Hello everyone!
First of all, thank you for the emails, the recipe, and for forwarding all of those things for me...I really really appreciate it!
So, now I bet you're all wondering where I am at now, so I'll tell you. We had a good time in Bucuresti for transfer meeting, and a lot changed in transfer meeting. And I am now in Brasov with Sora Jones! Brasov (said brashove) is in the middle of the country in the middle of the mountains, and it is so beautiful here.
Sora Jones is actually my sister, meaning that Sora Thompson was also her trainer, and I have two other sisters - Sora Staley and Sora Gibbons and they are serving together in Iasi (said yash) and so our whole family are working together right now, and it's really fun. Sora Jones has been here for 3 transfers, and this will be her 4th, so she'll have served here a total of 6 months by the end of this transfer which is a long long time here. But we're already having fun.
One of our investigators here, Alexandra, is getting baptized on the 18th, so that's exciting, and another investigator, Alina, is like a mini version of Shaley. She is 14 but acts a lot like Shaley except she talks in Romanian, but she is so cute and it's fun to be with her a lot. Her parents currently won't let her get baptized, so we are working with her just to keep her progressing until either her parents soften up and say it's ok, or until she turns 18. But it's hard to help someone progress when they can't take the necessary steps according to the knowledge they've already received.
Anyways, we have a lot of work to do here. President Lundberg has asked that we make a goal of getting 5 new investigators a week. Difficult, but doable, and so we're trying to do that.
It rains pretty much every day here in the mountains, but again, it's beautiful, so we're just trying to learn how to adjust missionary work to rainy weather.
Also, my back is doing pretty ok - it's been starting to hurt about half way through the day until the end, so I'm going to get a different type of bag to hold everything to see if that helps, but it's not too bad, and I'm doing all right.
I'm so excited that the Bunkers are taking the lessons! It's so exciting when people are willing to do the things that will allow God to bless them in their lives. He wants to bless us, but we have to do what we can in order to give Him the opportunity.
And Brittany got sealed! that is also exciting. I'm glad to hear that everything is going well at home. Congrats to Shaley and Jenna on having a successful girl's camp, I'm so glad that you had fun!
Oh, and if you didn't know that Michael Jackson died, I did. All I've heard for the past couple days is about him - people we're contacting on the streets when they find out we're from the USA they say "oh, yeah. Michael died, did you know?" Yes, we know, and we don't care. We have a more important message than that...but it's funny. And pretty much every restaurant and bus has been playing all of his music for the past 2 or 3 days. It's funny.
Anyways, today we are going to sapte scari (the 7 stairs) which is kinda like stairway to heaven except it's 7 sets of ladders on a big mountain with waterfalls the whole way up, so I'll tell you about that next week.
I love you all so so very much, and I hope that all continues to go well with all that you are doing at home. Tell everyone at Maudie's wedding that I love them very much and I think about them often!
Have fun, and I'll write again next week!
Love always, --Sora Karina
Monday, June 29, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Last Week in Arad
Hello! How are you? I am doing GREAT!
This week was really good - hard, but good. We had a lot of people to visit, and not too much time because we went up to Nadlac twice, and that takes so much out of the day, but it was worth it. Ana had a baptismal date for this past Saturday, but she ended up not getting baptized because of a situation that we didn't understand and there were all sorts of fun mis-communications and so it didn't happen. But she still wants to get baptized - in fact she was disappointed that she couldn't on Saturday. We're planning for it to happen on the 4th of July in 2 weeks. Amalia's baptism did happen though, and it was so good. The Spirit was SO strong, and it was beautiful with a great turn out, including Ana. Amalia was so happy, and it is so neat to see how this gospel really is the message of joy and peace and how it changes our lives so much to the point where we want to follow God - regardless the sacrifice - because we know that it will bring us the most joy.
