A Diary of General Council: Day Five, Part One

Well, we went to au bon pain again this morning for breakfast. What can I say...I'm hooked. Plus it's the closest place for breakfast. Mmmm... more almond croissant and yogurt. They have some of the best lattes I think I've ever had. From there the guys headed to their meetings. There were a few more positions to be elected and some other business they needed to do.

So Linda and I went back to the exhibits. We got in line for the Eurasia Experience right away. The line was already pretty long by the time we got there. (You can see the tent were it was held behind the line.)

There were all sorts of characters in full costumes of Eurasia walking the line. It was funny but kinda scary too. There was a pair or KGB officers that were yelling at everyone to take their shoes off. They confiscated this guy's camera. They returned it right before we went into the tent, telling him that it wasn't worth anything on the Black Market. They would have been scary if it wasn't for one of the guy's mom who heckled him for a bit and then kissed him on the check. He started to haul her away for "assault" and she just laughed. He said laughing, "ok, enough already Mom!" That was hilarious.

This guy was walking around blowing the call to prayer that is heard 5 times daily around the world. It echoed all through the place. So very cool!

We were shoved into the tent and immediately overwhelmed with people trying to give, sell, and buy things to and from us. It was very shocking when you weren't expecting it, but totally normal way of life on the streets of many Eurasian countries. I didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or run away. Everyone who was playing a part was either a missionary, a missionary kid, or an itinerant missionary. (A missionary friend of our church flew back from the Middle East just for this week to help with the Eurasia Experience and participate in the Big Vote.)

As we were seated, they plopped hats on our heads. Here are Linda and I with our hats.

The Experience included stories from missionaries about what life is like in places like Russia, Afghanistan, Syria, Turkey, India, Ukraine. It was wonderful! Here are a few more pics of the Experience.

After experiencing Eurasia, I headed over to the henna tent. I've never had it done, never been presented with an opportunity to do it, but I have always admired it. I know that it's done in celebration of special events, weddings and such in India, very similar to the way girlfriends get together for manicures and pedicures before weddings here. Linda decided to pass so I ventured into the tent alone. I brought the average age of those inside up by a couple of year, but I didn't care. I was going to be henna-ed!
I waited for about 45 minutes while every teenager at GC had their name written in Arabic on their wrist. Finally it was my turn and so I sat down and away she went. As it turned out the girl doing my henna was an MK from Turkey. She had been born and raised in country and was about to graduate high school. She told me that she couldn't imagine settling down in America for life, because she's been raised overseas. That's her life. She is an American citizen. Her parents chose to not give their kids dual citizenship so as to avoid mandatory military time fore her brothers.
She got all excited when she found out that I had gone to NCU. (I'm telling you, it really is the place to be in all of the AG!) She was even more excited when I told her I was a missions major. We talked as she free-handed my henna.
I think it turned out beautifully! (It's deepened into a much darker rust color than even this now. I'll try to remember to take another picture of it tomorrow after it darkens completely.)

By the time I finished it was time to head over to PF Changs to get a table and wait for our men to finish and meet us. While at lunch, Scott checked the AG Financial website for the winners of the iPods only to find that he had won an iPod Nano!!! Can you believe it!!!!! What a thrill!!!! We were both so excited. We are now the biggest fans of AG Financial and will be buying a number of life insurance policies in thanks for our new iPod Nano!

I have lots of pictures from tonights service and activities, but I am exhausted so I will post them tomorrow. Good night!

Yeah AG Financial!!! We love you! Thanks for the Nano!