Thanksgiving in Romania = Chicken?

This is me and Sora Kiriyama in front of the run down Casino on the bank of the black Sea.

Her I am in front of the Black Sea on a cement port thing.

Sora Kiriyama and I with the boys on bikes that came to our Thanksgiving activity. (Joey Donner who's name is acutally Ionut is in the gray and striped hoodie, Bogdon is on one knee, Tika (said tseecha) is in the gray hoodie, and Alin is in the blue.) Fun stuff!

Hey family! How are you doing? I'm doing just great. We had some fun times - a lot of contacting which makes for a lot of things to learn...

So this week was hard, but it was good. Ion came to church again, and we are slowly figuring out what is keeping him from accepting a baptismal date. We can tell that he believes in what we're saying except for the occasional question which is normal. And when he participates during Sunday School he says some really good things and has good questions. And when he prays...they are so sincere and amazing. But there is still something there that we just can't catch quite yet that is making him evade our direct questions and commitments. He accepts our commitments when we pry and dig for him to give us a direct answer (which we do) and then he keeps the commitments. I don't know what the problem is, but the Lord will help us to find it so that he can enter into the waters of baptism. We are praying for him to accept a baptismal date, and I am confident that he will soon.

What else happened this week...Oh, we had a thanksgiving activity where the branch wanted us to put on a thanksgiving dinner and a presentation and such. So we tried. Romanian style thanksgiving is interesting...turkey here is rediculously expensive (40 RON/kg = around $13.50/2.2 lbs.), so we had chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, green beans, rolls, and home made root beer (they don't have root beer here so you have to make it with root beer extract, sugar, and mineral water) but we had root beer floats and it was really yummy. Not really a thanksgiving food, but all the romanians connect it with anything American, so you just go with it.

It was one of the most successfull activities that I've seen here in Romania though, tons of people came. Around 14 members, and 10 non-members plus the 4 missionaries, and it was awesome. Cool story about that: The night before the activity, Sora Kiriyama and I were out and we decided to sit on a bench real quick for a short break, and while we were talking a group of boys on trick bikes rode past us. Sora Kiriyama recognized one of them from around the town or the skate park where she had seen him riding and just playing around. She and Sora Ostler last transfer had named him Joey Donner from the movie 10 Things I Hate about You (I haven't seen it, so I can't explain why, but they did) So when he passed, she said "Hey, it's Joey Donner." About 30 seconds later, they all came back and one of them asked us what nationality we were from and we told him we were Americans. They started talking to us in English, and the one who asked expressed dissappointment that Sora Kiriyama doesn't know Japanese because he lived there for 5 years and wanted to talk to someone in that language. After talking to us a little bit more, they asked what we were doing in Romania, so we told them that we were missionaries. Since it's a lot easier to talk about the church in Romanian, we automatically switched over to Romanian and they were all shocked, "wow, you speak Romanian, too?" of course we do. So we invited them to the Thanksgiving activity and they said they'd see if they could. And they came!!! It was super cool, and they participated and they loved it.

Now some of them are meeting with the Elders to learn more about what we believe.

It was really fun.

One more funny story which really isn't a story but more of a statement. We were eating chocolate, with the brand name of Kandia, and Sora Kiriyama was reading the back of the wraper and started laughing...in my confusion, I read it and started laughing, and I wanted to share the statement with you cuz it's funny. It is the only thing in English on the wrapper (among Romanian, czech, and Russian) and it states thus: "Since forever the real chocolate was prepared only with pure cocoa butter, undoubtedly the secret of its pleasant melting. Kandia recipe contains only pure cocoa butter for you to enjoy the smooth melting of the true chocolate." HAHAHA! I thought it was funny, because that works in Romanian, but the direct translation into English just doesn't work and it's hilarious...plus the fact that it actually states that on a chocolate bar...enjoy the smooth melting of the true choloate.

Ok. Anyways, we're having fun and doing what we can to laugh. Sora Kiriyama likes to laugh, so we do it a lot ;} Anyways, I'm glad that you had a good Thanksgiving. I love you all so so very much and hope that you have a great week!

Love always, --Sora Karina

ps.

Debbie - sa nu-ti faci grij, e bine. Stiu ca esti ocupata, si te inteleg. Si multumesc pentru pozele electronice...imi plac foarte mult, sunteti draguti pe bune. ai o septamana perfecta, si mai auzim! Te iubesc...Si pe tine Ali, sper ca totul merge bine pentru tine!!!

lighthouses and fog

Dear everyone,

How are you?

