Senior Couples Conference

 

This is what we saw on Monday morning.  Our little playground got snowed on.  It looks like winter is really coming.  As long as we're walking somewhere, we keep warm enough.  It gets uncomfortable if you have to wait for a bus or something.  And sometimes it gets uncomfortably warm indoors or on the bus.  They like to turn up the heat!  The trick now is to not slip and slide too much.  We have to watch our steps and hold on to each other.

 

On Wednesday morning we left for Novosibirsk, our mission headquarters.  We went for a senior missionary conference.  We were able to meet the other couples serving in our mission.  Unfortunately the McClellands in Almaty were not able to attend.  Their flight was cancelled.  The other couples are so experienced in their careers and church service.  It was an honor to get to know them.  We decided that missionaries here have so much more fun sharing our experiences than those couples who get sent someplace like Hawaii!  We enjoy sharing the oddities of life here!

 

President and Sister Gibbons took us all to the ballet at the theater in Novosibirsk.  This is quite an attraction in the city.  People of all ages come to enjoy the ballet and opera here.

 

 

During intermission, we were able to wander around a bit to see the theater.  Apparently when it was built, the architect made it just a bit bigger than the theater in Moscow.  And it cost him his life.

 

The ballet was called "Spartak".  That is also the name of the hockey team in town.  So we weren't sure if we were going to a hockey game or to a ballet!  It turns out that it is based on the story of Spartacus from old Roman legends.  It was spectacular to see the amazing dance talent as well as to hear the amazing musical talent.

 

 

 

The curtain call.

 

 

A view out of our hotel window.  In the distance you can see a bridge crossing the river.  It will be freezing over soon.

 

The mission office is at the far right side of this building.  They had to close the office for a day last week due to anti-LDS protests. 

 

It was very cold there.  One morning the temperature was 1 Farenheit which is -17 in Celcius!  And of course, my brother who was on vacation in Hawaii sent a photo from the beach to rub it in!

 

 

 

These are our three young sisters that were baptized in August, September and October.  They planned a special branch family night to celebrate the church's registration and also to say goodbye to two of our elders who will be transferred soon.

 

 

I think the Americans totally beat the Kazakhs with the Guesstures game!

 

 

We love our dear members and friends!

 

And our Alina who was taking the group photo!