Life Is Full of Change!

We are now in our seventh month as missionaries on the Island of Cyprus in the Middle East in the Mediterranean Sea! Our lives are very busy, as you know. However, last Sunday before we began the Nicosia Branch Conference President Freestone called Elder Vargas to be the new Nicosia Branch President. The previous president unfortunately lost his job here and has to return to the states by the end of this month. We are sorry for their loss and all the upheaval of moving internationally, certain the Lord will direct their lives for good and plant them where they are needed now. Due to this new calling our lives become just a bit more complicated. We already have enough work to do, and our workload was due to increase as we are implementing another Institute class in Limmasol on the 23rd of this month. We will have to teach it once-a-month until the Limmasol branch president can call and sustain another teacher for the branch. Our YSA group has grown tremendously in the past few weeks because the Limmasol YSAs have been attending our Friday night activities. Two weeks ago we had 26 in attendance with nine of them being investigators. We know the Lord will strengthen us to carry this burden and mainly it is a matter of time-management. We will have to carefully arrange our schedule in order to accomplish everything necessary. This call will last only until Elder Vargas can train another priesthood bearer to assume the responsibility - we are hopeful it will happen quickly.

Our dear friend and YSA, Michelle Wu is currently in the process of preparing to receive a mission call. We have given her all the Temple preparation classes and will begin teaching her the Missionary preparation lessons next week. We are excited to be part of this phase of her life and love her very much. The Lord has blessed her tremendously since she has come here, especially in finding the church and being baptized. Her progress has been nothing short of spectacular!

We continue ever faithful to the Lord and His commandments, and feel the many blessings we have received are because of our firm commitment in the faith.

If you have not already pledged your time, talents and all you are blessed with to the cause of the Lord Jesus Christ then I implore you to do so. You will never be disappointed.

With much love - until the next time.

Some Information

My dear readers, I have chosen to inform you of two things. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have been for 50 years now. I am not a sometime follower of my faith, I have served in our church for 42 years in every capacity possible, and have served along side my husband as he has served as well. Our children were reared in the faith, and it is sad to us that only one of them has chosen to follow it as well. This does not mean we have abandoned our children or demanded them to return to our faith, quite the opposite. One of the major tenets of our faith is everyone has agency. Agency to choose their own path and make their own way in life, because we teach "God will force no man to heaven." I do not nor have I ever required any of my friends or family members to be members of the church. And because we are currently on the Island of Cyprus in the Middle East serving as missionaries does not mean I preach the Gospel in every post on this blog. However, the time has come that I must.

If you do not want to read my testimony, then don't. I will not take it personally. But if you are really interested in me, my husband and our family then you must know I shall always bear testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel.

Elder Vargas and I serve as Church Education Service (CES) Missionaries and directors of the Young Single Adult (YSA) program on the Island. We co-ordinate the Seminary and Institute programs in the four major cities here. We teach Seminary and Institute classes here, and Elder Vargas is second counselor in the Nicosia Branch Presidency. I play the piano when needed and teach in Relief Society (the church women's organization) when called upon as well. We also teach and preach investigators right along side the young Elders as well. We love our work. It is challenging, tiring and absolutely fulfilling. We love working with the young Elders here, they are a total inspiration to us! They sacrifice everything to go out into the world for two years to preach the Gospel, as do we.

We know our service is necessary. The youth of our church are some of the most valiant individuals on the earth presently. They can now serve missions at the age of 18 (young men) and 19 (young women). Here on the other side of the world the missionaries have been serving at the age of 18 for years. Only in the states were missionaries sent out at age 19 (young men). And now that this has changed we will see a new spurt in the growth and strength of the church. We are excited at the prospect of it all!