I'm doing just wonderful, and I hope that it is the same back home. The only difference is that you have snow, and I don't. That actually makes me kinda sad because I miss the snow. Every morning I wake up and look outside and it's all foggy the way it gets in Colorado right before or after a snow storm during the night, and I get excited, and then I get up and there is nothing on the ground except slightly moist dirt. Grrrr. But it's ok. The fog always lifts by about 10 am and then I don't miss the snow as much, but I still wish it would snow. It's just harder near the sea, but not unheard of. And there's still time.

Anyways, this week was a good one, just filled with a bunch of work and good times. There's not too much to tell you...Ion is progressing and hasn't accepted a baptismal date yet, but I have no doubt that he'll get there eventually. However, someone the Elders are teaching has decided to be baptised. I'm hoping that Ion will come to it cuz it would help him so much to be able to see what it's like, and I know he will feel what the Spirit is like. There is something about a baptism that just helps us to remember and know why this is true and right, and why we would want to be a part of this.

Also, we have another investigator who is the friend of a member, and she is loving the Book of Mormon as she reads it...and who wouldn't, I mean come on. I love that book, and I always just get so excited when others find out why it's so important to read it daily. Cuz when they do they feel the Spirit and love of God more fully, and they learn about their place in God's plan. That knowledge means everything. It's wonderful.

I think the miracle of the week was that we had 19 Romanians at church! That included our 2 investigators, the Elder's investigator, and a member's mother who isn't a member and is visiting for the holidays. It was really exciting, and the meeting was very spirit filled. That's what happens when anyone testifies of the Restoration of this church, Joseph Smith's first vision, and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Those things invite the Spirit so powerfully because they are the root and foundation of all truth. It is amazing. Actually, the amazing thing about it is that we can all know for ourselves this truth, and if it in fact is truth or not. We can know from the source of all goodness and truth, the One who knows all things. He wants us to know because He wants us to be happy, and it is through the knowledge of these things that give us the ability to act upon the things that will eventually lead to our happiness now in this life and the fullness of joy that will last for the eternities. And right now is a part of the eternities. He wants these things for us because He loves us. He is God, the Father of us all. And He sent us His Son, Jesus Christ to make posible these things to happen and for us to receive so much more that we can't even comprehend. But He promises that it is possible, and I believe Him. I know that these things are real and they are the beautiful facts that make life worth it.

God has a plan for each of us individually and it is a plan that will give us joy and lead to our exaltation if we would do our part. He has given us everything, let us take it and walk in His ways, for His paths are easy and His burden light. This is what He wants for us. How great it is to know of the love of our God, and if we don't know it, we can find out, for it is there to find always regardless of time or circumstance, past or present. He is there. I know He is. It is made apparent to me in every day when I go out pleading for His help to tell His children these truths, and this work goes forth only because His hand is in it.

I'm excited because we're going to go and see a lighthouse after we eat lunch today, and I love lighthouses, so that will be amazing. I am really really glad to hear that Brother Kemp is doing better...miracles happen in every day, even in the midst of tragedy. And it takes faith for the miracle to happen, and sometimes faith to see the miracle, but it is always there.

But I love you all so so very much, and I pray for you always and can feel your prayers for me. Thank you. Have a great and amazing week, and I'll write next week about the amazing things happening in Romania.

It's still really cool to say that I'm in Romania. The language is coming along and getting better every day, even if I don't recognize it. There are still times when I finish talking to someone on the street or finish a lesson or even just on the phone, and once it's done I think, "Wow. I just had a conversation in Romanian with someone who doesn't speak English... Crazy." and then I laugh and think, "Well, of course I did, I am living in Romania, silly!" and its just a funny realization that comes slightly often, if that even makes sense.

But things are good...keep up the good work! ... and have fun!

ps. congrats Austin!!! (on his engagement) I'm so excited for you!

Love you all,

Always, --Sora Karina

new way to block knock

Dear family,

How are all of you? I'm doing great.

This week was an interesting one full of just funny stories. But the good one first, and then the funny stuff... We had an investigator that came to church today! Ion is his name and he is the one I told you finally prayed in our lesson after saying in our very first lesson that he would never pray. So on Saturday night we called him to let him know that we were going to go to his house to pick him up for church (he lives real close) and he didn't like that at first, saying that he was way too busy, but he finally agreed saying that he would probably leave sometime during the first hour because he had way too much to do. bine.

