Sam Williams. I dedicate this to you. I hope you feel honored, Brother!
Honestly one of the best weeks so far on my mission. Ups and downs but more ups rather than downs.
I know recently the 11th passed this past week, Sora Ciobanu was not baptized, yet. We gave a blessing Tuesday night, about the time we were supposed to be home at night! And we have another baptism date with younger guy, 23 year old Victor. Really excited about him. Date is for the 29th of this Month!
Weather forecast: Question of an early spring here in Brasov! Sheesh! It has been T-shirt weather! 40 to 45 degrees. I love it! Sometimes just shirt, white long shirt, and suit coat (Rule to always wear suit coats beginning of october to beg of April) and sometimes I'll add the sweater. I love this weather so much. So foggy last monday and tuesday. Went up to Poina and we drove Up out of the fog and could look down on the city. Looked awesome. My guess was last week and still is snow this Sunday...I'll keep you posted. :)
Sorry no letters yet. Working on ones for Spence, Ash, Fairwell fam, and Sam WILL! They will eventually get out...SPER CA DA!
I love the Book of Mormon. I love getting to know the prophets of it. Got on a little personal basis with my bud, Abinadi. He's a cool guy. Really like him. Just met Alma too. In Mosiah 18 right now and loving it. Going to finish in English and Romanian. It's going well. Lots of progress it seems with the language. I need to read more than just the CLM to study the language, but I still learn a lot of words. And random words or gospel words, still writing 12 a day! WHEW! 84 a week. Trying. Forget some of them, but I am truly blessed with a good memory. Streets, buses, where people live. Sense of direction. NAMES ESPECIALLY. So grateful. And In "True to the Faith" on the C's still, just reading that in order and mark and read all the scriptures that go along with it. I love my study time. One of my favorite talks was President Monson's in Relief Society, it was SOOOO GOOD!!!! Charity, something I think I have and always always need more of. And something I thought of for one of my Friends....Taryn. Read the I think 1st Counselor's talk. That is you! She was a convert at age...15! I don't know...maybe 1st Counselor someday. hehe. "SI...NU GLUMESC!"
Monday: I reflected on a FHE I think with the Andersens? Sister Andersen and her puzzle box from...HERE! When leaving Poiana I bought one! 10 dollars and I just did it and opened it too easy! Also something for the President and Sister Andersen as well as Sora Kim Andersen. The Sora Gorzo in Bucharest/Bucuresti. She sometimes CALLS US! She loves the missionaries. Elder Bateman, my companion, served 3 transfers there and she'll make a weekly call to us...not supposed to talk to her, but it is strengthening I think the members category when Elder Bateman talks to her, I really don't know what to say. She is such a nice member and all the missionaries know her basically! Poiana was not white AT ALL since the last time we were there! WHAT THE HECK?! Almost all the snow was melted....dang this global warming. But, asa este, that's how it is! I love Romanian sayings and idioms. Just call me Romanian. Up in Poiana we walked around, pictures, puzzle box! ate and had sarmale and mamaliga at the usual restaurant. Then rest of the day, shopping and at home. Catching up in journal. Was almost a week behind! But now all caught up! Had a lesson with Doamna/Sora-to-be Ciobanu but she couldn't meet, at the HOSPITAL! :( We tried to visit formers in the area and knocked a bloc.
Tuesday: BEST DAY EVER!!!!!!!!!!!! Morning not a whole lot of luck with Mihai - mici man. Costica - not home. Good lunch! Teriyaki chicken. Visited Victor....not home! Good FIRST English class. WHEW! RABDARE with the Beginners. First class too. Like 45 people who we taught. Greetings and salutation stuff. and the alphabet. Tried to expain you "ARE" so many years old but in romanian you "HAVE" Think we could have explained a little better but some did just not get it! And ideally we like and want the younger generation of kids...uh instead, we got they grandparents and some mid-aged parents too. I like it and one lady actually the 2nd class (saturday) stayed for our Spiritul Thought we give after every class and accepted a Book of Mormon! Gotta FOLLOW UP with her! Then we were at the church a little bit, uh didn't even teach with a lesson plan, but after, we got faxes from the Office in Buc for the first and second lessons. Then went and visited Doamna Ciobanu, I made Brownies for her and wrote her a birthday message on the Liahona (October I think - the Temple one) They just stinkin' got it here in Limba Romana! She loved the magazine and was grateful. She asked for a blessing. We called Marius and he hurried to come over. Waiting we just talked about her and her reading. Think she finished the Book Of Mormon. It's tough because she CALLED us earlier to be baptized on Christmas! She knows she knows it is true. We ask her to set another date. She keeps telling us she isn't ready. I know she is though!!! I am not giving up. But Marius came. Elder Bateman annointed the oil and then Marius gave her the blessing. I felt the Spirit so strong and know she did too. She was so much more happier after and all I could do was smile. She was so grateful and felt the Holy Ghost and was truly Comforted. "I know you have the power of God." Truly a miracle in my eyes. You had to be there.
