The weather
People often comment to us that it must be nice to be warm in Greece over the winter.
This is a group of pictures Elder Teal sent home this week, Yes it snowed in Athens..
"Snow! It was whilst we were on the bus travelling to the mission office on New Years Eve, it was only snowing in the area where the office is though, which is about an hour out from the centre of the city."
"Yeah it's been really cold! I don't know if it's just me or what, but it's been so cold! The other day I was wearing my fleece, raincoat and overcoat all together!"
To be fair it was a little unusual and he has got used to warmer temperatures so feels cold when we might consider it summer !
"..sometimes I look at the thermometer whilst I'm sat shivering, and it's like 14 degrees! That's warm!"
The week and new companion
We come from very different backgrounds, but we're getting along. It's also strange for him with having around 3 weeks left of his mission, he's really in the final stages."
"The area is good but it's been quiet in the streets because of the holidays, and we haven't really found anywhere yet where lots of people congregate like we had in Thess, so we've had less people to talk to in the street."
"The highlight of the week would probably be the activities we had on New Years Day, it was a lot of fun. I wrote about it all in my journal so I won't explain everything that we did, but it's always good everytime we all get together. We also had a really good district meeting this week about how we can Find when we Teach and Teach when we Find, with some really good role plays, I love having such a big district because we can have a really good discussion."
"Also church yesterday was really good. I bore my testimony during the Fast and Testimony meeting, after Pres. Freestone gave me "the eye" from the stand that I should get up. Afterwards I got a lot of compliments on my Greek which was nice, especially form the branch presidency who are all Greek and speak very good English as well."
New Years Day activity at Halandri chapel
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| Elder Seluhin (Latvia) New Companion |
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| Morgan (Chorley) Teal Seluhin (Latvia) |
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| Potter Murphy Dickenson |
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| Dastrup (America) Leppard (Crawley) |
Thanks for Parcels
"... I got all my Christmas parcels from the office, including the ones that were sent to Thess, on New Years Eve when we were there for activities! I had one from Auntie Ruth, Auntie Lizzy, and Grannie Jean! I also got the diary that you sent, thanks! Please say thank you to the others as well, it was all really nice stuff!"
Finally we have all missed the pictures of food so here is a meal cooked this week.
Back Home
On the flip side of missionary life we had the privilege of driving a Sister missionary, that we have got to know and love, to the England Manchester Mission Home, so she could start her journey back home. It is the first time we have done this and it seemed a bit like saying goodbye at the MTC again.
Sister Dushku had served in our home ward twice, once as a Greenie when Elder Teal was at home and at the close of her mission for her second time, adding up to 9 months, 2 Christmas Days and a Thanksgiving meal with us. Over our 22 years of marriage we have had hundreds of missionaries come for meals. Many have become good friends. Seeing their selfless service and looking after them makes having a son away from home a little easier. With over 80,000 missionaries in the world, wherever you are you can get to know a couple of these inspiring young adults.
Sister Dushku (Left) teaching her Greenie Sister Tholen, how to dig our garden
on her second assignment to our ward.