I want you to know that Joseph Smith was/is a prophet of God. He translated the Book of Mormon while under the influence and power of the Holy Ghost. He restored the ancient Church of Jesus Christ which includes, prophets, apostles, evangelists and all other appendages necessary for the salvation of mankind. He lived for Jesus Christ and he died in Jesus Christ. He was a martyr and gave his life's blood to bring the world the truth. His successors have also brought the truth to God's children, and the present leader of our church, Thomas S. Monson is likewise a prophet, seer and revelator. I am proud to be a member of this church and especially to be counted among the numbers of missionaries who are teaching and preaching the salvation of the Lord. We are preparing the world to usher in the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon is God's handiwork and will bring us closer to God than anything available on this earth. I have read it many times and have prayed to know that it is true - and it is. I want it said that I make no apology for being a member of God's church. I do not spend time denegrating other faiths, nor do I want to. If you already believe in Christ then all the better! Come and listen to what we have to say and we will bring you more of His truth.

I DO NOT worship Joseph Smith nor Moroni, they were prophets. I worship the one true and living God and His Son, Jesus Christ - Savior of the World! I believe in the power of the Holy Ghost, the third member of the God Head, he is my close and ever-present friend, my comforter; and he testifies always of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

If you want to know more about our Savior then contact The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and ask for the missionaries to come and teach you. You will not be disappointed.

Now, may the Lord always bless and keep you in all that you do and say, and may He bless and keep your precious families well and safe. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Salamis in Northern Cyprus

We have travelled to Salamis three times since we have lived on the Island. Salamis is located east of Famagusta in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. We love to go there because it is said that it is the place where Paul the Apostle first set foot on Cyprus. There is a special feeling when we stroll throughout the ruins there. It takes at least two visits to view all the ruins as it was a very large city in it's day. In about 300-400 AD there was a great earthquake there which left the city in ruins. The really neat feature about this archeological site is we are free to walk among the ruins, sit upon them and touch them! The Turkish government has done very little to preserve the site. It would prove extremely costly and time and labor intensive as well. The beauty of the inlaid mosaic streets and marble colonnades is incredibly well-preserved. Below you will view many of the pictures I took while there the last time (about a month ago).

Christmas 2012 In Cyprus

We have truly learned to appreciate living in Cyprus during the Holidays! Since 98% of the population profess the Orthodox faith there are NO restrictions on street decorations and every store has three or more Christmas trees in the windows! There is no shortage of nativities either, it is amazing! There are even HUGE menorahs on the sidewalks in all the major cities as well. Not Christian I know, but festive none-the-less. Everyone says "Καλά Χριστούγεννα", or Merry Christmas! Even at the gas station!

Even in the foyer of our apartment building are Christmas decorations!

Athens, part 2

Originally we were to be assigned to Athens, but because the Greek government refused to issue visas to American citizens we were re-assigned to Cyprus. Therefore, having the opportunity to go to Athens, Greece is something neither of us ever even thought of, even before our mission call.

When we arrived in Athens it had been raining on and off and everything was quite wet, but we believed we would be able to enjoy the city/country even so, and we were not disappointed.

Driving into the city of Athens is really like driving into any metropolitan city in the world. Lots of people, lots of traffic, and lots of cars.

We left the airport in a van driven by Elder Clark who is a senior missionary from Canada. His wife was born/raised in Australia and works in the Athens Mission Office. Elder Clark is very humorous and outgoing, a delight to be with. Sister Clark is quick and sharp and knows everything about everything you need to know! Ha!

Elder Clark drove us to President and Sister Freestone's home in Athens where we met with all the other Greece Athens Senior Missionary Couples. A lovely buffet luncheon was served and we then convened for a meeting, which lasted the better part of the day. We then all piled into cars and met for supper at a local Athenian Restaurant call, "Three Pigs". The food is of course authentically Greek and very enjoyable.

After supper we departed with Elder and Sister Maxwell to go to their home which is very deep in the city of Athens. After we arrived we chatted for a bit and then went to our room and to bed. We were very tired because we had gotten up at 4 AM to make it to Larnaka in time for our 7:40 AM flight to Athens. (President and Sister Freestone (left) with Elder and Sister Christensen below.)