Wednesday: A good day, trying more former investigators in the morning before sandwiches at home. Then our Propiartar came and installed coat hooks and had to check the water pressure too. Then had a really good less active lesson with newly married couple Teo and Levi. Levi has been a member about 4 years I think. Really good lesson and he wants the Melchezidek Priesthood and I know he is ready for it. Then again...Victor said to come by and wasn't home. Then Eddy (Nigerian brother) said Friday would be better. Retired to the BLOCKS! And had a really good lesson with younger guy who lives in Buzau right now but might move to Brasov. Have his number! Really good lesson with him.
Thursday: Good district meeting, focus on questions and making the most of everyday, don't just because it's the last half of the transfer lessen your efforts and DILIGENCE. So key. Every one of those Christlike attributes. I am trying so hard everyday. Always tired and giving it my all. Mosiah 4:26-27. I love those verses so much. After Meeting had lunch, Pizza again. Then went and knocked some villas. Had discussion, not quite a lesson with Cristian (website man we call him) he is just not ready for the gospel yet. I am pretty confident in saying that. Says he has done "bad" things in his life and doesn't feel bad for them, repentance and forgiveness. He says it's too late. I say NO! Then we had a lesson with Costica who lives close to the church and we struggles in ROMANIAN EXPLAINING A VERSE he read...you should all look it up and try to explain in your second language you learned...1 Nephi 14:10. I had no idea what or how to go about it. AY AY AY. But, I was grateful he read all the way from the beginning to there! Hope he keeps reading, says he is going out of town but would like to meet again. :) Then after him we had a lesson with VICTOR finally. Taught really good lesson on the Gospel.
Friday: Really good day. Contacting the streets in the morning. Lunch - spaghetti. Weekly PLanning went well. Villa knocking, found sweet family of four, taught really good first lesson and they said they wanted to come to church, but they were out of town and didn't make it. Then met up with Eddy and his roommate Alex, had good chat about Restoration and our church and about them and about us. Said they would like to come to church, they speak English and a ton of other african languages. Really cool and sincere guys and we might play basketball with them today for P-Day if they are in town and not in school.
Saturday was a really good day. Plan for 5 lessons but D. Ciobanu cancelled, not feeling well at all but we were able to get 3 other lessons! Before English class. Ioan, former investigator, has read entire BOM, need to get him to pray, to church, and get baptized hopefully. Then with Mircea, oh man, crazy! super orthodox, beginning of lesson, we asked to say a prayer, he gets a jittery stands up, faces the window, kneels down, hands together in prayer, bows head, whispers a prayer, crosses himself 3 times, does a wave/salute to the window, and stands up and sits back in his chair....uh. Then we just say, when we pray we use our own words and we said a prayer. And he actually came to church on SUNDAY! :) Orthodox but I have hope for him would like to meet again. And third lesson with Fratele Buium. Really good member, talked about the Gospel. Just works all the time and can't make it to church. Then we were in the blocs and couldn't get in any doors.
Sunday: HAD VICTOR AND MIRCEA at church! Sacrament was really good, talks on Our Words and Attitude, Temples, and Restoration lesson. I played the piano with Sora Alena playing the intermediate one. Sunday School was good on Heavenly Father. Priesthood on Eternal Families. After church, went home and had lunch. Then had a really good chat with another investigator Stefan, back finally from the holidays and really really interested. Feel really good about him. And a lesson with Victor where he accepted a baptismal date! Super excited and we have great things ahead of us.Then we finished in the blocs for the night.
It was a great week and I loved it so much. Hope you all are doing well and everything is going well. I love Brasov and the country of Romania so much. I can't wait to get all my investigators progressing. Ciobanu, Victor, Mircea, and Stefan. Really feeling good and success is the best. Postive. Keep the faith and be better than yesterday. I love my family and friends.
Love,
Elder Schroedter
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