Monday, February 17, 2014

February 3, 2014

Hello again,
It's been another week... now that's weird. What's even weirder is I hit my year mark this week. That's super weird. Changing subject.

Well, I officially am not a winter person. Just kidding it hasn't been that bad in the last couple days but this week and especially since we live right on the sea it has just been HORRIBLE. Contacting was not fun and more then anything I got chastised again and again for wearing a skirt. Goodness. Haha.

I guess I'll start with the beginning of the week. Monday was so busy.
It was really hard to get around because of the snow. A lot of snow was just building up so it was really hard to get around and the buses took literally FOREVER! So a lot of our time was taken by buses. We went to the store and even the trucks hadn't gotten there so we bought what we could and we decided to just grab a taxi because we had to be in another town in an hour. We had a lesson with one of my favorite families here in Romania the Olteanu family. They are AMAZING! I had given a talk about 2 weeks ago and Fratele Olteanu wasn't there and Sora Olteanu because they have a brand new baby wasn't able to hear it but she heard me mention Satan hahaha so she really wanted me to share it again for FHE. She's so funny. So I did but I turned it more into a discussion obviously. It was really good and the spirit was there.
They made us some AMAZING Apple placinta it was so good. I love there family. They try so hard to do everything they can. And then they ended the night by showing Sora Letinu and I pictures of them last year when they were married in the temple :) So special. So wonderful.
So much love.

Tuesday. It finally stopped snowing but it had snowed all night long so Elder Myler called us to ask if we would like to do some shovel contacting. Hahah heck yes. I was so excited. I mean I've never shoveled snow before and I know most of the time people hate it but it is something other then block knocking so I was so excited! Well we get all together and we have 2 brooms and only one shovel. So lame. We go to the elder's area because it isn't so far from the Church and well the elders will be elders and there was a huge hill and it was completely iced over so they took advantage of that and went "snowboarding" on the ice. I guess I shouldn't really even call it snowboarding. But they would run and try and stay up without falling on their faces. It was a really great laugh though for me :) And they were able to do service because most cars couldn't make it up the hill so they went all four of them and pushed cars up over the hill. Well the shoveling trying to serve people wasn't the best since people either one kept trying to pay us or 2 told us to go away and not bother them. It was really fun though and I'm glad that I was able to help out the people we did help.

Wednesday we were supposed to have lessons but a huge storm. And I mean like a huge storm came in. It was so cold and we had our heat on.
We made a bunch of calls and I mean a bunch. Like 2 and a half hours just of phonecalls. Dang storm. It even ruined phone calls. the people that we called kept telling us that they couldn't meet because of the weather. I didn't mean to meet with them in that moment unless they wanted to of course. We'll be calling a bunch of them again though since it's warmed up a bit. Still really cloudy but otherwise hasn't snowed a ton since.

Thursday. Had district Meeting and our zone leaders were there. It took them 10 hours to get to Constanta that's how bad the storm was on Wednesday. What is normally a 3 hour train or maxi taxi ride turned into an 11 hour ride for them. They left at 5 o clock on Wednesday and didn't get in until Thursday morning around 4. They were so tired I felt so bad for them. We were all asked to think of a time when we were completely out of our comfort zones. I feel like my mission has been a huge uncomfortable thing. Yeah I mean there are times when I am comfortable doing things but most of the time I just learn so much of what I need to do and change to catch up to feel like I am comfortable in everything I am doing. Comfort zones are such a funny thing.
Because we can't really grow in them. I mean I guess we can fill our comfort zones but if we stay in them we can't grow in any other way.
Just a random note while I am talking about this I've been studying a lot in the new testament lately. I never really payed so much attention to the story of Saul/Paul I mean I knew his story duh, but I never really payed much attention to it. Let's look at his story a little bit though. He was there when the disciple Stephen was stoned to death bearing testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ. And we know how he lived after. And we know what happened on the road to damascus.
"Saul, Saul why persecutest thou me?" Something that the Lord had revealed to Anannas (probably did not spell that right) was that Saul was CHOSEN to bear his name and to reveal things to kings and priest, I love the next verse though when he says "For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake." I am sure actually I am positive that it was so uncomfortable for Saul to have changed into Paul. It was amazing I'm sure and I'm sure he had the comfort he needed to continue to grow and change from the atonement of Jesus Christ. But I'm sure that it wasn't easy how he had to grow he had to become better he had to turn his back on the things he was doing and completely change.  He had to leave his comfort zone. As I've continued to read about his story and his teachings and when he has proselyted in different areas and it was hard. He received that comfort from the Lord. He received what he needed and then continued to do things that were scary. I mean he was arrested so many times and yet that didn't stop him. And all of this was so worth it. At the end of his cities when it was time for him to leave he cried with those people. He loved them. It was so worth it. All the pains and aches everything. Every uncomfortable moment was so worth it.
Well back to district Meeting Elder Myler challenged us to do one thing that scares us everyday. Whether it's knocking on another 5 doors or one. Whether it's talking to one person about the gospel.
Whether it's inviting a friend over to listen to the missionaries do one thing that is scary to you everyday. Look at how we will grow.
Look at how much it will be worth it.

We had a great lesson with Andreea and we talked about the law of chastity :) I thought it was great. I thought it was so much fun. Sora Letinu was so awkward with it and even Andreea was too. Hahaha I just though it was so funny. We more so after talking about all the little "awkward" things we more so talked about virtue and how we can be more virtuous every day. I love virtue. Seriously such an amazing thing to study!

We also had another lesson with one of the families in our branch Familia Constantin. And they have the cutest 3 kids. Haha it was crazy. We talked about the temple though and the importance of going and the spirit that is there. Since there family isn't sealed yet we really tried to testify of the power and blessings that will come when they will be sealed. And they are actually planning on it in Mayish!
SO EXCITING!

Friday was more contacting and then we went and saw a play that was put on by one of the members here. He was the director and invited the whole branch and so we were able to talk to a few people there. The play well... was a little different... but I loved the little things that I could see that he put in there. The play was put on by Youth and so they did it the way they wanted to. At the end people died and so Tibi asked don't you believe in an after life? The Youth hadn't even though of this and so Tibi put this in. All the Youth were in White clothes and they were all embracing each other. That was really beautiful. The little influences that can be brought about. :)

We also went over to Familia Contantinescu's for a birthday party. It was there daughters 3rd birthday.

Saturday: More contacting and English class. We also had Correlation and then we cleaned the Church. Lots of salty foot steps all over the Church.

Sunday: Fast Sunday. I really really really want Constanta to change.
So I've been really really praying and I decided that I need to put an even extra effort and fast for Constanta. Fast for them that there hearts will be opened and that they will be able to receive us. That is my hearts desire and I just need Constanta to see that I am willing to put in everything I have. Even if it kills me ;) So I fasted for constanta. Fasted for the people here for the elders, for the branch, for our investigators and for those that will be put in our paths. And well...
Today: We went contacting earlier and we found someone :) Haha don't know where it's going to go but it's a step. We went block knocking and about the fifth door that we knocked on a Young girl opened and when I told her that we were missionaries and we had a message about our savior she actually didn't shut the door in our face. :) HOORAY.
She stood there and listened as we talked about the book of mormon and how we can have peace. We asked her if she was interested to know more and she said yes and wants us to come back. I am so excited. So excited! You don't even know!!!!!!!!!!!

I love you all. Wish us look and pray for Constanta! Pray for us missionaries :)

Love you all!

Sora Stewart

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