August 30, 2012

The temple has been closed the last few weeks for cleaning. Because of the unique location of our apartment and its access to so many great adventures here in Kyiv, I was somehow chosen to be the social director for the Temple Missionary Couples. These couples have been so good to us and serve so faithfully in the temple. They live out at the temple which is an hour away from town and they really don’t get out and about much. So, with Gary in tow, we were able to take them on a few sightseeing outings, getting them acquainted with the metro, and cultural event activities the last few weeks. It has been really fun.

One of the afternoons we went to the World War II Museum which was closed the day that Gary and I had gone there earlier in the summer. It is absolutely the most well done, fascinating war museum I have ever seen. Well, okay, I haven’t seen all that many, as a matter of fact this was the first, but it was incredibly well done. We were there for three hours and unfortunately weren’t allowed to take pictures inside but take my word for it--AMAZING!  It is located underneath the Motherland Statue which you have seen before in my blog. (The statue is 102 meters high and weighs over 500 tons. The Motherland Statue isn’t really loved by the people here because it is taller than the great Orthodox Church at the Lavra and the people consider that unacceptable.) The museum is definitely a tribute to all who lost their lives in the war and shows the great respect this country has for World War II.

Outside the Great Patriotic Museum

In an area near this Statue and Museum there is currently a festival of flowers. There are over 300,000 flowers planted for everyone to enjoy during Independence Week. It is kind of like a Ukraine version of the Festival of Roses in California but instead of floats there are ground exhibits. Each area of Ukraine has made an exhibit with flowers and natural items. However, most of the displays are planted flowers and plants. We have been very fortunate to have had the weather cool down so this has made the exhibit even more beautiful. Also, there are hundreds of vendors selling plants, bulbs and seeds of all kinds. If I had a yard and garden I know where I would be spending my extra money.  

Native dress from different areas

Festival of the Flowers

Vladimer in the country

The Goat Country

Dancers performing at Pageant of Regions

Along with going on sight-seeing activities I have been the ticket broker for social events. This last week we have been to three incredible concerts. Last Thursday was the Symphony Orchestra of the National Philharmonic of Ukraine with a program which featured Mozart and Debussy, and then this week we went to a Pop’s Concert which was a tribute to English and American composers including Beatles, Abba, Led Zeppelin, Clapton, etc.  It was really a fun evening. And then of course the wonderful concert with the Philharmonic and the Opera singers.

Opera Concert

We also went to a new French Restaurant in town that has only one choice on the menu - steak and fries. It comes with a tasty salad, baguette, flank steak in a delicious light French sauce and the best French fries ever (and I really don’t even like fries but these are good!) and all for only $10.00 American. It reminded us of about 45 years ago when the Sizzler opened and the cost for a steak and fries on Monday night was $.99. Now those were the good old days. 

Our new French restaurant

Even though we spent some of the time with friends, we were not on vacation like they have been. We spent the work finalizing the plans for the Embassy visits which will start in September and working on building approvals, plans and real estate. 

Just so you know that we are always keeping focused on missionary work, we very seldom go anywhere that people don’t come up to us (whether they're American, Ukrainian or people visiting Ukraine), and ask us about our church. For instance, on the way to the concert last night a young Jewish man walked down Khreschatyk with us. As I was telling him about the Jews that went to America in the Book of Mormon, Sister Ricks, secretary to the Mission President, was handing him all sorts of pass along cards and literature. That has happened a lot lately - people coming up and wanting to talk about Mormons. I think it may have something to do with Mitt Romney running for President.  And yes, they think we are all polygamists.  And while we are on the topic of missionaries, mothers of future missionaries take note!  The attached picture illustrates one of the many things that you must teach your sons before they leave on their missions - how to defrost a refrigerator freezer. One of the interesting things we learn while doing apartment checks. 

One of our many surprises during apartment checks

Our thoughts and prayers are again with many friends and family members at home.  Some have health concerns or other problems, and some are experiencing exciting new beginnings. A special thanks to Ron and Marsha Losser for being such great neighbors. 

Quote for the week:

“If you are going to survive volunteering, you can’t do so because you think the people you’re helping deserve it. You can’t help people because they’ll thank you. You have to help them because Christ loves them and He’s loving them through you. You volunteer because in doing so, you represent Christ to them in the here and now - even if they don’t see him in you. “   Wilma Hepker

August 24, 2012

This week has been an event packed week.  We have been blessed with so many wonderful opportunities.

Sunday was our monthly trip to Lutsk.  I will never tire of the ten hour road trip as there are so many things to see and I absolutely love the countryside of Ukraine.  We had a different driver this week and he took us on a little different route.  He speaks some English so I could even ask him to stop along the way a few times to take some pictures.  I wanted four pictures.  Cottages with their beautiful fall flowers blooming, pumpkin patches, harvesting crops and people in the country setting.  I didn’t quite get all but what I did get was better than ever.  We stopped so I could take some pictures of a flower garden.  While taking the picture I spotted a little couple about 200 yards away sitting in the sun by their house enjoying the beautiful morning.  Of course I couldn’t resist running across the field that was drenched with dew to get a picture (not knowing if they would let me take one or not).  They were so adorable and we communicated as best we could.  They will be in my heart forever and I just wish I could go visit them once a week.   When I got back to the road and turned around they were both waving to us and I got one last picture.  They live about 35 miles out of Lutsk.

