tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41822834103600146142024-02-07T00:45:08.614-08:00Steadfast & Immovable - Romanian EditionSora Brittany Armstrong's adventures as she answers the call to serve in the Romania/Moldova Mission.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08576533160992604971noreply@blogger.comBlogger73125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4182283410360014614.post-51482301519523221892016-03-14T09:36:00.003-07:002016-03-14T09:36:15.126-07:00Nope, Not Coming Home<div style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px;">
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So plans have changed, I will be staying Moldova for the rest of my life. Joking, but if it was an option it would be very very tempting.<br />This week has been full of lots of sweet goodbyes. I have been showered with lots of blessings, of health and to find a beautiful husband and have lots of children. If every blessing that has been wished upon me in the last week comes I have quite a beautiful life ahead of me.</div>
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I have been asking people for advice and I have gotten an awesome range of lots of different advice. Olga Cociu told to just stay who I am and be strong, Cris told me to study accounting and that who I decide to marry will be the most important decision in my life. He also said he would like to skype with him before I make my decision. Ines told me to just be happy and do what my heart tells me to do. Nina told me to skype her. Raisa told me to come back to Moldova and to apply myself to studies. My favorite and least expected advice came from my favorite the one and only Sora Gorgos. She told me to respect my mother-in-law, to take everything she says into account and then just do whatever I think of best but to tell my Mother-in-law that I will do what she says. She also said to keep whatever happens between me and my husband between us. I was expecting some great gospel advice like read your scriptures or always go to church and I got marriage advice! It was super funny. But hey it was pretty sound advice </div>
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<br /> Last night we were with Cris and Ines. I asked them how their lives have changed because of this gospel. Ines got this huge smile on her face and she said "we are more positive. We know our future is so bright because of our knowledge". It was beautiful. The declaration the we are "The Most Positive Mission on the Planet" has become more than a slogan for me. It has become my motto. It is something that I will apply for the rest of my life. It was a huge factor in the conversion of Cris and Ines, it turned them to this gospel. This gospel is a positive thing, it allows us to hold onto our hope for change. Being positive is not easy thing. It forces us to dispel fear and doubt when it would take a lot less energy to just wallow in them. It pushes us to turn to our Savior to allow his atonement to change us, even though that process of change requires us stretching ourselves. I have realized that while it is not easy, it is the most important thing. As we press forward with a positive attitude, we press forward with faith knowing that as we do all we can, God will make up the rest. Everything about the gospel pushes us to be positive. As we do the little things, as we rely on the little things like attacking the day, saying our sincere prayers, fasting, and serving others our outlook has to become more positive. We become convinced of the truths of this gospel and they give us a positive attitude. This positivity will change Romania and Moldova. I have seen it change the lives of my friends here as they have chosen to accept the positive change that the gospel can bring into their lives. I have also seen the sadness that returns when they choose to reject it. It is our job as the Lord's servant here to declare this positive message to everyone we come into contact with. In turn as we lose ourselves declaring this positive message it solidifies in us. It becomes a way of life for us. No matter where I am for the rest of my life I will declare this message. The gospel of Jesus Christ is positive. It is true and it will change us if we choose to let it.</div>
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I know that God loves the people of Romania and Moldova. I have prayed everyday to feel it for them and He has blessed me with the energy and ability to serve them. My heart is breaking as I leave, but I move forward with a positive attitude knowing that His plan and His way is always so much better then mine.<br /></div>
See ya soon and much love,</div>
Sora Armstrong<br /></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08576533160992604971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4182283410360014614.post-66287058860836990252016-02-29T23:30:00.001-08:002016-02-29T23:30:34.259-08:00Pictures from Moldova<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08576533160992604971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4182283410360014614.post-22024734948807536412016-02-29T23:22:00.002-08:002016-02-29T23:22:30.578-08:00Can I Extend?<span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Buna, Buna, Buna!</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I hear that you all want to hear my romanian. I might just give my</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">whole farewell talk in it. That would be fun. I also have not spoken</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">in front more than about 40 people for the last 18 months so if about</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">three fourths of the ward could be sick that would be nice. Anyway I</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">am not home yet so let's talk about miracles!</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">On wednesday we met this ADORABLE little 15 year old girl named</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Marina. I have known for awhile she has been at activities and stuff</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">because she has a friend who is learning about the church also. We had</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">tried to meet a few times but it just didn't work out. She was at</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">church last Sunday and I was so stoked to see her. We actually got to</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">meet this week. We gave her a Book of Mormon and when we asked her if</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">she had read it she looked at us and was like this book is a miracle.