We had a good week this past week.  Actually it was good because it was very calm and quiet.  We have experienced what so many missionaries do  - the plague of the cancelled appointments.  The missionaries work so hard to get teaching appointments and then they fall through.  It used to bother us quite a bit but now we have learned that it is just part of the missionary experience.

The lemons are coming on here.  If you  search you can find quite the deals.  This whole bowl of lemons cost about 1.5 euros or about $1.75.

This was a first ever - dark socks with gym shoes -  something Elder Jacobsen would never have done back home.

Here is our landlord - Alecos.  Very humble and nice.  He is Cypriat but speaks pretty good English.  He really likes Bill and brings us produce from his garden - prickly pear cacti, pomegranates and figs so far.

Here is a typical meal - salad, extra tomatoes and Hulumi cheese.  The cheese you can only get here in Cyprus we think.  We know they don't have it in Greece.  It is delicious fried up.

Here I am with our two darling sister missionaries. Sis. East on the left finishes up her mission this week.  Oh how we will miss her. She has been fantastic!

Panyiotis and Elder Dixon.  Elder Dixon is transferring to Athens this next week.  He too will be missed.  He is excited because he has been on the island for almost a year.  The missionaries love to serve on Cyprus but there is something about actually serving in Greece that they all want to be doing.

The is Maria and her daughter Rafaela. Both are investigators.  Maria hopes to be baptized in December.  Rafaela cannot be baptized because the father will not give his consent.  She is very sad about this.  We pray that his heart will be softened.

Sister Georgia

Sis. Anahid - she is from Romania and speaks 4 languages.

After FHE enjoying pumpkin bars.  WE had a fun night about Gratitude.

Our youth !

Pot luck after the meeting.

Three of our four primary children.  They are slowing learning what Primary is all about - exciting.   We are the only branch on the island that has Primary and YM/YW's.  It is amazing to think of all the members who really know very little about the church and its programs and what is has to offer. They love them but the struggle is to run them without anyone having had the experience of knowing wha they are.  

 It is often hard for them to merge these things into their lives and to live them.  They are good people who we teach and show and love.  One struggle right now is to get them to want to accept a calling and then do it.  They just haven't ever seen that before.  

We have a great week ahead - zone conference, CCM meeting and then District conference.  Looking forward to being spiritually fed and to leaning a lot.  All the meetings are in Nicosia this time.  They actually rent a bus to pick up members in the outlying cities to help them get to conference.  Very few members have cars.  

As we think about Thanksgiving coming up back home we are reminded of how blessed we are.  What a blessing the opportunity of serving a mission has been for us.  The refining process is taking place and hopefully we are contributing and helping the church and the members here in Larnaka, Cyprus.  Grateful to a loving Heavenly Father to trust us enough to place us here.  Grateful to wonderful family and friends for all their support.

Love to you all!!