The next day we all met together to divide up couples in vehicles to go to Mars Hill for a special testimony meeting. Okay here I'm over my head in ways to describe my feelings of being on Mars Hill. Whilst we were bearing testimonies down below us were young people protesting the Greek government in a park. Their shouting was a little disturbing, but since we had nothing to fear we pressed on with our meeting. Just being on that rock where Paul once stood and testified of the Lord was so overwhelming.

(Ascending Mars Hill with the Acroppolis in the background.) And believe me, Mars Hill is just a BIG rock, and behind it is the Acroppolis rising above the entire city in splendor.

Seeing those ancient ruins from Mars Hill is something I shall never forget. After our testimony meeting we said goodbye to President Freestone (Sister Freestone did not come with us.) and pressed on up the hill to the Parthenon, et al.

To ascend the hill to the Acroppolis is a medium hard climb - and good walking shoes are a must. At each level of the Acroppolis there are sights which are unbelievable - the theatre being one of them. I don't remember how many it seats, but it's HUGE! (From above the theatre - senior couples to the right.)

It is still used upon occasion for concerts/plays, etc., even though it is thousands of years old. The stonework is still very beautiful. Although if I were to go there for an event I would definitely take a thick sittable cushion, cold stone and human backsides don't work well together. Ha!

Part 3 is next - stay tuned!

Athens, Greece Finally!

In this post I will attempt to write notes about all the pictures I post here and make comments regarding what we learned in Athens about their ancient civilization and their current state of affairs. To be fair I only write what I have observed or was told concerning current Athens - all or part may be true. You the reader can read online about current Athens. You are also welcome to make comments that may be pertinent to my remarks, etc.

We arose early in the morning (4 AM) in order to catch our shuttle to the Larnaka Airport to make our flight to Athens (Athena). I tried to sleep on the 1 hour and 10 minute flight, but to no avail. I was far too excited. There are currently four couples assigned to the Greece Athens Mission on the Island of Cyprus, we were all invited to go to Athens to meet with the other senior couples in Greece for a 'Senior Couples Conference'. Three couples stayed in the mission home, we were invited to stay with Elder and Sister Maxwell (pictured below) who far out in the suburbs of Athens. The Maxwell's are from Ireland and are an absolute delight to know. We are very thankful for all their kindnesses to us while they hosted us.

After we arrived at the Athens Airport we rode back to the Mission Home with Elder Clark and two of the other missionary couples. Elder and Sister Watson had arrived the same week to begin their mission and so they rode with President Freestone (our Mission President) so they could become better acquainted.

As we entered the City of Athens I began to take pictures out the van window:

As you can see in this photo there is graffiti on the fence - it is on almost every flat surface in the city, and they don't paint it off!

Our first view of the 1896 Athens Olympic Stadium while driving into Athens from the airport. I really felt a chill when I saw this - I have ever wanted to see it up close and personal. Let me tell you a short story about this stadium: It is built upon the original grounds of the first stadium, which was built in 776 BC - that's right BC! When the stadium was being built the contractors ran out of time before the Olympic games started, so they had to build wooden bleachers on one of the sections to accommodate the patrons. The stadium is all completely built of Pentelic Marble - that's right the whole place! Everything you walk on or sit on is MARBLE, except the track! This is the end of the first installment of this part of our trip. More tomorrow.

This and That

Today I have some time so I am going to blog about this and that - whatever comes to mind, hopefully with some pictures to boot! Here's a picture of a interesting traffic sign on Leoforos Kennenty.

First of all let me tell you about my recent health concern. After several days of being really sick with what I thought was the flu I finally called our doctor here. She is called Dr. Lucy because her name is difficult for non-natives. She is married to a Cypriot and has two children. She is also an American born and raised in New York - accent and all! I LOVE and adore her, she is a real person and cares about all her patients. I consider her more than my doctor, she is also my friend. We struck up our friendship almost immediately upon meeting one another. We had to visit her after we first arrived in Cyprus because we were struggling to make Cyprus Immigration happy with our medical papers so we could get our visas to live here. One is allowed to live in Cyprus for only 90 days, then one must have a Cypriot Visa in order to remain a legal citizen.