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then she proceeded to bear testimony of the Book of Mormon. I love</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">when my people start bearing testimony. So some background on Marina</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">she is from the south of Moldove from this community that speaks</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">russian and turkish. No I do not speak either of those languages. She</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">alos gets by pretty well in english so we have been doing our lessons</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">in english. We wanted her to be able to express herself more openly so</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">we started our lessons with Nina and Sevghi. So about half of the</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">lesson is in russian and I have no idea what is going on but nina and</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">sevhgi are incredible teachers so it is okay. She is also studying</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">here in Chisinau. She is a cello prodigy and played I am a Child of</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">God in sacrament yesterday adn it was so beautiful I almost cried. As</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">long as the spirit is still there it works out. We had an incredible</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">lesson with Marina about God's plan for us on the earth and she</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">started bearing testimony again of how much this gospel means to her.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">How she is so grateful for it and how she wants to use it to bless</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">other people. The spirit kinda wacked Sora Nichols and I in the face</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">and we ended up inviting her to baptism. There was this sweet sweet</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">spirit in the room and she agreed. Then Satan went to work. Her</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">parents got pretty upset about it and she ended getting a pretty</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">serious injury during PE. They make kids learn how to vault here in</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">PE! Not a good idea. So she might have to go home to the south of</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">moldova earlier so we won't be able to see her as often. Man that guy</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">is good. BUT we are better. I know that God has a specific plan for my</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">little girl and that He will make His will happen. We just have to do</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">all we can. But Marina is literally my favorite. She has such an old</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">soul and just gets it.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">So last night we went and visited Sora Cociu for her birthday, we</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">surprised her and she was so excited. They were kinda having a party</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">and had this music blasting in their front yard. So I decided to bust</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">out some of my signature dance moves. She thought it was hilarious! I</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">showed her how dad always tells me to "just keep it here" (quoting</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">hitch) She was like no! You gotta be loose. Then she pulled these</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">things called clatite filled with cheese from the oven and just kept</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">on feeding us. We were there with the other soras and whenever she had</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">her back turned Sora Smullin was glaring at me and was like we better</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">leave before she feeds us. But I did not want to leave so we just kept</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">on talking and laughing and Sora Smullin was mouthing at me "I am</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">gonna kill you" So I took the plate and was like I think Sora Smullin</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">wants more. haha she was not excited about that. It was a beautiful</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">night. The weather was not that cold we danced and laughed and she</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">just kept on thanking us for coming. I just love moments like that. I</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">love how the Lord calls us specifically. That call includes our</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">personality. I love this culture. I can be 100% myself with these</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">people. I can be sassy and they still love me. But then we canget</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">serious and have a beautiful conversation. I am just so grateful to be</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">where I am. To be with the people who I am with. This time has been</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">such a blessed time in my life. Honestly, I do not want to leave. But</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">the Lord has this way of catapulting us out of our comfort zones as</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">soon as we are comfortable.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">My people I hope everyone has a great week!