Hot, Hot, Hot!

Hello everyone, how are you? I'm doing great. Drinking a lot of water and getting a work out just by fanning myself because it is HOT!

All this week it has been over 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) Which I know that you all think "oh, that's nice and not too bad"...well not when you're in Colorado or Utah where it's not humid - but here it is pretty ridiculous. And it makes missionary work just a little more difficult. Either people are not on the street because it's too hot outside and so there's no one to talk to, or no one is at home because it's too hot inside and so there is still no one to talk to. It makes you wonder how in a city so huge people can disappear so that no matter what you try to do to find people to talk to it just doesn't work. But that's ok.

We are still having success and we are grateful for that. Just last night we had this problem. We wanted to talk to people on the street, and there was no one on the street. So we tried to go bloc knocking, but no one was answering the inter-coms which meant that either A) everyone was ignoring the really annoying beeping noise that occurs when someone calls into the bloc or B) once again no one was home. So I suggested that we go to the park and see if anyone was there, and Sora Gogu agreed, even though she really really does not like park contacting. I just didn't see what else there was to do, so we went to the park and it was full of people. Sora Gogu expressed her lack of hope by saying "great, now we know where all the people are, and none of them are going to listen to us." Well not when you have that attitude...we have the greatest message on the earth to share and there has to be at least one person in this park that wants to hear the greatest message on earth.

So we started trying to find that one person. I am so grateful for the Spirit and the guidance that it gives us in every day, even in the little things. Just smiling at someone or saying hi to someone that you usually wouldn't give second thought to can result in wonderful things - whether you are actually present to see the results or not. A lot of times when we are contacting people, we don't contact men because it makes things less complicated at times.

But there was a man on a bench that we both felt like we should go and talk to him. He seemed interested so I asked if we could please sit down and share our message quickly with him. He was happy to do so and he listened intently. I don't know how much of it he really understood, but he was excited to read the Book of Mormon and as he put it "to increase my faith." That is exactly what he will be doing. It isn't about changing one's faith, because true faith is in God and in Jesus Christ. Our purpose is to help people build their faith on true principles so that their faith can grow and so that they can come closer to God and Jesus Christ, and this will bring them joy. No other message can do this for people.

And it is so apparent in the lives of the people that we work with in every day how this message really does change their lives when they apply it. Ionela loves what we teach her and she just feasts on it. She doesn't recognize yet that she loves it because it's true, she just loves how she feels. I pointed out to her the other day that the feeling of peace and happiness is the Holy Ghost which testifies of the things that we are doing right to get closer to God. She was a little taken aback by the fact that she had felt the Spirit of God, but was also excited about it. She came to church on Sunday, and I was so excited that she came. It was a good meeting, too.

She was really interested in the topic of genealogy and what we can do to help our grandparents and ancestors. Her grandparents died recently and they were very close to her and she wanted to know exactly what she could do to help them. Adrian was helping me explain it to her about the Temple and how we are able to help them come unto Christ through baptism just as we are able to do so, and she asked why that was even necessary. Adrian said "if you choose to be a part of the true church of Jesus Christ, wouldn't you want them to find the same happiness that you have found, and to have the same opportunities as you have to be closer to God by making sacred covenants with Him?" The answer of course is yes. We have the blessing to know that families are made to last forever and to be eternal. And if families are eternal, then I'm going to want to do all that I can to make sure that that eternity is full of joy in the kingdom of God.

Church was also wonderful with Irina's confirmation. The spirit was so strong and she was just beaming. She is definitely such a great example to me of how regardless of our situation, we can always find joy in the teaching and living the gospel of Jesus Christ. It doesn't matter what we lived before or who we think we are, through the Atonement and sacrifice and love of Jesus Christ, He will help us become who He knows that we can be starting now. If we begin now to come unto Him in the way that He has asked us, He will be by our side through the entire journey helping us overcome our personal stumbling blocks until we are able to find our way onto His path, which is the path that He promised is already prepared for us, so that we can have everlasting joy here in this life as well as in our eternal life with the Father. No, this life is not easy, nor should it be. But He tells us that we need not fear, for He has overcome the world. And if we would just follow Him, we will find peace, for His yoke is easy and His burden is light. This is a beautiful promise for any and all who desire to find a refuge in their days of toil and tears. I know that this plan and this path is for every single one of us, and He calls us to it one by one, personally.

This past week was also the week of Zone Conference. It was fun to be together as a group of missionaries again. You always find so much strength in the friendships that you have with people who are a strength to the soul. I find that every time we get together because we just help each other be happy and we lift each other up in the work that we are doing, and it is wonderful. We talked a lot about the power of the Book of Mormon and how it has the power to change lives. I just want to bear my testimony that that is true. The Book of Mormon truly does have in it the power of God to change lives as we read it and apply it's teachings in our lives. We will feel in our lives a stronger spirit and a deeper resolve to do what is right as we read it daily. It really does have answers to life's questions and it has the word of God. Try it. I can't prove it to you, but I invite you all to read it to find how it can bless your life, and I promise you that it will.

The Bible is also the word of God and is wonderful. The Book of Mormon helps us understand the Bible, and with both of the books put together, no man can make a mistake of what the will of God truly is for us. Read it, and your days will be happier.

Other than that, I feel like I'm in the movie "The Wizard of Oz" every day because here in Romania instead of saying "I'm burning up" when you're really hot, they say "Ma topesc" (muh tohpehsck) which means literally "I'm melting". And sometimes some people really do look like they are melting - especially when the air conditioning in the chapel doesn't work so Sacrament Meeting takes place in a large oven....fun times. But really, life is great, it is wonderful, and it is a gift from God.

I pray that you are all safe and doing well, and that you are also finding joy in your journey back to God. I love you all so so so very much. I know that I can never say that enough, but I hope that you are able to feel that love through my prayers for you and your prayers for me. I feel those prayers every day, and I am so grateful for them.

Thank you for all that you do, so keep doing it. Have fun, do good, be happy, and I'll write more next week.

Love ya! Always, --Sora Karina