Well HELLO!!!!!!!!!!

Seems like I just talked to all of you. Marissa what the heck?! Will I get to talk to you ever in these next 21 months? We do have e-mail thankfully so I have no complaints whatsoever. But it would be nice to talk to you if possible. I love you.

So get this?! Last Monday it was pretty cold, probably about 25-30 or so. Warms up Tuesday. And by Christmas, only big piles of snow are left. It is just so beautiful outside. 50 degrees! What the?! I was so used to 20 layers on. I could have went swimming. Did you, Mom and Dad, use the jacuzzi?????? But now yesterday and today the 27th snowed and it was probably down to 30-35. Still didn't seem that cold. Some of the snow is sticking on the ground but not a whole lot. Not a heavy snow yet.

Past week from Monday...Travel to Cluj, Christmas Party and Devotional/Testimony Meeting, Special Training Tuesday, back to Brasov, Branch party and Nativity, Christmas, talking to FAMILY!!!! Caroling, Church. Atat=(done)

When there was snow, I loved seeing mom's or dad's pulling their kids on sleds. I saw a ton of them. Some kids were bigger than Caleb and still getting pulled. Then in Sacele (la tara/country) lots of kids would go down small hills and be hanging out having a fun time.

I love the hats people have! So many different kinds and I want to buy some for you. Seems like EVERYONE is wearing a hat!

Love the small corner shops of sweets or bread and baked goods. "fornetti" is very popular in Brasov, and I guess all around Romania? Saw a couple in Sibiu, Cluj, and Buc BEEN TO FOUR CITIES ALREADY!!!! SWEET!!! Also pretzals (covrigi) lots of those shops and "petru" - pretzal shop is always popular, two in centru here. Another restaurant we discovered last week. Found 2 here in brasov. "Panini" in Romanian that word means like a sub toasted sandwich and what I like to get there is like a shaorma. Chicken, but breaded (shaormas don't have the breaded aspect) with fries, cabbage, ketchup, mayo, and I think that's it. 2 dollars for a little bigger than a 6 inch sub and wider. I'll take a pic next time. I love panini (had it 3 times so far.)

Most people are very religious and there are so many kinds of people. Family means a lot to them. And on the buses. One bus from one end of the line to the other end we pass like 6 churches and just something I don't know. People always crossing themselves. Orthodox. 85% of Romania? Anybody want to confirm that for me? Other than them, I have met a decent amount of Catholics, Methodist, 7th Day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses (younger guy and older lady knocked on our door last transfer), Baptists, and I think those are the main ones.

No worries, still hear the ambulance everyday. Usually 4 or 5 times! Shoot! Even on Christmas heard it maybe 3 times I think.

Bus tickets. People have got to be making so much money off them! For a month we buy a 80 abonament. We can ride all...i think 52 lines or so. One ticket costs 1.5 but they definitely add up. Definitely worth the money for the monthly abonament. In two days last transfer with E. Betteridge, we spent 20 lei each for tickets and used them all too! For the cities a little ways away from Brasov (SanPetru, Codlea (WHERE NATIVITIES ARE!!!), Sacele, Budila, Purcareni -those are where I have been) May cost 2 or 3 lei for a ticket one way. I love having a really good bus system. Heard other cities don't have the best or not one at all. Livin' it up here in Brasov while I am here. I love it here so much.

Ask me anything else you want to know? About culture, people, city life, I don't know what to say. Hope you benefit and enjoy my insights. Hard to describe a place in words and a few pictures. You have to experience it yourself. And in 21 months you will have such an experienced guide, yours truly. If interested, just let me know, family and friends. I invite all. hehe. Anyways....

First. I would like to share my studies. Also, a question I have been thinking about since high school. 6 years now. BLOWS MY MIND. First where I am at in everything. BOM read English and Romanian same chapter. ON 2 Nephi 30. Really awesome chapters - 28 and 29. Shoot! A bible a bible. Hear that every stinkin' day. Patience! In Jesus the Christ. Chapter 35...of 42! Read that quick! I love that book. Chapter a day. I learn so much. CONF Ensign Nov 2010. Just reading in order. Just finished sweet talks from Elder Nelson and Elder Kearon from Priesthood Session. I love reading a talk or two a day from there. So much to learn. Follow the Prophet!

So a question to all. Chapter I read today in Jesus the Christ. About the Trial of Christ. Caiphus. Aphias? Herod and Pilate. Yeah and then about Judas. So...I don't really even know how to put my question in words...but I'll try. Ok? Isaiah. Cool guy, complex. Easy to understand usually. He "prophesied" of Christ and the death of Him and other things. Other prophets...they "prophesied of Christ" and said what was going to happen. Then Christ comes to the Earth...towards the end of His life, His time did not come yet, he has not fulfilled the prophecies. And he himself says somewhere, I think about him doing what was prophesied. And I think about wait?! What does prophesy mean? We have our agency. I know that. But do people see time in a totally different sense, where it already happens? It was always going to happen. And about Judas, he was ALWAYS? going to betray Christ. But then it says it had better that he would never have been born? WHAT?! Didn't and wasn't someone always going to betray Christ? It was always going to happen, but it would have been better if they weren't born? Confuzzled! I'll keep thinking about it. Don't think I worded my thoughts very well. Tell me yours. Very interesting. Also in the Book of Mormon, talks of Joseph Smith restoring the church...just about agency, prophesy, future, choices.