</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sora Armstrong</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08576533160992604971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4182283410360014614.post-8043648696587037242016-02-29T23:21:00.000-08:002016-02-29T23:21:00.874-08:00Nu se poate<span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Zdravstvuyte,</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This morning as we were walking to internet I was looking around and I</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">was just like wow this place is beautiful. It took me back to my first</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">day in Ploiesti, at that point I was not looking around saying this</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">place is beautiful, I was saying uhhh can I go home? I hate that that</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: SFNSText, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">is how it was at the beginning but it is true. I had to fight to</span></span></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: SFNSText, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">develop a love for these incredible countries. But now every time we</span></span></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">leave our bloc the beauty of this city hits me. It is amazing how my</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">perception of beauty has so drastically changed in 18 months. The</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">atonement of Jesus Christ is real my friends it is not just for</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">washing away our sins it is for the changing of our hearts. I think I</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">have probably talked about that a lot but it has been one of the most</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">consistent lessons of my mission.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Okay now for this week, Life is good my friends, it is good to be a missionary.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">We went on exchanges this week so I was with Sora Smullin again and it</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">was so much fun. We went and visited our good friend Olga. We had this</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">awesome lesson of the importance of church attendance. Sora Smullin</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">shared a rally cool personal experience that hit Olga pretty hard. She</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">was so into the lesson and was hanging on our every word. The spirit</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">was super strong. Carolina her daughter was being so cute just playing</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">by herself and laughing and talking. We all got so into the lesson</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">that we did not notice when Carolina started taking her tooth brush</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">dipping it in the indoor potted plant they have and brushing her teeth</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">with the dirt from the plant! It was HILARIOUS. Sora Smullin was like</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"uhh uh oh" We all turned around and Carolina smiles at us this dirt</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">filled smile! So cute!</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then we had another super cool lesson with our dear friend Ekaterina.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">We were talking about the restoration and how sometimes we we got</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">through our own "apostasies" Ekaterina likened it to the the Iron Rod.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I asked her what happens when you let go of the rod? Ekaterina eyes</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">got really big and she says get back as fast as you can! It was so</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">funny. I love these people thay are all so unique. The other day we</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">were saying our closing prayer with this same lady Ekaterina, she is</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">saying the prayer and I am leaning over in my seat kind of bending</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">forward and I feel this thing come super close to my head. So I open</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">my eyes to see what is going on and while Ekaterina is praying she is</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">waving her hands around like she does when she has a normal</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">conversation! She is an artist what are you gonna do?</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I don't know if I have told you guys this yet but President Ivory</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">brought this man over from the United States to work here for a year.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">To work with small businesses and connect them to larger ones in the</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">states. His name is Walter Plumb. Whenever we meet people that we</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: SFNSText, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">think could be helped by him we take them out to dinner with</span></span></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">President Plumb and he has this incredible way of bringing everything</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">back to the gospel. So last night I found myself sitting at this table</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: SFNSText, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">with Walter and Peggy Plumb, my companion, and this Italian that owns</span></span></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">a web design company here in Moldova discussing religion and the need</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">for a church. Oh, did I mention we were at the nicest restraurant in</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chisinau in a special room, that had a special menu and its own</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">private coat check? Yeah and President Plumb is a very </span><span style="font-family: SFNSText, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">successful</span></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">business man and past mission president. Yep, I was sitting there and</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was just like how in the world did I end up in literally the coolest</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">mission on the planet. President Plumb and I team taught the</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: SFNSText, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">restoration. We really focused on the church that Christ set up while</span></span></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">he was on the earth and how that same church is on the earth today. I</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">realized how grateful I am for the perfect organization of our church.