June 11, 2013, Tuesday morning.

Our last full day in Moscow.  The sun is shining; it will get to about 75 before it is all done; and we are on the hunt for some sweatshirts.

We gave our last day of training to our replacements yesterday--Charles and Ann Broadbent from Spring, TX.  They will be fine, in fact finer than we have been.  They are younger than we are and their memories still work.

We feel honored to have served in Moscow.  We know the Lord loves His missionaries because He has been very kind to us.  And, of course, we are anxious to go home to our family and enjoy their company, their humor and their spirits.

The last batch of 287 pictures follows.

(Warning:  No humor is included.  This is an historical document.)

We helped a little with a branch service project at this orphanage.  The branch arranged to perform a puppet show designed to discouraged smoking and drinking.  The kids in the orphange range from about 4 up to 17, as which point they must leave the facility.  

The auditorium and the supervisor.

The children were very appreciative of having visitors.  I'm sure they are often bored--kind of like Thomsen's life.

They make stuff and the staff try to encourage their creativity and work ethic. 

This is the latest model of Soviet rocket making machinery.

This young lady attached herself to Sister Jones, who is easy to get attached to.

These are four of the older boys.  They seemed the least interested in the puppet presentation.   I can relate.  If I were a 16 year old I don't think a puppet show would be of much interest to me--unless it was being done by Connie Peterson with Dave Paull as the lead puppet.

The Supreme Soviet dispensary.

A young man who also attached himself to our group.  This is the green house for the orphanage.

The old people and the cute girls who organized and performed the whole thing.

Lucy Johnson at about 10 minutes, our newest granddaughter.  She brings us to eight of each.  Mom and Lucy are doing well.

A cute little girl in costume getting ready for a performance at the Dom Musica.  I watched for a while and eventually her brother came over and teased her so much he made her cry.  Reminds me of Nathanael and Emily.

Toe nails painted to match the shoes.  

A Soviet era painting.  I don't think they are much worried about boys playing with guns.

Uncle Joe.

Big sister/little sister.

The center piece for the Victory Park Exhibit and Museum.  The Great Patriotic War is a very big part of the Russian history and psyche.

This 90 year-old veteran was in the Exhibit when we visited there with the Jones'.  He was happy to pose with the young babe.

Some young ladies getting ready to perform for family and friends.

The hotel where we stayed when we visited Kiev in early May.  It was very nice, though there is a lumber yard just to the right of the picture.  Zoning is an unknown concept in Ukraine.

The Kiev Temple.

The Church History group who came to the seminar in Kiev.

Marlene meets Sister Ricks, one of the many office ladies that she works with across the Area, the great bulk of whom she never gets to meet.

  

We were in Kiev on Easter Sunday, May 7th, I believe.  They like chickens and eggs on Easter.

Vladimer of Ukraine.

Two of Bishop Vorobyov's children.

The Bishop and his daughter.

Bro. Lochhead's last day as the Area's chief lawyer.  He has gotten a last minute call to be a mission president in Donetsk.
The painting is of the dedication of the Russia for the preaching of the gospel.  This is the Tsar's garden in St. Petersburg.

Some of the equipment that is part of the 9 May parade, a mobile ICBM.

I am showing this cute little boy some pictures of grandchildren on my telephone.

Novodivichey reflected in the nearby pond.

A mom willing to let me photograph her cute little girl.

Children playing on some duck statues donated by Barbara Bush in about 1984.

Some babe at Novo.

Gorky Park entrance decorated for the May 9 celebration.

Fireworks from Sparrow Hill viewed from Gorky Park.

Gorky Park fountain.

Andy:  Elder Grover in Cyrillic.

I hope I never eat another corn flake.

On the way to Tretyekov Gallery.

A bride at the locking tree bridge.

Locks on trees--symbols of unbroken love.

A love boat.

One of the 'Things Evil People Do to Children' statues.

One of the two innocent children surrounded by evil.

Some WT folks carrying mattresses through the streets of Moscow.

Yummie.  Mystery meat.

Oksana at the office party.  I was working.  No party for me, but a party for Marlene.

Bishop Samaykin's little boy.

We had a home teaching assignment for a couple of months to watch over a half dozen girls who had come to Moscow for the ILP (International Language Program.)  Our HT for May was to show them the Tsaritsyna's palace.

We have used Marlene's camera for the 18 months we have been here.  I decided to see what was on my camera and found some pics from 18 months ago.  Becky holding Adelaide.

Strangers eating our food.

Grandchildren and new jammies.

Grandma and two cuties.

Addie performing.

One of the last views out of our back window.

One last shot of St. Basil's.

Red Square was filled with various activities.  There was this; volleyball; tennis; gymnasts; etc.

Lenin must have been rotating in his tomb, just behind us.

Last shot of the entry to Red Square.

Last week's sacrament meeting must not have been so hot for a four year old.

Lucy is a smiler.

My new bike, thanks to Ben.

Addie at Carley's HS graduation.  We missed it, darn, though it was reported as boring by everyone in attendance.

Our last meal.

Oksana and Pres. Malm.

A young man who wanted me to see his Iron Man mask.

Without the mask.

Hasta la Vista Baby.

Marina Kharlomova, our dear friend.