture.  Russians in Lipetsk are not used to tourists and react funny about people taking pictures of everyday stuff.

At the school near us these children were cleaning up this flower bed. At this school, considered the best in Lipetsk the children dress up like they were at church.  We wish our members would dress so well.

At this school they have a sport court where the children will have exercise class and every waking hour of the day you will find boys or men playing soccer.  Our branch is having sports day here.  Some are playing with the one backboard out of four that has a hoop and others are kicking around the soccer ball.

At the other end of the court some boys are playing soccer.

Since last winder I have made some winter clothes purchases.  Here are my not so cold weather scarf and hat.  The coat is my CTR coat I bought for our first mission to New Zealand from the LDS outfitter in Tigard, Oregon.

This is my really cold weather scarf and hat and a down filled coat with furry hood.  The scarf is cashmere purchased at the open market in town, the hat is made from some animal fur purchased at Red Square in Moscow.  The coast was given to me by President Woolley, who had only a few months left.  

A game of "Ninja" at family home evening.  The gentleman at the left is an investigator who is scheduled for baptism this Wednesday.  We had him to our home for a lesson this past week.  Our first non Armenian convert.  Sister Lewis is on the right.

Rita, Sister Tolbert and a young investigator, Max on the right.  He is a fine young man but is under 18 and not sure just how interested in the gospel he is.  He comes to English club but has not been to church.

We had a delayed district meeting this week because of visa trips and two Elders had to go to zone leader's meeting in Moscow.  As we had already planned a dinner for Leonid and his wife for that evening we decided to go for Rus-Burgers for lunch after the meeting.  They have a good hamburger, chicken burger and milk shakes.  McDonalds opened up three weeks ago but it is on the other side of town and we understand is packed all day long.  We will wait until the newness wears off before going there.

Leonid is my financial clerk, gospel doctrine teacher and building maintenance person.  His wife is less active so we thought we might introduce her to the Sisters.  We hope they can help several of our less active sisters.  We have more men than sisters come to church.  

Goodbye to Elder Janson

Saturday is sports day at the branch.  While waiting for the people to arrive I played ping pong with Elder Davis.  We played last week all the time as only one less active brother came and he wanted to play.  It was just Elder Davis, Law, myself and Alexander.  Alexander is 58.  I won the singles tournament and all but one of the doubles tournaments.  Elder Law and I did not do well together.  Anyway, they think I am pretty good, but this week the AP's were there and Elders Janson and Raymond.  I think Elder Hamm (an AP) and Elder Raymond could both beat me as Elder Hamm lost to Raymond and I did as well.  I was just competitive as they say.  The activity ended with a very large game of ONO.  

Tuesday night is "English Group" and we are having a really good time with the people we have in our room.  The Elders have the beginners group.  Our group is conversational in that we talk about anything that comes to our minds.  Sometimes nothing comes so we try to something to keep their interest.  We have been going over lists of Homonyms, etc.  This week a young lady asked if we could do this twice a week.  We have the option to do private classes as long as they are willing to have a spiritual thought at the class.  Thursday we had a wonderful time with her and a male friend.  They are in a dance company together.  

 Sunday was Elder Janson's last day at church meetings.  He is a wonderful young man with many talents.  He was very good at translating for me and I will always remember how he rolled his eyes when I stumped him a word.  Russians express themselves differently than we do so it is hard to translate meanings sometimes.

 Here are two of our young men in the branch.  Arcen is 12 and Rodick is 14.  They really have no interest in church and this Sunday they were particularly disruptive.  They can't keep their hands off each other as this picture attests.  They were running around slamming doors and otherwise being a pain.  They will be a topic in branch counsel on Sunday.

 Margarita holding little Arcen, Vica's baby.  Sunday after church we were all invited to Vika's for dinner to say goodbye to Elder Janson.

 Here we are at Vika's table.  We kind of ate in shifts.  Ararat is on the left and the father of Vika's husband Arman.  He and his wife are taking the lessons and have a baptism date of the 27th.  Arman has been in Moscow working since Easter.  We are told he will be back this coming week.  We have been concerned because we know he has not been attending church while in Moscow.

 He we are at Vika's house and we did not get a picture of her or any of the family.  The boys were playing in their bedroom and the hall.  Margarita and Sister Hoagland get along very well.  She calls me Papa.

 These next pictures were taken from our 4th floor apartment.  The second time since we have been here to have a funeral activity just outside our window.  The body was in the house for a while and people did go in and out and then gathered outside.  Here the bring our the casket and set it on pedestals in the street.

 A few pay last respects.

 They look like they kiss a picture of the person on their body and then kiss a fabric object on the forehead 

 After holding up traffic for a short period the casket is carried down the street to waiting transportation.

 In front of the procession a person carries a cross and another carries the lid to the casket.  It appeared to be a come as you are dress standard.

 Saturday night we were invited to Sergis and Ayda's for dinner.   What a delicious meal they provided.  They raise their meat on their farm.  Sergis said last year they raised geese but they had very little meat.  This year they raised chickens and he claims they had 4 Kila grams of meat on them.  Wow!  He said they really waddled around.  There was a wonderful rice dish, an egg and tamato dish, bread, and a tasty apple-pastry desert.  Armenians have flavorful food.   Sergis and Ayda are fun loving and a joy to be around.  Their daughters are so faithful and so lovely.

 Monday we had Agesy over for refreshment and a lesson.  He has a wife and children still in Armenia and he struggling to pay all his bills.  He is Elders Janson and Raymond's investigator.

 Boot/Shoe of the week.  Saw a pair of shoes on the bus I really wanted to take of picture of but it was too dark and I didn't think a flash would be appropriate.

 We had dinner at Samvill's and Margarita's on Wednesday for their farewell to Elder Janson.  We really love this family.  I called Margarita to teach the youth Sunday School class and her manner of accepting the call was very heart warming.  While so young in the gospel she wants to serve.

 After dinner we all went to the church for branch family home evening.  Most did a little jump roping to begin the activity portion.

 I don't know what was going on here.

 We had a fun little game where we all randomly join hands and then see if we can twist our way into a circle by stepping over our joined hands and other methods.  It worked out the first time but the second time as you can see below we made things worse.

 After family home evening we took Elder Janson to the train station for a fond fairwell.  He will be a good AP.  The black young man plays basketball for the university across the street from the branch Elder's Janson and Raymond are teaching him.  He has been very faithful in attending sacrament meeting for the last 6 weeks.

Armine did this little painting of our chapel with the savior watching out for us.  We have some sweet young ladies in our branch.