Hi from the land of snow and ice.  Our IPhone shows -17 degrees F. (-27 C.) on this Thursday morning, December 13.  The really great thing about a mission is that there are so many wonderful things to focus on instead of how cold it is!  We're excited to show what we have been up to the last few days.  This is Brother Vacilly...a real sweetheart in our branch.  He is the only member in his family, but a vital part of the branch family.  He has a beautiful voice and while we were waiting for an activity to begin, he asked if I would accompany him singing some Christmas carols.  I loved it...it reminded me of when I would play for my Dad.  Sweet times!

There's always hair that needs cutting and Elder Pocock is getting to be a master with the clippers!

Elders Kaiser and Riddle pose for a picture after their latest barber shop visit...

Isn't it looking wonderful?  We are so thrilled for our dear Olga.  We have finished the wallpaper, new curtains are up and Elder Pocock managed to work magic installing a new light fixture...no more dangling light bulb!  When funds permit, Olga plans to put down new flooring and then we will put new baseboards around the walls.  She is hoping to purchase a desk and some kitchen-type cupboards
for her food supplies.  Her closet now has a rod with a curtain closure so she can hang her clothing.  She has fewer and fewer boxes.  It truly feels like "Home Sweet Home".  It is such a joy to see what love mixed with team-work can create!

As we have worked on Olga's apartment each week, we have her neighbors peek in to see the progress.  One gentleman, Daniel, that lives down the hall has become our new-found friend. He was disabled in a shooting accident, just two months after he was married. He invited us into his one room apartment.  He has done a nice job making it very comfortable.  There is no elevator in this apartment building and he lives on the third floor.  Daniel never leaves the building during the winter months.  He goes and stays with his brother at the family Docha (summer cottage) during the warm weather...his brother and son help him get down to his car.  He can drive, but the winter weather makes it impossible for him to get around outside.  He is divorced but his son comes by occasionally.  He is very lonely and comes over to Olgas whenever we are there working.  He is very handy and does some repairs on his floor for the apartment building...it helps give him something to do and helps with the maintenance. Such a nice, friendly man with a very challenging life!

We do quarterly apartment checks just to make sure the apartments are kept clean and in good repair.  I must say they all passed inspection!  Elders Wimber and Holbrook live in an apartment building in the center of town that has 26 stories...we took this photo from outside one of the stairways.  Cold but beautiful!

We went to visit the newest branch member...little Maria.  You can barely see her in her crib.  We had her blessing picture on our last blog post.

The proud parents, Tanya and Sasha, have a very nice apartment.  This shows their one main room.  The baby's crib is on the wall opposite from us.  The couch behind me folds out into the parent's bed.  A tiny kitchen and bath complete the apartment.  Tanya is an amazing homemaker...she makes the very most of her limited space. They are such a dedicated couple.

Last week was Zone Conference in Yekaterinburg. It is always such a spiritual lift.  Here is the Perm Zone with President and Sister Rust.  Our next transfers come just a couple days before Christmas, so this transfer is cut a little short. This next transfer will be nine weeks instead of six weeks.  They are making adjusts in order to get some missionaries home for Christmas and also because of the change in time required in the MTC for various languages.  Can you imagine working out all the goings and comings of God's army?

The senior missionary gals...

They have to purchase four coupe's for our zone to travel to and from Ekat, but we always end up in ONE for some together time.  It is amazing how close you can get to one another as you serve so far from home.  We love our missionaries!

We got back from Ekat late, late Friday night and we were at the church Saturday morning to get ready for coordination meeting, celebrate Elder Kaiser and Sister Tikhanova's birthdays and prepare for the baptism of Valentina.  Elders Duggar and Cook were continually amazed, as they taught her, at how prepared she was to embrace the gospel.  She truly is already an asset to this branch.

The welcoming party...we love baptisms!!!

Shortly after the baptism, the Relief Society had their equivalent to Super Saturday.  Two other Valentinas and myself were asked to share holiday decorating ideas.  It was so fun to share and learn.
Women are the same the world over...we love making the holidays special.

You may remember this young man, Stanislav (Stass) on the left, who was baptized on October 13.  He just left for his mandatory year commitment to the Russian military.  We will miss him greatly and pray that he will be able to keep the spirit with him while he is so far away from the branch.  Elders Duggar, Cook and Dima were there to see him off.

The Perm Branch was blessed this past Sunday to enjoy a visit from the East European Area President, Larry R. Lawrence, of the Seventy.  He is seen here with our second counselor (L) Brother Vladamir and Dima, our amazing YSA that is so faithful!  President Lawrence spoke in Sacrament meeting on the need for Fasting and Prayer in our lives.  Our Branch President jumped up to translate, and to everyone's surprise, President Lawrence gave the entire talk in perfect Russian!  I spoke with him after, complementing him on his Russian skills.  He said that he has written several talks on key topics, had them translated into the proper Russian grammar and then memorized them.  We were impressed. He and his wife have served off and on in Russia for five years.  He also spoke to a combined Relief Society/Priesthood third hour and a fireside about an hour after the block.  He did have a translator for these two talks.  The branch provided a light luncheon for those staying to the fireside.  It was a spiritual feast and the chapel was filled for all the messages.  We are so grateful to have him visit our little branch!

We had two discussions at our apartment ... one in the kitchen and one in the living room.  I love it when we are so busy we have to double up!  One investigator left, then the sisters and elders and Denis, a new investigator we introduced in the last blog, left together.  They got halfway down the six floors when the elevator stopped!!!  They called us, we called the concierge and forty minutes later they were able to get out.

Here you can see Denis on top of the lift (elevator) in the shaft.  He was willing to climb up and reset the necessary buttons.  The concierge was most grateful.  This isn't the first time this has happened, let's
hope it is the last!

It is kind of sad how little we know about what is around us.  We get used to things that are familiar and we don't explore too much...especially in -17 degree weather!  But this last P-day, the sisters invited us to go bowling with them.  We walked for about six blocks to a fairly new, impressive IMAX movie theater and in the basement was a great, new bowling alley!

We won't post our scores, but let's just say, we had a blast!

We have a service project going.  We are going to decorate a tree and give it to a needy family.  If you look closely you can see the painted, salt dough Christmas ornaments and threaded popcorn garland.  To reward our helpers, we used some of the caramels sent in our Christmas package to make caramel apples and caramel popcorn...neither of which these young people had ever eaten!  When I picked up my apple by the stick and started to eat it, Dima said, "Sister Pocock, this is so strange!"  It was different for them but they liked the taste very much.  Thanks Tanya, Lena, Yulia, and Dima for your service!

The hearts are off the front door and Christmas decorations from loved ones now adorn our front door.

One of the special gifts from home is twenty-four days of memories.  Each grandchild, son-in-law and daughter has written a special memory they have shared with us.  It is so heart-warming and closes the huge gap between here and home!  Thank you...we feel loved.

A special "Happy Birthday" greeting to Kent's mother...Mildred Pocock White who is celebrating her "91st" Birthday on December 14th!  This photo was taken a year ago when she was living with us prior to going on our mission.  A special thanks to Gary and Chris Pocock for their loving care.