Transfer Week! We love all the new volunteers coming in, and it makes life busy for a few days. No one went home this week, which is unusual. But it's because Elders Houston and Despain who normally would have gone home this week, went a couple of weeks early. BYU starts school on Tuesday, and it's too hard to come home on Thursday and start school almost immediately, especially for Elder Houston, who is from Virginia, and freshman orientation started this week. So, they are gone early.
We started the week with company for dinner. Sergei and Masha joined us for dinner with the three Center Sisters. They are a wonderful couple who are excited to be learning about our Church and want to be baptized soon. Sergei is studying German, too, so he and Ken have conversations in that language, and enjoy it.
We have to thank Elder Cummings for teaching us our first Russian/English pun:
Q: "What do Russians say about the movie Jaws?"
A: "Очень Хорошо." Pronounced "Ochen Horoshow" Say it fast and it sounds a lot like Ocean Horror Show. :o) What it really means in Russian is "Very Good!"
The new arrivals came in on Tuesday afternoon. We usually do our orientation with them on Wednesday morning, but this time we were going on our visa trip, so we got them between airport arrival and dinner at the Mission Home on Tuesday. Remember last May when Sue had everyone signing 16 documents to comply with Russian Privacy laws?
That's not over. Every volunteer who arrives has to also sign those 16 pages. So we do that first and get it over with. Then we do the fun stuff. They get their Hermitage volunteer badges and the list of cultural things they should see while they are in St. Petersburg. And then Ken tells them all how to ask for reimbursements for mission-related expenses they may have--like extra travel in for Transfers. They pay for their own regular bus/subway wherever they live. But those who have to buy train or plane tickets to the Office for Transfers or Conferences or visa trips can get reimbursed. Everyone likes to learn how to get money back!
Wednesday morning had us up early and out the door before 6 a.m. to catch our bus to Estonia. It's about 2.5 hours over, an hour or so to get across the border and back, and then another 2.5 hours home. Not great fun, but necessary.
Now and then the border patrol will decide to pull one of the group aside for special questions. That has added 1-2 hours to some previous trips, but we had no problems this time. Sue and a couple of others did get asked an extra question. "Can I see your second passport?" Not even, "Do you have a second passport?" They've seen all of us enough to know the drill. Sue pulled it out of her back pocket and handed it over. The woman flipped through both, stamped the "new" one, handed them both back and we were on our way.
We usually take a few minutes to wander around Narva. Since Sister Anania-Matafai (from New Zealand) was the only young Sister on the trip, she became Sue's companion for the day. We wanted to show her the sites. This is the memorial to the soldiers who died in World War II.
But this is the explanatory plaque near the obelisk. The plaque is written in Russian, Estonian and English. It gives a sense of how Estonia feels about the Soviet Union.
When we got back to the Mission Office about 1 p.m., everyone was there ready for Transfer Meeting. There isn't much to this--mostly just the exchange of apartment keys and phone SIM cards. Everyone has a cell phone, but the phone number stays with the area, not with the person. Sue asked everyone with a new phone number to send her a text with just their name. That way she can update the printed phone list, and also the list in Outlook that auto-syncs to our phone, and also President & Sister Rawson's phones. It's very slick.
And Transfer meeting includes DoDoPizza for everyone.
President and Sister Rawson wanted this photo with their "bookend" volunteers. The Sisters on the left are the first ones who arrived last August after the Rawsons arrived in July 2018. The Elders on the right arrived this week are the last ones who will go home before the Rawsons leave in July 2020. Everyone in between has only had the Rawsons as Mission Presidents. Since Mission Presidents serve three years, Elders two years, and Sisters eighteen months, it is common for people to have more than one President. We arrived in April 2018, so had three months with President and Sister Childs.
After our Hermitage shift on Friday we spent another hour going further into the General Tour using the Hermitage App. The phone app is pretty amazing. You can do a lot of the Hermitage from the comfort of your sofa if you want.
This was one of Sue's favorites of the tour. The Repentant Mary Magdalene by the Italian artist, Titian. She has such a look of humility and sorrow on her face as she looks up to God. And the background of dark over one shoulder with the bright dawn over the other is symbolic of her coming new life--out of darkness and into light.
We went back to this hallway that we love and listened to the tour blurb about it. It's an exact replica of the Rafael hallway at the Vatican. Every panel is different. The walls were re-done from drawings. The ceiling paintings were done on canvas and then brought to St. Petersburg and installed up high. Sue is always telling Ken that he needs to throw out all the photos that are just scenery. They need to have people in them he can name or they aren't worth keeping, per Sue, who will also throw away anything that has to be dusted. So we got a selfie.