Anyways last Monday, shoot woke up at 420. Train left at 540 to Cluj. Stinkin' 6 hours long! Took pictures. Chatted. Had a apple. Rubik's cube. Read some conference talks. We were the last ones to get to the Cluj church villa out of our CLUJ ZONE and ARAD ZONE. Cities: Brasov, Cluj, Sibiu, and in Arad: Arad, Oradea, Timisoara, and Deva. I think maybe 40 almost missionaries. Cool, we saw the Howell's senior couple from England who I met in the MTC with us, they are serving in Arad. Awesome couple, really funny. From MTC group saw Elders Pettit, Mikolyski, and Durand. And from younger District saw Elders Tefft, Miner, Hyatt, and Myers. So awesome to see everyone. Party was really fun. Had Christmas trivia answering question game. We did pretty bad. Groups of 4. Lost. :( Had pizza and for dinner potatoes and chicken. Had a tie exchange, I bought a 22 lei one. Pretty nice - Elder Howells actually got it! And we played telephone charades which is now one of my favorite games. Then to close the evening we had a Devotional where Pres. and Sora Lundberg shared thoughts about "miracles" and shared examples and experiences from this year. 2 Elders in January that passed away. 128 baptisms this year, 40 better than last year with 20 less missionaries! Then awesome testimony meeting from Elders and Soras in the zone. Wish I bore mine. Then we all left. Most of us went to Hotel Paradis. Really nice just for the night.

Tuesday. Slept well and had delicious continental buffet breakfast. Special Training from the Assistants and President went really well. Talked about "Revelation through Church Attendance" and "Teach People, Not Lessons" Each one is so important and I can work on both of those so much! Reminded me of our phone call Dad and Taryn. Get people to come to church. Work with the member to include people. Love them and make friends. Awesome analogy. We are like a forest of Sequoias! We are held together by our roots, and we have to plant our investigators preferably in the middle of the forest and not on the outskirts where the wind, rains, and snows will beat upon them. After lunch, sandwiches and pretzals. Before eating lunch went on an adventure with Elder Farr, district ahead of me, went and got some money from an ATM, met awesome guy, got his number and gave it to the cluj elders. Then went back to the church villa, hung out a little bit. cleaned up a bit then Got to the gara bus left at 4. Got home at 10 and that was our day. Felt good to be back in Brasov. :)

Wednesday Did internet in the morning, and shopping. Went to panini for lunch. Had good lesson with Stefan - referrel from the Sisters. Leaving town for a couple weeks but looking forward to working with him more. Gave number to Alexandria Elders (where he will be) and hopefully he will go to church there.

Thursday. District Meeting went well. Sandwichs with Sisters at church, helped Sora Miron with setting up tables and talked about what we would do as shepherds for the nativity scen the next day FRIDAY! Left and tried to visit some investigators but no one was home. Knocked a couple blocks. Got some potentials to go back to for sure! Love finding really interested people in the blocks and I just hope they aren't faking it.

Friday. Christmas EVE! Contacting and handing out English cards. Class starts the 11th! And met a cool guy, Cristian, he wants to put our testimony and invitation of what we are doing in Romania. He wants to put our words up on the internet on his website. Sounded really sincere and said to contact him after the holidays. Then we did weekly planning and went to the church after that for Christmas party. Went really well. Talked about where we are going and what we were doing We were shepherds with Marian and Catalina. Wise men- sisters walker and mudge and Emma Miron. Mary-Teo. Joseph-Levi. Angel-Alecu Miron. Went really well. Good food, sarmale and made brownies that morning which we ate too. Actually The Ratbasan family brought 2 friends and we had a first lesson with them. Went really well. Said they were coming to church but didn't. Need their info to contact them!

Saturday. A good Christmas! :) I love Christmas. Laid back day. Had nice lunch. Potato casserole with beef and sauce. Went to Centru and handed out candy canes, wore our Santa hats. Handed out Christmas Holiday cards, invitations to church. Met member visiting Ionut Banu, who is from Brasov, served his mission in Romania! and now lives in England. Really cool member. Too bad he doesn't live here anymore! Then went to the church, sang carols, we were going to go visit members and less actives but we never did. We left Sisters, Mirons, Sora Corina, and Levi, and Teo at the church. Then got home and got to talk to MY FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY! I was getting nervous when you didn't call at first, but I had faith and no doubts in my Dad in getting the number to work. It was sweet to hear that phone ring. :) The time went by so fast! I love you Dad, Mom, Shelby Josh and Aubrey, Garrett Kristi Brodie Elsie and Millie, Marissa, Grant, Caleb, and Taryn.

Sunday. Much less stressful than last week. WHEW! Still messed up playing the songs but at least I chose them and got to practice before. Sora Alenu again played the last song. It went really well. Elder Bateman gave a talk. And talk by Sora Coca and Fratele Croitoru. Really great. Sunday School. Good lesson about Developing Talents. Then good Priesthood lesson about Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Best turnout, probably because of Christmas. Maybe 40 to 50 people at Sacrament. And had an American family, I didn't get their names from Buc visiting, not sure from where. Rest of out Sunday went well. Went to Fratele Bogdonel and he had an investigator there Nina, good lesson and discussion. Served us Sarmale. (stuffed cabbage rolls) And then went to Daniel for a visit. Don't think we'll keep meeting up with him, basically told he is never coming to church after only ONE time, he has some crazy thoughts about communism and older generation of Romanians. :( and he is not reading or praying. And then we had an interesting lesson with Chirica, but I don't think she understood us very well and vice versa. It was a good Sunday though. 3 good lessons!

Been a good day so far today and have a couple less actives we want to visit tonight. It's going to be an awesome week. I know it! Happy New Year everyone! Set new goals and be better than 2010. Be better every day of your life. I love you all. I love my message. I love Romania and its people.

Love,

Elder Schroedter