A Mere 25 Years Ago
This past week we were able to visit the Estonian History Museum.  Most of it is closed due to a two-year renovation project, but what was left open was stunning as we learned more about the history of this land and the hardships and suffering that the people have had to endure from many wars, not of their making.  Estonia, as a country has been around for many centuries.  Invaders have come and gone to this fair land, leaving their mark upon the area, but not upon the people.  They have retained their own identity and culturally, they are rich.  It shows in their faces when voices are raised in patriotic songs.  They are extremely proud to be Estonian.  It was only 25 years ago, this month, that Estonia threw off the last of its shackles when she finally was able to declare herself free from Soviet occupation.  Since that time, the people have thrived and have modernized, in some ways, that have left much of Europe behind.  In striking contrast to the renovation and renewing project at the history museum, is the Maarjamäe War Memorial, a short distance away.  This memorial was built in 1960 by occupying forces to honor Russians who died in WWI and added to in 1975 to honor those who died in WWII.  This monument receives no maintenance and it is slowly deteriorating -   which in a way, represents a memory that I believe the Estonians would just as soon let fade away.

Tour guide in a Soviet uniform

Maarjamäe War Memorial

Maarjamäe War Memorial

A Thrilling Branch Campout

Last weekend we participated in the branch campout.  The site was located in an area called Märjamaa.  It's about an hour drive south of Tallinn, on the way to Pärnu.  There was a family campground out in the woods with a few things to enjoy.  A soccer field, volleyball pit, a couple of outhouses and a kitchen with a dining ramada.  Only a few families came so there was plenty of food to go around.  We made a craft of sand and double sided sticky tape on construction paper.  When the branch plays, they all play.  When an impromptu soccer game broke out, everyone plays - the little ones, the moms and the "mature" ones as well.  It was so fun to watch.  During the day, I heard jet aircraft noise in the sky.  It sounded too close to be a civilian and the jet engines sounded a bit different to me.  Suddenly, it flew right over the camp.  I ran out to discover an A-10 (courtesy of the U.S. Air Force) banking left for a landing at a nearby military base.  Wow.  What a thrill for me.  After dinner, the district president and his wife put on a skit about Joseph Smith and the first vision and the subsequent visits from Moroni.  In the skit, when it was time to receive the plates, Moroni led the boy Joseph to a spot that was away from where we were sitting.  We all followed and Joseph used a big stick to pry a big rock off of the opening to a hole in the ground.  There, he pulled out something wrapped in cloth.  He opened it and produced a replica of the gold plates.  In the meantime, we had a non-member family camping with us - a man and his three children.  It was a great missionary opportunity for us all.

Sister Allred on a kiik (Estonian swing)

                                   Everyone plays soccer

Everyone enjoying a snack

Our "sand" crafts

A-10 Warthog or Tankbuster

District President's wife as narrator with the boy Joseph

District President "Moroni" helping Joseph find the plates

Joseph discovering the plates

The plates at last

Service Projects
Every now and then, the young Elders arrange for some type of service during the week.  We are always invited to tag along.  This week we pulled weeds at a park that is used by several high-rise apartment buildings.  The area was a checkerboard of concrete squares intermingled with dirt (that's where the weeds grow).  Afterwards, we discovered some muscles we didn't remember having.

Our district hard at work

We like to work together

And visit while we work

The queen of the weed pullers

Visitors
Yes, we had visitors from the U.S. of A. (not counting the BYU group we had two weeks ago).  When Caleb was in LIGHT, a performing group for high school kids, one of his fellow cast members was Leighton Carroll.  He happened to serve in this mission (Lithuania) where he became acquainted with a certain sister missionary (Mari) who served in the mission (Latvia).  Well, after the mission, they became more acquainted and are now 
married.  They wanted to visit their old areas and came on a trip to the Baltics.  One of their last stops was in Tallinn.  We met up and they came to dinner at our place.  Until recently, they lived in our stake in Mesa.

Mari and Leighton Carroll