This week was good - a little slow, but it was still good. We did a lot of searching for things that didn't really work. For example, we were street boarding last week (where you stand on a corner of the street and talk to people about the Book of Mormon) and some cops came by and told us that we needed to get permission to be there. So myself and Sora Owen went to the Primarie, or the government building, to go and try to get permission.
Well they sent us to a smaller building who then sent us to a business foundation who then sent us back to the first building we went to with a specific office to ask for the permission, but then that office didn't really know what to do with us since we're a non-profit organization, and they decided that they don't need to give us permission, and sent us to a Priest for the Orthodox church to ask him......uh, yeah. We decided that if the government didn't need to give us permission, we were not going to go to a Priest in his church to ask him if we can stand on the street and talk to people about the Book of Mormon. I don't think that would have gone very well...so we just left it at that. But it was fun walking around the whole city, kinda, but it was a pretty day so that helped.
Also, we're re starting the English program in the middle of February, so we have started advertising which is just fun. It will be an interesting program of 9 weeks of teaching and then 3 weeks of advertising, and we have a spiritual thought plan which is going to be taken directly from Preach My Gospel. It looks like fun; we should be getting the program this week.
As for the missionary work, Daniel's mom ended up getting scared about his baptism and took him la tara on Wednesday and he isn't getting back until the day that he was scheduled to be baptized, so he's not getting baptized on the 23rd, but he still wants to be baptized, and I think that her heart will soften up to it in order for us to be able to set another date with him. Also, because of certain situations, we decided that the Elders will be the ones to continue to teach him and help him to reach the waters of baptism.
This situation really took me aback because he loves the things we teach him so much. So we were excited to go and teach him a lesson with Alin, our branch president here in Constanta who was a missionary in England, and is just an amazing help to us when he can come. So we go in and get ourselves settled, talk for a little bit, and then we said that we would start with a prayer. Daniel offered to say it (awesome) and he started praying. All of a sudden he said something which I thought that I had to have misheard, but Alin just busted up laughing in the prayer, apologized and told Daniel to keep going, which he did, and quickly finished the prayer. Alin just looked between me, Sora Owen and Daniel and couldn't even completely stutter out the question if we understood what he had said. Sora Owen didn't understand anything, and I was in denial that he had seriously just prayed to Heavenly Father that he would be able to marry me. I told Alin to tell Sora Owen what he said, because I couldn't repeat that, and Alin turned to Daniel and asked him bluntly what his motives were. Daniel said that he wanted to marry me and turned to me and said, "Can I?" Ummm, no. So then it turned into a discussion about how eventually I'm going to leave Romania – “Well, you could come back.” “No, I need to go home and finish school”. – “Well, you can do school here, and you can just talk to your parents through email and it will be ok, just stay here with me”. “No, I have to go home. That's life” . Sora Owen whispered to me to tell him that I have a boyfriend back home. I told him that I'll go home and probably marry someone over there – “But he's over there, and I'm right here, and I'm asking for your hand in marriage.” That is exactly what he said, and I'm not only horrified but also embarrassed that this is even happening, and I just had to look at him and tell him, "Daniel, I will not marry you." Thankfully, right then, Alin jumped in and saved me and started talking to him about how he knows that I will go home to America and eventually forget about him and that it should not be pressed.
Then he started asking Daniel what his opinion was about the church. This is where it became ok. He believes the Book of Mormon is true, he believes the church is true, he wants to get baptized because of that (not because of me, don't worry). . Alin said that it would be fine for him to be baptized if his mom would be in accord. She's not yet, but it will happen. And he'll get there, it will just take patience. Always with the patience. This is the same with Ion and Vatuta - Vatuta is still praying for her husband to be in accord with her decision to be baptized, and Ion is still not admitting that he knows these things are true. But he is still progressing and is reading more from the Book of Mormon, and is understanding more the need for baptism. I really do think that he will be baptized this transfer, and I am so grateful that I will be here to see that.
