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)!
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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 💙😇💙"!
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!
