Hope you all had a wonderful week with your families and lives. My life is the best in Brasov! I love it here and really hope I get another month and a half with Elder Bateman. Transfer beginning of February.
It was a great week for me. I read and finished the book, "Believing Christ" really short and awesome! It's about....Christ and really great parables and stories that Stephen Robinson shares. I liked it a lot. For every 2nd Transfer missionary, we write a talk/paper on the Atonement. And reading that book I was able to add from it to my thoughts. Also, I had to, no I GOT to read 2 Nephi 9, Alma 7, 34, 36, and 40-42 as well as p. 51-52 in Preach My Gospel. A great study if you are interested. I loved it. I just finished Jesus the Christ and it was a perfect study. Wrote my talk and gave it to President Lundberg Friday night at interviews. Just started True to the Faith and love it. On Adversity. Finished the Ensign talks, besides Relief Society, and actually I am going to read them, starting tomorrow, in the Book of Mormon and Cartea Lui Mormon. Mosiah 4.
I am understanding so much more it seems when people talk. It's tough to respond but I love it. Hearing people talk on the bus and street. I understand. Eu inteleg! It's going great. And it's getting easier to read and comprehend in the CLM (BOM). And when we read for Companion Study from PEM (PMG) I love understanding. Elder Bateman says I know more words than him, which I don't think is true...but eh. Asta e. Maybe.
Friday was an awesome day. MAIL!!!! Letters, Dear Elder from MOM! written around Dec. 5 or so, Sister Schroedter, first one from the field, thank you, Mom and Dad, written Dec. 5. and Sister Freeze, thank you so much for your letter and former Elder Freeze's Christmas in Japan. And the quotes. I got it a little after Christmas but it still meant just as much. Thank you. OH and btw...no one rides bikes in my mission. Either you walk or buses/tramvais. And a PACKAGE! FROM T Far! Taryn Farrell. Various items and goodies within. Thank you so much. Pants are huge! What the heck?! just kidding. ;) Popcorn was really good!
This week went very well. I love missionary work so much and I am trying to do my best out here. I am going to be out here for a while and I want to reach and operate at the optimum level and speed. I want so bad to learn this language! Perfect it day in and day out. To explain things simply. To testify with the Spirit. To bring others to Christ. Maybe not always baptizing, I am fine with that. I want people to simply be happy. That's what gets me through the day. I have something amazing to share with you. The world is maybe depressing, but I don't let that get me down. SMILE!
Monday was a good P-day, relaxing, wish we did something but it's all good. Went and got some dry-cleaning for Elder Bateman's pants. About 13 lei for a pair, expensive? ~ 3 bucks! I don't know cheap dry-cleaning prices. Then we went shopping. Came home. Wrote in journal. Listened to some music. Then had an awesome lesson with Dad and Son. They live in Bacau (city where missionary is the Branch Pres - now Elder Gunter and I don't know, 3 hours a way east or so) and we called them and gave them their information. He seemed really sincere and I thought it was one of the better lessons for sure!
Tuesday was a good day. Morning, tried to visit a referrel we actually got from Bacau, but he was at work. :( has all our information though. Need to visit him a again. Then lunch at home, knocked villas by our house, but no luck there, handed out a lot of stuff though, cards, pliants/pamphlets. Then went to church for people to sign up for English, pretty good turnout over the hour. Lots of people called this week asking about it. First class is tomorrow! (11/1) Keeping the date, I always do the day first, in my journal and other papers, just easier! I would get confused everyday and sometimes do. Makes so much more sense to me DD/MM/YY Americans always gotta be different and have their "own thing" oh well. Evening couldn't stinkin' meet with Doamna Ciobanu!!!! UGH! Her friend actually passed away and she was busy all week. Finally got to visit her on Saturday but she didn't come to church. Baptism date....she said when she knows she will set another one. :( Wish it was tomorrow (11/1) her birthday. We are going to do something nice for her though and definitely visit her. Today we have a lesson planned! We knocked a bloc by her house and had a really good Plan of Salvation lesson with Vant (means wind in English) Went well and he is a really cool mid-aged man. Mom lives with him, really old and struggling. It's sad sometimes, I see so many older generation people every single day. And their kids always take care of them. How exactly it should be I guess. Sad to see when they struggle to walk, climb up and down off the buses and travel around the street.
