TRYING TO STAY FOCUSED HERE......

WITH ALL OF THE HORRIBLY BIG SNOW FALL AND BLIZZARD AT HOME, IT IS A DIFFICULT THING TO DO!

Some reports are giving a total of about 50" of snow over the past week at home in Maryland. All major highways in Frederick County are shut down due to not being able to get snow plows out to get them cleared off. There was a white-out blizzard yesterday and huge drifts. Even snow plows were getting stuck on the major roads! Brunswick City Administrator sent out a 'plea' for a Doctor in town (Brunswick) who could help with emergencies since the emergency vehicles can NOT get to Frederick to the Hospital. IF we were home I know a really good doctor who would come out of 'retirement' to help out and probably LOVE doing it!

But, we are NOT at home, Dorothy! We are here in Finland with our own mounds of snow. At least folks are used to it here and it does not seem to be a problem.....yet!

So, I continue to stay focused on my Finnish and Russian languages....having used BOTH today in the temple. It feels good to be of service using both languages.

I have made a few more little goodies to share with those who come from near and far:

Anna is a 14 year old who is here with her parents from Rostov, Russia. She has been participating in baptisms this week. She is just the cutest little thing! And so excited about her little gift!

Tatiana Pashkina is also from Rostov. I have seen her a number of times now since we arrived last summer. She was thrilled to get her bookmark!

She just had to share something with me so she gave me her little box of Tic-Tacs. Bless her little sweet heart! The Russians (and Finns) are just like that. They want to share whatever they have. She even shared her conversion story with us. She was baptized a member of the Church on April 14, 1991 in Utah. Go figure. She had a friend who went to America (Utah) for a teacher exchange program. While there she learned about the Church, got baptized and told Sisar Pashkina she had to come to Utah and hear what she had heard! She did and was baptized!

And last for today....these two Sisar Missionaries are serving in the Yekaterinburg Russia Mission. They were here getting their visas renewed, got back on the airplane to head back to Russia only to be escorted OFF again because the visa had not been updated correctly! They are here until that can get things sorted out. They got a handmade 'needle-felting' egg made by me. They were so excited!

That is my story for today and I am sticking to it!!