Sunday, March 24, 2019

We just thought winter was over... We drove to Tuzla on Wednesday morning for a project related activity and found winter was still alive and well in the mountains.  Thankfully, the roads were clear and we had a safe trip.

The trees all looked like they had been dusted with powdered sugar

It was a cold day for our outdoor activity.  We met our Red Cross partners in Živinice, just outside Tuzla.  We were distributing the spring garden packets to the five municipalities.  Three of the municipalities came to Živinice to collect the packets for their recipients; the other two were further away and had no transportation or money to travel the distance.  The Red Cross will deliver the packets to them.

Garden supplies waiting for distribution

Fruit trees bundled in groups of 5

Contents of each bag - onion sets, seed packets, gloves and a hand spade

Each recipient received 3 pounds of onion sets, a hand spade, gloves, several seed packets (beans, beets, carrots, parsnips, peas, peppers), 50 pounds of fertilizer, 50 pounds of seed potatoes and five fruit trees (peach, pear, plum, apple, cherry).

Everyone who brought a vehicle lined up to load the goods

It was nice to see them help each other load their vehicles

Fruit trees go on the top of the load

Most of the fruit tress were too tall to fit into the vehicles so they found some pruning shearers and lopped the tops off.  John and I winced every time they whacked about 3-4 feet off the tops.  We hope the trees survive.

Cutting off the tops of the fruit trees

The media was there of course and we had to be interviewed.  I'm glad we aren't able to view or understand the local news.  I think I always sound like such an idiot.  I hope the person translating speaks more intelligently than I do when being interviewed.

Transfer announcements were on Thursday.  It's always a dramatic event and this time was even more so.  The missionaries were at our house for the video conference.

Lots of transfer surprises this time

Sister Fritch is the only one staying in Sarajevo

We are losing five of the six missionaries and going back to one set of Sisters and one set of Elders in the city.  Sort of - Sister Chappell is now in Banja Luka and is being transferred to Serbia but she lost her passport Friday night.  She can't get an appointment with the embassy for a replacement until April 2 so is stuck in Bosnia for now.  She will come to Sarajevo with her companion and they will serve here until her passport is replaced.  So we will have four Sisters temporarily and two Elders.  Sister Fritch will be training a new Sister from the MTC.  Sarajevo was her first area out of the MTC and she has only been here 12 weeks.  She is an awesome missionary to be training on her second transfer.  Our new District Leader will also be training a new MTC companion.

Elder Thompson will go to Zadar and Elder Lee and Elder Thygerson will be companions and Zone Leaders in Beograd.  Elder Christiansen is also going to Beograd and will be training a new MTC Elder.  This has truly been a great 12 weeks with this group.  They work so well together and we don't remember as much teaching going on as this group did.

We did apartment inspections Saturday morning and cleaned the church, then went to lunch together at Klub 1.  We heard they had the best hamburgers in Sarajevo.  They were pretty good but don't think they were the best we have had here.  Our favorite is still the Blind Tiger.  They put ice in our glasses and bring ketchup to the table without being asked.

The five departing missionaries spoke in Sacrament meeting today and sang a beautiful hymn.  It is too long to post the entire song but here's a shorter clip.

We are going to miss these fine young men and women but they already have plans for a "reunity" at our house when they all return home.  All but Sister Fritch will be attending BYU Provo; she will be attending medical school somewhere unknown at this point.

One of our new members is an artist and offered to give art lessons to anyone interested.  Thursday was the first class

Begić teaching art class

This little bowl was our subject

We were working with graphite for the first lesson.  I already know I'm no artist - I can't stand the mess.  The table and floor were covered with graphite dust at the end of the evening.

Sara translating for Begić

There were some talented artists in the group

Begić assured us that we would be able to sell our work in the square by the end of the 12 week course.  He is such a sweet man and so kind to teach us.  And so optimistic that we'll be great artists.  We'll see.

Spring did return by the end of the week,  We walked to our vegetable market on Friday, about 4 miles round trip.  The pretty flowers in the grass have appeared in the back again.

Spring blossoms in the yard

We noticed tiny blue blossoms in the grass this year

Sarajevo is a gorgeous part of the world in the spring.  We're loving the blue skies and the sunshine.