We’ve had a very WET summer and fall, which means that it’s been cooler than usual, but also much greener. Autumn in the Baltics is breathtaking – the whole country is yellow, gold, orange, red – and it lasts for 6 to 8 weeks, not the 10 day aspen-gold explosion we get in Colorado. I’m thinking however, that this winter looks to be colder than last winter. I’m already wearing boots for warmth, and it’s only mid October.
The work continues to go well. We hear miracle stories daily from the missionaries who constantly meet people who are ready to hear the Gospel and embrace the teaching of the Savior in their lives. Missionaries learn to love these people that they serve, and when it’s time to go, they have a hard time leaving. They are simply wonderful!
Mission Presidents’ Seminar
Last August we attended the semi-annual Mission Presidents’ Seminar for the Europe East Area. In the past we’ve attended this event in Moscow, St, Petersburg, and Sochi (all in Russia), but this time it was held in Tallinn, Estonia – right here in our mission! This meant that Russ and I were the hosts, which added a little stress to our lives in terms of finding hotels, arranging for translators, and researching details for activities. We had a lot of good reliable people to help us who did most of the actual work, but it meant that we didn’t relax quite as much at this seminar as we could when the buck didn’t stop at our front door.
Elder Uchtdorf was the presiding authority. He came a couple of days early, so he gave a fireside at the Tallinn Branch building (overflow crowds!) on a Sunday evening, and did a little touring in Old Town on Monday. He also inspected our teaching center in Tallinn – We keep a 3-classroom apartment in the central business district so that when it’s difficult for people who are investigating the Gospel to be taught in their own homes, they can meet the Elders or Sisters at the center and be taught in town. Three of our Elders were there when Elder Uchtdorf toured the center. They were absolutely shiny – pressed suits, ironed shirts, new haircuts, BIG smiles, and they gave all the right answers! I was SO proud of them.
The Seminar was wonderful – very inspirational and motivating. Probably the high point of the Seminar, however, was a trip across the North Baltic Sea to Helsinki to attend the Temple there. It’s about a 45 minute trip by ferry - a VERY fast-moving ferry – I think a person could water-ski behind it! The Helsinki Temple is absolutely exquisite – striking architecture, flawless craftsmanship, and beautifully decorated. Add that to the spirit of the House of God, and it was a wonderful experience to be there.
We were able to take a guided tour of Old Town Tallinn during the Seminar – something we’d never done before. We have walked around Old Town many times, but it was fun to learn a little history this time. We keep telling ourselves that we should take time to see the sights, but we never seem to have/make time to do it.
Moving the Mission Home
Long story short, we were supposed to be able to stay in our apartment on Pumpura iela until June ’08. However, the owner of the building decided to condo-ize. The Church thought about buying the apartment so we could just stay there and not have to move, but the asking price was obscenely high. So – then the owner wanted us out before the end of our lease so that he could sell our place while the market was still hot. There were lawyers involved, threats made against us, and unpleasant encounters, so we found a new place to live. It’s a set-up similar to the one we were in – the Assistants to the President will have an apartment right next door to us, which makes life much simpler for Russ. The only problem with the new place is that OUR apartment is undergoing remodeling to make it suitable for a mission home. We had to get out of our old place fast, so we moved into the Assistants’ apartment (which is lovely – just small) until ours in done, which will be just before Christmas.
So now we’re going through all the building-a-new-house stuff – picking out kitchen cabinets, new furniture, drapes, knobs on cupboards, kitchen tile, carpets, etc. It would be really fun if we had a little more time to ponder over these decisions, but we don’t, so we march into a store with Alexej (the rep from Moscow in charge of the move and remodel), and Raitis (the contractor), take a quick/thorough look around, and choose the first thing that strikes our fancy. It works out well and we don’t end up second-guessing ourselves. Moving day, of course, came right in the middle of Mission Tour Zone Conferences (The Area President attends these once a year) at the first of September, so Russ went to Lithuania while the Riga missionaries, the moving company, and I moved the apartment. It wa
s all very confusing because some of our stuff went to the new apartment while some of it went into storage, and some of it stayed until a second moving day a week later. . . . Anyway, we’re now out from under the stress of a nasty landlord, and into a newer, and what will eventually be bigger, apartment. I’m not real excited about having to move again at Christmas, but it is what it is – at least it’s only next door. My vengeful side takes great delight in the fact that our old apartment is still empty . . . . no buyer or even renter. The owner’s greed cost him a lot of our rent money. There is some justice in the universe.