 

All in a day's work

Fall Flowers

The cute couple we met on the way to Lutsk

One last picture of the cute couple!

When we got to the church we had another pleasant surprise.   There is a babushka in the branch that we have heard about but  have never met, Sister Matsoxa.  He daughter lives in Poland and is a member.  She had come to see her parents who live about an hour outside of Lutsk and  brought her mother to church.  Sister Matsoxa  is coming to the temple in September to receive her endowments.  The missionaries go out to see her about once a week and take her the sacrament so it was just perfect that we were there this Sunday to meet her.  She is precious.  It will be so fun to see her again in September, along with all of the other branch members that will be coming to the temple.

 

Sister Matsoxa

Gary and I were also very privileged this week to meet a man that was instrumental in helping the church obtain the property to build the temple. He is not a member but has very high regard for the church and was a friend of President Hinckley when he came to Ukraine to pick the place for the temple. The story is so fascinating about the five places that were visited by Pres. Hinckley and the feelings he had about each them. He was in tune with the spirit in not picking the land that he was encouraged to pick just because of its beauty, and was definitely inspired to pick the one that he did pick. Mr. Sydnek had some investigations done on a few of the properties that President Hinckley had a bad feeling about and realized that President Hinckley had truly been inspired as it would have not been wise to build the temple in those locations no matter how beautiful they were. He is an amazing man and has many political connections in Eastern Europe. We are blessed that he is a friend of the church.

 

Friday was the Independence Day celebration (Nezalezhnosti) in Ukraine but activities were held all week long and will continue over the weekend. As they have only had their independence for 21 years all people over about 25 years old remember it vividly. In English class this week we talked about what it was like to be under Soviet control. It was not good. All of the people worked for the government and were paid by the government.  There were some weeks that they didn’t get paid. That meant no food for the family. Parents sacrificed what little food they had for their children. There was basically no freedom of religion. (The reason why the church is only 20 years old in this country). The only time school was held on Sunday was on Easter. That was because they knew the people would go to church on Easter and they really didn’t want them going to church. If you didn’t attend school that day when you returned you had to stand in front of the class and tell where you were on that day and why you weren’t in school. A girl in our branch, Natalia,  told how when she was eight years old she decided she was going to go to church on Easter and not to school. Her family was very strict orthodox but her mother encouraged her to go to school because of what might happen if she didn’t. She refused and went to church instead. Her mother told her that when she was asked to tell where she had been to tell her teacher that she would tell her at the break. For some reason her teacher allowed her to do just that, and when she found out she had been in church she told her not to tell another soul where she had been. When Natalia was baptized and learned that eight was the age of accountability she recalled what she had done the Easter she was eight years old. Independence  is so very near and dear to these people’s hearts. It is because they 

remember not having it and know how different their lives are now.

We were able to attend a few concerts and the festivities for Independence Day this week.  It made us feel so grateful and understand better why Al Sher can always bear such a strong testimony of gratitude in July of every year. We are so grateful for the blessings of liberty we have enjoyed all of our lives; especially those blessings that have allowed us to have our freedom of worship. We are reminded in the Book of Mormon at least twenty-three times what our obligations are to maintain that land of liberty. May we never forget…………

Quote from Neal Maxwell,  Notwithstanding My Weakness.

It is no accident that the lessening, or loss, of belief in certain absolute truths, such as the existence of God and the reality of immortality, has occurred at the same time there has been a sharp gain in the size and power of governments.  Once we remove belief in God from the center of our lives, as the source of truth and as a determiner of justice, a tremendous vacuum is created into which selfishness surges, a condition that governments delight in managing.

Country Pride

Egg from Lutsk region

Patriotic citizen signaling fought in 3 wars

The old and the young

Cute boys

Decorated egg from each region of Ukraine

Enjoying the day

August 16, 2012

While waiting for grandchild #14, I decided I’d try to get the blog done before he comes and then he can be in our blog on his birthday. Dianne is in the hospital as I write waiting for little Beckham Theo Pabst to arrive. And through the miracle of the internet and SKYPE we have visited with her several times during labor.  (Three hours later)  Sure enough, adorable little Beckham came into the world at 10:24 AM and weighed in at 7 pounds 5 ounces and 21 inches long. Dianne and Beckham are both doing marvelous as you can tell from this picture. Their whole family is so happy. It is hard to believe that from 12,000 miles away we could see our new little grandson, eyes wide open and looking around at one hour old. We feel so blessed. Just looking forward to when we can be there to hold him. I’m glad I got the rest of this blog written before he arrived – as nothing seems quite as exciting as this day.

Dianne and Beckham Theo Pabst (3 hours old)

This has been an event filled week. Starting with last Thursday when Boyce Fitzgerald, Director of Temporal Affairs for Eastern Europe and his predecessor David Stapley came to talk to all the missionaries and employees at the Service Center.  They are great leaders and we so appreciate all that they do for the Eastern European Area.

