Hi from Perm!

I wish that we had taken an original picture of our step up to the parking area and front of our apartment.  The harsh weather really did some damage to a small, sloping step that soon exposed the rebar beneath the cement.  We were thrilled when we saw them working on building new steps with even a circular flare...but much to our dismay...two days after the new steps were put in...this is how they looked!

Again, they worked away at repairing the step...now you can see the finished product!  They just chipped away the broken one and tada ... our new steps minus one.

I am sure that many of you are experiencing the busyness with the end of the year school activities.  We have been thinking a lot about our grandchildren and all their events.  Our dear friend, Nadia, invited us to
be Mela's guests at her kindergarten graduation.  The sign behind the children reads: "Goodbye Children's Garden"...meaning "farewell to kindergarten".  Look at the clothes these children are wearing.  Seriously, I thought we had come to Cinderella's Ball!  The children put on skits, sang several numbers, performed dances with and without partners, and recited their alphabet and did math problems...it was pretty impressive!  After the program, they all gathered outside and each child let a balloon float into the air.  Inside the balloon was the child's wish for their future. They were just like children from home...so excited about their performance and sad to say goodbye to their friends.

Nadia with Mela.  Nadia's friend made Mela's dress.  Nadia told me that in Russia the fluffy net skirt is called: the American skirt.  It is very popular.  Mela felt like a princess and looked like one too!

This week Elder Pocock and I travelled to Yekaterinburg for a "first ever" joint Seminary and Institute Graduation for our mission.  Our Branch President was in charge of the event and went up the day before, so Elder Pocock and I were asked to chaperone the youth from Perm.  A twenty one seat van was rented and we filled every seat!  We loaded the van at 5:00 a.m. and returned home at 11:00 p.m.  We had a blast...and talk about togetherness!!!  Many of the roads in Russia are repaired much like our steps and it brought to mind a talk in general conference by Elder David B. Haight when he talked of a buggy ride where there went 80 miles an hour...40 mph straight ahead and 40 mph up and down.  That sums up our ride perfectly!

President Rust, President Ustyuzhaninov, the instructors and participants of the graduation.  After the exercises, a luncheon was served and then the youth participated in activities surrounding events from the Old Testament.  It was a very memorable event for our young people.

This is what we faced when the van stopped for a pit stop on the way back!  Needless to say, this was a "first ever" experience too! (and hopefully last)  The kids really enjoyed the look on my face!!!

This is for all you young moms out there that are having a hard time getting your kids to go to bed because it is still light at 9:00 p.m.  Well, this picture was taken out our kitchen window at 11:15 p.m.  and as you can see...these moms have given up.  The kids are still going strong.  I have mentioned before that at this time of year we rarely see it get dark.  It is light when we go to bed and light when we get up.  Perm has a huge celebration during this time called the "White Nights".  They have activities and major events going on most every evening and all day on the weekends.

Tanya and Lena, a less active and her non member friend invited us to attend one of the activities that the city is hosting.  It was an international Brass Band Concert.  Bands from Scotland, Moldova (a small country between Romania and the Ukraine...we had to check out the map to see if this place really existed), Italy, Netherlands, St. Petersburg, and an amazing band from right here in Perm!  This is the building where it was held. It is by far the nicest and most modern building we have been in since we have been here.

Pictures taken before the concert began...Scotland

Italians in tights...Lena and Tanya

Scottish bagpipes and dancers

Moldova...their band and dancers were my favorite!

Panorama from Kent's Iphone

Meet our new Sisters...Sister Damron and Sister Denning on the right.  Sister Damron was celebrating her
birthday on her fifth day in the country!  She is from Salt Lake City, Utah and  Sister Denning is from Orem, Utah.  We came to find out what a small world it is when it was discovered that Sister Denning's mother lived across the street from Elder Pocock when they were growing up!  We are so glad to have sisters back in our zone.