Caniculă

June 26 2016 So what does caniculă mean? Extreme heat, I needed to learn that work this week as it has been hot, like 38-39 deg C with 80-90 % humidity. Sister Vogelsberg says it feels like North Carolina in the summer, so it is not a nice time. People are dragging their butts around and shedding clothes like crazy. Thankfully not totally, although the lady in the leopard skin type underwear at the bus stop was close, as was the one in the mall only in a bra and pants. Odd, but very European.  We have been thankful for our air conditioning, even though it does about half of the place. It is liveable. some of the missionaries take a cold shower at bedtime, then go to bed in wet underwear to stay cool. It probably is not too healthy. Today it is only 34 and seems balmy. I tried a cemetery stint yesterday while Deb was visiting a sister yesterday, lasted an hour and was drenched in sweat. Everyone is getting used to the heat, I am reminded of Croatia and Bethany, as people here are convinced that anything cold you drink or eat in the heat will make you sick as will air conditioning. Today in church, I hid the air conditioning controls so no one could turn it off. That happened last week. Not quite as many pics, we had an FHE of Minute to win it. It was very funny There also was a baptism on Saturday, 2 Russian brothers, I will try to show them later. Deb turns __ today, showing the true number may result in my untimely death. All of the following pictures are in the courtyard of the Church.

This was a game where a roll of toilet paper is snapped thru a hula hoop. The elders are Brown on the left, Jerome on the right. One would think a Raymond boy would win this, but the Texan won easily, hey, they take their football seriously in Texas. The winner had the most in one minute, Brown got 16, Jerome 11.

Artyom is the snapper, the rolls of paper were tough, we saved them for another game, a little rough for personal use. That sawdust does smooth things out though.

Kiril Josan, trying to balance dice on a tongue depressor. He is the favorite, always comes with his sister. The YSA treat him like gold. From the left, Elder Findlay, Kiril the older, Vitally, Elder Morgan, Carla Berrara ( ex missionary and U of U business intern), and Diana Raetghi

Vitally and Adriana, moving M and M's with a straw to another straw. Can you see who won?

Deodor and Elder Paterson on the same game.

One has to blow all the cards off except the bottom one, quite a challenge. C on the left, Nick on the Right

No, there was nothing awesome in the sky. This game was to move a cookie, an Oreo, from your forehead to your mouth, using only facial muscles.

With an Oreo as motivation, most accomplished the goal.

Eugen (Evgeni) and Artyom, just before the baptism. Eugen is a quiet humble young man who just has a heart of gold. At the baptism, he talked half in Romanian, half in Russian, and was prepared in English. He said he had hope again in his life.

From left, Artyom, Eugen, Boris and Yuri. Artyom baptized Eugen, Boris baptized Yuri, and Elder Findlay is lurking in the background. It was a Russian service. All are new converts. Special moment for me, as I was talking to Yuri, and his English is limited, he put his arms around me and said, My brother. I was touched.

It was a touching baptism, wonderful people. We had a lot of food, Eugen requested Brownies and he got the first one.