So we went and picked him up, and he came and really listened to all of it...the speakers were perfect for him and what he needed to hear about the spirit, about what it means to be a member of this church, and about how happiness is possible in this life by living the gospel as seen in the Book of Mormon. So after the meeting, Sora Kiriyama asked him how it was, and he said "it was good, it was different... but I'll have to stay more to see what I really think." Sora Kiriyama said "You know, you're right, you'll just have to stay." Then the branch president came up and explained to him that the next hour is more interactive and would he please stay, and so of course he did, and he stayed for all three hours. He felt the spirit, and it was a great experience.

He said at the end of church that "I'll have to change my way of thinking, but it was good." and I said, "Well of course. This is a new way of living, but it's the way that gives us happiness." He said he would pray to know if that was true. It was a great miracle that he came and stayed, for which I was very grateful.

We weren't able to find any new investigators this week, but we started receiving some pretty creative rejections. But it's ok. I'll just tell you 2 because they were hillarious purely by the fact that they were overly rediculous.

We block knocked into some girls that were muslim, all speaking fluent Arabic and French. One spoke a little English and only one knew Romanian. so it was interesting trying to teach them, and I really don't know why they let us in. They eventually told us they didn't want to hear what we had to say and that we were the ones that needed to search for the truth. It was a very odd experience.

Then last night we were block knocking. In order to get into the block they have an interphone and you dial the room number and they answer, you ask them to open the door for you and they either do and you knock on the doors, or you don't and you keep ringing in. So last night we were outside of a block and rang in and every single person rejected us on the interphone. I've never had that happen before. Usually someone lets you in even if they don't want to listen, but every one... Some of them thought about it before they hung up, and there was even a couple that conversed for a few minutes over the interphone with each other about if they should let us in or not, and then decided not to. But it was so funny.

There was a man who answered the interphone but then started to talk to us out of his window (Romanians do that a lot) and yelled at us and told us that we couldn't talk to anybody else in that block. We only had one door left, but he kept yelling at us. Finally he shut his window. Then a man accross the street came out and we started talking to him, and the man in the window yelled at us for still talking to him. I told him that we were talking to the man accross the street. "well, talk to him, not to me." That was funny because I was only talking to him cuz he yelled at me, so I responded. H e sat there for about 5 more minutes at his window, so we walked away for a little before we went to the last door...and the interphone decided not to work. We'll go back to that door, because that block was just sooo funny. We were laughing so hard about it. It is the new way to do block knocking with out climbing all the stairs, ha ha ha.

But we found some good people who will hopefully become investigators and progressing investigators in this next week. But it was a good week full of work.

I have a question for Ross - how did he go about talking to Muslim people so that they would listen? There are a lot of muslim people here in Constanta and it's tricky when you're used to talking to people who are Orthodox and then you switch to Muslim mode, and I don't know what to do. So if he has any advice he could email me that would be great.

Oh, and a story for shaley...we teach english classes here, and the subject the other day was on decisions...so I decided to teach them about your decisions making kit that Cherisse gave you as a gag-gift, and the process of how to make a decision. They actually really liked it, and it reminded me of you, and it was funny that they needed it so spelled out. They took it pretty serious, too...it was great.

Oh! and yes, Jeri, I get all of your letters and thank you so so much. I love hearing about your friend, Francie, and I've been praying for her to be accteptive to the gospel message when you are able to meet with her. But yeah, I'm doing good, and I'm loving it here.

I'm glad that brother Kemp was able to go to church on Sunday.

Tam, that's awesome that you're in the advanced part of your violin book, that's so cool. and piano will help you with your violin to know the theory better if you want to do that that would be neat.

I love all of you so so very much. I know that the plan that God has for us is perfect, and it is true. It is revealed to us in its perfect form through a prophet on the earth today, and that is one of the ways that we can know that God loves us so much. I know that God loves us, and that he has prepared the way for each of us to be able to return to him, and that way is through Jesus Christ. Like it says in Revelations, He opens the door when we knock on it. This is His desire... for each of us to come to him, and when we do, He is able to heal us and to lead us where we can be with our family for eternity.

I know that these things are true, and these truths are what change your life so that you can have happiness now and later...the purpose of the gospel is to give us joy now and to prepare us for the eternal joy that is to come. These are the things that I'm praying for the people of Romania to receive a testimony about, because once they receive a spiritual witness and act upon it, that is when they will be able to come to know Jesus Christ and receive the promises that He has given to us all.

I love you all so so very much ,and I hope that your week is just fantastic! Love you lots!

