Dear Grandchildren,
Grandma and I are becoming pretty acquainted with the airports in Istanbul and our town as well as with taxi routes and costs. Our town’s airport is much the better to travel through. There we face only one security check whereas in Istanbul we face two, one upon arriving at the airport and the second after receiving our boarding cards. We have not noticed a lot of difference in the intensity of security scrutiny since the downing of the Russian flight over the Sinai Peninsula a couple of weeks ago. Except Grandma observed someone losing his shaving cream container today because it was too big. All of my liquid stuff is under sized except my pit poof. I suppose that the security people could throw my poof away if they chose. So far, I have been ok. Thursday we shall travel from Istanbul again, and then we are home for a while.
The YVs’ apartment already has become the talk of their fellow YVs. It sits in a nice, family neighborhood and is large, almost as large as our apartment. It also has a very nice view, which ours does not. It also has an oven, which ours does not. It also has a large shower, which ours does not. It also, well, you get the idea. But I am not jealous. Far from it. They found the place and they will enjoy living in it, I am sure. It is a fourth-floor walk-up, and that means 68 steps. They are welcome to all of them.
The rest of the mission conference this past week was excellent, even after the Apostle and his group had left for other destinations. The moving thing to me was the presence of YVs from Kazakhstan. Many of these people had served essentially without any attention being paid to them in that far away country until our president showed up. He has visited them twice since August. And he found a way to bring them to Istanbul for the fireside with the Apostle and for the conference. They were ecstatic to meet the other YVs from our side of the mission and to associate with them for four days before returning back, a distance of four time zones to fly. Think Los Angeles to Boston.
Friends from Provo showed up this week. They are in the country for a conference in Istanbul and we are joining them. But they wanted to visit Ephesus where the Apostles Paul and John were active for long parts of their ministries. So we went with them, hiring a van to take us to the site and bring us back. It was wonderful to catch up on their family and their life since it has been a long time we spoke to them last. Even though we rented head-sets at Ephesus that have a lot to say about the place, Grandma kept saying that I should do more talking since "they came to hear you." So I talked about items that I thought would be of interest to them, especially things that connect to New Testament events. I am still not sure that I am as complete at making observations there as I should be. I need to go by myself with a good guide book and just take my time walking through the site, much like I used to do in Nazareth at the Church of the Annunciation.
We are back in Istanbul. We left only last Thursday. The difference in this trip and the last was our escort. In prior trips, we have had to hire a taxi to get where we were going. Or take the crowded Metro that guarantees that we stand for an hour or so. This time, someone had ordered a Mercedes van, complete with leather seats, and a driver to take us to our hotel. We like the upgrade. I could take such upgrades all the time. The hotel is nice and sits in the most historic quarter of the city, complete with the Byzantine walls that were unable to keep out the Ottoman forces. I may like exploring a bit tomorrow.
I love you all and pray for you.
SKB
P.S. Thanks for the goodies that arrived in the suitcase carried by Debbie Peterson. She is really a good sport, and so is Julianne to see that we received the "shipment". Wow. Grandma has already posted a photo on facebook
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