ROSTOV, RUSSIA WEEK COMES TO A CLOSE :-(

It has been a challenging week with so many deaf patrons (and even a blind-deaf and a deaf-mute). We have learned a lot about how to communicate with them! That has been a very special experience in and of itself. And we have learned to love them....just like all of the other saints who come here. They leave this afternoon. We may or may not see some of them again during our next 14 months here. We hope they will be able to return soon.

Here is one sweet young lady. She came up to us in the asuntola when we got home from the temple on Friday night. She asked if she could take her picture with us......of course, only IF we can take a picture with our camera with her!! :-) As I was talking with her I just felt I needed to give her a cross stitch temple picture. I just happened to have one I recently completed (up in the apartment). When dad went up to get the camera he also picked this up. And I didn't even have to ask him.....he just knew! He snuck it into my hand when he came back down. He just knew from the direction of our conversation! I love how the spirit guides us to do things. All we have to do is listen!

Here is a picture of my giving the little gift to her. We exchanged e-mail address and mailing addresses. She wants to send us a Christmas Card....we will do the same with her.

In the course of talking with her we found out that she is 24 yrs. old. She came to the temple to do baptisms and to pray whether she should go on a mission or not. She and her family joined the church about 10 years ago. Her mom was on this trip with her. The entire family are very active....Branch President, Relief Society Councilor, Young Single Adult Leader for the District, and on and on and on!! So heartwarming to hear about the church in her area. She also told me she loves to do cross stitch!!! Warmed my heart right up. She said she knew what it took to make gifts for others. She loves to do that as well. She speaks very good English and helped us a lot with translating at the temple. She will be a great wife some day....we need to find just the perfect husband for her!! :-) Her name is Katya and she is from Volgograd, Russia

This sweet little lady was just so cute. She reminded me so much of Annie and Pearla!! Can never remember which was which......she even wore her long hair twisted and pinned to the back of her head like Annie and Pearla did! She is here with her son.

We were able to get a few of the folks together for a picture before they headed in for their testimony meeting, a tradition to hold the last night they are here.

What a wonderful week. How can it get any better? Next week.....TAMPERE FINLAND WEEK!

My goal this week was to learn some of the Russian ordinances! NO....didn't get that done because I didn't have time to study and learn. Maybe this week with Finns here I will have a little bit of time to study! :-)