November 29th  - wow, that went by fast.  I know I keep saying it but it is really true - time is flying by.  November was a good month though I really missed being home this fall - it is my favorite season and time of the year.  I missed Thanksgiving and the family gatherings and the FOOD!

The senior couples here on the island are all from the States so we had our own Thanksgiving dinner. It was delicious - which is what you would expect from 4 'senior' cooks who collectively have cooked for over 180 years.  It really was good though and we all enjoyed being together.

Elders Reeves, Wonnacott, Gorton and Jacobsen

We had a YSA activity and they invited our 3 seminary on the island to join.  They put on skits from the Book of Mormon.  The costumes were crazy and the acting about the same. They also watched a video from John Bytheway.

Here is a more serious group shot.

Sis. Gorton provided a yummy spaghetti lunch.

I went with the sisters to visit some less active sisters this week.  It breaks my heart to visit with these sisters who at one time were active and say they still believe the gospel is true but won't live it.  They have so much to share with others and the church has so much for them.  

It was great to talk to our children over Thanksgiving - it was a good reminder of just how much we are blessed and have to be grateful for.  Things to remember all year through.  Now we slip into the Christmas season and the good feelings just continue - I don't know if this year will be easier or harder - time will tell. 

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoy the special season ahead.

Remember - love your way!

Hard to believe that November is more than half over - WOW!  This was an exciting week with the island getting some new missionaries and I mean - brand - new - missionaries - straight from the MTC in England.  They are wonderful and we are super excited to have them here.  WE got new Sis. Lehman from Austria and she is a doll.  We love her already.

This is our new district - Sis. Lehman is standing next to me.  We also received 3 new elders, Potter, BRamley, and Stelzinger.

Sis. Hubey and Sis. Janssen came back from Athens.  Sis. Hubey is from France and was one of the very first sisters we worked with back in Nicosia.  She will be serving in Lemesos and we are so glad to have her back in Cyprus.  This is Sis. Janssen's first time in Cyprus.  She is from Denmark.

Elder Potter is back from Athens.  He is an awesome missionary and serving with us in Larnaka.

we did a first this week. We went to the movies. We saw the Peanuts movie.  Okay, Bill wasn't impressed but I liked it.  I don't think movies are a big thing here.  Only one set of theaters in the entire city and the screening rooms are very small.

We spoke in the Pafos Branch today and it was  great to see double the usual number of people there. The missionaries have been working so hard and hopefully good things will come from it..

We watched an area broadcast with the European Presidency and Elder Ballard.   It was very good and all about branch councils.  They praised our area plan and the card we pass out.  They said it was the best one they had seen in all their travels.  WOW.  The three main goals are:  Invite a friend, become temporally and spiritually self-reliant and find an ancestor.  We are excited about it.

Seminary at our flat Sunday night

It has been a long, long week!

Thinking of Thanksgiving back home and how grateful we are for our many  many blessings!  Missing the chance of being with friends and family.  Have a wonderful week!  

Another great week here in Cyprus.  The weather has been beautiful - reminds us of what is was like just about a year ago when we arrived.  It is hard to believe we have been out more than a year.  This past week  We went down to Pafos to pay some bills and visit the Wonnacotts.   Went for a short walk along the seaside. Absolutetly beautiful!  How can we get this scenery back in Santa Clara!!!

Visited the church in Kiti again with the President's family.  

Then we went to the Camel Park. Bill was a good sport and had posed for this picture.

picked out our Thanksgiving turkey

The Heder Family and the Assistants.

then we went to Lefkara - where they make the handmade lace.  They pass this tradition and skill down from mother to daughter and have for over a century.

We had Zone conference and here we are.  We are a skeleton crew right now but will be receiving some new missionaries on Tuesday.

The senior couples with the Heders

saying good-bye to Sis. East.  She as been here since we came and we love her.  She is one of the special ones and we will miss her a lot!!

Elder Dixon is going back to Athens and we probably won't see him again before we head home.

At the airport sending the Heders and some missionaries back to Athens.

A time of changes.  We grow so attached to these young missionaries. It is hard for us to let them go but know that they have served well and are ready to return home and continue on in life.  They have been well trained and will be such a fantastic addition to the gospel and church wherever they land.  They have enriched our lives and the lives of the members here in the Greece Athens Mission.  WE are excited to Tuesday when we will welcome new missionaries here on the island:  1 brand new missionaries and 4 from Athens.  We can't wait!  Fun times ahead.

We are loving being here in the mission field but our hearts are home with so many that are struggling and experiencing hard things.  Wish we were there to help and to hug.  Know that we love and miss you all and you are in our prayers nightly.