4th transfer period

Holy Cow I can't believe that I'm already in my 4th transfer! Crazy stuff how time just goes whether you're ready or not. But it's going well.

This week went really well, but Satan has really been working against some of our investigators. They are progressing and we have been wanting to give them a baptismal date for about 1 1/2-2 weeks but it keeps not working out and it's kind of really annoying. But they are still progressing and I have faith that soon our perserverance will be greater than Satan's abilities and it will happen.

Carmen is coming to church and loving it, and is starting to participate and become a part of the branch which is so neat to see. Cristina has been a part of the branch, and now she is starting to realize the answers to her prayers that she is receiving and she's getting excited about that and loves reading and studying the Book of Mormon which is so cool. Alina is truly studying the scriptures and understanding them and getting a lot out of them. She's reading through the Book of Mormon for the 2nd time and is currently in Alma, and it's fun to see how excited about the things that she is learning. She's even color coordinating the things she is learning which is super fun. (I don't know if I ever studied the scriptures like that when I was her age.)

Anyways, we have other investigators that are on their way to becoming progressing, and we pray for them every day. So the work, like always, is still going forward and I love it!

Church was amazing yesterday - we had 45 people there! It was so awesome. Audi, a girl that has been a member for 10 years and mostly inactive for 4 or 5 years, has started coming back to church, and it's great. Adrian, the Nuti (pronounced Nootsey) family came, the Manzatanu family came (pronounced Munzuhtsahnoo), Sora Herghelegiu came, and then we had 3 of our investigators and 2 other investigators that came. It was so exciting, and the spirit was so strong. I loved it.

We taught Relief Society from the conference talk "Sacred homes, Sacred Temples" and how important it is to prepare for the temple, and how one of the best ways we can do that is by preparing our homes to be like the temple so the Spirit can live there with us and our families. It turned out to be a really good lesson. (There were 13 women in Relief society...a new record for our branch!) Yup, exciting things are happening.

So we are moving in to our new appartment on Wednesday which is slightly annoying because it takes us away from the more important work, but such is the situation that it needs to work like that. And I guess it is important for us to have a place to live and such for us to work our best...lol. But it will be over soon and it will be ok.

And I love my new companion. Sora Campbell is awesome and she is from Ohio. She was actually one of my nashers (one of the missionaries that I stayed with on my very first night in the country before I had my companion that kinda showed me around and helped me feel welcome and confident in the country.) So that's cool, and she just finished serving with Sora Larsen, one of my MTC companions and that's kinda fun, too. She and I talk so easily and whenever we're not working, we're just telling stories and laughing and enjoying our time together which time flies by. So it's good, and I'm excited for our goals that we made for this transfer and to continue to see the Lord's hand in all of our efforts. That's always the neatest part is doing all that you can and then seeing how Heavenly Father just takes it and makes it the way He needs for His purposes. And when you don't feel like it's going the way it needs to, or when you're having a hard time getting it there, the Atonement and Jesus Christ are on the other side right next to you waiting to help us overcome those hardships. And always they are both there smiling and rejoicing in our successes together.

I was studying the other day in 2 Nephi 26:30 about charity, and the question I have is who is the laborer in Zion? Mom, maybe you can find a sweet talk about that or something, but I would like to learn more about that if you have time to study it. Thanks!

Also, Mosiah 5:15 says that we are to "stand firm" in the work of the Lord and that as we do that, the Lord will "seal you his." This scripture to me is such a happy scripture. When we have a desire to stand firm for what we believe and when we put all our efforts into it, then we will be with the Lord and He will be with us, and Satan will have no power over us because of the strength of our relationship with the Father and the Son. You can keep going with that thought, but I liked it.

I am so happy to hear that the wedding went well and that all the little miracles fell into place. God is amazing like that. I can't wait to see the pictures!

Oh, and they are guessing that my zone conference will be on Sept. 1, but it might change, but for now that's the plan. I really don't know if I have anything else to say right now...I will probably get pictures of me and Sora Campbell to you soon, we just need to take some together first lol!

But yeah, all is well, I love being here and doing the work of the Lord. Keep searching for opportunities to forward the work wherever you are...the Lord has need of all of us. And continue to reflect on the greatness of His love for you - it is something that brings me joy every day.

I love you all so so very much, and I pray that all will continue to go well. Talk to you more next week! Always, --Sora Karina