HaPPy HaLLoWeeN #2 out of 3 ~ România 🇷🇴Mission ~

October 31, 2020

The Funnest (yet most exhausting)

day of our Mission [so far])!

Our day actually started yesterday (Friday) after district meeting. Elder's Ekstrom/Beck/Chandler/Sarkady/Miller and Sora's Pallo/Wilcock helped us set-up the Halloween decorations for the Primary Party which will be at the Pandura Church tomorrow, in the overflow.

Elder's Chandler/Miller, Sora's Matthews/Wilcock/Pallo and Elder Sarkady (in front). Missing Elder's Matthews and Ekstom in this picture. 

Everyone was pitching in and helping! I did keep finding them out in the hallway every now and then but they really did so much work to make it a success!

Before/After

They were so wonderful and helpful and we honestly could not have completed it without their help.  The Mihai Bravu Sora's joined us early Saturday morning to help with touch-ups.  Each and every one of them were phenomenal (the above photo is missing Elder's Ekstrom/Miller)!

We made 4 trips to Jumbo$$$ and had a wonderful time making our overflow as spooky as could be; well worth the trip(s)!

We had 11 stations: 1) Face Painting ~ Pallo. 2) Donut Eating ~ Beck. 3) Pumpkin Pong ~ Miller.  4) Pumpkin Painting ~ Wilcock. 5) "What is it?"~ Chandler/Sarkady & Elmont/Gunn. 6) Crafts ~ Mummies, coloring and pumpkin plates ~ Bauco/Tobler. 7) Cupcake/Cookie decorations ~ Delicious! Sister's Larson/Ferrin. 8) Bowling ~ Elder Ekstrom.  9) Witch's Toss ~ Everyone.  10) Trick or Treat ~ All.  11) Bingo ~ Sora Matthews. 

The kids were so adorable and had such a wonderful time.  They were busy with all the games and treats for 2 solid hours 👻.

We had 4 doors set up for trick or treating!  It was a hoot ~ this is the first time that some of these children have ever gotten to go trick or treating. The missionaries would be behind the doors and pop out and gently scare the kids.  Many of the kids would come back and knock again just for one more scare!

Sora Pallo was face painting and did a wonderful job! All the kids wanted to have a design on their face!  The "Eating the Donut off the String" was a delicious treat and all the activities were a blast!

To say it was a success is an understatement! All the kids had a blast and are looking forward to next year's party 👻🎃👻!

 

HaPPy HaLLoWeeN #1 out of 3 ~ România 🇷🇴Mission ~

October 31, 2020

I love Halloween! I loved it when I was a child and I loved it when our kids were little. It is such a fun festive holiday and there is just no sadness (maybe a few tummy aches ~ but that is AFTER Halloween)! For me Halloween just wouldn't be the same without seeing these little critters all dressed up and having such fun times with their families!

Here we have Little Miss Millie as beautiful Elsa ~ isn't she the cutest ever! Sarah made her hair and crown; her talents blow. me. away!  This was Millie's first Halloween that she really got to participate in. As she went 'trick or treating' she didn't really need her bucket as she was so excited to gobble up as much as she could at each door,  she barely took any home 😋!

Miss Penny and family are from Tangled (Rapunzel, Mother Gothel and Flynn/Eugene Fitzherbert). Penny was one determined little trick or treater and kept her wig on the whole time! I love their family themed costumes, as well!

Flash, Little Bo Peep and her lost sheep are just darling; Linc is as fast as lightning, Londy got to wear make-up and looks radiantly beautiful and you couldn't find a more cuddly little sheep than Scarlett! Isn't this just the best ages ever!?!

There couldn't be a more lovable "Glinda the Good Witch" than sweet little Emma (and a little pumpkin while waiting for the festivities to begin)!  Isla is adorable as sweet Dorothy with Toto (and George) and Sades applied her own skeleton make-up and did a sensational job!