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Because of the priesthood power. We can trust leaders.We have a</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">promise from God that his called leaders will not lead us a stray.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: SFNSText, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Riccardo (our Italian friend) cannot bring himself trust </span></span></span><span style="font-family: SFNSText, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">organized</span></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">religion because of what he saw his church leaders doing in Italy. It</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">was so sad to me, he feels like he has to figure out his faith alone</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: SFNSText, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">because of the terrible examples of organized religion he has grown up</span></span></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">with.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">My friends Christ established a church while he was on this earth. We</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">can read about that church from the new testament. We can identify the</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: SFNSText, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">necessary parts as we study. Then we can get down on our knees and</span></span></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">ask God if that church could possibly be on the earth again. Through</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">the Holy Ghost it will be confirmed to us that YES! God loves us He</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">wants us to rejoice in that church, ot be taught through that church.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then to enjoy the blessings that will be with us ETERNALLY as we take</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">part in ordinances such as baptism done through the power of God that</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">is on earth again. If you already know this to be true then SHARE it</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">this week, if you do not this to be true then I beg you to study it</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">out and find out if it is true. This knowledge has shaped my life.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Riccardo asked me last night if I woke up today and I knew everything</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I told him was absolutely true, if I would live my life differently.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">That question kind of hit me. I do know it is true and because of that</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have to live my life differently.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I hope everyone has an awesome week!</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sora Armstrong</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">PS I also met the CEO of Cafe Rio and his wife on Monday at Zone</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Conference, they are super cool! I told him to open one up in</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Temecula. One of my favorite quotes from them was</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"we have the power to kill energy or create it, so let's create it)</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08576533160992604971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4182283410360014614.post-90734985693392996202016-02-15T17:52:00.001-08:002016-02-15T17:52:14.061-08:00Life is a Gift!Hey fam bam!<br />
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I hope everyone is doing well. Are you guys just stoked on life? You should be, life is a gift. Someone told me that on a bus this week. (the life is a gift part not the stoked part that word does not exist in Romanian unfortunately)</div>
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Life is a gift, especially when you are in Moldova! We have some awesome stuff heading our way. This country has so much potential. It is at a critical point in its history right now and I am so grateful I get to be here to be apart of it. </div>
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So this week we flew down to Bucuresti (we had to leave our apartment at 4 in the MORNING) but it was worth it. I got to see all my peoples! We also had some awesome meetings with President and Sora Ivory. I love how fast paced mission life is. As soon as we as a mission get good at something, President Ivory introduces something else for us to practice and push ourselves. This week we were introduced to a new way of teaching the Restoration. We use these cards with picture of Christ and stuff like that on them. We used them a few times this week and our friends loved them. They would take the pictures out of our hands and hold them and then when we would start discussing something else they would go back to another picture and use it to answer our question. It was super cool. I love how well the Lord knows the people here. He knows what they need and He lets us know what we need to do to help them. </div>
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We had an incredible lesson this week with Raisa. She has been reading EVERYTHING we have been giving her. Her thirst for knowledge is beautiful. And her heart is so sincere. She testified to us of the truthfulness of the restoration. It was so cool we would ask her a question and then she would teach us, we asked her if she believed all these things she was saying and she just stopped. Then she said "these things feel so close to my soul, they have to be true" It was seriously one of the top ten moments of my mission! She fasted with us on sunday too nad taught herself about tithing anad let us know that tithing is a very good thing and we should always pay our tithing. I was like "you are so right Raisa I am going to pay it tomorrow" (talking about fast offerings) I love her so much!</div>
