Hello from beautiful Brasov!
The picture below is Centru. Where we spend most of our contacting hours... I have never been anywhere more beautiful in my entire life!
I feel like I am an entirely different mission over here! In Craiova our branch had two people in it. Church was only 2 hours long, and done in one room. Here...
We have a chapel.
It felt so strange to have church in a chapel again. I loved it though, of course!
The branch here isn't very big. On Sunday I counted about 15 people. So it's about the size of the branch in Arad. They have a chapel though, because there used to be about 70 members here. A lot of them moved away though after Romania became part of the European Union. Though thet branch is small, the members are super involved. Our ward mission leader Marius is always calling all of us to see what he can help us with, or if he can join us for lessons.
My new colega, Sora Bray is Perfect. She graduated from Dartmouth last year, and she's in her third transfer now. We can hardly believe we've only been together for a week becasue we're practically already best friends.
Our district is on fire. This is probably the most determined and enthused district I've served in yet, and I am loving it. There are six of us here, and one of our elders is brand new. It's so fun watching him eat all the different Romanian foods... Sora Bray and I find a new Romanian treat for him every few days because we like to watch him eat them. Last time is was Pufulets.
This week has been super busy, and super wonderful. On Wednesday we left Craiova, and went to Buc. We were there just for about 45 minutes thought because our train back to Brasov left really soon after we got in. We got to Brasov around 10:00 that night.
On Thursday We drove out to a little sot about 2 hours out of Brasov with Elder and Sister Powell (having a senior couple with us is AMAZING. The Powell's are INCREDIBLE. ).
We met with a couple families there who aren't able to attend church very often due to how far away they live and their lack of transport. They were all so strong though, and shared their testimonies with us. Even though they've been unable to attend church, they live the gospel 100%. You can tell from the moment you walk in their small homes.
Friday We had our first district meeting and did a lot of contacting for our English classes and did our first Brasov weekly planning. It took a lot longer than anticipacipated, but we finally finished, and now I know all about the memebrs and investigators here.
Saturday we went and visited Elena in Feldioara. Feldioara a small small small sot 30 minutes from Brasov. We actually have a small group of members our there. So she doesn't need to travel too far to get to church which is nice. Elena has two 4 year old granddaughters and a husband who live with her in their small little home. Feldioara looks like something I'd read about in a National Geographic. It looks like very little has changed in the last 100 years.
Sunday I got to meet the whole branch, and I LOVE THEM. They are all incredible. The Primary teacher wasn't there last Sunday so Sora Bray and I were asked to teach both hours of Primary. Neither one of us had done it before... and now we had to teach it in Romanian. We talked about Baptizm of course... because we can talk about that all day in Romanian if we wanted to :)
We also had them do an activity where we blind folded them and set up obsticals throught the class room as they guided each other to the other side. We were trying to teach them how the Holy Ghost can work with us... some got it, some purposly tried to run others into the walls. It is so great to be in a branch with a primary. :)
After the Brasov branch finished, we drove out with the Powell's to the Feldioada group and had church there. An elderly woman just randomly walked in because she was interested and I sat next to her. Part way though Sacrament meeting, she fell forward and was about to fall off her chair as I reached down real quick to grab her and pull her back up.... I was so scared.... I thought she passed out.. She just fell asleep... thank goodness.
Monday we had a lesson with a mother and daughter... who happen to live two doors down from us which is amazing. It was our first lesson with them, and we first talked to them on Saturday. They are both AMAZING. The daughter is 10, and the mother is probably about 30 something.
Saturday night we had a lesson in Feldioada again with a husband and wife who live out there. They were hilarious, and the wife was making little bugs our of coffee beans when we came over. She tried to explain. But we're still not exactly sure why. There were hundreds of them.
Tuesday we spent the whole day in Sibiu, which is GORGEOUS. It's a lot like Brasov, but a little smaller.
Long story short, Brasov is perfect, and I am thrilled to be here! I am so grateful to be so busy with lessons and members here. It's fantastic.
I love you all so so so much! You're always in my prayers.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxox
Sora Ralls
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