Elder & Sister Gregersen: January 2009

New Years Eve

Happy New Year tomorrow, It is almost noon here Wed. and it sounds like some of the russian "Festivites" have started in our apartment building. Not too loud yet. We were told that they celebrate until abt. 6:30 a.m. New Years. It is so cold outside that I stayed here while Lee went to the church to do an interview. It was 1deg. this morning, F. but is -20 C. I think it feels so cold because of the high humidity we aren't used to. When he returns, I hope it is a bit warmer so I can go to the postoffice and mail Clancey, Jamie, Francine, an Zac's birthday cards.
The Nutcracker Ballet was awesome!!! These russians are extraordinary performers.
Elder May gotsome good videos and I will download on my computer for you to see when we get back. We all then went to a pizza parlor for lunch and when we left there to get a tramvi back to our place, I abt. froze to death because one didn't come for abt. half hour. Last night we decided to go to the store fairly close by and get a few things, so I put on 2 pair of loung pants, plus panti hose, plus a pair of socks,boots. shirt, sweater, black jacket with liner, a hat, and 2 pr.gloves, 1 of those little soft stretch kind and the other was insulate cloth. Made it there and back without freezing, but it wasn't all that far, abt. 1/4 mile. Lee carried everything back in our big bag, and I carried the bag of ice cream just in my hands as I knew it wouldn't thaw at all. Our lunch guest list has dwindled a bit, 4 of themissionaries won't make it, and maybe Sergei, as he has been sick. but we still will have a good time playing games with Maria and fam.and Zara. Hope you all wake up to a healthy and pleasant day. Love, Mom and Dad

Christmas Day

Hello our family and friends, Christmas day was sure different here because it is not celebrated. We had a neat experience yesterday,that helped us appreciate "A" Russian act of kindness. We were walking from the church to where we pay bills, and a young man stopped Lee to say something. He told him he didn't speak russian and the guy kept talking and then turned him around a little and started to wipe off his coat in the back. I walked back and he was showing us that Lee must have leaned up against a white wall, as he had marks all over his coat. Would you do that to a stranger? They do simple things like that quite often. Like when we are in a place and can't understand what the cashier or office person is telling us, and then someone behind us steps up and offers to help in their broken english. When we look for the good in people, we can find it, right? It amazes me, too, how on the public transportations, the majority of people get up from their seats and let the elderly sit, or a child, or a mother with a baby, and this is the teenagers, and young adults. Last Sunday, when we abt. ice skated to church, an older lady fell, and a young man stopped to get her up and going. The younger generation and abt. up to 50 are alot kinder than the really older ones tho. generally. I think it's because the older people have had such a tough communistic life, and the new ones are learning how to be more civilized. On the funny side, when we were getting on a tramvi to come back to our aprtment we happen to get on one that was extremely full, but we had to take it. So, I was stepping up on the first step and no where to grab ahold of, because of being so packed, except on a mans pants, and I didn't want to do that. So I told my good companion, as the tramvi was closing the doors on him, to boost me, know what I mean? or we wouldn't make it. He did and we made it,and I was litteraly squished amongst some tall men so I had to hold my neck up for my nose to catch some air. I was extremely grateful at that moment that it was not summer, due to the aroma from bodies in the heat! I would have fainted for sure. Today we are helping Elder Gnatyshun celebrate his birthday here. Then we will go to the branches holiday party.
Wishing you all a great day, Elder and Sister Gregersen, alias Mom and Dad