We also have a baptismal date for Corina, the mystery woman (the one that we taught, thinking she was someone else, and then realizing that she wasn't that person and that we didn't know her name) that I wrote about a few weeks ago, and she is getting baptized on the 4th of July also. She's so cute, and is just so excited to learn everything that we have to teach her. I love it.
Really the only other thing of much interest that I have to write to you is that I'm getting transfered! I have to leave Arad, which is going to be really hard, but it will be good. I leave tomorrow night (Tuesday) to go down to Bucuresti and then on Wednesday I find out where I will be serving for the next little while and with whom. It will be neat to see what is coming next, and though I am going to miss Arad a TON, I'm excited to go where the Lord has more work for me to do. The members of the Arad branch were really sad that I'm leaving though, and a lot of them are convinced that I'll come back and serve there again. I will go back, though I don't know if it will be as a missionary, so we'll see.
But yeah, a good busy week is past, and more fun times ahead, and you'll have to wait until next week to find out where I'm at!
Oh, and the language is still coming along. It's hard for me to see my own improvements, but things are going well and I'm loving it.
As for home stuff, It is so crazy that Cherisse is getting married in less than 40 days and counting! But so exciting at the same time - Thank's Cherisse for the pictures, so pretty! and I can't wait to see the dress on you, and I'm so glad to hear that you're doing good even with the cadaver lab lol! (I'll pray for your consciousness).
And I hope that Shaley and Jenn and Dad have the best time at girl's camp. Jenna is not old enough to be on the hike, because I remember going on that hike! Don't get eaten by any bears, ok? And Shaley, have fun being a YCL - you're such a great leader already, so just have fun with it. And Tamara - have such a great sleep over!
And that is so cool about Josh and David. Tell them I say hi and keep me posted with the missionary lessons (I pray about them every night). Anyways, I love you all so so so so much! And I'm excited to hear from you again next week and to tell you what's up with me!
Love you all MUAH!--Sora Karina
p.s. Mom, Zack's birthday is July 8th, and Elder Pardus' birthday is July 12th. And also, is the chocolate cookie recipe coming soon, along with Shaley and Jenna's email address? Because that would be so awesome! I love you lots!
psps - Sora Thompson: Ani a plans cand a citit scrisoarea ta, si mi-a zis sa-ti spun ca ea te iubeste foarte mult si multumesc pentru tot! Familia Banici-Wagner face bine si tot este bun. Te iubesc pe tine ;} Cu dragi, Sora Karina
This week was really good - hard, but good. We had a lot of people to visit, and not too much time because we went up to Nadlac twice, and that takes so much out of the day, but it was worth it. Ana had a baptismal date for this past Saturday, but she ended up not getting baptized because of a situation that we didn't understand and there were all sorts of fun mis-communications and so it didn't happen. But she still wants to get baptized - in fact she was disappointed that she couldn't on Saturday. We're planning for it to happen on the 4th of July in 2 weeks. Amalia's baptism did happen though, and it was so good. The Spirit was SO strong, and it was beautiful with a great turn out, including Ana. Amalia was so happy, and it is so neat to see how this gospel really is the message of joy and peace and how it changes our lives so much to the point where we want to follow God - regardless the sacrifice - because we know that it will bring us the most joy.
We also have a baptismal date for Corina, the mystery woman (the one that we taught, thinking she was someone else, and then realizing that she wasn't that person and that we didn't know her name) that I wrote about a few weeks ago, and she is getting baptized on the 4th of July also. She's so cute, and is just so excited to learn everything that we have to teach her. I love it.
Really the only other thing of much interest that I have to write to you is that I'm getting transfered! I have to leave Arad, which is going to be really hard, but it will be good. I leave tomorrow night (Tuesday) to go down to Bucuresti and then on Wednesday I find out where I will be serving for the next little while and with whom. It will be neat to see what is coming next, and though I am going to miss Arad a TON, I'm excited to go where the Lord has more work for me to do. The members of the Arad branch were really sad that I'm leaving though, and a lot of them are convinced that I'll come back and serve there again. I will go back, though I don't know if it will be as a missionary, so we'll see.
