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!