Mom and Doris’ visit to the Baltics
On Wednesday, Sept 19, my mother Elayne Hess, and my sister, Doris Valentine, came to the Baltics for a visit. 
They got here a couple of days ahead of their luggage, but it eventually caught up with us. When we originally planned the trip, we planned it for a time when our calendar was fairly clear, but in between planning time and arrival time, things changed and we ended up heading for Tallinn, Estonia, the day after they got here. They participated in our Zone Conference there, followed by 2 days of District Conference (like stake conference, only for all the church members in Estonia. Doris played the piano for one of the meetings when the scheduled pianist didn’t show up – we were all really glad she was so willing to share her amazing musical talents with us. The weather was awful for the 1st three days they were here – rainy, cold, and windy, but on our last day in Tallinn we got a beautiful clear day, which let the
m see the beauty of this city without having their umbrellas blown inside out. I was feeling bad for them, having to spend their first 4 days in meetings, but they loved it – it’s such a nourishing experience to be with missionaries at a zone conference that they enjoyed it immensely. We traveled back to Latvia and visited some of the interesting places around Riga – the Salaspils WWII memorial, and Sigulda, home of the Turaida Castle. One night we ate dinner at the home of Gvido and Velga Senkans – he’s the Area Authority 70 for the Europe East Area, and they are our good friends. When Velga heard that Mom and Dorie were coming, she invited us over – very gracious and kind people.
Dorie and Mom’s time here raced by. It was fun just to be together for those 8 days. Mom was a real trooper – I don’t know many women her age who would be up to traveling ½ way across the world and then hit the ground running. Doris was, as always, gracious and hilarious –a great combination for fun. It was way too quiet around our apartment when they left for Utah. They made it home safe and sound, and, once again, 2 days ahead of their luggage . . . .Culture Day – October 10
Once a quarter we have a culture day in the mission. Each district plans where they want to go on this special Preparation day. 
It’s supposed to be a place that has cultural or historical significance. We were in Riga at that time, so I went with the missionaries serving here to Sigulda and the Turaida Castle. I had just been there 2 week earlier with Doris and Mom, 
but it’s a whole different experience to go with a group of missionaries, so I went again. I love Sigulda – it’s a forested area with actual hills and valleys, not flat like the rest
of the country. In the autumn it’s absolutely glorious there, so when you combine the beauty of nature with the energy and enthusiasm of about 30 missionaries, you have the makings of a good time. 
We toured a fresh water grotto, heard the legend of the Rose of Turaida (an ill-fated love story), climbed up the 5 stories to the top of the castle tower, had a picnic at the top of a 300+ stairway built up the side of a mountain,
took pictures in the statue garden, and then had a football game out in a beautiful grassy field. We all went home tired and absolutely happy.
Senior Couples
One of our Senior Couples, Clark and Morag McCune, went home last week. 
They’ve served for 18 months in Daugavpils, an all-Russian speaking city in Latvia. They did immeasurably good work there with the members, holding this little branch together through a few rocky times. They doubled as humanitarian missionaries, doing several projects throughout the Baltics. They go back home to St. George to a home that they moved into 4 days before leaving on their mission, so they have boxes to unpack and settling in to do. They were fabulous missionaries and wonderful friends, and I’ll miss them, as will the Saints in Daugavpils.
We have a new Senior Couple, Landen and Rebekka Boehm. 
They are the youngest of our seniors group, and have already won the hearts of the people in Liepaja, Latvia, where they are serving. Elder Boehm is now the branch president, and Sister Boehm is serving with the Young Women. When they found out that they would be serving in the Baltics, they immediately signed up for Latvian lessons with one of our former missionaries, Elder Shell, so they came with a good background in the language. They are determined to be fluent soon, and are working to become so. But the best thing they have to offer is a good example of how to love people, and they are very good at that. They have been here for a little under 2 months, and Sister Boehm gave her first YW lesson – in Latvian – last Sunday. The girls say she is “amazing” and they love her dearly already.
They are companions and are having the time of their lives. They work in the office, so they interact with the younger missionaries on a daily basis. The youth here love them.Senior couples have so much to offer in terms of example, experience, unconditional love, and service. What they don’t know when they put in their mission papers is how much fun this really is. Sister McCune and I are going to write a book someday about our experiences, and have decided that the title will have to be Beyond Wonderful.
Well, this did turn into a novel after all. Sorry ‘bout that. We’re happy, and with the exception of Russ’s eternal sinus infection, healthy. We highly recommend this work, and would willingly accept any takers to serve here with us. Better hurry, though, we only have 8 more month left to serve (can that really BE?)!!!!
Love, Nila (and Russ)
