Lock down

Here is Sister Magill at our front door. Our Passport are at the U.S. Consulate for offical business. So we are in lock down at our apartment until we receive them back.

You may notice there is a second door to our apartment. We did! Sister Magill wanted me to show off my new hat. This is so I looked more distinguished then when I wear my beanie!!!
Just in case you didn't notice the tiny locking system on our outer door. Yeah a dead bolt and a million other dead bolts. Plus the door is solid steel. Pretty sure nobody is getting in without making some noise. Then they have to get through the other steel door with an equal amount of dead bolts. Are we locking them out......or are we locking ourselves in? Plus we are on the 4th floor with no elevator, no TV, no stereo, no money, zippo. If they did break in I would give them everything just for their sheer determination and perseverance.
Oh Yeah, did I mention I got a new hat?

We are in Ussurisk!!!!!

We have been here for two weeks now and found that things move a bit slower than you might want them too. The people are so kind in the branch. We have been able to visit lots of homes and we have been humbled at their kindness. Yesterday we were fed at a ladies home that was about 10x20 with the bathroom outside. That sweetie fed 7 people all that she had on a 2x3 foot end table. She didn't want any help and was happy to take care of us. She didn't eat herself and we wondered if it was because she gave it all to us. The lessons about being grateful for what we have seem to be repeated daily to us. It is an honor to be in the presence of so many of these good people. The apartment that at first we were questioning now looks like the best one for miles. The young missionaries that we work with have given up all they have to be here and some came from another part of this country are not even sure what they will return to when they are done serving. The church has an awesome perpetual education program where the youth can go to school and pay back when they are doing well but it is not allowed in this country.

Here is Alice in her "little" kitchen. Go Alice Go!!!!

so this frig is shorter than Breck's shoulder but the biggest one I've seen so far!This Dude came with the room! What a deal!

Did I mention 4th floor and no elevators?

This is our kitchen table and study area. This is from whence we shall Skype!

Did I mention Breck's knuckles now drag on the ground. We are approximately one mile from the grocery store and he has been carrying groceries home every day. He has knick named himself "pack mule". With what we can read on the labels we are up to 3 unusual meals that we repeat each day. We will either come home huge or rather slender its a role of the dice!!!

Hi Emerson, this one is for you buddy. All the cereal you can eat and more!!!!
Cafeteria to the east. Yeah it just keeps going. This was a lull, when 2,000 plus people hit this place it is packed. But everything moves remarkably well. No real lines and lots of great people to talk with.

Cafeteria to the north. I just turned a little to my left and this is the other side of the cafeteria. They have a "wrap" station. No there isn't any music. They "wrap" up all the ingredients you select into a delicous tortilla wrap. I just have them drop it on a plate and forget the tortilla. Alice is so much more dignified. Yeah but you ought to see her try to eat it!!!

Today we were trained in Word, Excel, and the mission office system. It was really cool. For Camden it was really really really cool.

There has to be over 2 thousand missionaries here right now so they divide us into groups. We of course are with the "old" people" and have met some really cool people who are going all over the world. Most of them are learning a language like us. Each goes at their own expense because they feel like they have been so blessed in their lives and want to give back by sharing their love of Christ. As usual Breck is the funny guy a lot of the time and that is why I was wondering why they would put him in charge. Some of our group left Friday and the rest of us leave at the end of this week. We now know enough Russian to get us out of jail if we end up there because of something Breck said.