Fast week and off we go

Week of July 26- August 2, 2015
This was the whirl wind week, we had a major activity everyday this week which made the week go fast but also put us in a very tired position as we are preparing to leave for two weeks to go to America to be with our two son's that are getting married.  We are so excited to go not only for the weddings but for our first visit with our new Grand BABY Riley Ann Mikkelsen.

We are leaving on a train to Kyiv in about two hours. Checking into a hotel in Kyiv at 9 PM and then check out at 3 AM to go to the airport.  We fly from Kyiv to Amsterdam at 5:45 AM and then at 10:30 AM till 1:20 PM Utah time we fly to SLC Utah.  We get just a enough time to drive to Layton and visit Janet's mom and then the next morning at 3:30 AM we leave to go to SLC Airport to fly to Columbus Ohio.  We are there the rest of the week helping to get ready for the wedding and taking care of our new granddaughter.  On Saturday August 8, Jonathan and Kelsey get married and we will fly out Monday evening to go back to SLC.  On Tuesday Morning we pick up Jonathan and Kelsey at the Airport in SLC and then drive to Bunkerville for a reception at our good friends house Janet Dodenbier.  She is a wonderful person. We are so grateful that she was willing to host us.  The reception is on Wednesday night. Thursday morning we drive back to Layton.  On Friday August 14, in the morning we go to Logan Utah for Daniels Wedding.  And after a full day of fun and activities we drive back to Layton and don't have to do any thing but visit and recover until Tuesday August 18 when we return to Kyiv. We will get back to Vinnistya on Thursday August 20 about 1:30 AM.  So if any of you are planning on going on a senior mission make sure your kids get married before you leave or after you get back. But the wonderful thing is if you need to you can go home for family events.  (PS don't delay your mission waiting for kids to get married.  They can figure things out on their own!)
Well now that's out of the way lets talk about the adventure here in Ukraine.  On Monday I traveled back to медвеже вушко (English it is Medvezhe Vushko, does that help?) It means Bears Ear.

Working on the chimney

 I guess there is a story behind that I just haven't heard it yet.  I worked all day up on the scaffold we built last week rebuilding and repairing Igor's chimney.  I have not laid a lot of bricks in my life but it looked OK when we were done.  At lunch time they provided a three course meal and tried to call it lunch.  I called it a feast.  It was difficult to climb back on the roof after eating so much.  But it was cool and rained just a little bit.  I could stand on the scaffold and look over this village and see the swans swimming in the lake and watch the kids playing in the dirt lanes beneath me.  I think heaven will look much like the scene I enjoyed this day.
On Tuesday we traveled to Kyiv for Zone meeting.  I was so impressed with the leadership and talent of the elders and sisters. These young people are going to be wonderful future leaders of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Elder Brough teaching at zone meeting

 After the zone meeting we traveled to Kyiv Center City and had to hike up this long stairway to get to the area that housed the souvenir shops.

This was a long stairway

You must have souvenirs

This is the gift lane

Riding home from Kyiv in style

One seller there always caters to missionaries.  His prices seem to be quite fair so we purchased many things to take back this week.
On Wednesday we had a "Noah and the ark" primary activity.

Noah and the rain makers

The boat kept us dry

I can't believe you are out of water balloons already

 We made tortillas and taco meat in our apartment in the morning and then headed over to the church where all of Noah's animals (kids) had gathered to learn about a great prophet.  The end product of the activity was  water games, of course.  The kids had a wonderful time and enjoyed cooling off on a hot summer day.
Thursday morning our Russian non member, Sister Alexander, returned to us and we had a language class.  We were so excited to see each other after 4 weeks, we mostly just talked Via Google Translate.  She is a wonderful lady and is so good for us to practice with.  We are slipping in the gospel message on her (this Sunday she stayed for the entire block which was wonderful.)  I went back to the village to continue to work with Igor and Sister Mikkelsen and our good Friend Zena came out and visited many of the sisters that live in that village.

This is our wonderful Zena that helps us all the time

 It happened to be Olga's Birthday she is the wife of the man I work with on the house.  Sister Mikkelsen gave her some cookies. She said that she does not like to celebrate her birthday, she likes to celebrate her baptism day.  The people here are so wonderful.  The understand the blessing of the gospel in their lives.
On Saturday Sister Mikkelsen was not feeling so well so she stayed home while I went to the Branch Picnic.  We rented a bus and traveled to житомир (Zhytomyr) and had a picnic with the branch there. We went to a park where they rented a place for us have our activity.

Branch picnic

Fun on the bus

Branch president and his wife also 1st counselors wife

 There were about 80 people in attendance.  President and Sister Packer and their two of their girls came to the picnic.  Before we left to the park President Packer gave a short fireside about his Grandfather, Elder Packer's life and funeral. It was very touching.  It was fun to watch the people try to play Baseball. President Packer brought a lot of baseball equipment.

This is most of the group that were there

President Packers and his wife and daughter Sister
Bondranko giving them an Ukrainian bread she made

This is the one we got as a farewell gift

 There was one Ukrainian man that smashed a huge Whiffle ball home run.
Today was a wonderful Fast and Testimony meeting the spirit was so strong.  We had one lady tell a story about how she had been praying for for someone to come and help her father fix their house.  She said that they had one man lined up and he got sick and so he never came.  So the day after she prayed for the help was the day that we first visited the village and they found out that I could do construction.  It was wonderful to realize that we were directed by our Heavenly Father to answer a humble sisters prayer.  It is wonderful as you find your place in the mission field.  Things just start happening and you follow the spirit where ever it directs you.
Well that about wraps up the week the next two weeks post will be a little different as we report about our adventures in America.  We hope you have a blessed week I know we will
Love to all Elder and Sister Mikkelsen