But yeah, a good busy week is past, and more fun times ahead, and you'll have to wait until next week to find out where I'm at!
Oh, and the language is still coming along. It's hard for me to see my own improvements, but things are going well and I'm loving it.
As for home stuff, It is so crazy that Cherisse is getting married in less than 40 days and counting! But so exciting at the same time - Thank's Cherisse for the pictures, so pretty! and I can't wait to see the dress on you, and I'm so glad to hear that you're doing good even with the cadaver lab lol! (I'll pray for your consciousness).
And I hope that Shaley and Jenn and Dad have the best time at girl's camp. Jenna is not old enough to be on the hike, because I remember going on that hike! Don't get eaten by any bears, ok? And Shaley, have fun being a YCL - you're such a great leader already, so just have fun with it. And Tamara - have such a great sleep over!
And that is so cool about Josh and David. Tell them I say hi and keep me posted with the missionary lessons (I pray about them every night). Anyways, I love you all so so so so much! And I'm excited to hear from you again next week and to tell you what's up with me!
Love you all MUAH!--Sora Karina
p.s. Mom, Zack's birthday is July 8th, and Elder Pardus' birthday is July 12th. And also, is the chocolate cookie recipe coming soon, along with Shaley and Jenna's email address? Because that would be so awesome! I love you lots!
psps - Sora Thompson: Ani a plans cand a citit scrisoarea ta, si mi-a zis sa-ti spun ca ea te iubeste foarte mult si multumesc pentru tot! Familia Banici-Wagner face bine si tot este bun. Te iubesc pe tine ;} Cu dragi, Sora Karina
Monday, June 15, 2009
6 months gone by
Dear Family and friends and everyone out there who is not here in Romania,
Hi! How are you? I am doing great - we had a pretty fun week.
First I want to mention that I have already been on this mission for almost 6 months. What!?! Yeah, 6 months, and the time just keeps getting faster. But it's good. So this week, I made cherry jam Romanian style, but I cooked it just a little too long. So instead of being slightly spreadable like jam should be, it was more like candy that we put on bread because it was so thick. But it was still good, and it was fun to make.
Then we went to a selbatoare or a Romanian celebration for the end of school at Amalia's school that she works at for special needs kids. It was so cute! and super fun. They had awards and then Amalia's class (kids of about 8-10 years of age) put on a traditional dance performance for us, all dressed up and everything. Super cute. We told Amalia we loved it and her clothes were so cute on her, so she brought us the clothes to try on ourselves. It was neat. I don't think I look nearly as cute as she did, but it was still fun to try on the traditional Romanian clothes. Oh, and we had a mock interview for Amalia's baptism so that she wouldn't be so nervous about it, and it went really well. She's getting baptized this Saturday!!! And she is getting less nervous and more excited about it as time goes on, so now we're just praying that all goes well until then. I'm not nervous - it will be great.
Also, Ana is our investigator that lives 50 km away from Arad in a little town called Nadlac, and we got permission to go and visit her out there so that we can better help her prepare for her baptism which will also hopefully be this Saturday. (It might get moved to next week Sat. but we'll find that out on Wednesday.) So last Wednesday we went on a train to Nadlac which took us about 1 1/2 hours to get there, and 1/2 hr. to walk to her house from the Gara. But it is such a cute little town - their down town is one street with smaller blocs than here in Arad and everything around that is little homes with their patch of grass and garden, and so many cherry trees in bloom and just quaint little fun. It's about 2 km away from the Hungarian border. And on top of the telephone polls are these HUGE nests with storks that live there - and there are some baby storks and it was really fun to see them perched up there.
So we went to her house and taught her and her son (acutaly it's her sister's son but she didn't want him and so Ana raised him) and then we went back to the Gara thinking that the train would leave at 1:10 like the schedule said, but really it left at 12:50 and we got there at 1:00. So we had the privilege of waiting in Nadlac for 3 hours until the next train left at 3:50 and we got back into Arad by 5:30 and we were just exhausted from being out in the heat and not doing anything. But it was still a really good day.
