First Letter!!

Well, Mom and Dad have arrived safely and are happy! We have been able to Skype with them and we even had one (very expensive) phone call. They are 9 hours ahead of Utah time zone, so we mostly hear from them in the mornings (evening for them). It's so great to be able to hear from them and know they are well. Dad's leg has improved greatly, he can walk without his cane now. His eye is also much better, things are coming together for them. They have had a lot of help from the Elders in their area, which has been so great. They will need help getting adjusted to the culture and the ways things are done there.
Here is their letter:

We are finally settled in our apartment in Gorlovka, Ukraine. This mission needs lots of senior missionaries, so if you know of someone, we are looking. As are the other 10 or so missions in the area. After weeks putting together our papers and five months waiting for the call date to arrive then a week in the Senior mission training center, there was 20 hours of jet travel and we arrived at a place where nearly everyone is GLAD TO SEE us.

     Our living quarters are super great. No one takes care of the outside or the halls, so they are a mess, But the living quarters are nice. There is a large living room (on missionary standards) where we have invited the elders to bring investigators to be taught. There is a small study room and a fairly large bathroom with a BIG tub. Bob says he will go swimming twice a week and shower the rest of the time. It is newly remodeled with new appliances and air conditioning for the few days in the summer when that is needed. It is in a big building called a Dom where there are lots of similar apartments. There are ten or so outside doors with four apartments on each level for eight floors. We are only on the third floor. The first floor is businesses including a small grocery store. The Elders did not take Bob to get money until yesterday late, so we've not tried the store yet.

     Today (Sunday) was a regional conference for the Eastern Europe area. It was broadcast in English and in Russian (maybe other languages too) With speakers direct from Salt Lake, it was GREAT. This area now has a temple and three stakes! There are many new members here since the Soviet government dissolved in 1991. The members and the districts are working hard to reach the levels needed to be stakes. That is our personal goal - to make a Donetsk stake happen before we go home in two years. Or at least have our branch ready to be a ward. I guess there are others who need to decide about a stake.

     We have six missionaries in the area with us. One of the sets will bring an investigator to our place to teach this evening. We never know for sure since the meetings are often cancelled at the last minute.

      Tomorrow is prep day so we will go with the elders shopping. We have a  l o n g  list of things we need to start the apartment from super glue to pots and pans and everything in between.  Much of the stuff Alice had a hard time throwing away at home we need again. We did start-up shopping on Thursday and got enough to get through the week-end. Some things are really inexpensive here. Bob got two loaves of bagette bread for 25 cents a full loaf of whole wheat rye bread was less than a dollar US. The bread here is really good and tasty.

     Bob forgot the headset so he can do Rosetta Stone, so we have to wait until we get another one tomorrow to have him begin his again. meanwhile we are reading the Russian Book of Mormon and that is helping a lot. The Elders have made a few suggestions on how they learn best, so we can try them too.

Have a good week. 

Elder & Sister Preece (Bob & Alice)