Heder Mission Moments: Zone Conference and trip to Kakopetria and Kykos Monastery in Cyprus

Saturday, LeeAnn and Alinda and I drove up into the Troodos Mountains in central Cyprus to see a small village called Kakopatria. It got it's name from a tragic event when a young newly-wed couple went to the little waterfall in the center of town and as they stood below the falls, part of the falls gave way and the couple was crushed. So the name actually means, "bad rock." It is a quiet little mountain village that looks like it might be an Italian or French countryside. White plastered homes built tightly together, tripping down the steep inner slopes of a mountain valley. Red clay tile roofs and a couple of church bell towers dot the little valley. In the middle of town, it has been built up and kept up for tourists, with narrow cobble stone roads, shops and restaurants and hotels.

We also ventured over the top of the mountains, catching glimpses of the ocean on the Turkish side of the island, and then down to the Kikkos Monastery. It’s a large, active monastery tucked into the mountainside high in the Trodos Mountain Range. It’s quite large, probably housing more than a hundred orthodox clergymen. It’s well kept, beautifully landscaped, and completely adorned with brightly- colored murals and mosaics depicting biblical scenes and orthodox traditional stories. The painting and mosaics seemed to cover every interior wall that wasn’t otherwise covered with icons in the ornate frames of the typical, gaudy gold or silver. The chapel was perhaps the most ornate and opulent orthodox chapel I’ve seen thus far in Greece or Cyprus, complete with massive pillars and arched ceilings and more gold and silver plating than I’ve seen elsewhere. The churches are dark as a rule, lit by only small windows and some candles. Though the ceilings are adorned with paintings, and the walls are hung heavily with framed icons of hundreds of saints, the common and very deliberate design is a feeling of mysticism and the weight of ages. It is not a feeling of peace or joy. It is reverence by intimidation. It's dark. A complete opposite to the celestial room in a Mormon Temple, in look and feel.

It was a long, winding, mountain road going both directions, so by the time we got back to Larnaca we were famished. We picked up the Assistants, who had been doing an exchange with the Zone Leaders, and we took them to a little fish & chip shop in Larnaca that is owned and operated by a Greek woman who grew up in London. We got to watch her prepare everything from scratch, and it was the best fish and chips we’ve had since arriving in Greece. Our Assistants (being from England) were quick to tell us that “England invented fish & chips” and so they took credit for the taste. We then felt obligated to remind them that it was us "Americans" who invented liberty and bravery--to which they quickly responded by saying that their fish & chips taste better than our freedom and bravery do. It's a constant battle.

Bill O. Heder
Greece, Athens Mission

Hello Family,

I am always amazed at how insightful and what wonderful leaders these young men and women are. We had a great MLC last week and then headed off to Cyprus for Zone Conference. I loved the teaching and training we got to do. The missionaries are so great and so attentive to everything we share with them. President and I taught together and then separate. I am constantly impressed with their insights, and I learn from them and love to hear about their mission miracles. I have known these missionaries for over 8 months, and I've started to feel like they are some of my own kids. It helps me more fully understand, "you love the ones you serve" :)

President and I spent Thursday and before and after Zone Conference on Friday interviewing the missionaries in Cyprus. While President Bill talks with a missionary I talk with their companion. I love this one-on-one time to hear many great experiences and thoughts. One of the missionaries told me a little bit more about his conversion into the church. His family was against him joining the church and he was even baptized in secret (because he was legally old enough) and later went to his mom to ask permission to go to the temple and thought she should know. She said she thought he had been baptized because of the way he was acting differently. He continued to be a good example and eventually his family followed him and was baptized just one month before he left on his mission for Greece.

We enjoyed hearing from our senior couples in Cyprus, and our assistants talked about our new Facebook page. It's all in Greek and has been well received from many Greek youth here. The missionaries kicked off the Facebook launch with a white boarding activities in Syntagma Square where they invited people to write on a white board what they thought of Christ--and they took pictures with them. They talked to about 50 people and gave them information to look up more about our church; the hashtag for the event was "1000testimonies", and the other companionships in other places are doing similar activities to draw more people to the Facebook page. Our humanitarian video that we made has over 7000 views :)

I came home a day early from Cyprus so that I could pick Marie up at the airport after her basketball tournament in London. She was tired but had a good time in England despite the fact that the team did not win any of their games. Their best players had stayed home due to visa issues, leaving Marie as the captain. She met a lot of girls from all over Europe that attend American International Schools like the one she goes to in Greece, and she enjoyed getting to know the host family where she stayed.

Monday is a holiday in Greece called Clean Monday, the first day of Lent for Greek Orthodox Easter. The people (who are observing the holiday) don't eat meat and eat only unleavened bread and fruits and vegetables. They also have a tradition to fly a kite on Clean Monday. Lots of kites are on the road sides for sale. I took a picture of a huge, hand-built kite I saw while walking at a near-by park. The people asked me to take a group shot of them and their kite creation. They said that they had 200 meters of rope (not string) and they let it all out. I watched them pull it in and it was quite a project for at least 4 guys.

Happy Days!

LeeAnn

Pictures: Zone Conf. - great lunch from a lady in Cyprus who loves to cook for the missionaries, two best friends from England are companions, the assistants having some fun with the safety vests, celebrating birthdays, Kakopetria - quaint town in the Troodos mountains, a really old church that has some murals from the 11th through 16th century inside, and Alinda in a real colorful new church with bright paintings, and Kykos a working monastery, beautiful murals, Kites for sale and in the park, ACS Varsity Basketball team in London,