I love seeing how the gospel changes people's lives for the better - Ani and Lica and Bogdan are all doing really good - Lica got a job and is now providing for his family. It's hard for them, but it's going well. And (Sora Thompson, you'll love this) Ani made a calander that she has taped to their wardrobe door to keep track of how much she yells in each day, vs. how much she whispers and laughs in each day. It is so cute. I don't know how much progress it's making, but she's trying to continue to perfect herself. It is amazing what a difference it makes in your life to have a testimony of something true. I know that it has made enough of a difference in my life that I had a desire to even leave home for 1 1/2 years to come here and tell people what I know to be true. Even when some of those people laugh at my face for it, despise me for it, or completely ignore my message, there are people here who need the message - everyone needs the message that Christ lives and guides His own church through a living Prophet today. But there are people here prepared to receive it. I know that it is true, and it is such a blessing that I am able to share it with others.
I love hearing your stories mom, and that is so great about the Bunkers and about Brittany and her husband! That made me so happy. I love hearing about what you are doing and how you are all doing - keep me posted on how Josh is doing and Karl and if you ever hear what Orion or Zack is up to tell them I miss them and love them lots. I love all of you lots and lots, and I pray for you all every night. Keep working hard and having fun, and I'll keep doing the same. Have an amazing week, and I'm excited to hear from you next week!
LOVE YOU LOTS!
Always, --Sora Karina
ps. Sora Thompson, yes it is all true about the sisters getting sick and people getting moved around, but now Timi is back to normal and Constanta has a mini - and we are getting 3 new sisters and a different mini in 2 weeks for next transfer, plus an elder. AND all but 2 srzls are going home in 2 weeks! Crazy crazy...everything is going to change so much, so it will be interesting. But I'm glad that you're doing well, and I love you lots! Keep being a great missionary!
Hi! How are you? I am doing great - we had a pretty fun week.
First I want to mention that I have already been on this mission for almost 6 months. What!?! Yeah, 6 months, and the time just keeps getting faster. But it's good. So this week, I made cherry jam Romanian style, but I cooked it just a little too long. So instead of being slightly spreadable like jam should be, it was more like candy that we put on bread because it was so thick. But it was still good, and it was fun to make.
Then we went to a selbatoare or a Romanian celebration for the end of school at Amalia's school that she works at for special needs kids. It was so cute! and super fun. They had awards and then Amalia's class (kids of about 8-10 years of age) put on a traditional dance performance for us, all dressed up and everything. Super cute. We told Amalia we loved it and her clothes were so cute on her, so she brought us the clothes to try on ourselves. It was neat. I don't think I look nearly as cute as she did, but it was still fun to try on the traditional Romanian clothes. Oh, and we had a mock interview for Amalia's baptism so that she wouldn't be so nervous about it, and it went really well. She's getting baptized this Saturday!!! And she is getting less nervous and more excited about it as time goes on, so now we're just praying that all goes well until then. I'm not nervous - it will be great.
Also, Ana is our investigator that lives 50 km away from Arad in a little town called Nadlac, and we got permission to go and visit her out there so that we can better help her prepare for her baptism which will also hopefully be this Saturday. (It might get moved to next week Sat. but we'll find that out on Wednesday.) So last Wednesday we went on a train to Nadlac which took us about 1 1/2 hours to get there, and 1/2 hr. to walk to her house from the Gara. But it is such a cute little town - their down town is one street with smaller blocs than here in Arad and everything around that is little homes with their patch of grass and garden, and so many cherry trees in bloom and just quaint little fun. It's about 2 km away from the Hungarian border. And on top of the telephone polls are these HUGE nests with storks that live there - and there are some baby storks and it was really fun to see them perched up there.