This morning we heard music and loudspeaker voices as we ate breakfast, and then we remembered today is "Knowledge Day." September 1 is a holiday for parents and the first day of school for children. It happens this date no matter the day of the week.
Saturday afternoon we went back to the Hermitage, but this time just as guests. We've been wanting to do the special tours of the Gold Room and the Diamond Room, two vaults within the Hermitage complex. They only do the tours in English once a day, and during our usual working shift, so we knew we had to make a special trip back. Today was the day to do it.
On the way, we stopped at the Main Post Office first to pick up a couple of packages for volunteers, including the boot that Sister James' family sent her for her broken foot. This means she can take off the cast, put the crutches back in the closet and be mobile again. Hooray!
Unfortunately, no photography is allowed in these special rooms of the Hermitage, but we found an online photo of one favorite.
This gold chalice made by the French artist Jean Francois Xavier Boudde in St. Petersburg in 1790 is part of the Diamond Room collection. The fine cross-hatch pattern is tiny strands of gold filigree laid on top of the gold background. The pattern around the base is of grapes and grape leaves. There are sheaves of wheat growing up the stem of the cup. Thus, this has both the bread and the wine of the Sacrament.
One other favorite we couldn't find a photo online. It is an Orthodox crucifix in the form of an anchor, sort of like this. But it is about 18" tall of all gold and jewels. Christ is nailed on the cross in the center. But, standing on top of the two side hooks, there are two figures--they think Mary on one side and Peter or Joseph on the other. Christ has a real crown of gold and jewels, not a crown of thorns, and he looks peaceful, not in agony. The guide said this is the Russian Orthodox tradition about the Crucifixion. But this piece was actually made in Germany in the 13th Century.
Then we came home, put in another load of wash, and headed to the mall. Burger King for dinner, then downstairs to grocery shop. All the normal stuff still needs to get done. It's hard to believe it's September already. The sun is going down shortly after 8 pm. The weather is down to high 60's or low 70's and hints of rain. Autumn is in the air!
 |
| Ken & Sue, Sergei, Masha, Sisters Kosmynina, Bettinger & James |
We have to thank Elder Cummings for teaching us our first Russian/English pun:
Q: "What do Russians say about the movie Jaws?"
A: "Очень Хорошо." Pronounced "Ochen Horoshow" Say it fast and it sounds a lot like Ocean Horror Show. :o) What it really means in Russian is "Very Good!"
 |
| Elders Ogden, Otterson & Rosenhan, Sisters Brown & Drake |
The new arrivals came in on Tuesday afternoon. We usually do our orientation with them on Wednesday morning, but this time we were going on our visa trip, so we got them between airport arrival and dinner at the Mission Home on Tuesday. Remember last May when Sue had everyone signing 16 documents to comply with Russian Privacy laws?
 |
| AP Elder Cummings photo-bombs with new Elders Ogden, Otterson & Rosenhan |
That's not over. Every volunteer who arrives has to also sign those 16 pages. So we do that first and get it over with. Then we do the fun stuff. They get their Hermitage volunteer badges and the list of cultural things they should see while they are in St. Petersburg. And then Ken tells them all how to ask for reimbursements for mission-related expenses they may have--like extra travel in for Transfers. They pay for their own regular bus/subway wherever they live. But those who have to buy train or plane tickets to the Office for Transfers or Conferences or visa trips can get reimbursed. Everyone likes to learn how to get money back!
Wednesday morning had us up early and out the door before 6 a.m. to catch our bus to Estonia. It's about 2.5 hours over, an hour or so to get across the border and back, and then another 2.5 hours home. Not great fun, but necessary.
Now and then the border patrol will decide to pull one of the group aside for special questions. That has added 1-2 hours to some previous trips, but we had no problems this time. Sue and a couple of others did get asked an extra question. "Can I see your second passport?" Not even, "Do you have a second passport?" They've seen all of us enough to know the drill. Sue pulled it out of her back pocket and handed it over. The woman flipped through both, stamped the "new" one, handed them both back and we were on our way.
 |
| In front of the big NARVA statue Elders Sherwood, McOmber, Baptista, Ken, Sue, Sister Anania-Matafai, Elder & Sister Peck , Elders Cummings, Meek, Thieme, Packer |
 |
| The main city square in Narva, Estonia (180 degrees) |
We usually take a few minutes to wander around Narva. Since Sister Anania-Matafai (from New Zealand) was the only young Sister on the trip, she became Sue's companion for the day. We wanted to show her the sites. This is the memorial to the soldiers who died in World War II.
