Before i get started, I'm sure the opera was great last night. I just couldn't tell you cause I slept through most of it. And i was on the 2nd row on the floor. Seriously, i didn't understand a single word and they would sing one song for 10 minutes.Yawn! Now i'm sure I just offended someone reading this because i know it wasn't a song but was part of 'the story'. I should have learned the story of the Tsars Wife before i went. Note to self and the rest you ignorant opera goers. But the Opera/Ballet House is amazing. Here's a few shots.
a Sunday in Russia :)
I'm so grateful for Sundays! The Sabbath is supposed to be a day of rest right so I took it quite literally and slept from 9:30p last night to 9:00a this morning. Almost 12 hours! I haven't done that since I was a kid on the days I didn't have any sprinkler pipe to move or cows to milk. All my touring the last couple days caught up with me.
I knew I had to get moving cause i still had to get down to breakfast and ready for church and take the metro to get there by 11. So I ran to breakfast and I guess Sundays are a busy day at the hotel. Remember i'm on the 21st floor. When I got to the elevator there was a man and what I guess was his wife just arriving to go down and she went up and pushed the UP button! Breakfast is on the 2nd floor! So i nicely went over and pushed the down button. The lady's husband then, according to the volume and body language, went into why did she push the up button. It was an obvious mistake, but i' think im glad I can't understand any more words than Hi and thank you cause i'm sure it wasn't nice. Poor lady. Well, we then got on the elevator and went up a floor before going down and stopping at almost every other floor until the elevator was so full you worried if you moved your hand you may get slapped for touching someone where you didn't want to, if there was room to slap someone. Each time the door opened the guy by the door would grumble something and push the button to close the door. We finally made it to the 2nd floor and as I got out i realized to my horror that i had forgotten the little paper token they gave me on my first day to be admitted to breakfast....i won't rehearse the return trip...breakfast was great!
I took some pictures as I made my way to church today i thought i'd share. The metro is fun but stressful. I have no idea what the signs say i just know the number of stops till i have to get off. You have to pay attention! Here's where you head down at the train station across from our hotel.
These pictures are mostly for my kids in Utah who have never rode a subway:
The loading platform
The train arrives fast! I hope it's the right one...one stop and switch to the red line then two more stops and I should be there...
On the metro...these poor guys don't know their picture will be on the internet soon. Thanks whoever you are.
You have to switch from the Green line to the Red line and have to walk down this very long underground tunnel...it's about a block or two long.
Lucky for me i run into a couple of missionaries from our church on my way and they guide me safely in. As we are coming out of the metro, we see a lady and her son that are members of our church and her son is holding a Lego's bag with the same legos my boys love so I ask if i can take a picture of him...he loved it and was so proud. He played all through sacrament meeting with it...don't get any ideas Max and Bennett. :) 
This is the same smile I see on my kids faces as they hold their Lego packages too. Wow, an international reaction. I love his proud look!
About a 5 minute walk and we arrived at the building. It's a large building that the church rents just the bottom floor and about 10 rooms.
This was the chapel. You can see the sacrament table and the pulpit in the front. There wasn't an empty chair. I would guess around 100 people. Amazing faithful members with very stong testimonies.
I had one of the missionaries translate the talks for me. In our church services, we are led by non paid clergy and the members are called upon to teach one another. So today a lady spoke and shared her testimony of the savior and how her knowledge of the gospel has helped her through some tough health problems. Her son was hit by a street train a month or so ago. She shared how all the members came together in fasting and prayer on his behalf. He was there today and doing fine. After church she found me and told me she wanted to meet me as she had heard about our adoption efforts. I shared our experience through the missionary translator. She was very touched and I was impressed how she reached outside herself to learn about me and our efforts. She was so kind and gave me a hug. I needed it.
I also recorded with my phone the song "I am a Child of God" as they sang it in Russian for my family to listen to. I think this is my favorite song of all times! Check out the link and try not to smile.
There is an amazing spirit here. I was so uplifted and felt this small branch's desire to follow the savior teachings. I saw the youth and was amazed at how strong they are. You could see how happy the gospel makes these people and how much they enjoy meeting together each week. Anywhere you go in the church you make immediate friends. It was excellent to see them teaching out of the same manuals that we use and feeling a real gospel love for them. When you drop by to visit Novo be sure you visit this little branch of Christ's church as well. You will see true christians.
After church Brother and Sister Webb, an older missionary couple from Washington invited me over for lunch along with 2 younger missionary companionships that are serving here. There was a couple of Elders (that's the office in the priesthood they hold) and a couple of sister missionaries (not really sisters, that's just how we refer to them). We spent over an hour learning about their families and their homes and what there plans were after their missionary service is complete. (College, jobs etc.) The two Elders were AP's or Assistants to the President. Each mission has a mission President and his wife that are an older couple that come here for 3 years at their own expense, as do the other missionaries, to lead the missionary efforts. These two young men are his assistants for 3-4 months then they will be replaced with others. (a little missionary background for those not of our faith :)).
Dinner was great Sister Webb! I then made the trip back to the 21st floor. Oh, the Webb's had an english version of a couple of movies they lent me, so i'm going to go settle down to a movie for the rest of the night.
Tomorrow I get to see Varvara again! I'm so excited. I miss her smile and wiggly hug. We are going to take photo's of her for her passport that we are praying will be approved! I'll keep you posted.
night!
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