So we went to her house and taught her and her son (acutaly it's her sister's son but she didn't want him and so Ana raised him) and then we went back to the Gara thinking that the train would leave at 1:10 like the schedule said, but really it left at 12:50 and we got there at 1:00. So we had the privilege of waiting in Nadlac for 3 hours until the next train left at 3:50 and we got back into Arad by 5:30 and we were just exhausted from being out in the heat and not doing anything. But it was still a really good day.
I love seeing how the gospel changes people's lives for the better - Ani and Lica and Bogdan are all doing really good - Lica got a job and is now providing for his family. It's hard for them, but it's going well. And (Sora Thompson, you'll love this) Ani made a calander that she has taped to their wardrobe door to keep track of how much she yells in each day, vs. how much she whispers and laughs in each day. It is so cute. I don't know how much progress it's making, but she's trying to continue to perfect herself. It is amazing what a difference it makes in your life to have a testimony of something true. I know that it has made enough of a difference in my life that I had a desire to even leave home for 1 1/2 years to come here and tell people what I know to be true. Even when some of those people laugh at my face for it, despise me for it, or completely ignore my message, there are people here who need the message - everyone needs the message that Christ lives and guides His own church through a living Prophet today. But there are people here prepared to receive it. I know that it is true, and it is such a blessing that I am able to share it with others.
I love hearing your stories mom, and that is so great about the Bunkers and about Brittany and her husband! That made me so happy. I love hearing about what you are doing and how you are all doing - keep me posted on how Josh is doing and Karl and if you ever hear what Orion or Zack is up to tell them I miss them and love them lots. I love all of you lots and lots, and I pray for you all every night. Keep working hard and having fun, and I'll keep doing the same. Have an amazing week, and I'm excited to hear from you next week!
LOVE YOU LOTS!
Always, --Sora Karina
ps. Sora Thompson, yes it is all true about the sisters getting sick and people getting moved around, but now Timi is back to normal and Constanta has a mini - and we are getting 3 new sisters and a different mini in 2 weeks for next transfer, plus an elder. AND all but 2 srzls are going home in 2 weeks! Crazy crazy...everything is going to change so much, so it will be interesting. But I'm glad that you're doing well, and I love you lots! Keep being a great missionary!
Monday, June 8, 2009
more pictures!
This is Ani and Lica after their wedding. They were so happy!
Ani and Lica at their baptism.
This is the bazin that we fill with a hose for people to be baptised in. They get in using the ladder in the background.
These apartments are called blocks for obvious reasons.
pictures!
These are pictures from Bogdon's baptism
We had fun at the ancient castle in Lipova!
This is when Sora Poulson and I were stuck in a tiny little lift (imitation elevator) for 20 minutes. We had fun till the member we were on our way to see wondered why we never got there, so she finally came and found us!
another amazing week!
Dear amazing family and friends,
I don't know about you, but the weeks are going by way way too fast. But good things are happening in the time that I have, so it's good. I don't have too much to write, but a few fun short stories.
First of all, we are teaching a lady named Ana and she is amazing. She lives about 50 km away from Arad (2 hours away by train) and she gets on a 4am train to come to church on Sunday, has been 8 times, has read the entire Book of Mormon and is starting it again, and my question is: why is she not a member of the church yet? In fact, we asked her that yesterday, and she had a few questions and things that she didn't understand, but nothing to keep her from getting baptized. So we set a date for her on the 20th! Yay, it was happy, so we are now taking 6 hours out of one or two days to take a train to her house to help her be better prepared. Wow. I don't know how we will have time to do everything else, but the Lord will help us.
We had 19 lessons with 7 bungs this week, and it seems like we just never have any time to stop. I would not have it any other way. Something funny that happened was on Friday. We had set up with a lady named Carmen that we found in our area book - mother of 2 kids and owns a shop with her husband. Neither of us had met her, but we kept trying and trying to meet up with her, and finally she said that she could. So we were waiting at the church and about 45 min. later, a lady walked in that we didn't know. So it must be Carmen. She asked us what we were doing, and we said we were waiting for her, so have a seat. She did, we sang, we prayed, had a lesson, she was very responsive, we set up with her for next week, she said she would come to church, and then right before she left we asked how her kids were doing. "I don't have any kids. I'm divorced." What? She left, and Sora Poulsen and I looked at each other and realized that that was not Carmen, that we had a new investigator and we didn't even know her name!!! So funny.