Wednesday. Exchange with Zone Leaders. Elder Johnson and Brunner (13th and 12th transfers) Both older. I went with Elder Brunner and it was a really good day. Met awesome guy on the street. Gave him a BOM and got his phone number. Gave out a couple pamphlets. Had good lesson with Less Active Levi. Young married couple. District Meeting was really great and focused on Diligence. Then had really good pizze delivered. 70 lei for 4 pizzas. 6 people. 12 each = 4 bucks for enough to be full. Delicious too. We had some luck and accepting people in the blocs. No lessons but gave out 2 more BOMs! Really promising. Hope they read and keep the interest!
Thrusday: Morning, Zone Leader's left and we went over to the church, set up with mici man - Mihai but he didn't show up (6 January...) Apparantly it is the celebration in the world/orthodox church, the day Christ was baptized...do we know that? I was unsure how they could even know but some people refused to meet today because of it! Saint for everyday of the year. Lunch had good meal rice with chicken teriyaki. Had a good less active visit with Sora Rotbasan and husband. Really nice older couple. Their daughter TEO is married to LEVI. Then went and saw a couple former investigators. One said he would like to meet. Even came to church a couple times. Awesome guy. Eddy and his roommate Alex are from Nigeria! 2 of the 20 black people in Brasov/ ROMANIA! I know there are some black members in Bucuresti. And for the evening we had a good lesson with recent convert Ivan, who next week is getting married, I mean this Saturday with Cristina, member in Bucuresti (Mihai Bravu) where Elder Betteridge is now and from my group, Elder James. They are an awesome couple and members. A strength and I think she will move up here to Brasov after they are married. We might try and do something nice for the reception or something...I'll keep you posted.
Friday: Had good lesson with Victor, Plan of Salvation, he said he was coming to church, even showed him on the map where it was and he never showed. :( Couldn't meet with George who we had planned! Had a good less active with Fratele Buium, really solid member but works all day everyday. Tough job! Commutes a long way to. 7 to 7. 7 days a week. I would die. I thought Missionary work was tough! Then stayed at church for interviews...what the heck! I was first with President Lundberg and it went well. He asked us when we have felt the Spirit on our missions and I talked about Testimony. Especially in lessons bearing testimony of Joseph Smith, I always feel and starting to feel it more even in Romanian. We also got mail then! And more supplies, BOMs pamphlets and Liahona's Conference issue in Romanian for the branch and for us missionaries. Got a ride home from the Assistants! Elder Mathis and Suppes (13th both) They stayed the night and left early that morning. Pres. Lundberg stayed at the Hotel right by the church.
Saturday: Good day. 3 lessons! One with Familia Trefan, former investigators, health issues for the wife, from Hungary really sincere couple. Then Nicu, awesome Dad and 3 and 7 year old boy and girl respectively. And wife. Lesson about church and inviting them to church! Then lesson with Doamna Ciobanu. Talked about baptism, her needs, church, book of mormon, I think she is in MORMON reading. Met her 2 months ago and in Mormon! WHEW! Faster than me! I didn't wear a big coat today. Not too cold lately! only like....uh 35 or 40 haha. I just wear sweater with suit/sport coat. Under Shirt and long sleeve shirt.
Sunday: Really good Church! :) played the piano for Sacrament. Didn't mess up too too bad. Stressful at times! I try not to play too too slow or fast. I know how that is! Try just keep good pace. AND NOT MESS UP! Good sunday school lesson on eternal families, Priesthood was on Heavenly Father and got pretty deep. Understood most of it and it was a great 3 hours language study for me. Great Sacrament talks by Sora Walker and Fratele/Elder to be soon Marius Corca and Negoita (1st Counselor Branch Presidency) After church, came home, had lunch, just pasta and butter simple and good stuff. Weekly Planned, didn't have time at all Friday. Then we visited Vasile who wasn't at church, struggling still and says he won't come to church because of people, offended and what not. Saddens me so much! Need to go bro! Then we tried and visited formers and went home.
It was a good week. We have to include the members more. hehe literally..."branch" out and not use the same members for lessons. Marius and Fratele (former Presedintele) Herghelegiu. Use all the members we can! Members are so important! 3 things new converts need at church for retention. From President Gordon B. Hinckley. Get more people at church! I am trying my best though. The work is hard and we do try and talk to people and set up lessons and appointments. I love it here in Brasov and there is a lot of work that we can do. I love my mission so much and wish it would stop going by so fast!
Today we plan to go eat up in Poiana again. Sorry I'll send some pics next week. Haven't really taken much in a while. Little pre-occupied. No letters sent off this week. But I have to write them, ah! No time. I hope you all have a good week. Be safe and be better than yesterday everyday. I love you all. Family and Friends. Thank you for your support and love.
I love you.
Love,
Elder Schroedter
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