Bulgaria is Blooming

It is graduation time, and we are traveling once again around the country to hold fireside/ graduations for those branches that have youth and YSA who have completed the course. Varna had 2 Graduate with four years of Seminary attendance - Iva Kostova and Radi Hristov. Iva was our chairperson for our Youth Conference, with Radi helping. Their teacher, Sister Neli Mihalova is between Iva and me. She is serving in her home country as a missionary and doing a wonderful job. In Burgas we had 4 student, Gergana receivied her third year certificate with 100 %attendance. Andrei, an investagor, received his 1st year certificate and Acen, his first year certificate in Institute. Another investigator, Borislava, received a certificate of participation as she started in February to attend church

For those in America it is hard to comprehend how difficult it is for these kids to attend S/I. They are unique, and they are very few in number. But when they get a testimony they are solid as rock in their dedication to the church.

Varna and Burgas were the first to hold their Graduation/Temple Fireside activities, so we took advantage of being in our favorite places in Bulgaria - the Black Sea. Beautiful weather and fair seas gave us the opportunity to take a little P-day trip to a remote northern sea coast historical site called Kaliakra. There is a legend that when the Ottoman Empire had control of Bulgaria they were going to force 40 young Christian virgins to marry Ottomans, kind of like slave wives. These 40 refused and the legend says they tied their hair together and jumped to their deaths at Kaliakra. The cliffs and rocks below suggest that instand death was their fate. The poppies are in bloom everywhere, lining the roads, scattered throughout the fields, and making the whole area very colorful. Along with lavendar, the air is field with wonderful smells.

John is standing about 200 feet above sea level

The wind, which blows frequently along the coast carved some wonderful arches in the sandstone

We didn't take the steps to the sea, the sight was spectacular from above.