Dacha Life

Saturday morning we attended the very first district activity in our new activity center!  It was, of course, a Young Women conference. The YW always go first, don't they!  I'll post a few pictures from that in a separate post.We stayed for the first hour or so - President Markelov gave the spiritual thought - then we climbed into the Lada and drove to President Lutzenko's dacha!  It's about 30 minutes from our home and in a wooded area.  None of the dachas are real fancy but they provide a wonderful break from city life and a chance to grow fruit and veggies.  We enjoyed a shashlik barbecue.  

Here are pictures of the zone leaders and President Lutzenko cooking...Elders Davydov and Owens got to attend so they could translate.  I also have a picture of Elder Davydov on the phone - they probably fielded twenty phones calls in the three hours we were there...ZLs are always on the phone when they're not teaching.  This is the first time President and Sister Sartori appeared in public during their missions in jeans and casual clothes...they liked it - the missionaries were kinda weirded out to see their mission president looking like a normal human being!  Also a picture of the newlyweds together and President Yemslo up an apple tree. A very nice group picture including our friends Elder and Sister Stevens who go home in six days.  Elder Owens will be going home at the same time and the Sartoris have a month left.  This is the last time we get to see them before they leave.  They have been wonderful leaders and great examples to us. Finally a picture of Sister Markelov doing some dishes in the sink in the ground.  Pretty cool.  President Markelov's dad has a dacha but it doesn't have water or power.  The building on the site is maybe 10 feet by 20 feet with a couch inside.  There are a bunch of very old apple trees on the property but well pruned and sprayed.  Plenty of fruit and berry bushes, too.

These are wonderful people and it is a honor to know them all.