Weekend Update (for lack of a better title)

I had my first Ukraine delegation meeting. We covered a LOT of territory. Here are the main points we covered in the meeting, and add a stop in Amsterdam between Portland and Budapest: 

Very, Very Tentative Trip Itinerary:
      Sep 11:  Portland to Budapest by air
      Sep 12: Pick up at the airport immediately by a van
      Sep 13: Rest and recupe in Uzhhorod, tour of city
      Sep 14: TOUCH Projects
      Sep 15: TOUCH Projects
      Sep 16: TOUCH Projects
      Sep 17: TOUCH Projects
      Sep 18: TOUCH Projects- ½ day off for excursions
      Sep 19: TOUCH Projects – ½ day off
      Sep 20: TOUCH Projects- ½ day off for packing, shopping
      Sep 21: To Budapest or Kiev
      Sep 22: Budapest or Kiev
      Sep 23: Budapest or Kiev
      Sep 24:  Leave for US 
Approximate Costs of the Trip:
      Air Flight - $1000-1400
      Transportation to/from Uzhhorod–ca. $30-50 RT by train/person
      Transportation around Uzhhorod- $75
      Uzhhorod Hotels – about $30-40 per night per person
      Budapest Hotels- about $40-60 per night per person
      Meals- $50-100 for a week
      Shots, etc.  (see medical recommendations sheet)
      Total Cost without passport and shots= ca. $1600-2000 per person
      Kiev Component would be extra. 


There were actually about 4 more pages of information during the meeting, but it's things like vaccines and tips for traveling. Getting to and from is expensive, everything in the Ukraine will be cheap. I'm trying to decide if I want to stick around a little longer after the actual TOUCH project stuff. Most of the people going are old and retired teachers, including Bill and Becky Goslow from Crescent Valley, and they are staying for a few more days, or heading off to Kiev, Prague or Budapest. I wouldn't feel comfortable traveling with the older folks on their vacations, nor would I feel safe by myself. So we'll see. Any of my sisters feel like renewing their passports? ;) No, seriously, if you want to come let me know. 

So... Jessie's sis-in-law already bought tickets for the two of them even though Jessie and I had planned on going to the midnight showing together. I'm feeling another sister excursion.  This trailer is the best one I've seen by a long shot. Oh, the suspense!

I have a new calling. I was sustained last week, but this week was when things really kicked into high gear. I am the new Activities Committee Co-Chair, alongside a guy named Ryan Hill (if only you could see him, he looks EXACTLY like Where's Waldo). Our first duty was the feed breakfast to the ward before a service project. Now, last year they didn't serve breakfast, and I remember only 12-14 people at the carpool and a few more showed up at Camp Alpine for the service project. This year, we had about 40 people to feed. Good thing we did pancakes and were able to just keep cooking up some more, but we did run out of bagels and fruit. We held our first meeting today and it went well. The previous co-chairs are still on the committee so Ryan and I aren't completely in the dark, but one is engaged and the other will hopefully have a ring on her finger soon (the bishopric is releasing her so it happens sooner). I'm really going to like this calling. I like planning things, and it means I don't have to teach a lesson every week. I'm in charge of the big monthly activity, ward dances, weekly Sports Night, and Break the Fast if that committee needs some extra help. I'm realizing that all my so-called callings in the family ward weren't really callings. Back then all I had to do was come up with a somewhat original idea for mutual and then real leaders would go buy the craft supplies or food needed. Now I'M the real leader who does all the time consuming work. There is no adult leader to fall back on. It's a weird feeling.

Um... what else has been doing on. Kelly, I finished the In Defense of Food book. What did you think of it? I pretty much thought it reiterated what you've been doing all along, but it gave more reasons for doing so. I am more disgusted with the American way of eating than ever before, but with a new found motivation to eat better and real food. To the farmers market I go!

Next book on the reading list: The Dead Hand (see box at right) and What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell. I'm still number 13 on the waiting list for Mockingjay. 

I picked up running again. It helps that I can listen to A&G through my iphone to help pass the time. There's this cool little app called RunKeeper that uses GPS to track your distance, pace, and records it all so you can see your progress. I ran over a mile the other day so I'm off to a good start. One of my friends in the ward is training for a half-marathon. Maybe I will rekindle that dream again. She's already at 5k consistency so I have some catching up to do. 

Once again my weekly planner was inked with missionary appointments all over. As I was leaving home to teach one day mom said, "Watch out Dev, or YOU might be wearing the name tag." That wouldn't be so bad, would it? As long as it's English speaking, that's all I ask. Just watch, China will open just as I'm turning 21.

We had a baptism yesterday and another is planned for this Saturday. One guy that the missionaries are teaching has one of the coolest introduction stories I've heard. The sisters knocked on his door and said the usual, "we're missionaries from the Church.. can we share with you a message about Christ?" and the guy responded with "No way, I was literally JUST praying that I would have more opportunities to be more spiritual." So now he's taking the lessons. Baptism for him isn't a hole in one yet, but I'm sure it's going to happen. It's going to be harder for him to resist that kind of experience were the missionaries "just happen" to show up on your doorstep. He knows it's not a coincidence.