MINI ZONE CONFERENCE AT THE ZOO PARK

This was a really fun day. The Zone leaders, Elders Permenter and Crawford arranged a mini zone conference. We all boarded a bus and headed for a "zoo park" as Elder Permenter called it. We got off the bus after about a 40 minute ride and walked for about 10 minutes. We were quite a sight carrying blankets, plastic bags with our lunches, and all the necessary materials that were needed by the people who had been assigned talks. Even though we had a few sunny days it was really cold. But that didn't stop us. We found a nice spot to put some benches in a little cluster and all bundled up in blankets as we had some wonderful talks. The theme was "Improving Ukraine". We had lessons on Humanitarian work, Service, How to find young men, and Involving the Branch members in service projects. I was so impressed with all of the talks. Elders Permenter and Crawford also provided us with nice sack lunches. This activity was so well prepared. We were given a program with the opening and closing songs, we started with a song and a prayer, had very well prepared talks with handouts, or visual aids, and ended with a song and a prayer. We took a short break for lunch and relocated to a spot behind a building where we were hoping to find a little warmth. We had a little "skills practice" exercises and a few more missionaries shared some wonderful stories about awesome young people they have met in Ukraine. The best part of this whole experience was we had such a great day and we didn't have to plan any of it. We just had to show up and give a talk. I found myself thinking, "I can't believe these young men are only 19 and 20 years old. It is so amazing how they grow into such awesome young men on their missions and great leaders.

Oh by the way, it was called a "zoo park" because we were at a zoo. Our little meeting was held right next to the Llamas and small horses and we passed a cage with 2 beautiful bald eagles on our way in. I'm sure there were many more animals to be seen but we spent our lunch break trying to find a way to stay warm. Some of the missionaries were more adventurous than we were and wandered through the zoo during the break. We decided to come back on a P-day and see the animals.

INTERNATIONAL RELIEF DEVELOPMENT (container delivery)

We were invited to attend the unloading of a 4o foot container that was all Orphanage Module items. It was so fun to be there and see all these wonderful things come into the Country right after visiting the Orphanages who so badly need these items. We saw quilts, clothing, diapers, crib items, receiving blankets, newborn kits, and these cute stick horses that someone in America makes by hand. I was so excited to see everything. I love you all.

We brought 6 young missionaries with us to visit the second Orphanage and when we went to meet with the Director I asked if the Missionaries could go visit with the children. The Director said yes, but you should have seen the missionaries faces when they realized they were going to be on their own. They said, "what should we do?" It was so cute, Elder Kinghorn said, "you don't have to worry it will come to you. They'll love you. Just go and you'll know what to do." I was so relieved when we returned about 45 minutes later and found them sitting on the floor in two circles of missionaries and young boys and girls playing what looked like "duck duck goose." They were all laughing and having a great time. I told the Elders I was so relieved to see them having fun. I felt like a mom who had left her kids at Daycare crying at the door and I didn't know when I returned if I would find them still sitting by the door crying. The Elders said, " It was really bad at first. We all just stared at each other for about 2 minutes. They were watching TV and when one of them turned it off some of them got mad, one girl said, lets listen to the missionaries. We didn't know what to do or say so we decided to play the game. They said, "they caught on faster than the students in our older English Classes. It was really a blast."

ORPHANAGES

These kids were so cute. We were having a tour of the facility and came upon all these girls. They were so happy to see us. They kept saying "hello" in English. Then they would say, " my name is _____". Then they'd laugh. They love speaking English and having us understand them. We were swarmed in a matter of seconds. This orphanage is for children 6-16 years old. They have 157 children housed on 4 floors. They said 67 children are under State Protection. I think that means they were permanently removed from their parents. The Director said that the children here do not get adopted because they are older and people just want younger children. That was so sad. They also go to school at the orphanage. The second Orphanage houses about 82 children who are 3-18 years of age. They said they have about 20 children a year get adopted. They go to school in the community. The director said some of the children have been adopted by Mormon families from America. We were very impressed with both orphanages. The first one the children were housed in dormitory style rooms with about 6-8 beds in each room. They have been doing alot of remodeling in the last 2 years and had a very impressive facility. The children's rooms were so clean it was hard to believe children actually slept there. They had separate floors for the girls and boys and each floor had a very nice lounge with a big screen TV. They even had a gym with a basketball hoop. They had a recreation room with a ping pong table and very old weights. I think their request for Humanitarian Aide may be for some weights for the rec room or exercise equipment. We visited the classrooms while the students were in class and it was so cute. They would all stand up when we walked in. One class had 6 year- olds who said they don't know English they are studying French so they all wanted to show us what they could say in French. Elder Kinghorn said he could take any one of them home they were so adorable. They all had little black and white clothing on skirts, vest, sweaters. The teacher was very proud to tell us, "this is not just for the holiday, they look this nice everyday". It was a much nicer facility than I could have imagined, however, the sad fact is this is their "home." This was very apparent to me when we entered the hallway where the 3-5 year- olds were in their beds napping, with their little shirts and pants laying neatly on the chairs next to their beds. As we walked by and saw a few of them stirring I thought of how Wyatt and Monroe like to crawl into our laps when they wake up and just "snuggle" for a little while. Where do these little children wander off to when they wake from their naps and whose arms hold them? Who tucks them in at night and who do teaches them to pray to Heavenly Father. Yes, these were nice facilities but there is no substitute for a HOME. These children are being raised without parents. I can't imagine what it would be like to grow up not having a family. The other thing that is hard to comprehend is these children go to camps in America where people come to see them to decide if they might adopt them. I can't imagine what the rejection feels like when they are not selected and they must return to the orphanage. They already have to live knowing their birth parents didn't want them and then they have to continually be disappointed when they meet potential adoptive parents who do not want them either.

HUMANITARIAN WORK (containers)

People who write us always ask "How can I help you? What can we send? My answer to you is attend your Stake Humanitarian Workdays. The above picture is an Orphanage Module that is shipped over in the containers I have mentioned. This is where the quilts, wall hangings, newborn kits, baby blankets, handmade dolls and toys go that are made in those meetings. The Hygiene Kits and School Kits are also sent over in the containers. One of the fist ladies I met who represented a charity that is from a very poor community pulled out a "School Bag" that she distributed the last time they received help from us. I can't tell you how exciting it was to see those bags go from our Relief Society to Welfare Square and end up here in Ukraine. I see your faces sitting over your sewing machines at home making these beautiful quilts and school kits that are so cherished by these children. Sister Ray told me the first time she took Hygiene Kits to an orphanage one little girl just clung to it. She didn't even want to open it. She just held it close to her chest. The first time I went to an orphanage I spoke with a little girl who was clinging to a very old raggedy barbie doll with no clothes and a little broken comb and empty perfume bottle. Your handmade gifts are so very special and greatly appreciated. My dear friends, the blankets or school bags, or hygiene kits that you make may not come to Ukraine but I promise you the Humanitarian dept will send it to a country where some little girl or boy will cherish it and feel the Saviors love through your act of service. I want you to know that we are distributing these items all over Ukraine and I am so proud to be able to say "they come from the families in America". We also tell them that the money we use to purchase other items they request is money that comes from families in America. This money comes directly from your donations. Some of you may not be able to attend meetings or sew at home but you can help another way; you can donate to the Humanitarian Fund on your tithing slip. I am so grateful to be able to be here in Ukraine bringing the love of the Savior to these people. I love this work.