Dear Family and Friends,
5 May 2012

We have been in Siberia over 2 months now and haven’t managed to get a news letter written. It isn’t because we haven’t had the time. I think we have been here long enough that everything seems normal to us and not at all strange like it did the first time we came. Our friends in our Branch welcomed us with open arms and things just settled down to business as usual. The missionaries in our Branch are all great. Only one has been in Russia longer than a year. Their language is coming but they are not as experienced as elders who have been here for longer. They have never worked in a city that had a senior couple, so we have had to train them to let us be involved with their work. Now they bring people to our apartment to teach instead of meeting them at the branch building. We enjoy being asked to bear our testimonies and answer questions that are difficult for the elders to answer.

We have a very nice apartment, newer than the one we lived in the last 2 times. It is in a much nicer area and the custodian keeps everything looking so clean and neat. Yesterday he was out painting the curbs along the side walks red, green and yellow. It looks very bright and cheery. There is a gate on the drive way into the complex so only residents can drive their cars in. The play ground is fenced so there is only one way in and out. Bart counted over 30 children out playing in front of the building the other day. I’m sure that they are so happy to be able to ride their bikes and use the play ground equipment. During the winter the snow is too deep to swing or use the regular slide. They make a snow slide to go down using little sleds, that look like a large paddle, to sit on.

On the 14th of May the missionaries have a leadership conference and the next day is Zone conference. All the missionaries will be there for training. They really look forward to those meeting because they get to see their former companions and elders they were in the MTC with. We will be going in to Novosibirsk for both of those meeting, too. It will be an opportunity to see the other senior couples. Other than President and Sister Gibbons, there are only 3 senior couples. There will be a new couple coming this summer. One of the great things about serving a mission is the chance to meet other senior couples. We still have contact with several couples we have met on our other missions.

On the 24th of May, we will go to Helsinki with about 20 elders to renew our visas. We’ll fly to Moscow and then to Helsinki. We will get to attend the Temple while we are there and have some time for a little sightseeing, too. We will be gone for 2 nights but the elders only stay 1 nights. It is a very tiring trip so we get to stay an extra day and night.

The weather is much nicer now. Even shirt sleeves some days. Once in a while we are warmer than Utah and California. Flowers are blooming and trees are budding out. There has been one day in the low 80’s. A few more 70’s and a lot of 50’ and 60’s. It is nice to not use ice traction on our shoes.

As often as possible we get our vegetables from street vendors. They are cleaner and fresher. We got a 11.5 lb. cabbage, maybe the biggest we ever had. Tender and sweet. Fresh radishes too. Their strawberries and raspberries will be available soon.

About a month ago a district was created combining all the districts in the Mission. All the branches are in this district. There is a district council. All are local leaders. This is in preparation for a Stake, hopeful in about a year. Most of the branches have enough leadership to become wards. Ours probably will not and remain a branch for a while longer.

There will be a young single adult conference in August, July for the youth. We may get to attend both of these. Many of our young people go to larger cities for employment and better prospects for marriage.

Our rent is 20,000 rubles or about $ 675 a month. That is about $60 more than we paid in the past. Our expenses are about $ 2000 a month. This mission is pegged at $2200 a month. On all our missions our expenses tended to be less than the mission average. That is one of the advantages of a frugal, provident wife.

With love to you all.

Elder and Sister Holmes