Always, --Sora Karina

open arms

This is a picture of Sora Kiriyama and myself with an American family that was in our branch. They have left to go home, but their kids were all so cute! I forgot how much I love little kids. The little girl in the pink dress is Olivia. She really reminded me of my sister, Tamara.

Here is a picture of the fall colors near Simiu. They were so beautiful!

Hey everybody! How are you all doing? I'm doing great.

This week was a good week. We are seeing progress, even if the progress isn't going as fast as I want it. But when we are doing all that we can to help the people, God helps us to move forward in His work. We are hoping to give Ivanka a baptismal date today, and hopefully at the end of the week if the opportunity shows itself to be a good one. He's progressing slower on his own pace, but it's been neat to see the progression he has made in a short time to the extent of just being happier. (When we found him, he was a generally depressed person.) But reading the Book of Mormon changes lives. It's neat.

I really enjoyed zone conference, it was good to learn more about how we need to focus on these people individually, which we have been trying to apply this week, and it's been going well. Elder Shute from the 70 and his wife came and taught us about how the Savior focuses on each one, and how as his servants, that is what he asks us to do, too. You help each person to feel the individual love of God for them. You help the each person understand what he or she can do to have a happier life through the gospel and atonement of Jesus christ. You help each individual come to Christ through the waters of baptism. Here in Romania, where the effects of communism are so great, they are used to having tunnel vision for the masses where they as an individual don't matter. So when you tell them that God loves them, they say "of course, he loves everyone" and you try to help them understand that he loves them individually. It's hard sometimes, but it is something that brings about great miracles when they understand.

I know that God loves each of us individually and that Christ knows us individually, and His arms are open to each of us personally if we would only turn to him and allow him to heal us. He promises us that he will heal all those who will come (3 Nephi 17). It is a promise that I know that He keeps.

Anyways, the weather is slowly getting colder and colder, but it's ok. It will also get randomly warm like today where I'm not wearing 50 layers, but am ok with just a jacket. But when it is cold outside, we're still doing ok, still working, and people are still listening to us. It's so fun to have someone actually listen to what we are testifying about, and even neater when they are willing to put what we say into practice in their own life to find out for themselves if it is true. And it is true.

All is well, things are good, I don't have too many exciting stories this week and I'm sorry, but next week will be better. It helps when you're actually in your city for the whole week. Being gone for 2 days really does kill alot. But it's good!

Anyways, I love you all so so very much! And I hope that all is going well.

ttyl! --Sora Karina

ps. Brother Kemp, I hear that you are under the weather. Ok, well maybe that's an understatement. But I hope that you are doing ok for what you can. I want you to know that the atonement of Jesus Christ is something very special to me. Through it, I know that my Savior knows me and my pains and my questions, my doubts and my fears. It also means that there is always someone there looking forward to the time when it will all be better. God has a vision for us, and it is the vision of a loving Heavenly Father who wants only our happiness and exaltation. He understands that we find that happiness as we are able to overcome the trials and hardships of life with faith in His Son. He is there helping you along and as we strive to live faithfully so that we can receive the promises, those promises of joy and glory will come to pass. I know that you are doing great, and I know that Christ is there with you every step of the way. He has to be, not only out of His love for you, but also because of the many prayers, mine included, that are uttered daily from the hearts of those who love you. I hope that you are able to have a great day and find something to smile about. I find that even when nothing is going for you, a smile will always help. Have a smile, and tell your family that I say Hi and I love you all!

ps. sora thompson, pot sa am adresa ta? Am realizat ca nu am si ar fi mai bine sa-ti scriu in loc de email. si ma bucur ca esti fericita, asa trebuie sa fie! Te iubesc!!!

Happy Halloween!

Dear all you who live not in Romania, Happy halloween!!!

I am now in Constanta and I live 5 minutes away from the Black Sea...it's really cold. The wind is definitely killer, and it is still "warm" for this season as far as people tell me. Great. But it will be great. And yes, I am with Sora Kiriyama which is so fun because we were together in the MTC and now we get to remember the good times and create even more good times. It's been a blast already.

She and I are about on the same page on the language, just with different vocab cuz you learn different things in different situations and I've spent my whole mission thus far on the west, and she's only been in the East (Chisinau in Moldova, Bucuresti, and here in Constanta). This is her third transfer in Constanta so she knows her way pretty well, although we joke about how she has a defect when it comes to directions...it's fun though.

The branch here is cool. We meet in a big vila, and we as sisters actually live in the apartment on the 3rd floor of the vila where we meet for church...it's conveniant. so This branch has a bunch of Americans here...they all work for this big construction company and have been working on a project for the past year. But they're almost done so they leave in 2 weeks. Sad.

