Since March

These first few are from our trip to Meteora with the senior couples. This is how they get their supplies (and people) in now days. If you look carefully at the front on the building where the supply cart is headed, you will see where they used to lower and raise the rope basket for the same purpose.

Elder and Sister Johnson behind the monastery in the previous picture. It looks like we were on top of the world and it feels a little like it, too.

We didn't ever get much of a view of the priests, but the nuns were quite visable. This one was up on a hillside hoeing their garden patch.

This is a lovely rose garden on the edge of a cliff at St. Stephen's Monastery, which is where the largest group of nuns lives and one of our favorite of the monasteries at Meteora.

The roses have been take-your-breath-away beautiful this spring. These were at St. Stephen's. We thought the colors were exquisite and the large one was as big across as a large man's hand.

The senior couples who came to the get-together in Meteora. Left to right, the Christensen's, who went home last week, the Pace's, who go home next month, the Taylor's, us, and the Smiths.

One of the nuns hosing off the sidewalk. St. Stephen's was beautiful and neat as a pin.

As we said, the flowers and blossoms have been glorious this spring and the air has been so fragrant with the smells. This was just a snowball bush and a rose bush in the neighborhood. Check out the size of the rose bush.

A beautiful field of red poppies on our way to Meteora.

Our special day when three Greeks were baptized in the Aegean Sea. Left to right, Elder Meister who baptized Maria, Elder Carlberg who baptized young Maria, and Vasilies, Maria's husband, who was baptized by Elder Dundee.

Vasilies and Maria and Elder and Sister Johnson just before the baptism.

The baptism. Also in this picture are Sotirie Tanto on the left, Elder Taylor, Maria's father who came to watch, and Sister Taylor. Behind Vasilie's head the little dot in the water is the other Maria, swimming in the sea in her baptismal clothes. She got their before we all arrived and went in for a little swim.

These are most of the students from our infamous language class. Our teacher is right in the middle with the red shirt and dark hair. Left to right are Marianna (Serbia), Hamid (Iran), Christina (Lithuania), Marina (St. Petersburg), Denis (Serbia), Elder and Sister Johnson, our teacher, Anna (Russia), Ivan (Serbia), Hannah (Russia) and Anya (Georgia). Natalia (Albania?) is in front. Not all of them were there the night we took the pictures and I'm not sure I got all their names right.

A beautiful sunset from our balcony.

We have often mentioned the gypsies. Here are two of the gypsy women with their carts and children, just after they have gone through the dumpsters below our apartment building. It seems such a sad way of life.

Our two sister missionaries, Sister Campbell, who is from South Jordan and Sister Longhurst, the newest missionary in the mission, from West Valley City. They seem to have a great companionship.

We have talked a lot about the Stillo family in all the time we have been here. This is a picture of them on Irini's birthday. We stopped by to take her a little gift, the book in English that she's holding.

This is the Easter processional that we told you about. The men are carrying the glass-covered coffin with the canopy over it and the people are following behind with their lighted candles.