Every Day, Every day, Every Day

 Life in Athens is not the same every day.  You never know what to expect when you are out and about.  There are strikes, accidents on the metro, protests, rain in a flash and so much to experience.  We went to an ancient site in downtown Athens right off the beaten path. When we left the ancient site, there was a group playing the guitar and singing Greek folksongs on a bench near the walkway.  We sat down close by and just listened and watched the people walk by.  The same day, we saw a tortoise and he was enjoying just the little white flowers.  We were surprised how fast he could go from flower to flower and zip that flower was history.  

Inside the Arch of Hadrian

It was built to celebrate the Roman Emperor Hadrian  

The arch was constructed without cement or mortar from solid marble, using clamps to connect the cut stones. It is 18m high, 13.5m wide, and 2.3m in depth. Its design is fully symmetrical from front to back and side to side.

You get so used to seeing these type of structures that it becomes rather common place.  It is amazing to think that they built these structures in 131 A.D.  

As we were walking to another site we saw the guards marching in their native uniforms on their way to the Parliament Building for what we assumed was the changing of the guard.  They had the most unique march.  

Winter Outfits for the Guards

Zone Conference and Visit from General Authorities

Every three months we have Zone Conference and the Burdons come from Albania where our mission headquarters is with the APs and STLs ( missionary leaders).  The Burdons fly from Albania, to Athens, and then to Cyprus.  This conference coincided with a visit from Elder Carl Cook and Elder Kopischke.  They are in the background greeting the missionaries.  We had a member meeting also where Elder Cook asked many of the members to share their conversion story.  He listened carefully, trying to understand what the needs in Greece are.  The two cute missionaries smiling in the front, stayed with us during their visit.  It was great to have noise, laughter, and stories to tell.  We are grateful they were able to spend time with us.  

Food

It is always a challenge to know what to fix but the sister missionaries came through with a great brunch!

Saying Good-bye

When someone has completed their mission, we all go to Mars Hill where Paul preached and have a testimony meeting.  We look very happy here because our volunteered Syrian photographer kept thinking of new ways to pose us but we are really quite sad.  Two sisters that we have been with since we got here, have finished and are headed home.  It is crazy how hard it is to say goodbye. 

Gyros

We finally made it to Elder Rich's favorite gyro place in downtown called Tylixto Greek Wrap.  We decided that he knew what he was talking about.  Lunch for the two of us at $8.  

Sister Cox's plane ran into a bird and they had to turn back to Athens. She made it home a day later. Today:  Flights to and from Greece will be grounded and ships will remain docked at ports on Thursday, as Greek workers walk off the job to protest over the country’s deadliest train crash on record which killed 57 people on Feb. 28. 

The metro will be running for several hours so that people can go to downtown to protest.  I am wondering how those people will get home after the protests.  We got a call from the STLs ( Sister Trainer Leaders) asking if they could spend the night on Sunday.  That is how long it will take for them to get back to Albania because of the strikes.  Maybe that is why Greeks are so laid back.  They never know what will happen. 

I was listening to "Beautiful Babies Bless the World" BYU Devotional by Elder Paul Johnson.   My favorite part was a thought that his daughter shared as she prepared a lesson.  "We grow through challenging situations.  Courage can't develop if there is nothing to fear. Patience can't be cultivated unless we face frustration.  Peacemakers can't exist unless there is contention.  Virtue can't develop unless we face and resist temptation.  We can't have faith unless we have reason to doubt. We can't prove loyalty unless we turn down enticing alternatives.  Charity means nothing if we have no enemies to extend it to. "

Blossoms on the orange tree looking down from our apartment

Orange trees line the streets in Athens.  They are everywhere.  They are mostly ornamental and not the best tasting so they don't get picked and the oranges fall to the ground all winter long.  They are smashed on the road and sidewalks.  It is too hard to see but in spite of oranges still on the tree, new blossoms are appearing.  I suppose there is a great lesson imbedded in this strange phenomenon  but I haven't thought of it other than Greece is so interesting and I am learning just like Elder Johnson's daughter that we don't grow unless we have challenges.  I wanted an eazy peazy mission.  I wasn't very happy to find that it was very hard for me.  There have been so many days that I just want to be over.  However, it is getting more doable and delightful and I know I need to count each day as a blessing.  One day I will be crying because we are leaving.  So I will try to see the magic every day, every day, every day.