But she came to church, and we found out her name is Corina, and we're still on for our lesson this week. We don't know what happened to Carmen, but Heavenly Father knew we were prepared, and just guided one of His children whom we were not expecting so we could teach her. Neat.
And something random is that we were contacting people in the park, and a man we were passing found a hedgehog. I have never seen one in person, but they really do roll up in little balls when they get scared, and it was so cute. There were some kids near by and asked their mom if they could keep it. Now, mommy, I know that you would say "no, leave it alone." But their mother said "sure, here's a bag, go get it." Again, what? Poor thing. But it was fun to look at.
It has been pouring rain on us too! Anyways, I am glad to hear that all is going well at home. Keep working hard, don't stress too much, I know that everything will turn out great. I can't believe Cherisse is getting married in 8 weeks! But then again, we get transfer calls in less than 2 weeks, and time just keeps running faster and faster. But I love you all so so so very much, and I'll have more fun stories for you next week! HUGZ! --Sora Karina
I don't know about you, but the weeks are going by way way too fast. But good things are happening in the time that I have, so it's good. I don't have too much to write, but a few fun short stories.
First of all, we are teaching a lady named Ana and she is amazing. She lives about 50 km away from Arad (2 hours away by train) and she gets on a 4am train to come to church on Sunday, has been 8 times, has read the entire Book of Mormon and is starting it again, and my question is: why is she not a member of the church yet? In fact, we asked her that yesterday, and she had a few questions and things that she didn't understand, but nothing to keep her from getting baptized. So we set a date for her on the 20th! Yay, it was happy, so we are now taking 6 hours out of one or two days to take a train to her house to help her be better prepared. Wow. I don't know how we will have time to do everything else, but the Lord will help us.
We had 19 lessons with 7 bungs this week, and it seems like we just never have any time to stop. I would not have it any other way. Something funny that happened was on Friday. We had set up with a lady named Carmen that we found in our area book - mother of 2 kids and owns a shop with her husband. Neither of us had met her, but we kept trying and trying to meet up with her, and finally she said that she could. So we were waiting at the church and about 45 min. later, a lady walked in that we didn't know. So it must be Carmen. She asked us what we were doing, and we said we were waiting for her, so have a seat. She did, we sang, we prayed, had a lesson, she was very responsive, we set up with her for next week, she said she would come to church, and then right before she left we asked how her kids were doing. "I don't have any kids. I'm divorced." What? She left, and Sora Poulsen and I looked at each other and realized that that was not Carmen, that we had a new investigator and we didn't even know her name!!! So funny.
But she came to church, and we found out her name is Corina, and we're still on for our lesson this week. We don't know what happened to Carmen, but Heavenly Father knew we were prepared, and just guided one of His children whom we were not expecting so we could teach her. Neat.
And something random is that we were contacting people in the park, and a man we were passing found a hedgehog. I have never seen one in person, but they really do roll up in little balls when they get scared, and it was so cute. There were some kids near by and asked their mom if they could keep it. Now, mommy, I know that you would say "no, leave it alone." But their mother said "sure, here's a bag, go get it." Again, what? Poor thing. But it was fun to look at.
It has been pouring rain on us too! Anyways, I am glad to hear that all is going well at home. Keep working hard, don't stress too much, I know that everything will turn out great. I can't believe Cherisse is getting married in 8 weeks! But then again, we get transfer calls in less than 2 weeks, and time just keeps running faster and faster. But I love you all so so so very much, and I'll have more fun stories for you next week! HUGZ! --Sora Karina
Monday, June 1, 2009
pictures!
