We just had our SIX MONTH mark on our mission February 5th, 2014!! We entered the MTC on August 5th, 2013. "Time flies when you're having fun!" I wanted to add a few photos of some of our great Debre Zeyit branch members....

It was Tigist's 19th birthday so she invited
us over to celebrate.  I made a chocolate cake
for her because she LOVES chocolate!!

The youth were out of school ALL week last week so we had
CHOIR practice for our District Conference (Feb. 15-16) at 2:00 pm
and Seminary after at 3:00 pm everyday. These great young people
came EVERY DAY! One day, they were hanging out in the Primary room
afterwards, so I took their picture.  (L-R: Meti, Gebrella, Tigist, Meheret
(in front), Rediate and Israel (home from the University for 2 weeks).
In back are Fikadu (brand NEW RM), Abraham and Fita.  On Friday
we had 15 people come!!  We are singing on Sunday at the District
Conference in Meganagna (Addis Ababa). Twenty choir members
practiced with us on Sunday!  We hope to have more join us from
other branches in the district (which is all of Ethiopia!) They are singing
AS SISTERS IN ZION & WE'LL BRING THE WORLD HIS TRUTH
EFY Medley in English and also HOW GREAT THOU ART in Amharic.

Friday was Yealamdar's 14th birthday, so I made
cupcakes for all the youth that came to Seminary
that day. She is a sweetheart.  She is always helping us 
carry things, clean up or whatever we need! Sunday, 
when the Primary President and only teacher didn't 
come to Church, I had Primary by myself for the 
whole 2 hours!! Thank goodness Sister Preator was 
visiting and taught the three oldest kids while I taught
the seven younger ones.  Yealamdar came in and helped
by translating for me!  Her mother, was baptized 
just 2 weeks ago and confirmed last week. She is taking
the lessons....

We LOVE skyping with our kids and grandkids! Here are a few
of Julie's kids kissing us "good-bye"!

Here is Jeff's family the last time we skyped with them.

Brooke got cut off the family photo above so we
got another one of her with her "singing measles"
that her mom uses as Primary chorister.

Marta stopped by the Church today and I just
had to get a picture of her carrying Amen. ALL
the women carry their babies on their backs.




 We had a few "visitors" this week... This little owl showed up on our roof
by our water tank one morning and another morning, we had a herd of cows
in the little "park" across the dirt road right in front of our house! I took the
photo below from our bedroom window. We have also had horses, dogs,
chickens, roosters, sheep, goats and even a hyena one night out in front!