These little munchkins were so creative with their costumes!  Char went as the cutest little Scarecrow, Atticus went as the frightening Headless Horseman, all that needs to be said about Hazel is, "ooh eeh ooh ah aah ting tang walla walla bing bang" (Witch Doctor),  Miles is an Astronaut ready to command a space flight and little Mary is the best SuperHero of all time!

I love the teenagers at Halloween; they can go as simple or as extravagant as they want because no matter what these 4 go as they will always be the coolest kids on the block and the Apple of My Eye! 

HaPPy HaLLoWeeN EVERYONE 👻🎃👻

HaPPy HaLLoWeeN #3 out of 3 ~ România 🇷🇴Mission ~

October 31, 2020

Mihai Bravu YSA Halloween Party

Between 3 and 3:30pm, we packed up three cars with missionaries and decorations and headed over to the Mihai Bravu chapel where we set up all the decorations (again) for the YSA Halloween Party!  All the missionaries jumped in and helped again.  Fortunately, the set up was very close to the one we had for the Primary children earlier today so it didn't take as much time or thinking!

We ordered Pizza and started the night playing Bingo!  I explained to the group that we were going to have a traditional Halloween party with all the games and crafts that they did when my children were growing up! It is so interesting to me how most Romanians have not had any experiences like this in their whole lifetime.

They all had a fantastic time and really enjoyed doing the fun and silly games and crafts; it was so sweet watching them really get into making the crafts. New experiences for many.  After the initial explanation and with assistance from the missionaries they had a SPOOK-tacular time!

A couple of the YSA's choose not to come.  Their excuse was that they didn't like Halloween, it was an American holiday and since they don't celebrate Romanian holidays in America why should they celebrate American holidays here.  These excuses were so sad (especially since Halloween started in Ireland and Scotland not the USA).  I feel mostly bad for these kids because it ended up being such a fun night with donut eating, face painting and googly freaky stuff (behind the huge "Whats this?" black tarp); it's sad that they missed out on a really great night of fun, friendship and merriment!

This was the "Mummy Wrap" game and a big hit ~ there were 2 teams and a timer was set.  They had really cheap toilet paper that kept breaking but that was part of the fun and figuring how to make it work and work together! 

I divided them all into eight groups of 4 so they could get to know other people.  This worked out well and was a good time for everyone.  We had 8 stations and they rotated around the room! If they got done with their station they could play Ghost bowling and/or target practice on the Pumpkin Pinata! 

It was so fun watching them make toilet paper roll mummies.  It is such a simple thing but to these kids it was truly a treat.  They painted pumpkins (as a team) and colored pumpkin sheets and painted paper plates to make a pumpkin face.  These are just effortless things to do but for first timers it was a hoot.

Did I mention how much I L🎃VE HaLLoWeeN!?!

Friends, Smoking and Farewell ~ România 🇷🇴Mission ~

10/26/20

Tuesday ~ I got up early and it was so cool looking out our window; you couldn't see anything because the fog was thick as molasses.  Fortunately, by mid-morning it had cleared up which was good since Billy needed to go to the church and meet a guy who was going to buy one of the mission cars. I wasn't planning on going but then he enticed me with going to JUMBO, so I jumped in the shower and threw on some clothes.

I got a quick call from Sora Teuscher about some bites on her arm ~ I've got matching ones so we're not sure if they are mosquito bites or a little bug in our beds.  It just attacks our arms so it is very strange ~ Bill and I might need to run up to Iasi and check it out 😂😂😏! The 2nd picture is of me without my ponytail ~ somehow I misplaced my one and only stretchy rubber band and since I needed to leave in a hurry to go with Bill to the church (for the car) and to JUMBO (for me), I just grabbed a hat and my make-up bag and off we went. Jumbo is a cross between Toys R Us and The Dollar Tree <but a little more expensive.  They have everything you might want and this was the 3rd time I've gone for Halloween items.  There is only one problem, besides me spending hundreds of dollars, and that is that it is like IKEA but worse.  There is only one entrance and NO short cuts back to the check-out; if you forget even one item it will take 15 minutes to go back and get it - although I usually find that on those trips back through the store I find other things that I had "forgotten" 😏.  This Saturday we will be having 2 Halloween parties ~ one at the Panduri church at 1pm for the Primary aged kids then we'll travel directly over to the Mihai Bravu church to set up for the YSA Halloween party at 6pm.  The last picture of me is me looking sad.  Elder Sarkady and Elder Chandler taught (the couple below) the 'Quit Smoking Program" (the 4th successful one in the last 4 months) and we each gave up something so we can experience a glimpse of how hard it is to give up something we like and to help encourage them that "they can do hard things". 

