The days between MTC and Moldova

On the evening of Nov. 21st we met Leta and Dad, following the Sunday Night devotional, to give hugs, pray and our good-byes.  On the way to Germany, we had a layover in Dallas, and were met by a majority of our kids and grand kids in the area where we ate, played and talked for 1 1/2 hours.  We were so happy to be around them and soaked up everything!  I hope Maria got better pictures than we did...just to busy enjoying the great company!

Our plane left for Frankfurt, Germany and touched down early on the 22 Nov. where we were met by John and Susan Leonard.  Elder and Sister Leonard are over all the humanitarian efforts in the Europe Central Area.  We went straight to the office and worked a little, went to their apartment,showered, worked some more and had a great German lunch.  By that time our hotel was ready, we dropped our luggage and rode the train to downtown, where we walked around, saw the Main River, looked at shops and people.

The 23rd was spent in training, a nice lunch with many of the senior couples, who were attending a Zone Conference and supper at the home of the Leonard's...perfect.

Thanksgiving morning was spent in training and then over to the stake building for a great Thanksgiving Dinner.  Following the dinner we spent time with Elder Joseph Worthlin(son of Joseph B) and then left with the Leonard's to visit a wonderful Christmas Market in an older part of Germany.  We purchased a few table runners but there are many things I would like for next Christmas....  We then stopped at a hotel restaurant, established in 1595, and had soup and hot chocolate!


Left to right and top to bottom: Our arrival in Germany and the hotel where we stayed, with Elder and Sister Leonard.   Then Sister Leonard working in the Area Offices; our Thanksgiving feast and waiting in line.  Anne Frank's house the plaque outside.  The christmas manager in the old part of Germany that we visited.


The hotel in which we stayed had a wonderful breakfast bar which we really hated to leave behind, yet the Leonard's picked us up at 8:30am for our flight to Bucharest, Romania.  Arriving just after 3pm we quickly spotted President Ned Hill and his lovely wife Claralyn and they whisked us to the office, meeting missionaries and Brother and Sister Patton, the office couple.  We then went to the mission home there, staying in the coveted 'General Authority Suit'.  Ray worked a bit on the Internet serving the mission home and we were treated to a 2nd Thanksgiving Dinner there that evening, prepared by Rosie.  Missionaries old and young enjoyed a great dinner, delightful and uplifting conversations and wonderful testimonies.



Flying into Buchrest, Romania, another Thanksgiving feast at the Misson home; meeting at the airport by President Hill and Sister Hill. Then Rosie, who cooked the meal and some of the missionaries from Buchrest.  Us, President Hill and Sister Hill.

 Saturday was spent at the mission home, Ray working on the Internet (anything new here?) and talking with the Hill's until the Elder's arrived to put us on a ssslllooowww train, sleeper car, to Chisinau, Moldova.  We left on time (7:15pm) in the dark, fitting our 4 large suitcases, 2 carry-ons and us in that sleeper car, and rode (not non-stop) to the border.  There, for 2 hours, they checked passports with all bathrooms doors locked, and changed the wheels of the whole train to fit the different tracks of Moldova.  (This makes it much harder to leaved either country quickly I think.)  A few hours later, light came and the beautiful Moldovan countryside, some villages, animals and a few people lay before us.  Even with the naked trees and starkness of winter the rolling hills are beautiful! 



Elders Newton and Johnson took us to the train station.  Here I am walking with luggage in the train station.,  This was our sleeper car.  Sunrise as we enter into Moldova.

 We arrived at 9am and Fred and Mariam Kitchen were there to greet us, along with Ruslon because we could not possibly fit us and our luggage into the mission car!  The Gara (station) was quiet except for a  'garage sale' which surrounded the outside of the large station!  We were quickly at our apartment, dropped suit cases and freshened up for 20 minutes at which time Elder and Sora Kitchen reappeared and carried us to Sacrament Meeting!  The branch of about 60 people where full of enthusiasm, as were we of course..  It was at the end of that meeting that I realized that we should have studied German and Russian as we had heard almost no Romanian in Church, none in Germany, and very little in Romania.  (On the train everything was written or spoken in Russian.)



And this is where we live.  We even have a washing machine and a very pink kitchen.  The clothes are dried on a drying rack in the bathroom. The heat is by hot water, which is heated by a boiler in our kitchen.  We have a very nice office and living room area.

 After a few hours rest we were served a delightful third Thanksgiving Dinner at the home of  President Aiken.  It was delicious food and even better company!  We truly were thankful for so very much; family, friends, our safe arrival and opportunity to be here, and mostly our Savior, Jesus Christ.


The Chisinau Branch President, Aiken, his wife Kesli, Elder and Sister Kitchen.  Us with the Aiken's son, Ryli.  Again another feast.  Us with the complete Aiken family.