As I stated before I was really sick and called Dr. Lucy for help. She told me to meet her at the hospital emergency room so she could assess my illness. Now mind you - this was the week when we were without a car, since Tony had to return ours because the lease ran out and our mission president didn't want to renew it. (Our New Car - an Opal 7 passenger)

He was negotiating with another company to provide us with another car. Consequently Tony had to call a taxi to take me to the emergency room at Aretheion Hospital in Strovolos, a bit of a distance from our flat. When we arrived at the hospital I was struggling so hard to walk and could barely hold up my head I was so weak. I also was having trouble thinking and holding my eyes open. When I told Tony I was calling Dr. Lucy I told him, "I feel as though I am dying."

Little did I know how close to the truth that statement was. Dr. Lucy met us right away and she had me put into an examination room immediately. She decided to keep me in the emergency room for awhile to keep an eye on me and to pump me up with a Ringers IV with potassium. She told me I was having an electrolyte "crash". About half an hour later I was feeling somewhat better, but when I tried to get up to walk I couldn't do it. So she decided to admit me to the hospital for further treatment. She then sent me to a doctor who is a nephrologist at the hospital his name is kind of difficult to pronounce, it is - Dr. Efthyvoulos Anastassiades. Is that a mouthful or what? But I liked him immediately. He is THE most thorough doctor I've ever met. Right away he started asking me questions that lead to some answers that only I had known all my life. I have been having symptoms of an illness called 'Familial Mediterranean Fever'(FMF) all my life. I kept saying to myself, "How does he know this?" His questions lead to an almost certain diagnosis of FMF. He was asking me about my family and what was their origin. Of course he could see by looking at me I am of northern European descent, and I told him my father's family were all Scandinavian.

Then he asked, "By any chance was my mother Scottish?" I said yes, with English and a tad of Portuguese. BINGO! He asked if I knew about FMF, I said yes I did because I have a couple of cousins who have been diagnosed with it and two others who have been diagnosed with Thalessemia as well, both diseases are exclusively found in descendants of people who are from Eastern Europe as well as the Middle East. He said he was fascinated by this because I am an American by birth. Then he asked me how long I'd been having fevers and stomach pain, I told him all my life. I cannnot remember not having these symptoms.

(Our friend, Christina came to visit me at the hospital and brought treats for my visitors - here she's enjoying one of the goodies she brought.) Okay - so the upshot of all this is I have to be tested at the Neurologic Institute here in Nicosia, the only place in the whole world where they have experts on this malady. Can you believe it? And we got sent to Cyprus on our mission. There are 14 original genetic markers for FMF, but more than 150 more have since been discovered, so even if I don't test positive for the first 14 that will not mean I don't have the disease.

(Christina also brought me this lovely bouquet of roses.) I will be given the medication used to control the disease, and if it works - then I definitely have the disease. Because the medication will not work if I don't have it. I am excited at the prospect of finally finding a way to be alleviated from these symptoms and constant episodes of being laid out flat for a week unable to function.

This time the disease really tore me up inside and caused a complete electrolyte imbalance almost killing me in the process.

I do not want to go home, unable to complete our mission, I want to feel well and be able to do this work. Dr. Lucy told me that FMF is no small thing, because eventually the patient develops what is called amyloidosis, which doctors have now discovered can be the pre-cursor to lymphoma, among other ailments causing a failed heart, etc. (This beautiful bouquet of flowers was delivered to me after I got home from the hospital. They were sent by my dear friend Linda Mylonas, a member of our little branch here in Nicosia.) [A side note: Dr. Lucy is very proud of the Neurologic Institute because they have discovered a method of testing the blood of pregnant women that makes it possible to find neurological disorders in unborn children instead of having to use the method called amniocentesis, which is very invasive and dangerous for the mother and unborn infant. This is a major scientific breakthrough for such a small clinic in such a small country.]