This is the cute couple, Lucian and Alexandra, who did the Quit smoking program (no longer smoking!); they got married a couple months ago, are taking the English classes and are being taught by the missionaries.  Since they were giving up smoking we all did the program with them for the week; Bill gave up peanut butter, I gave up chocolate and the Elders gave up chocolate but since they seemed to be drinking a lot of energy drinks I suggested they give up those instead.  They said they weren't addicted to them (so I told them it shouldn't be hard at all!). Well, I have been able to stay off chocolate this whole last month but the AP's sent me a video catching Elder Sarkady sneaking an energy drink in his suit jacket.  The picture above was the one I sent to Elder Sarkady with the quote, "Say it isn't so"!  I don't really care and I know they can go without it but somehow it was helping me with my chocolate addiction knowing we were all doing it together 😉!

These are our adorable friends. The top picture starting from the left: Aurel #2 who was baptized Sept 2020 and is the Sunday School President for both the Mihai Bravu 10am meeting and the Mihai Bravu 1pm meeting, then we have our 2 new friends Ionut and Gabi; they are the cutest couple and sweet as can be, next is me, then Aurel #1 who joined the church almost 2 years ago and is brilliant! He has learned the Gospel and teaches our YSA Sunday School class once a month. Next is Sora Pallo and Sora Wilcock (our cute sister missionaries from the Panduri Branch)!

After dinner (and after they had a peek at our family albums) we had a little lesson but first Gabi asked me to share about why and how I joined the church.  I shared my testimony and conversion story 

https://jamie5663.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=1977-10-05T23:47:00-06:00&max-results=1 

and then Bill gave a lesson on the Plan of Salvation (Plan of Happiness) 

lesson https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/true-to-the-faith/plan-of-salvation?lang=eng. 

It was a great lesson; the Sora's had to leave a little bit early but the 2 Aurel's jumped in and helped explain things to Ionut (it is crazy and amazing how these new members are learning the principles of the Gospel so fast and then can turn around and teach others)!  Gabi already knew a lot because of her lessons with the Sora Missionaries.  Ionut had a zillion wonderful questions and Elder Matthews was able to, in simple terms, explain and answer his questions.  It was a fun night and we all had a great time!

Wednesday ~ last night while we were enjoying dinner, Sora Pearse was stranded at the train station; the AP's forgot to pick her 😕😑😟😥😣😬😳. Finally, she was able to get ahold of the other Sora's through messenger (which I don't have that app on my phone but will get it immediately).  Anyhoooo, after an hour she got ahold of Elder's Chandler/Sarkady so they went to the train station to wait with her for the AP's (who are the only young missionaries who have a car). Sora Pearse was a good sport but the AP's are in double trouble 😏.  The next morning we picked up Sora's Pearse, Elmont and Gunn and took them out to lunch at La Mama's and had a wonderful farewell visit with Sora Pearse.  These moments are so bitter/sweet. We then went off to the airport to send beautiful Sora Pearse home to Australia.

These are such hard times for the Sora's as well.  Sora Pearse and Elmont have served together over half their mission and with Sora Pearse living in Australia they might not be able to physically see each other again until we meet in Heaven 😇 (thank goodness for technology).

I always wait until everyone gets through security in case they need something or forgot something. "God be with you, Sora Pearse, until we meet again 💙😇💙"!

Weekend Fun ~ România 🇷🇴Mission ~

October 23, 2020

Friday morning we got up at 4am to take Sora Ruchenberger to the Airport and say farewell to her and to Elder Church (and Sora Pearse next week).