This is where I tell you the new transfer situation, which is also really crazy. I'm staying here in Constanta (the first time that I'm staying in an area for more than 2 transfers) and I'm staying with Sora Owen, but we're also having an addition which is that Sora Gibbons is also going to be in our companionship. This is going to be really interesting, but I also think it will be fun.
Sora Gibbons is Sora Owens trainer, and one of my mission sisters. I will now have served with all 3 of my sisters (missionaries who were trained by the same trainer as me) which is super cool. The problem is that we only have 2 beds, and I don't know how we're really going to accommodate a 3rd sister in our apartment, but we'll figure it out somehow. Wow.
But I am so excited that I received the tender mercy from the Lord to be able to continue working with Ion, Vatuta, and all the other amazing people that are here that are so close to being able to come unto Christ in the way that He has shown is necessary. And this gospel is amazing, it truly changes people's lives. Example: the Elders met this guy names Stan. When they met Stan, he was an atheist and didn't believe anything about God. But they got to talking and he agreed to meet with them to see what their opinion was. So they've been meeting for about 2 weeks. He said it was weird praying to see if there was a God - imagine praying to something you don't believe exists, and yes, that would be weird, but he kept trying even though he felt like he was talking to himself, and he decided to experiment on the things that the Elders told him. A few days ago, he called the Elders and told them that he had conducted an experiment, and he knows that everything that they're saying is true, and that there really is a God, and he would explain it all when he came to church.
Apparently he has a problem with his short term memory - it's kinda like a weird amnesia thing where sometimes all of a sudden he'll just forget. Like he'll be on his way to school, and then he'll get off the bus and suddenly doesn't remember how to get to the school. It just leaves his mind. So his experiment was that when things like this happen he prays "God help me" and tries to continue doing whatever it is that he needs to do, and every time he has done this, he has been guided by the Spirit to find different ways to the school or wherever than he normally goes. So he knows that it's not him just remembering, and he recognizes that same feeling when he reads the Book of Mormon or comes to church. So cool. Stan is no longer an atheist. He wants to get baptized, but is now tackling the stop smoking program in order to get baptized. But don't worry, he'll be baptized this transfer.
The Lord loves us so much, and God does help us and answers our prayers. There are too many proofs of that to disbelieve, and I don't even want to disbelieve because aren't you just so much happier when you have faith in something? This joy is not just a fake comfort of something that doesn't exist, it is the joy that comes from learning and understanding truth. It is the joy that our Father in Heaven desires us all to have in this life and in the life to come, and He invites us to come unto Him through prayer, faith, and baptism from someone who holds the authority of God so that we can truly come into His arms again someday. It will be wonderful.
As for other random news, I bought a caciula! I was so excited. A caciula is one of those Russian furry hats, and they use them all the time here in the winter, and I have been wanting one, but I couldn't find one that was less than 300 RON until this past week, I found one for 30 RON which with 3 RON to the dollar (on avg.) it was a great deal. I was excited. And I'm getting in my good use of it while it's freezing again. It's funny because you feel slightly ridiculous wearing it, but at the same time you don't care because everyone around you is wearing them and you're warm. So it works.
Me in my caciula during a blizzard.And the phrase to learn today is how to say "tattle-tale" which is "cineva cara baga limba in urechea" which laterally translates to "someone who places the tongue in the ear" isn't that a lovely visual? But I thought it was hilarious.
I really don't know what else to say right now, but I am glad to hear that all is going well at home. Jenna, I am so happy that some of your friends came! So cool - keep it up, and Shaley, just keep having fun. Tamara, I'm glad that you're enjoying the piano again, tell Brother Larsen that I say hi, but don't forget to keep doing good with the violin, too. It's good to keep an equal balance of both.
I'm so happy that the Stotts came to church again! That is so awesome, and that in general all is well. How is Brother Kemp's health doing, and how was Brother Brown's birthday? I love all of you so very much, and I hope that you have an amazing week! I do not doubt that we all will - with the love of the Lord in our lives, it's hard to not have joy and goodness in all that we do.
Love you! Always, --Sora Karina
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