Hello everyone! How are you all doing? I'm doing wonderful!
I don't have too much time to write today (sorry) but I'll try to get a lot of the good stuff in.
First of all, yesterday Irina was baptized, and it was wonderful. It was quite stressfull at the beginning because her bags went missing with her towel and everything in it, and we didn't know where it had gone, but luckily Adrian had the baptismal suite with him, so she was still able to have the one that fit her and so on. We didn't have time to try and get the bag situation figured out completely, so we just decided that we would worry about it later and to enjoy the amazing moment that was at hand.
I'm so glad that we did that because the baptism really was amazing. Sora Gogu and I spoke about baptism and the Holy Ghost and what amazing blessings they are to us in our lives, why they're important, and why God wants so badly for us to take those steps in our life so that we can come back to Him. Then President Fotea, the branch president, baptized Irina. She told us afterward that she wasn't expecting the water to be cold. She didn't want to go under in cold water, but then she said, "Nope, I couldn't turn back because I had to become the new Irina that God wants me to be." And she was smiling for the rest of the day. I think that is the best part for me - just seeing how happy she is, and knowing that it is a true, eternal joy that is in her heart that can't be erased as she continues on the path she starts out on with the step of baptism. That joy is real, and that joy is what God wants for each of us, and it is so possible for every single one of us as God's children. No matter where we are, who we are, or who we think we are, we are children of God. And we have the potential to have the joy of our Father in Heaven. He's doing everything that He can to give it to us, and now it's our choice to accept it and do all we can in our life to be able to be in a position to receive it.
This is Irina, looking beautiful before her baptism.
Myself, President Fotea, Irina and Sora Gogu
Adrian, (who was baptised just a week ago and was confirmed on the day of Irina's baptism), with Irina
Myself and Sora Petrisor (my Romanian MTC language teacher) with Adrian after his confirmation.It was so endearing talking to Irina afterwards about her feelings. Remember that she is still without a home, without a real future in sight, and even though she makes a little money here and there off of what she can, her life is not one of comfort. But as we were on our way to Adrian's home to eat together, she told me; "Sora Karina, I don't know if this is the right way of thinking, but it is the picture that is in my head... Right now, they are having a party in heaven for me. God is looking down and saying, 'Yes! She can come home! That's my daughter, and she can come home now.' And they have the party complete with balloons and confetti, and I could be the most beautiful girl in the world today. I feel like the daughter of an emporer, and I'm a princess today no matter where I'll be sleeping." How right she is. She is the daughter of a Heavenly King, and He truly is rejoicing when each one of us chooses to come back to Him. It was wonderful.
Now for another fun story, on Tuesday someone called us telling us that they had never had a chance to meet with us and wanted to meet and could we please? Of course I said "Yeah, how about on Thursday at this time and this place?" She was perfectly fine with it, and she was talking as if she knew exactly who I was, so I asked her to remind me of her name before I hung up - "Ionela". Ok. I hung up the phone and I looked to Sora Gogu and told her, "I have no idea who that was, but we're meeting with her on Thursday." Alright. ...So we get there on Thursday and found each other through the wonder of cell phones, and she realized that we weren't the same missionaries that had asked her to take their picture a few months ago, which is how she even received a small pamphlet. She thought, "I have nothing going on right now, so I'll call those girls up." Ionela is probably one of the cutest girls I have ever met. She's 23 and has such a great grasp on the concept of what it means to hold high standards. S said she doesn't see the point of church, because if all you're going to do is go to church to kiss the icons and to praise God and forget Him as soon as you leave the doors, then you are better off to just pray in your own way at home, or wherever you are, and just try to be a good person.
She is exactly right. If you are going to church or those reasons, then there is no point in going. But if there could be a church where you actually came closer to God and Jesus Christ and actually learned what their will is, and how to follow it, then wouldn't it be important? She sure thought so. We finished talking to her and set up for a few days later to meet with her. But on the way out she asked us what we were doing every day all day. "This. We talk to people, we teach people, and we try to help people and invite them to learn more about what we believe." So she asked us what we were doing right then. We were on our way to teach Irina a lesson, and she asked if she could come with us to see. Of course!
She came and loved it, and then when I made sure that we could still meet in a few days she said "Yeah, but how about tomorrow?" She is so willing to learn about what God has in store for her. She isn't sure that if she prays that she'll get an answer. So she doesn't pray. But I know that God answers all prayers - in His own way and own time, but He does answer. And since He loves us so much and wants us to come back to Him, of course He will answer a simple question about if something is true or not, and how we can truly return to Him. She'll get there to that knowledge and that joy, and I'm excited to see it happen.
And once again, God continues to work miracles. Even though she had a test that she had to take on Sunday and wasn't going to be able to come to church, or Irina's baptism, somehow things worked out to where she was able to manage to come to the last hour of church and to stay for the baptism. It was great. People say that God works in mysterious ways, and I guess that's true to the extent that we don't always know how He accomplished what He does, but really, it is so obvious what He's working to do. He is working for the salvation and happiness of His children - and He will never stop doing that.
Sora Hupp and me. It was sad to see her go, but she will do great! Ok, and now something fun. The word "balamuc" (bahlamook). It means nut house or crazy house, and it's a really fun word. And here is a fun expression: "Calul de dar nu se cauta la dinti" (Cahlool day dahr noo say cowtah lah deents) And it means; if you are given a gift, just take it, don't look for the bad parts. If you are given a pink blouse but you don't like pink, you say thank you very much and then decide later if you'll wear it or not. You don't say "I don't like pink." The literal translation is "the gift horse is not looked for in the teeth." This is because when you buy a horse, the first thing you do is check to see if the teeth are good or not. But if you're given a horse as a gift, you won't do that because it's a gift. I don't know if that really makes sense, but that's what it means.
Anyways, I'm going to go now, and I hope that I am leaving with all being well at home. I love you so so very much, and I'll be excited to tell you all about this next week!
Have fun, smile lots, and don't forget I love you! --Sora Karina
No comments:
Post a Comment