Sora Ruchenberger and Sora Pearse have served 18 months and Elder Church has served two years.

These 3 young missionaries have served honorably and have let their light shine brightly the whole time they were here in Romania. They will be sorely missed. After they were safely through security we went home and went back to sleep (including Sora Pearse, who doesn’t catch the train til late afternoon).  I'm not sure what the AP's did! 

After we got up and ready for the day, Bill caught the "direct" bus straight to the car dealership to pick up one of the mission cars (which was a great surprise that he never had to transfer to another bus or use the metro) and Sora Pearse and I went to the Mihai Bravu chapel to drop her off with the Mihai Bravu Sora’s.  He arrived at the MB Chapel and we (Bill) finished setting up for game night then we dropped the extra car off at the Panduri chapel and came home.

A little later I met the Sora’s at the train station and I passed on a few items to each of them. Sora Pearse is taking the train back to Brasov and staying with Sora Phillips and Sora Peterscak and introducing them to her friends so they can continue being taught. She goes home to Australia next week. Once Sora Pearse boarded the train I took Sora's Elmont and Gunn home!

Saturday morning we went shopping then went to Alexandria, (about an hour and a half away) to pick up Gina (one of our new bbf's). She and her Mom gave me this beautiful black crochet poncho ~ I love it, it is so beautiful and so thoughtful and I will cherish it forever.

We then drove straight to the Mihai Bravu chapel for Game Night! It was a huge success and so much fun! We played 'Signs', 'Do you love your neighbor?' and 'musical chairs' (with Elder Ekstrom at the piano)!

Most of the time after our friends have attended game night for a time or two they begin attending the Mihai Bravu 1pm Sacrament meeting (mostly made up of single Adults).  I think the coolest thing about this is that we have a whole group of members who have joined the church within the last 2 years, a few recently baptized members of 4 months, less active members coming back and the 5 YSA's that we started out with last February (and of course our 10 most amazing missionaries).  It is a sight to see and we love it!

The YSA representatives (Evalina and Danny) are doing a terrific job of handling it by themselves now and besides setting it up we can just come and enjoy it!  It has taken a mere 8 months to have it grow from 1 or 2 investigators to an average of 10 to 15 investigators who come join us each Saturday. 

There was a very exciting game of musical chairs that I hadn't played in . . . forever! So fun ~ some games you are never too old for!

We took our friend Tamara home and then Bill, me and Gina came home and Gina fixed some scrumptious potatoes stew and delicious soup.  We didn’t get to bed very early since this morning Bill and I had been asked to speak in Sacrament meeting on Sunday (tomorrow).  Bill passed his assignment onto Gina.  I just used my “Wayne and the Cookies” talk (the one I gave 6 times at BYU) and Gina transcribed it into Romanian for me so it would be easier for Elder Ekstrom to be my translator (although he does a fantastic job without it written out for him). 

Sunday morning we woke up, got ready and picked Denise up from the Metro and arrived at church in plenty of time to visit for a few minutes (and hand out the cute fliers Sora Bauco made for our Primary Halloween party next week).  Gina gave her talk first then I gave mine.  Gina did a fantastic job and was very natural. Gina joined the church about 9 years ago but has been less active for the last 5 years ~ you would never know it by her talk; it really was great.

 Right after Sacrament meeting we rushed over to the Mihai Bravu Chapel to set up a combined lunch with the 10am Branch.  Sora Larson brought all the sandwich supplies and we made our traditional fruit salad and the Sora Missionaries brought the desserts.

After lunch we cleaned up, went to the 1pm Sacrament Meeting and then Gina taught Sunday School! Here is a beautiful young woman who just returned to church about 4 months ago and is now speaking at church and teaching SS.  

Gina included everyone in her lesson.  She taught about forgiveness and she handed out pictures of Christ with people (or a person) then we found scriptures that depicted what the Savior was teaching us about forgiveness (this explanation does not do it justice). But the best was that she involved EVERYONE.  Many lessons the questions are answered by the members or the missionaries but she had the whole class participating and interacting! The lesson was incredible!