This is an ancient castle at Lipova and today we met this sheepherder there.
This is my companion, Sora Poulson.
Romania says hi!
Hello family!
It was sooo nice to hear from you this week. I'm also happy to hear that Brother Kemp is still alive (a friend of ours from home was in a car accident) and that Brianne's wedding was fabulous. I had a pretty good week.
Right after I wrote you last week, we went and played beach volley ball. There's a sand court near the river and one of our investigators set it up and it was SO much fun. The only hard thing was that I jammed my thumb super bad - the bruise is huge and for like 1 1/2 days it was swolen like a balloon. But it's mostly back to normal now. The game was so fun, and I was excited that I can still over-hand serve! Shaley and Jenna, you would be so proud of me ;}
Anyways, nothing extremely exciting happened this week. We had 10 bungs (which is when people set up with you and don't show up so you end up wasting a lot of time which is annoying, but ok). And even with the 10 bungs this week we still had 20 lessons. (Sora Thompson, you'll know what that means.) So needless to say we are really really busy and the Lord is blessing us in our efforts. It's frustrating when you can see the potential that people have, and we pray for them so hard and we plan according to their potential and then they don't keep their commitments or they decide not to do what they know needs to be done for them to learn and progress. Like when they decide they don't "have time" to read the Book of Mormon. Or when they promise to come to church and don't. We know what these people can do and the joy they can have, if only they would choose to take the necessary course of action. When they don't, you just want to show them what they could have, but you can't. You learn to love these people so much in such a short period of time, it truly is amazing.
So we're working with a lot of people on how to receive revelation and receive answers to their prayers about the truth of the Book of Mormon, baptism, the plan of salvation, any true doctrine that we teach. I know that the Lord answers prayers - He will not withhold an answer when we ask with a prayer of faith. But we need to do our part. If we want to know something is true, we need to learn about it, read the fruits of it (aka Book of Mormon), we need to want to know, pray sincerely, and be willing to act according to the answer we receive. It changes lives for the better and it truly is amazing to see the light of the Lord shine in people when they follow this pattern.
We are currently teaching an investigator who isn't progressing, she just doesn't take action. So we decided we were going to teach her 3 boys. We have them all there for the lesson, and teach the lesson to the boys and then the boys will help to motivate her to act. I love those boys sooooo much. Ovi is 12, Vasile is 11, and Albert is 8 and turns 9 in August and all three of them have pure hearts of gold and are just so sweet and so good and they love what we're teaching them. I hope and pray that their desire to learn more will help their mom to see that what we have is good and that she will start acting on what we are teaching.
Amalia is still doing really good - she's living the law of chastity which is so exciting. I love seeing how people's desire to follow God helps give them the strength to make changes in their lives. They are super hard changes, too, but it is always for the better and it is through the Atonement that these changes are even possible.
Oh! and I learned how to make jam romanian style and it is soooo good! There is a lady who's husband is a member of the church, Fratele Moldovan, but she's not too interrested - yet. We are talking to her, and she is so sweet. She's kind of a combination of Tracy Blanch and Shanna Palmer, but Romanian. She is so crafty and sweet and fun and loves to cook. We won her heart over by making her chocolate chip cookies and she ate them all up while we were there! So funny. So mom, if you could please, send me your recipe for chocolate chip cookies that would be awesome! But she taught me how to make jam and it is so good. I'll try to send the recipe home some time if I remember to grab it.
And today we went to Lipova again as a zone, and it was super fun. There was a shepherd there at the castle with his sheep and we talked to him for a while, so cool.
But I don't think I have anything else to say this week except that I love what I am doing. I know that it is the work of the Lord, and that He is with me helping me every step of the way. I know He is with you all also, and I pray for you always. Love you all so so so so much!!!! Always, --Sora Karina
pentru Sora Thompson - mie dor de tine, si ma bucuri ca ai distrat la Alaska. sunt foarte fericita si noi continuam sa muncim din greu. Ai o zi frumoasa si mai scriem! Te iubesc, --Sora Karinas
It was sooo nice to hear from you this week. I'm also happy to hear that Brother Kemp is still alive (a friend of ours from home was in a car accident) and that Brianne's wedding was fabulous. I had a pretty good week.
