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 💙😇💙!