There is Sunshine in our Hearts...

You can make the pathway bright,

Fill your soul with heaven's light

If there's sunshine in your heart....
                             LDS hymnal #228

As Sister Davis is writing this post our weather widget says it is 63 F! There is definitely sunshine out today. After the Perry's left for Estonia (they were coming back again in three days) Sister Davis treated Elder Davis to the 2 Lat tour of the Academy of  Science viewing tower. There is something so liberating about being high above the rooftops and viewing the landscape around you...it makes your spirit soar!

Turning Darkness into day,

as the shadows fly away,

If there's sunshine in your heart today!

In the distance you see the Riga Radio and TV Tower, the tallest structure in the Baltic. It was built between 1979 and 1986 by USSR. Its highest point reaches 1,209 ft and was built on an island in the Daugava River.

If there's sunshine in your heart,

You can send a shining ray

That will turn the night to day;

And you cares will all depart...

If there's sunshine in your heart today!

 

And below is a view of the Central Market buildings that used to be dirigible hangers. All the little roofs in front of those rounded buildings house little shops and stalls. It's about  3 city blocks wide. The pyramid shaped building across the river is the Latvian National Library.

 And while we were on the 17th floor viewing tower, we met a man from Norway with his Filipino wife and of course Elder Davis struck up a conversation. They visit Riga every year and love it. They said they have a lot of immigrants from the Baltic States and it is causing some concern in the Scandinavian countries. They worry the Latvians are taking all the jobs.

 But this man, who happens to be a university professor and makes 35,000 Euros a year ($48,000), met a man playing guitar in one of the restaurants here in Riga.  When he started a conversation with this guitar player he was surprised to hear he also taught at the Latvian University and made about 4,000 lat a year  (about $8,000) and that is why he was playing guitar at night. The Norwegian guy said, after hearing that he won't complain about the Latvians working in his country again.  It is sad, the people here are paid such low wages; it's hard to raise a family on such little pay.

Riga is so beautiful,

And a view of old town...it's just past the Central Market area...

We are grateful for our testimony of Jesus Christ,

We are grateful to be missionaries and

We are grateful to have sunshine in our hearts today!