Our time is going by so fast.  There is less than a year now to go.  Our days are spent with the missionaries bringing over investigators here to our apartment for lessons, going with them to teach at someone’s home or to the branch building.  Sometimes we have two meetings here.  One of us with the Elders in the living room and the other with them in the kitchen.

Last night Sister Holmes met with a convert of a year, a 21 year old sister who lives several hours away from Barnaul by train.  Because of the distance she can rarely come in to Church.  She gave her several recent Liahonas.  The missionaries were giving her new member lessons she had missed.

At the same time Elder Holmes was in the living room meeting with a young man, married with a wife and 3 month old baby son.  So far his wife has no interest, but he meets with the Elders weekly.  They wanted a senior Elder to help with the barrage of questions he asks.  They were able to only get part way into the Plan of Salvation because of all the questions.  He has been out to Church a few times.

A week ago we went to Finland again to renew our visas.  It was a very nice uneventful trip, unlike last time when we had a delayed flight from Helsinki to Moscow and missed our flight to Barnaul .  They did put us up in a nice hotel with good meals.  We were able to go to the Helsinki Temple again, that is always a treat.  The Temple President was the Mission President many years ago of the husband of one of my cousins.  Who later was the next Mission President in Finland.

On our way home we got a text message from our District leader, Elder Terry.  President and Sister Gibbons were coming to our city and wanted to take all of us out to dinner.   We all met at IL Patio and had a nice meal together. While we were gone, two of our missionaries were transferred to other cities and two new elders, fresh from the Provo and Madrid MTC’s arrived.  Elder Italive (I- tall- leave) from Ukraine and Elder Berg from Aurora, Colorado.

Sunday President and Sister Gibbons spoke at Sacrament meeting.  After Church they came here for lunch.  It was nice to visit and hear what is going on in the mission.  They spend a week or more in Kazakhstan each month getting all the legal work done to have the Church receive full recognition there.  The missionaries there can’t wear badges or ties, or teach anyone except members right now.

We are in good health, staying busy, and enjoying the time here.

Love

Elder and Sister Holmes