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On Sunday President Ivory was here with his friend Walter Plum who will be doing some business here in Moldova. We had some awesome meetings with him. We talked a lot about the stability of the gospel of Jesus Christ. No matter what the gospel will never change. Its principles are constant. It is the only thing in this world that we can rely on. So many people here are looking for that stability. They are starved for security and purity. There are just so many cloudy things going on all around us but the Gospel of Jesus Christ is pure and so beautifully clear. I am so greatful for the rock that it is in my life. One of the coolest things about this rock is that we can continue to build it up. One of the members in the russian branch bore this beautiful testimony about how his little girl looked up at him and said "papa" for the first time (now you are all thinking I understand russian, I don't it was translated for us) He talked about how amazing it was to hear her say that for the first time, he even remembered the exact date. Then he related it to how our Father in Heaven must feel when we turn to him for the first time and we say "God, or Father" One of my favorite parts of being a missionary is hearing people say their first prayer. Hearing them talk to their Father in Heaven for the first time. This tender spirit of love fills room. We can have that experience everytime we pray. So I invite you guys this week to take some time and make your prayers conversations. Maybe you haven't prayed in awhile or maybe you prayer ten times a day. It does not matter your Father in Heaven is waiting for you to let Him know that you wnat his influence in your life. There is power in kneeling prayers! </div>
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I love you guys, I hope I don't ever go too missionary on you all!</div>
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Sora Armstrong</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08576533160992604971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4182283410360014614.post-52674967624678846532016-02-07T21:05:00.001-08:002016-02-07T21:05:50.566-08:00O sa le batHello my peoples!<br />
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This week was sick as usual. We kicked it off with some Hot Chocolate conacting where I am pretty sure I experienced a minor case of hypothermia . But it was super fun! We were just asking people if they had ever heard of the mormons and wow do people have some interesting ideas... so that is always fun.</div>
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Then we had some super fun lessons. I love Moldova because you never what to expect during a lesson. The people here are just so passionate about everything and they are also 100% themselves no matter what. They do not feel like they need to act a certain way in front of certain people they own who they are and it works for them. </div>
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For example, we were having this incredible lesson with our mom friend Olga. She was quoting the conference talks we had given her to read and the Book of Mormon. She had super cool insightful questions and we were having an awesome conversation when her baby girl who is walking in out of the room trips and nails her head. Olga's husband then scoops up baby Carolina and leaves without saying a word, just walks out with a screaming 1 year old. olga just shrugs her shoulders and we keep talking. He then comes back a couple minutes later without Carolina. Olga looks at him and is like "where is our little girl" He smiles and says "I left her at the neighbors" we all laughed about that. Then we gave Olga an overview of the Plan of Salvation lesson and when we mentioned that we could be with our families forever, there was a physical change in her, she perked up. It was so cute and so we are STOKED to teach her the lesson this week!</div>
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Then we were over at our other cute families house another Olga and her husband and their 3 girls. The night started out with Sophia the 3 year old playing the piano for us and then her sister telling her it was ugly so then she went into hysterics. Then we started eating dinner and the girls finished so they went and started playing and we are in the middle of answering Olga's question about the Great and Abominable Chruch (that was fun in romanian) and we hear this yelliong coming from the other room. A couple seconds later Sophia marches in a grabs a broom and her dad is like "No put that down I know what you are thinking" And her mom is like "what are you going to do with that?" and Sophia yells " O sa le bat!" which means I am going to hit them! Both of her parents were like "uh uh you put that down" There then proceeded to be a power struggle for about 5 minutes which resulted in sophia dropping the broom and saying fine I will get them with my own hands! It was hilarious! Probably one of my favorite moments in Chisinau so far. I felt like I was at family dinner at Grandma's and Henry was going after wi-fi and Cameron with a broom but it was all in beautiful romanian! </div>
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I just love this work. I love how God takes care of our people no matter what. This last transfer we have experienced quite a few speed bumps and I have just been struggling with not feeling like I am going my full speed. But last sunday I called up a few of our friends, a few of them told me they had been reading from the Book of Mormon, others set up to meet with us. It was just cool to see that the spirit is working in the hearts of these people. It reminded how little we actually do as missionaries. As long as we are giving it our all the spirit will testify into theiur hearts. Another thing I was reminded of this week was the powerful changing effect the atonement can have on a heart. My friends and family I challenge you guys this week to pick something that you feel like you need to be better at. Maybe it is scripture study, maybe it is saying more kind words, it can be whatever. Pick that thing and then pray to Heavenly Father and tell him you want to strengthen this thing in your life, tell him how you are going to strengthen it then ask for the atonement of Christ to enter into your heart and change it so that you can change, so that you can become. Open your hearts to him and He will change you, I promise.</div>
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Cu drag,</div>
