Wow so I always kind of put Romania and Moldova into the same category because they are both in the mission but let me tell you my friends they are VERY different. From the people to the language to the food to missionary work I basically got a whole new mission call BUT I am so PUMPED to be here. Everyone here speaks RUSSIAN, Sora Black is so AMAZING she is my first comp from California so we have been bonding over that and she is just a downright INCREDIBLE hardworking driven human being, Okay so back to RUSSIAN, we were putting up posters for our English class and the first three people we talked to on the street only knew RUSSIAN. They would start talking to us and at first I was like "Oh my gosh I have completely lost the gift of tongues I no longer know Romanian" but then I was wait that is not Romanian there is no way that is the language I have been speaking for a year, It wasn't Romanian it was Russian. Then we had a lesson with our super cute friend Ananaga, it was a member present with a super cute girl in the YSA here Sevghy halfway through the lesson, Ananga asked a question in Russian then Sevghy answered it in Russian and I was like whoa whoa we gotta know what she said so Sevghy told us in English because, go figure, she speaks perfect English too. My mind was pretty much shot after that. Sora Black is being so patient with me showing me around and making sure I know how in the branches only speaks Russian. Which leads me to explain a little bit more about Chisinau. It is pretty much AMAZING. We have two branches one that does service in Russian and one that does it in Romanian. President Ivory's wants some Sora influence in the Russian branch so Sora Black and I will be attending that branch. MY PEOPLE It is going to be HARD because I CANNOT COMMUNICATE WITH THESE AMAZING PEOPLE, literally I didn't think it would bother me this much but it does. I just want to talk to them and get to know them but I have NO CLUE what they are saying. So I will just have to drag a Russian elder around for me to translate. Also I am bent on learning how to at least pray, bear my testimony and say hello in Russian so get ready Grandpa!
That brings to me another really cool thing, about a year ago president Ivory split these two branches from one to two. He promised them that because of the split we would see 100 people at church before the end of the year. This is what we call the MOLDOVA MIRACLE. We as in all the missionaries here are working hard to make it happen. It is quite the goal because right now we have about 75 between the two branches. But we have an awesome group of missionaries here and we have an awesome solid base of members who LOVE doing missionary work. The pressure is on to make this happen but I am comforted knowing that through prayer, diligence and obedience we can do it! It is going to take A LOT of prayer though. I love having this goal, it has got me so pumped but has been an important reminder to me of the importance of church attendance and all the blessings that it can bring. Sora Black are ready to just invite everyone to church because why not? We have a recent convert here named Ecaterina who loves church. She is always going off about the "atmosfera" She is so right the atmosphere of our services is different and is powerful! So my friends I challenge you to really take advantage of church do not just make it a habit make it a time during the week when you can grow and learn!
I loved General Conference!! I pulled the most strength from the testimonies of Elder Stevenson and Renlund. Right as that session started I had been feeling pretty inadequate. Chisinau is a big city with so much potential and a lot of missionaries. It has been a change of pace for sure. There are miracles happening here, I am so excited to be apart of it but it is a big change from my little Constanta branch where I had a solid handle on everything, I knew everything I was aware and involved in everything that was going on and here the dynamic is very different. I was just feeling kind of lost amongst everything that was going on BUT then those two amazing men stood up, and bore their testimonies of the help that our Lord will give us. It was confirmed to me that I was called to serve HERE in this incredible city around these incredible missionaries. I need to allow the Lord to mold me into who He needs, so I just need to be my best. Just as the apostles said we have not been called because of what we have done but because of what the Lord will allow us to do. They provided me so much comfort, and I know miracles are coming despite my weaknesses.
Well that is it for the this week, I love you all and wish you all health,
Sora Armstrong
Brittany with her new companion, Sora Black
Brittany Sora Mitts & Sora Armstrong (the younger)
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