Boyce Fitzgeral, David Stapley, and Alex Kikhno

On Saturday, we chose an adventure North of the Lukianivska Metro Station (the one that we leave from all the time) - a direction that we had never been before. We had heard that Nikita Khrushchev had a dacha (summer home) somewhere in the area and we were going to find it.  Well, let me tell you, not very many people even know about this historic location as it was pretty hard to uncover. Even though he was born in Ukraine, he obviously was not a revered public figure as evidenced by the disrepair of this once beautiful acreage. Even though it is overgrown, the bridges crumbling, the water in the streams gone, the gazebos falling apart, the house in horrible condition, and only a pedestal remains of his statue, we could tell that this was at one time the Camp David of Russia. Now, it would make a perfectly lovely setting for a great mystery novel. The following are pictures of an estate that I’m sure 99% of Ukraine is not even aware of. We really enjoyed meandering through the acreage on the broken up stone pathways and thinking about the grandeur that was there fifty years ago. 

Khrushchev's Dacha

Anybody home?

Dacha

One of many bridges


Another bridge


South side


Arch entry to a path down to a small dam and pond


Outdoor oven or fireplace

Within the next two hours we saw three wedding parties pass by.  Two drove by in front of our apartment.  One with a flower decorated black limo, the next was a large motorcycle with a side car with the bride’s dress blowing over the edge and the third…………the only one I got a picture of was a Mustang, yes Mustang, limousine with the bride, groom and a few attendants going down the highway at about 100 KPH.  That one I was able to capture while we stood waiting at the bus stop.

Wedding party going down the highway

Saturday evening the Temple Missionaries and Temple Presidency hosted a picnic for all of the ordinance workers on the lawn next to the church at the Temple site. It was a great party. Pork steaks were cooked in a large barbeque pit and all the rest of the fixings were made by the hostesses. They expected about 85 people and 125 came but even so, there was plenty of great food and a “lovely time was had by all.” The picture that I took of the Kyiv Temple as we arrived at the party made the front page of Meridian Magazine’s August 16 Magazine. One of the missionaries I sent it to forwarded it to Janice Kapp Perry and there it is…………….my picture. Not knowing anything about it you can imagine my surprise when I saw it less than a week after I took it. Just another wonder of the internet.

Top: pork chops cooking

Bottom: Enjoying the great food and company at party at the temple

My picture of the temple (8/11) that was in Meridian magazine

On Monday the rain started. When it rains here it really rains. The umbrella’s leak, the busses leak, the metro leaks, the malls leak and it is generally just a really wet experience. Tuesday was the beginning of the second 24 hour period of rain. As I sloshed through the mini lakes on the way to the Temple at 5:20 AM on Tuesday morning I felt very happy to be going to the temple where it would be warm, dry and not leaking. I was definitely glad not to be a fruit, vegetable or whatever sales lady working at the market this morning. They come there rain or shine with their umbrellas and large pieces of plastic to cover their wares. Yes, so much to be grateful for. I looked around in the Temple at several of the little babushkas in white and thought how blessed they were and I will always look at the ones in the market and think of them as children of our Heavenly Father with different challenges that they overcome. 

Umbrellas in vestibule of temple on Tuesday

Tuesday morning Gary’s boss from Moscow (Bob Lockhead), and the Moscow counterpart to Gary (Lary Walker) arrived for a three day stay. Lary Walker and his wife actually came for their visa renewal visit but turned it into a business trip which was great. Tuesday evening we had a dinner at the Panorama Room of the Dnipro Hotel which had a beautiful view of European Square with three major landmarks: the National Philharmonic built in 1882, the Ukrainian House (formerly the Lenin Museum but now a trade show center) and the Friendship Arch in front of the Dnipro River. Following dinner we went to a Pop’s Concert of favorite movie melodies at the Philharmonic. It was a really fun evening. Along with the Moscow people we invited Sherwood and Georgia Ricks (the Mission President’s office missionaries) President and Sister Galbraith (The Temple President and matron) and Alex and Tania Kikhno (the Service Center Director and wife). We had a wonderful evening.

Dinner at the Panorama room at the Dnipro Hotel

Gary then spent the next two days reviewing cases, meeting with attorneys etc. with the Moscow people.  Very successful days, I might add, in getting things formulated for some of the matters at hand here in Ukraine. 

Room with a view

One other picture I wanted to add is of a girl that passed by our apartment on the way to her cello lesson.  I’m not sure if they have cello backpacks in the US but we see kids with their instrument backpacks all the time on the metro.  They aren’t lucky enough to have parents chauffer them around in a car to all of their lessons. 

Girl with cello

Quote for the Week comes from Mother Teresa and helps us look at our lives from a different perspective:

            “I always say I’m a little pencil in the hands of God.  He does the thinking.  He does the writing.  He does everything—and it’s really hard—sometimes it’s a broken pencil.  He has to sharpen it a little more.  But be a broken instrument in His hands so that He can use you anytime, anywhere……We have only to say Yes to Him.”