Zone Leader. Unplanned trip to Bucuresti. Saying goodbye. Ana getting her visa. Transfers this week.
Oh. My. Goodness. About my week, it started off so nice. Had an awesome trip to Lipova. Good lesson with Ana. Good District Meeting with my District....and then Elder Bennett calls me. The rest is history.
Elder Bennett is short and sweet. He says this Thursday you will get on a train at 10 17 arriving to bucuresti 7 54. then going to the mission home to have ZONE COUNCIL! Then back to Timisoara that night at 7 45 arriving to Timisoara at 4 54 in the morning. He tells me I'll be coming to Bucuresti but never says why? So I put the question...uh can I ask why? And he says, oh, your going zone leader. It was a big shock. I wasn't really thinking of going Zone Leader at all but maybe training in a new city or getting another young companion in another city. Probably for 3 to 4 months. I will be serving in Bucuresti East Zone. Bucuresti has two branches. East and West (Mihai bravu - mine and panduri) As a part of my Zone includes cities Constanta and Ploiesti. My companion will be Elder Veenandaal. One of the best friends of Elder Frandsen (a past district leader of mine, now assistent) And I blame Elder Frandsen. He is spreading positive rumors about me to President. That Elder! I am really looking forward to it though. It's going to be awesome. I will visit Ploiesti once and Constanta probably twice. Buc East District. zone leaders, district leader, and sisters. Ploiesti. sisters and elders (DL) and Constanta elders (DL) and other elders. I have 14 missionaries. My zone. AH!
I was just getting comfortable to being District Leader. But my District will be awesome. Companion Elder Veenandaal. District Leader Elder LEE!!!!!!! His companion Elder Martin and Sisters Hansen and Ausen. I know my whole district but Sora Hansen.
Oh and a shout out very quickly. After Mission Council we had time to wait in Bucuresti before we returned to Timisoara so we went over to the Office, not too far away and I saw pictures of all the incoming missionaries until September this year. Only recognized one name. Elder Sam Benson, friend of Ashley Fairwell at BYU. He'll get here next transfer. So that was cool. YAY! And Mum. Got the package but didn't bring it back to Timisoara because I knew I would be coming back. And 2 letters from Taryn. 1 from Marissa. 3 from Mom and Dad. And 1 from Elder Chase Anderson.
Something cool was Elder Finch (current zone leader in Arad) his grandparents are serving in the Czech Republic. And Elder Patrick Stockdale just arrived and was talking to them and I got a hello from him just a few hundred kilometers from him. I bet they know Elder Andersen Jeffrey as well! Small world.
Ana was actually on our trains to bucuresti last week. We got sleepers going down and slept but coming back up to Timi we sat in an 8-seater compartment. I was so tired I think I slept about 5 hours or so. Just talking to Elder Eaton an Italian guy and Ana. And while we were having mission council she was getting her visa successfully. DANG IT! I will leave first Timisoara but she will closely follow behind next week to South Dakota to work for 4 months and finish her masters degree. And visiting past missionaries in Utah and California. Hope to see her again. We have a lesson later today and going to eat district lunch with her later today. I thought leaving Brasov was hard. I have so many friends and people I have met here in Timisoara. I will miss it so much but I hope to soon serve as Zone Leader in Arad to come and do an exchange here in TIMISOARA! The branch is struggling but there are awesome people here and people that are ready for the gospel. No baptisms for me in Timi but I know I helped people and I made some awesome friends that are indifferent if they join in this life. We are still friends.
Ana from Resita and moving to America.
Andra and Claudia 2 freshmen here in Timisoara from area of Craiova.
Alexandra awesome young Mom and thinking about baptism.
Caruntu- most golden investigator ever, but simply doesn't yet live in Timi and legal guardians won't let him be baptized.
Razvan-referrel and friend of Caruntu, awesome younger guy.
Titus-long lost investigator, has so much faith and likes us missionaries.
Marius, college student and read a lot of the Book of Mormon.
Marian, college student and simply really cool guy.
Mircea, younger english student and other
Mircea, older and accepting.
Paul, in need of faith, wants to be a soccer coach and might go into politics.
Cledus, balck man from Cameroon and sweet guy.
Valeria, been coming to church forever and likes missionaries. only thing holding her back is kicking out boy friend
Irina, daughter member and she is older but likes to come to church and likes us missionaries
Ina, read the BOM in a month and hope missionaries keep visiting her.
Olga, really nice Mom and came to church to say bye to me yesterday
Nicoleta and Simira, two young girls that are interested in the church, but from the countryside (like Caruntu)
Ciprian, coolest investigator ever, baptist and lots of doubts, just like Ana. COOLEST EVER. Has 4 month old. Newly married and doing well.
Nicolas, awesome find on the street and cool investigator
Petre and Catalin and Dani, three brothers from all the way across the country (botosani) and working tough jobs but interested in learning more
So many people. I know there are lots more and can't wait to get home to keep in contact with them all. As well as all those from BRASOV! I love my mission so much.
It's been another great transfer. Elder Eaton and I didn't quite have the unity of past companions, but I love him. He is a great missionary and can't wait to see how much he has grown at next transfer. Take care of my city Elder! I'll miss Elder Hyatt headed off to Deva (where he started his mission, I think he is going to be Branch President!!!!! training for it this transfer and next to be it!) and Elder Cooper will stay here getting my MTC companion, Elder Mikolyski. Elder Eaton will get Elder Pettit as District Leader (From my MTC group) I was ready to leave Timisoara but at the same time I am not. I always feel Like I can do more, could have worked harder, talked to one more person for the day. But I would say I worked probably the hardest yet with Elder Eaton and I am very happy to say that. I have no regrets, but just remorse. For 4 investigators, all awesome. Ana, Ina, Caruntu, and a first lesson Gyula. To set up baptismal dates but to not follow through with them. I hope to see them get baptized here in the near future.
I love this work so much. It's been tough. Setting those dates and not seeing them go through. Seeing members lose their testimonies and want to reject the church. To see people know it's true but can't get baptized. To see Satan work on my investigators.
Something I tried to develop espcially this transfer is Charity. no matter what always look to the Savior. "Trust in the Lord always and He will be there." -President Lundberg. Charity for others. For all men. Working on charity takes a lifetime. No one is perfect but we can become close. Hope you all are doing well and have a great week. Next week I'll be e-mailing you from BUCURESTI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tomorrow night I am on my way there. I love you all. Family espesh.
Ciao....probably won't here that so much in Buc. I will miss the west, but I will be back.
Love,
Zone Leader Schroedter
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