Monday, September 7, 2015

Kid's Meals, Coke, and Testimonies

Hey my friends!
How is life? Is everyone back in school? School doesn't start until the middle of September here so there are still people ALL OVER Constanta which is great for contacting, but not so great for getting to lessons on time.
This week was AWESOME as usual. We really focused on our members and finding new people. We took some treats to a sora in the branch for her birthday, but we got there and she had ice cream, cookies and a cake waiting for US. I was like it is your birthday and she was like yes but YOU guys are the missionaries. It was so cute. We also took them my favorite firework candles but they wouldn't let us set it off in the house. Weird..
Anyway, our English Classes started this week. The soras are teaching advanced class. It is so fun especially because I have taught nothing but old men for the last three transfers. Do not get me wrong, I love our retirement club but we had some cool teenage girls come and it was so fun to just talk to them and get to know them. Two of them play handibol. I have been trying to learn handibol forever so I asked them to teach us how to play and they said they would. This week Sora Armstrong and I are excited to meet with lots of new people and start new friendships. It also means we get to teach the restoration which I am STOKED for.
Some funny stories of the week, the other day we bonded with this older man on the bus because of this other drunk guy that kept on yelling at us. We saw him again a couple days later and invited him to meet with us. We met at McDonald's and he said hold on I will go and get you guy's something. He walks back out with 2 HAPPY KID'S MEALS. I just about died. It was so cute. So we sat there talking about our purpose as representatives of Jesus Christ while eating french fries out of a box with barbie on it.
We had another visit with Fratele Vitel this week and wow was it quite a ride. The elders had called him and tried to set up with him and he said he was busy until October but the Soras Armstrong being the competitive humans we are thought we could change his mind so we called him up. I know that it has always killed you mom and dad that I would never take the answer no as the last answer but I think it is actually a spiritual gift because he told us the same thing but after some buttering up and a 10 minute phone call we had an appointment. It was super fun we went with the other soras and he took us to the top of his blok where you can see all of Constanta. Up there, as I was looking out, it hit me how much I LOVE this city. It has become my home and one of my favorite places in the whole wide world. I have felt deeper lows and higher highs here than I thought I could ever feel. I have fallen in love with it. Anyway, we go back down to have the lesson and he pulls two huge bottles of Fanta and pours us each giant glasses. Guys I DO NOT LIKE SODA so every time he walked out of the room Sore Armstrong would grab my cup and just start chugging whatever was left in it then he would just fill it right back up. THEN when all the fanta was gone he left us in his apartment alone and went and go two big things of Coke Zero. For a transfer I watched Sora Allen down coke zero so I was like oh it cannot be that bad. So I take a sip and THAT STUFF IS DISGUSTING. At this point we are getting up to leave and he says you can't leave until you finish your soda. I just looked at Sora Trebas and she just smiles back and says go for it man. So I had to chug this entire glass of coke freaking zero. Let me tell you my friends NEVER AGAIN!
BUT what made that whole experience worth it was Sacrament meeting!!! Fratele Vitel bore his testimony about the principles of the gospel and how he loves them and the blessings he has seen in his life when he keeps them and that is exactly what we talked about in the lesson. Testimony meeting was AWESOME Sunday is always my favorite day of the week! Liviu bore a beautiful testimony about the blessings that the gospel has brought to his life about how he has changed and about how happy he is and the peace that comes from it. He even told all the investigators that were in the congregation to get baptized. haha I was like that is my guy! Then Alexandru bore his testimony about the Book of Mormon and Mercy is at the temple and I just feel like such a proud parent. But I am also fully aware that I had very little to do with the conversion of these three INCREDIBLE humans. Something that was reiterated to me this week is the importance of the spirit. It is truly the teacher and the Atonement of Christ is the changer. As we learn through the spirit the atonement of our Savior allows us to change our spirits. My invitation to all of you my beloved friends and family is to seek that changing power, strive to have that spirit present in your life each and everyday. The Book of Mormon can be the number one source of that spirit.
Guess What? I LOVE THIS COUNTRY I love every stray dog and cat, every orthodox priest, every cute old lade that wishes us health and tells us to wear to socks in 90 degree weather. I LOVE IT ALL. These people have changed my life, I will be forever indebted to them for the things they have given me. Their sacrifices for this gospel are written and my heart.
Thanks for reading! Have a great week
Sora Armstrong




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