She really did give such a phenomenal lesson ~ it was one of the best lessons we’ve had since we arrived here in Romanian!  She was amazing!

I have to tell you about two of my favorite people in the whole wide world.  This is MariAlaina and her son Vlad.  MariAlaina is 78 and lost her husband about 16 years ago.  She is so energetic, bubbly and just fun.  She lived through the communist regime and worked as a school teacher. She is beautiful and just a delight to be around.  Vlad is 36 and is a jewel.  I love him so much and he is such a good boy and son. They come to all of the activities and each week I make sure to let them know if there is anything going on at the Panduri chapel as well. I give Vlad little assignments to help me and MariAlaina is always jumping in and doing anything that needs to be done without having to ask her.  Everyone's biggest concern is when MariAlaina passes away what will happen to Vlad.  We just pray that she will live a very long, long life.  Last week when we got to the MB Chapel they were waiting for me in the foyer.  They had an armful of cassette tapes and a few CD's and a sweet note for me. It was so precious that I almost started crying.  Halfway through the meeting I had to go out to the car and get some migraine medicine and when I came back they had added a few more goodies on top of my pile.  After Sacrament Billy told me that they had gone through the classrooms and gave me the 'gifts' that they had gathered.  I still thought it was so sweet and thoughtful.  Originally, I thought they had just brought them from their home but regardless the thought was just the same 💙😇💙.

We put the items up in a tall cupboard but I brought the letter home with me! Their relationship is so adorable and I only hope I can be as kind and charitable as these 2 celestial beings are when I grow up.

    Around 4pm after our 2nd church meeting we took Gina home.  It was a nice drive even though she got a bit car sick so we stopped twice for a few minutes (then I had her sit in the front seat the last little distance home).

Once we arrived I wanted to get a picture with her family wearing my new crocheted poncho that Gina and her Mom gave me!

Gina continually contributes her coming back to church all because of Bill; and this is true.  I’ve learned many things about this amazing husband of mine (that I will have for eternity) and one is that he has a great amount of patience. It blows my mind.  I would have given up within days on so many of the less-active people who he has contacted because I don’t have the fortitude or endurance to help them and remind them of the spiritual feelings that they once had that testified of the Book of Mormon, Christ’s love and that Heavenly Father loves them and wants them to once again rejoice with the saints. I am amazed at his patience, kindness and desire to help others come back to the fold and join us again. 

These are the gorgeous trees in Gina's yard ~ the fall is so beautiful and colorful!

He is genuinely concerned as to why they have left the church.  The #1 answer is, “They were offended”. In most cases you’d want to say, “Just get over it”, but in Romania most people are very blunt, have no filter and just say whatever pops into their head (which 85% of the time is unkind and/or rude). Some of the stories we’ve heard are so sad and cruel (and truthfully I would have washed my children’s mouth out with soap if these thoughts made it out of their mouths). It is so hard for people to separate the Gospel from the church.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored and has all the ordinance and covenants to help us understand all we need to do in order to return and live with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. The church is the vehicle which helps us do that BUT the church is run by human beings (volunteers) who are not perfect like Christ and are doing their very best to help others along the way.  The problem is that in Romania it seems like they are always telling people to "just not get offended" instead of practicing "Not Offending Others".  It's a pickle.

After we dropped Gina off we took her brother, Alex, to his apartment in Bucharest (about 2 hours).  He was a delight and we talked non-stop the whole way there.  We talked about the change in Gina's countenance and how much happier she is since she has been coming back to church and about 100 different things.  After about an hour he says, "I'd like to come to your church".  Needless to say we were happily surprised! We told him that we would love to have him come and we also invited him to come to our Halloween party next week. Gina texted us when we got home and said he had called her and told her he wanted to meet with the missionaries, too and learn more! Gina also told us that her Mom and Dad are now more interested in the church as well. It was a great weekend 💙😇💙!