13 December 2017

20 years ago today - Baby CJ - 14 Dec 1997

The first part of December:
I was so happy, I was where I wanted to be; serving a mission. Doing exactly what it was I wanted to be doing; helping people. I was able to share my entire self and the love that I felt, with the people I was serving. The best part, I felt loved in return. Looking back, this was the happiest part of my mission. 

I'll never forget a phone call I received around 3 A.M. December 14th, 1997. It was my Mom. She was calling to tell me that my sister Jill had given birth to baby CJ. She arrived a little early but all was well. It is a humbling thought that little did I know that a short 19 years later I'd have so many wonderful kids in my life, between my own and my many, many, nieces and nephews, but that my Mom will have passed away. So much has happened in the past 20 years, both good and bad. Of all the changes I've witnessed, there is one thing I've learned that remains forever the keystone to the future. The youth are the treasure. Everything else passes and morphs into other things. But the young and how they are molded are what shapes the future existence of mankind. 

This is the month I started using the calendar as a journal.

Volodia and I.


Igor and I doing my favorite activity.

Zone Conference.

Patrick Pabst, Ze German. 

Sending off my greenie trainer. Oblivious to know I'd be next month.
Missionary send off's at the train station are always a big thing in Voronezh. This really made you feel cared for and loved.
The Hansen's took good care of us.

Vera's Baptism.

Vera and Eric Reidel.

Mission conference.

Dinner at Sister K's! It's easy to point out the Americanized people in this picture.

Volodia and I were best friends. I bought us hats when on my trip to Finland to renew my visa. 

Attending the young women's class, I was told I make a pretty good girl. 

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