Winter Comes to Ukraine

Snow finally came to Kiev the first of December.  The workers at the temple block were so excited to get out their snow equipment! 
On the very first passes, they raced up and down the sidewalks with the rotary broom just throwing snow.








As the snow got deeper, they settled into
the process of removing the snow from the
sidewalks, parking lots, etc.  As we have progressed from fall to winter, temperatures
have consistently fallen to just below 30 degrees.
Those who have been here previous winters tell us we may not see bare ground again until Spring.  (That's okay.  It is beautiful!)

 

Now that we have reached the shortest days of the year, the sun doesn't come up until after  8:00 a.m. and has set before 4:00 p.m.   That means we never see it set, as we start our shift at the temple at 3:00 p.m. and don't come home until around 9:00 p.m.  Winter light conditions make it possible to get some very interesting pictures of the temple.  Sister Black took this one at first light (about 8 a.m.).

We spent an early Saturday morning (shortly before the snow came) involved

with our branch and a couple of other units, cleaning up leaves at Babi Yar.

We told you a little about Babi Yar in a previous post.  About 50-75 people showed up and put on "Helping Hands" vests.  In just a couple of hours we had raked huge piles of leaves.  It was fun to see temple workers and patrons from the Kiev Stake who showed up to help.  The Kiev Mission president and some of his family also joined us.

President and Sister Galbraith (on the right) came.  Elder and Sister Black are on the left.  We had a great time!  I also want to tell a little about the temple missionary couples serving here with us.  We'll continue some more in a future post so you can see all of them.  President and Sister Galbraith will have served in either Russia or Ukraine for almost 8 years.  It will be 8 by the time they go home next November.  They are both spiritual and do a great job of furthering the temple work in this part of the world.  Kay and Dan Black are from Sugar City, Idaho.  They have been neighbors of the Galbraiths for many years and were the ones responsible--to a certain extent--in our being asked to come here.  They have been our guides in most everything and have made our adjustment very smooth.  Kay and your mom were best friends through high school, so it has been fun to catch up on things after so many years!

The Metro (subway) here is something else.  The escalators are very, very long.  As you may be able to tell by the lights below as they stretch out of sight in the distance. This is my attempt to give you a feel for it.  Pres. and Sister Ball are first counselor and assistant matron and are from Idaho Falls.  They were also with us at Babi Yar.
She is the sweets' fairy who is always leaving wonderful cinnamon rolls, brownies, or rolls by the doors of all the couples.  Pres. Ball is a mover and accomplishes whatever needs to get done.  He's a wonderful leader.  I knew him briefly at the University of Idaho many years ago.  They were both pilots and Pres. Ball can tell some hair-raising stories about landing on dirt air strips in the primitive areas of Idaho.

We are excited to be serving in the temple during the Christmas season.  We are having such an incredible experience here.  We love the people who come and they love us back.  We know that we are all in the Lord's House and we feel the spirit so strongly.  God lives and loves us and knows our needs.  Even though the temple has only been here for 2 years, the local temple workers are very competent and dedicated to making each visit a memorable experience for everyone who comes.  We look forward to celebrating the Savior's birth and rejoice in His atonement and resurrection.  May we all follow His commandments.

Love, Mom & Dad (Grandma & Grandpa)  .