Right after I wrote you last week, we went and played beach volley ball. There's a sand court near the river and one of our investigators set it up and it was SO much fun. The only hard thing was that I jammed my thumb super bad - the bruise is huge and for like 1 1/2 days it was swolen like a balloon. But it's mostly back to normal now. The game was so fun, and I was excited that I can still over-hand serve! Shaley and Jenna, you would be so proud of me ;}
Anyways, nothing extremely exciting happened this week. We had 10 bungs (which is when people set up with you and don't show up so you end up wasting a lot of time which is annoying, but ok). And even with the 10 bungs this week we still had 20 lessons. (Sora Thompson, you'll know what that means.) So needless to say we are really really busy and the Lord is blessing us in our efforts. It's frustrating when you can see the potential that people have, and we pray for them so hard and we plan according to their potential and then they don't keep their commitments or they decide not to do what they know needs to be done for them to learn and progress. Like when they decide they don't "have time" to read the Book of Mormon. Or when they promise to come to church and don't. We know what these people can do and the joy they can have, if only they would choose to take the necessary course of action. When they don't, you just want to show them what they could have, but you can't. You learn to love these people so much in such a short period of time, it truly is amazing.
So we're working with a lot of people on how to receive revelation and receive answers to their prayers about the truth of the Book of Mormon, baptism, the plan of salvation, any true doctrine that we teach. I know that the Lord answers prayers - He will not withhold an answer when we ask with a prayer of faith. But we need to do our part. If we want to know something is true, we need to learn about it, read the fruits of it (aka Book of Mormon), we need to want to know, pray sincerely, and be willing to act according to the answer we receive. It changes lives for the better and it truly is amazing to see the light of the Lord shine in people when they follow this pattern.
We are currently teaching an investigator who isn't progressing, she just doesn't take action. So we decided we were going to teach her 3 boys. We have them all there for the lesson, and teach the lesson to the boys and then the boys will help to motivate her to act. I love those boys sooooo much. Ovi is 12, Vasile is 11, and Albert is 8 and turns 9 in August and all three of them have pure hearts of gold and are just so sweet and so good and they love what we're teaching them. I hope and pray that their desire to learn more will help their mom to see that what we have is good and that she will start acting on what we are teaching.
Amalia is still doing really good - she's living the law of chastity which is so exciting. I love seeing how people's desire to follow God helps give them the strength to make changes in their lives. They are super hard changes, too, but it is always for the better and it is through the Atonement that these changes are even possible.
Oh! and I learned how to make jam romanian style and it is soooo good! There is a lady who's husband is a member of the church, Fratele Moldovan, but she's not too interrested - yet. We are talking to her, and she is so sweet. She's kind of a combination of Tracy Blanch and Shanna Palmer, but Romanian. She is so crafty and sweet and fun and loves to cook. We won her heart over by making her chocolate chip cookies and she ate them all up while we were there! So funny. So mom, if you could please, send me your recipe for chocolate chip cookies that would be awesome! But she taught me how to make jam and it is so good. I'll try to send the recipe home some time if I remember to grab it.
And today we went to Lipova again as a zone, and it was super fun. There was a shepherd there at the castle with his sheep and we talked to him for a while, so cool.
But I don't think I have anything else to say this week except that I love what I am doing. I know that it is the work of the Lord, and that He is with me helping me every step of the way. I know He is with you all also, and I pray for you always. Love you all so so so so much!!!! Always, --Sora Karina
pentru Sora Thompson - mie dor de tine, si ma bucuri ca ai distrat la Alaska. sunt foarte fericita si noi continuam sa muncim din greu. Ai o zi frumoasa si mai scriem! Te iubesc, --Sora Karinas
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