Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Hello there family!! 

Well first of all I just want to say that I love you all so so much!!!! I know it was over a week ago from when I last wrote you guys. I blame President though because he was the one who scheduled zone conference to be on our p-day. It was a really great though!! I had a lot of fun. Although I'm sorry to break your guys' hearts, but I'm pretty sure that I didn't take any pictures at the zone conference ha ha not a single one!!! Yeah I know that I am terrible at taking pictures and sending them home. I just don't have the chef to do it!! Chef means like "willpower" or "energy" or something along those lines in Romanian. And no, it doesn't sound like the english word dealing with people who make food ha ha it sounds like khef (not the ch sound!)

Anywho, the zone conference was great!! Sora Hill talked about the history of what happened during the apostasy and a lot about how the different churches were created and about how paganism affected how a lot of religious work (and especially noting the Romanian Orthodox Religion because that's what we are faced with here!). It was really interesting!! President Hill talked a lot about goals and using our time wisely. The AP's talked about contacting (cause that's like all we do). All in all, it was a very great zone conference!! It dealt with a lot of things that are actually applicable for all us missionaries!! Like in times past they might have talked about something like "how to teach the commandments" or something along those lines . . . but not everyone has investigators to teach the commandments to (like me!). So it was just good that this time around President and everyone talked about stuff that we can actually apply here in the mission! 

So yeah Elder Slemboski is going to be my first companion that will head home! He heads home the day before thanksgiving! The lucky duck gets to be home with his family for thanksgiving!! I really hope I get that halloween package before halloween!! That would be really great!! I'm glad to hear that you guys spotlight a couple of missionaries every now and again. You will have to keep me updated on how all the missionaries are doing while you do this. Ha ha um of course the little kids don't care about the number of people who come to church here!! Ha ha transylvania is a lot more fun for them!!! I really hope to visit Dracula's Castle in the coming weeks. We will try to see if we can plan something to head there!!! Cause there is a 100% chance that I will take some pictures if I go there!!! ;) ha ha 

The english classes are going pretty good!! We barely got back from Arad (the city we went to for zone conference) when we had to head over to the church for english . . . and then only one person showed up! It's because of the rain though. Since half the people walk by foot, when it rains nobody wants to go outside. I mean, I don't blame them!! I'm the same ha ha But yeah english is going good. I wish there were more ways for us do to service though. We don't get a whole lot of chances to do service. Geez with all the work you guys are doing to the house; the house is going to be a whole new place when I get home!!! Partay!! I definitely call mowing the lawn when I get back!!! I will need the extra money!! ha ha 

I'm glad you are proud of me momma!!! That's always good to hear. I absolutely LOVE my mission. Yeah it may be hard with the actual "missionary work" (like only having like 1 lesson [in a language I understand] for the past 2 transfers), but the experiences I have had here are just awesome. The language is aşa şi aşa (meaning so so). To be honest, I don't really have a whole lot of chances to speak Romanian during the day. Like obviously I try to talk to people on the street, but that just involves a couple second/minute conversation about the fact that I am a missionary. So yes I constantly try to learn new words . . . I just don't really have much of an opportunity to use them . . . and then I forget them ha ha but what can I do! I understand almost everything I hear though. That's pretty helpful! Hopefully overtime I can just incorporate all the stuff that I hear. Anywho, Yeah I can't believe that it is already october!!! Not that I'm counting down or anything, but I only have about 10 months until I have HOME!!! Partay!!! Still a ways away, but still time moves sooooo fast that it won't seem like too long. 

Yeah we had another run in with some tourists from the states! All mormons who just treated us like we were the greatest thing ever! They bought us some lunch and then we showed them around the church. I think they might have been a little surprised about the size of us here in Sibiu. 

I LOVE YOU ALL SO SO MUCH!!