But this is the explanatory plaque near the obelisk. The plaque is written in Russian, Estonian and English. It gives a sense of how Estonia feels about the Soviet Union.
When we got back to the Mission Office about 1 p.m., everyone was there ready for Transfer Meeting. There isn't much to this--mostly just the exchange of apartment keys and phone SIM cards. Everyone has a cell phone, but the phone number stays with the area, not with the person. Sue asked everyone with a new phone number to send her a text with just their name. That way she can update the printed phone list, and also the list in Outlook that auto-syncs to our phone, and also President & Sister Rawson's phones. It's very slick.
And Transfer meeting includes DoDoPizza for everyone.
 |
| The "Bookends" Sisters Nestripke, Bettinger, Alder. The Rawson. Elders Otterson, Rosenhan, Ogden. |
After our Hermitage shift on Friday we spent another hour going further into the General Tour using the Hermitage App. The phone app is pretty amazing. You can do a lot of the Hermitage from the comfort of your sofa if you want.
This was one of Sue's favorites of the tour. The Repentant Mary Magdalene by the Italian artist, Titian. She has such a look of humility and sorrow on her face as she looks up to God. And the background of dark over one shoulder with the bright dawn over the other is symbolic of her coming new life--out of darkness and into light.
We went back to this hallway that we love and listened to the tour blurb about it. It's an exact replica of the Rafael hallway at the Vatican. Every panel is different. The walls were re-done from drawings. The ceiling paintings were done on canvas and then brought to St. Petersburg and installed up high. Sue is always telling Ken that he needs to throw out all the photos that are just scenery. They need to have people in them he can name or they aren't worth keeping, per Sue, who will also throw away anything that has to be dusted. So we got a selfie.
 |
| Peter and Paul Fortress and Cathedral from the window of the Foyer to the Hermitage Theater. |
Against the fortress wall are the sand sculptures we visited last week.
 |
| The First Day of School -- view from our balcony |
This morning we heard music and loudspeaker voices as we ate breakfast, and then we remembered today is "Knowledge Day." September 1 is a holiday for parents and the first day of school for children. It happens this date no matter the day of the week.
We snitched this picture from the Facebook page of our friend Kostya. He's on the right with his wife, his parents on the left, and his kids with flowers and balloons. We wanted this photo, because we saw this same scene over and over today. As we took the bus from our apartment downtown to the Post Office we saw families all dressed up and walking together all along the way. Most of the boys, even teenagers, were wearing white shirts, ties, and suit coats or sweaters. The girls were often wearing white blouses and black pants or skirts. It's the ceremonial start of school. The students and parents go to meet their new teachers and classmates. There are some songs and speeches. It only lasts a couple of hours. Then they go home. Real school will start on Monday.
Saturday afternoon we went back to the Hermitage, but this time just as guests. We've been wanting to do the special tours of the Gold Room and the Diamond Room, two vaults within the Hermitage complex. They only do the tours in English once a day, and during our usual working shift, so we knew we had to make a special trip back. Today was the day to do it.
On the way, we stopped at the Main Post Office first to pick up a couple of packages for volunteers, including the boot that Sister James' family sent her for her broken foot. This means she can take off the cast, put the crutches back in the closet and be mobile again. Hooray!
Unfortunately, no photography is allowed in these special rooms of the Hermitage, but we found an online photo of one favorite.
This gold chalice made by the French artist Jean Francois Xavier Boudde in St. Petersburg in 1790 is part of the Diamond Room collection. The fine cross-hatch pattern is tiny strands of gold filigree laid on top of the gold background. The pattern around the base is of grapes and grape leaves. There are sheaves of wheat growing up the stem of the cup. Thus, this has both the bread and the wine of the Sacrament. 
One other favorite we couldn't find a photo online. It is an Orthodox crucifix in the form of an anchor, sort of like this. But it is about 18" tall of all gold and jewels. Christ is nailed on the cross in the center. But, standing on top of the two side hooks, there are two figures--they think Mary on one side and Peter or Joseph on the other. Christ has a real crown of gold and jewels, not a crown of thorns, and he looks peaceful, not in agony. The guide said this is the Russian Orthodox tradition about the Crucifixion. But this piece was actually made in Germany in the 13th Century.
Then we came home, put in another load of wash, and headed to the mall. Burger King for dinner, then downstairs to grocery shop. All the normal stuff still needs to get done. It's hard to believe it's September already. The sun is going down shortly after 8 pm. The weather is down to high 60's or low 70's and hints of rain. Autumn is in the air!
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