I didn't realize how much I missed kids until I taught primary yesterday to the family and it was so cute. They have 6 kids. There's another family with 2 boys, a couple that's pregnant, and a family with a 19 year old girl. So fun. And one of the girls, Olivia, looks EXACTLY like Tamara. Not kidding. I'll show you a pic sometime, but she even acts like Tam in different ways...like running and sliding accross the floor on her shoes and when she stops, bobs her head a little before running again in the opposite direction. I showed them family pictures of Tamara and they all thought I had been exaggerating about the similarities until they saw the pics. The only real difference is that Olivia is 5. But they are a cute family.

We had a huge halloween party with the branch...about 25-30 people were there which is a huge turn out, and I felt like I was in the states again with a functional activity and kids running everywhere. But it was fun. We told scary stories, played musical chairs, watched Thriller, had a pie eating contest, ate food, and played lots of other games. I didn't win the pie eating contest, but that's ok. It's not even pie, since pie doesn't exist in this country. It was sweet crackers with chocolate pudding and whipped cream on top with some gummy worms put in with it. Messy, but fun. Anyways, it was a good night, and the members dressed up real good, too.

Church was good...not as many people come to church as to the activities, but the Spirit was super strong for the fast and testimony meeting. It was so cute to hear a child's testimony again "I love my family and I know they love me too, and I know the book of mormon is true because Joseph Smith translated it, and I know that families can be forever because of the temple, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." So simple and it was just adorable. I haven't heard a testimony like that in a while. But everything that she said is true. I know that the Book of Mormon is true, and it is a book full of amazing truths. I know that families can be eternal, and it is amazing to see a family work and work to do that together and see the hand of the Lord in their life. It changes everything, and it is worth everything that is required.

Anyways, our branch president is amazing, and I'm really excited to work in this branch. Our new investigator that we found this week is Ivanka and we knocked on her door and she opened it, gave us a huge smile and invited us in. Usually people do that without knowing what we want and so I'm weary about it to the point of trying to explain what my purpose is there so they don't get mad that you're in their house which happens sometimes. But she insisted and invited us to sit down to talk and appologized that she was in her pajamas. But we went into a lesson as if she was expecting it. At the end Sora Kiriyama asked her if she would pray to know if the message is true and she said she already knows it's true. So Sora Kiriyama asked if she would pray for a confirmation to know if it really is, and she said "the confirmation is that you came here. I've had elders come here 2 years ago and 1 year ago, and now you're here. God sent you here, and God led me to open the door even though I was already in bed not feeling well. But now I feel fine, and it's because God did it." So I of course asked her, "well, if you know it's true, will follow Christ's example and be baptized?" and she thought and said, "well, I've already been baptized once, but I'll read the book first and then I'll tell you." She leaves at the end of this month to go to Italy until January. I don't like time limits, but the Lord created time, so He can work with it.

I'm in Bucuresti right now because Zone Conference is tomorrow and a general authority (70) is going to be here with us. I don't know who, but you'll hear about it next monday. I'm excited.

So to answer my sister's questions, Jenna, I am definitely happy, no need to worry. Shaley, I didn't forget about Halloween, though we were lacking in the snow that I'm used to, and Tamara, I would love to have a tape of your violin music for my tape player. I haven't read that book, but it sounds like a good one. A book I remember reading in school (can't remember if it was 6th or 7th grade) was the book "The Giver" and it's still one of my favorites.

But your halloween sounds like it was so much fun...spooky and full of fun stories. Your costumes all look amazing, I loved it! And Jenna, your moaning ghosts and stuff you decorated in the bathroom made me laugh really hard. I wish I could have seen it. And Cherisse, it sounds like you put on quite the party. And 4 out of 31 less actives coming is a really good number. I would have been beaming if 4 of our less actives came to an activity, and we did have 3 with 3 non members that came to the activity on Saturday. One of them came to church, and she's a sweet lady. We're hoping to teach her soon! But I'm sorry Allen is sick...tell him I say to get better!

Oh, and tell the Stotts I say hi, and tell Brother Lee, and everyone else that I say hello and I love them all. Have fun in the snow, and I love you lots and lots!

ttyl Always, --Sora Karina

Oh, and I forgot to write earlier, Lenuta, our investigator from Sebiu that i mentioned last week about giving her a baptismal date, she's getting baptized on the 14th of November if things keep going well with her, and she's amazing so I'm not worried. Sora Staley promised to send me pictures. Anyways, I love you all so so much--Sora Karina
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