This is the Relief Society of the Istanbul Branch. Five of us are visitors. The sisters are: Mine, the R.S. President, Angie Reynolds, an American whose husband works for Microsoft, Sis. Paskett, the full time missionary assigned here, the next four are humanitarian missionaries that were here for a conference, me, Nadia, a Turkish convert who's son was a professional basketball player and was converted by Alex Jensen, Amy,who is from the Phillipines,and Mona,an investigator from Africa.
Back row: Kristina, an American who works for the consulate, and Cookie, from Africa. An interesing aside: Cookie and Mona are from rival tribes in Africa and that has caused some tension. It has also given the chance to learn about really learning to love your neighbor.

Other members of the branch include: Jo and her family, the Branch President and his family, a family with two daughters that are moving back to the states so their kids can have seminary and a couple of single men who have joined the church. These are faithful people. Most of them have to take a bus or taxi and travel for an hour or so to get to church. Jo drives and because of their dipolmatic statis can park on the street. Those others who have cars have to use an Otto park and pay to come to church.

The Branch President is Turkish married to an American. He spent 10 years working for the Church translating the Book of Mormon into Turkish. He felt like he needed to move his family here. His kids have been taken from Provo to Istanbul, from English speaking schools to Turkish schools (they don't speak much). I think they are heros. Not many teenagers would be as obedient and sacrificing as they have been. I would be scarded to death.

The meetings are conducted in English and then traslated into Turkish. The prayers are in the language of the giver. The sacrament is done one part in each language.

This Sunday Elder Wolfgang Paul, the Area President, was here and was the speaker in Sacrament Meeting. He had been here for a conference for Humanitarian missionaries of Eastern Europe. (That's why all the missionaries were in R.S. Their husbands were in Priesthood.)

After church the held "linger longer". Everyone brought pot luck. The branch provides the meat. It is the same every time...chicken. It was really delicious. I tried some really Turkish dishes. One was rice with spices in a grape leaf. I am not sure it is on my top ten favorite dishes, but it was interesting.

Elder Paul asked us if we would like to serve in Eastern Europe. Blaine said, "We will server where ever the Lord wants us to be."