Weeks 4 & 5

Traveling is as exciting as it is tiring. The past two weeks found us visiting the seminary and institute classes in the cities of Stara Zagora and Sliven. These cities are NE of where we live some two/three hours drive away. It was a real treat to meet these young people and see how hard they try to live up to the standards of the church. The teacher in Stara Zagora is a young 20 year old single sister. (The one in white in the middle.) They don't have a lot of experience being members of the church, let alone being the teachers, but they try so hard. Our job really is a challenge to strengthen the teaching skills of the people in this beautiful country. Because the branches are so spread out, we will be lucky to see each class once every six weeks; if they met on all days of the week, it would be easier, but we have to visit when they teach class. The best hope we have of training the teachers is if they all show up to the Super Saturday activity. These activities are held quarterly; our first SS will be held this weekend in Plovdiv. Because the mission is split up into three districts, we hold a SS in each district four times per year. So the next three weekends will be very busy for us. In addition to the next three weekends being SS, we get to pick up the E. European director of CES services, Henry Kosak, who resides in Moscow, this coming week. We worked under Henry when we served in the Baltics and love the man.

















Our supervisor for Bulgaria and Ukraine came to visit us for a couple of days and visit classes with us. His name is Igor Poddodny and the man on the left is Ivan our teacher in Plovdiv.



















Between our visits to Stara Zagora and Sliven, we traveled to Velico Turnovo. In this lovely city we are scheduled to have our summer Youth and YSA Conferences; two separate weekends. We met the missionaries in Velico Turnovo, and drove to the mountain resort where the Conferences are to be held. The hotel where we are to stay is under renovation, but is to be finished by first of June. (We hope they work faster here than they do in the states) Upon talking to the manager, we learned that the dates for the YSA conference could not be guaranteed as a wedding was also scheduled for that weekend even though we had tentatively reserved the place six months ago. The Bulgarians have a way of doing this stressful type of scheduling--if something comes along that pays them more, they just bump the lower paying party. We hope we have things nailed down now for two different weekends.

On Thursday, we traveled to Sofia for a duel purpose. We scheduled visits to three branches to observe the seminary and institute classes, and for Peggy to attend the Sisters' Gathering under the invitation of the Mission President's wife. I'll let Peggy tell you of the events of the "Gathering".

The Sisters Gathering was nothing more than an opportunity for Sister missionaries and Sr. sisters a chance to mingle and feel of the spirits of each of us. We attending a play on Thursday night, ate at a Italian restaurant for lunch on Friday, and then shared spiritual experiences in the afternoon.

Sadly, we will be losing one of our Sr. Couples in 3 weeks. They will be leaving several months early due to health problems of the Sister's parents. We have really learned to love our fellow senior couples. They do add much to the success of our mission.


Bulgaria has some different, maybe even strange traditions. The current one is called Baba Martinitza. On the first day of March, and until the storks arrive, people give out and wear red and white yarn made into dolls or just as yarn with a bead on it that is tied on the wrist. Storks are supposed to bring prosperity to the land ownders where the storks nest. We see these huge nests in all of the villages we pass through.














We have had the privilege of hosting for dinner a remarkable young woman who was recently baptized. Her name is Radis, and I am sure I spelled it wrong. But it means Joy and so we often call her that. When we first met her she really looked angry. As she was being taught she mentioned that the sisters glowed and she wanted to glow like that. As she came out of the water she asked if she was glowing like the sisters, and said that she felt so light on the inside. We were not able to attend the baptism because we were travelling, but we could see and did tell her that she had a very happy countenance that was remarkable. She has been such a joy to be around we hope that she can keep this same countenance and introduce her friends to the church as well. She is full of hugs and love talented and smart. She wants to go with us to some of the plays that are held in the summer at the ancient Roman ampitheatre here in Plovdiv.

We cross our fingers hoping to hear from all of you who read this blog.
Love, Elder and Sister Andersen, mom and dad.