People!
I am in Romania HOLY WOW. It is hard to believe I am finally in the
field. Okay so here is the play by play. We left at Provo at 3:30am, Monday morning we did not sleep at all that night so that was my first
ever all nighter! We got to the Salt Lake airport and headed for
Atlanta. In Atlanta, we had our last meal in the states ever which was
Pei Wei for me pretty sweet. Then we headed for Amsterdam. In Amsterdam
we met a cool guy from Scotland and an awesome Romanian couple it was
then that I realized that I do not know Romanian but it's okay. Elder
Soelberg got us through the conversation. They were pretty hardcore
baptists which is really random for Romania but yeah and when we pulled
out the Book fo Mormon they got super uncomfortable it was great. Anyway,
we got to Bucharest we slept on the planes and stuff but we were all
pretty out of it me and Sora Trebas were super giggly. Everybody's
suitcases got to Bucharest Elder Soelberg's bag exploded so it was all
wrapped in plastic when we picked it up. He was not happy about that.
Then we met the Ivory's they were awesome! So cool. We had lunch at Ikea
haha it was way good. We went to this park in Bucharest called chisamagu and
read the Romanian and Moldovan dedicatory prayers. Let me tell you
there are some INCREDIBLE things in store for these people. Moldova was
promised stakes. Because of Moldova's population that means that eventually majority of the country will be active members of the church.
In the Romanian dedicatory prayer it talks about having creative
courage, I love that phrase and so does President Ivory, it is part of
our mission statement. The park was FREEZING but beautiful. From there we
went back to the mission home which is gorgeous and had our interviews.
Then we went to a senior couples home for some sandwiches then Sora
Routson and I (we traded companions went to another senior couples house
and slept. We went for a run with President Ivory the next morning in
another beautiful park I loved that and then we had training at his
house in the morning. we all did a pretty good job at staying awake.
Then we met our trainers!
My trainer is Sora Barrera and we are serving in Ploiesti (ployest)
Wow I love it here the branch is so strong we even have a real church
building! We have two families with a mom a dad and kids. The rest are
older couples or singles. My goal for this branch is to find a family so
in the next 12 weeks I will find and commit a family with a mom, dad
and kids to baptism. Which brings me to my first point. This mission is
the most positive mission on the planet I love that. Before I came
everyone told me how I won't have a lot of baptisms and how hard this
will be. Well guess what homies, Sora B and I have 7 investigators right
now and the mission has baptisms lined up for the next six weeks. If we
want and believe we can baptize we will. So please never ever tell
anyone that they won't baptize because of their mission. It isn't the
mission it is the missionary that decides the baptisms. That principle
of believing you can do something applies to more than just baptisms it
applies to every situation in life. Through the gospel of Jesus Christ
we can do all that our Father in Heaven wants us to. We can overcome any
challenge, and deal with any trial I have a very strong testimony of
that.
Okay so yes I did bear my testimony in church, the Elder's said it
was one of the best one's they have heard from a "boboaca" it means
little duckling or new missionary. So that was nice. In my district I
have the Zone Leaders and another set of elders one of them goes home in
6 weeks the other one played basketball at Lone peak so that's cool.
We brought three 13 year old girls with us to church I sent some
pictures with them. There is no young women's program because they are
no baptized girls that are 12-18 in the branch yet so we did our little
lesson with them third hour on faith we gave them personal progress
books and told them to do the first faith experience. Talking with them
is so fun. They are so patient with my Romanian and love to help me out.
They also have such a thirst to know about God which is way cool. We
also started talking to one of Sora B's old investigators she works at a
store near the church so we see her almost everyday. She has already
read the Cartea Lui Mormon and knows it is true we just gotta get her to
come to church she is the sweetest lady. She always yells at me for not
wearing boots. No one here can say Armstrong it is kind of funny so she
calls me Sora Sara. I'm not sure where it came from but that's what she
calls me. haha
So Romanian is hard I have no clue what is going on all the time
but Sora B helps me out. She is originally from El Salvador so she
speaks Spanish and Romanian and English. She hasn't made me make any
phone calls yet but I might need someone to send me Austin's breathing
techniques if she does. She baptized at 20 year old girl last transfer
so we work with her about three times a week. She wants to go on a
mission so right now we are working through Preach My Gospel with her.
We do a lot of teaching at the church building which is cool. We also
teach a lot of 30/30 lessons which is 30 minutes of English 30 minutes
of gospel. Those are fun because Sora B is already forgetting little English phrases so I get to help out. We are teaching this one awesome
lady that already speaks Russian, french, and Romanian. This lady
reminds me so much of Amy Brown it is crazy. She fed us water with
tghese rock mineral things in it and she teaches yoga, she is also crazy
intelligent. I'm pretty sure Ella will look exactly liker her when she
gets older too.
So we are staying for busy here in Ploiesti. I am so grateful for
that. People here are looking for happiness, and we have it! Please,
please pray for the families of Romania and Ploiesti. I want so badly to
find a family right now we are only teaching young women aged girls or
single older women. I know that God is preparing a family for us I just
have to find them. Our branch is already one of the strongest branches
in Romania but it needs more active families.
My first couple of days here were a little rough but I have
literally felt my burdens lifted off my shoulders. Our Heavenly Father
will push us and push us but He knows how far we can go. For the first
time in my life I gave everything to Him through pray I just said "I
will do whatever you want me to and I will learn whatever you need me
to" I felt complete peace after that, I know that my Heavenly Father is
looking out for me and knows me and expects a lot out of my but I can do
it, only through the atonement of Jesus Christ.
Okay so funny stories from Romania:
The very first day I was here we went down this ally way and this
row of houses came out of no where, I was looking for the front door
when my companion said oh you just knock on the window that is totally
normal, I looked at her and I said you know that isn't how you do it in
the states right? She goes oh yeah I guess that is weird to do in the
states. She's been here for 8 months and she thinks knocking on windows
is normal I cannot wait to get to that point. Also in that same alleyway
we were with the elders and this dog came out of nowhere and started
growling at us and jumped on one of the elders! It bit his jacket! Yeah
that was all on my first day in the field.
Then just now I am sitting here starting to email and this guy
leans over and asks me where I'm from I say the states, ten minutes
later how old I am I say 19, twenty minutes later in broken English
"later will you go get coffee with me" me: uhhhhhhh no I can't I'm a
missionary, him: so? me: uhhhh no I can't hahaha I am not sure how to
explain why I can't in Romanian so I just kept on saying nu, imi pare
rau (no,sorry) yeah it was great.
So that is my first week in Romania! This church is true, the
spirit is the same whether or not you understand what is being said! I
love you all thank you for all the prayers!
Te Iubesc
Sora Armstrong
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