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Sora Armstrong</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08576533160992604971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4182283410360014614.post-21931594113945130072016-01-25T22:34:00.000-08:002016-01-25T22:34:03.362-08:00COLD, Protests, Agents<div style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">
Hey, Hey, Hey!</div>
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Guess what it is still cold!? Winter is a very big thing in Moldova. It is adorable though, all the parents pull their kids around on sleds. Which apparently sledding is a major part of everyone's childhood and I missed out big time on that one. Or at least that is what EVERY Moldovan we meet tells me.</div>
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This week was solid. I am STOKED on the Restoration. We had an INCREDIBLE lesson with my good friend Ekaterina and a member from Orhei that comes into the city to participate in a BYU-I course we teach. She had gotten to the church early so we invited her to sit in on a lesson. This girl met the church through a peace corps worker a few years back, she has one of the most beautiful understandings of the gospel I have seen. So we watched the Restoration video with them (if you ever want to feel the spirit watch the restoration video) before we started the video we asked them to think about how the restoration of the church of Jesus Christ has changed their lives. After the video I asked Alina, that same question. She proceeded to bear the MOST BEAUTIFUL testimony I have every heard! She connected the restoration to her coming to understand the gospel of the Jesus Christ. She said because Joseph Smith sincerely prayed to find his answer she now has been able to develop her faith in Christ. Through that faith she has been able to repent and can feel at peace with her life. She then bore her testimony about the sacrament and how through the priesthood, because that bread and water is blessed by a worthy man holding the authority of God, that bread and water become so much more. She said through taking of the sacrament each week she is able to endure to the end. It was one of those lessons where I was like "Yep I am here because I need to be taught not because I need to teach." It was awesome!!! Like literally I was in awe.</div>
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Also, fun fact there are protests happening here in Chisinau, the government has been doing some shady stuff and the people are fed up with it. The other day I was on an Exchange with Sora Kitchen and we ended up in Centru which is where they are happening. There were all these people standing outside the main government building, chanting and waving flags around. Honestly, that is all the do I kind of wanted to actually show them how to protest. No one even seemed very upset. Sora Kitchen and I decided that it probably was not a great spot to be so we tried to catch a bus and ended up right in the middle of a giant march that was happening. I was just thinking "wow Sora Kitchen is going to call President and tell him her Sister Training Leader took her into the very middle of a protest march" So I grabbed Sora Kitchen and we got out of there quick and then who calls me as soon as we get out of the march? PRESIDENT! I was like "uh, Hi President" Sora Kitchen was dying. Then a couple days of later we are at the church and the march comes right on by the church! So from the safety of our hiding spots behind the blinds we took pictures!</div>
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Well my people that's the week. I love you guys have an awesome one!</div>
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Sora Armstrong</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08576533160992604971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4182283410360014614.post-22463021110669779262016-01-12T10:04:00.001-08:002016-01-12T10:04:34.515-08:00The Winter Wonderland<span style="background-color: white; font-family: SFNSText, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Sup Familia mea? </span><br />
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How is life? Life here is cold, icy, and LEGIT. Guess what? I love being a missionary. Bottom line it is literally the best thing ever. </div>
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We had some super cool experiences this week. The first was with our cute friend Olga. Sora Black and I met her through english and we called her up this week and asked her if we could come over and talk to her more about our message. We headed over there in the winter wonderland that is know Chisinau due to the fact that it has snowed for a week straight and she comes to meet us at the front door of her bloc and in her arms she has this little girl all bundled up like a marshmallow. When we got into their arpartment she unbundled the marshmallow and we got to meet literally the cutest moldovan baby I have ever met in my entire life. She had red hair and pig tails and and giant blue eyes and I was just like that is it these people are getting botezed because we need this little ball of light in our branch! We start talking with her and she tells her that her protestant friends told her that mormons believe that Jesus came from the moon. Sora Smullin and I just busted up laughing. She was like yeah I did not believe them. We got to introduce the Book of Mormon to her and focus our entire message on how much this gospel will bless her family. Then when we asked if we could pray with her she was like "oh yes I love when you guys pray, I feel something." It was such a sick lesson. You can just see the love she has for her husband and little girl. It was beautiful watching her interact with her little girl. It was one of those lessons that you walk out of and just say a prayer of gratititude because the lesson was so good. </div>
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Then this is kinda a funny story, we headed out to give some cookies to someone we have been having a hard time getting ahold of and I got us 100% lost. So I was like oh, well let's go bloc knocking. We head into this bloc and just got a wierd feeling but me being the stubborn human I am keep knocking. I decided to call it quits when I rang this doorbell and this bright white light started shining in my face. Moldovans have the strangest security systems.... Anyway we head out and we are like well the missionaries in all the stories always say prayers after experiences like this. So Sora Smullin starts praying and I just could not hold it in I just started laughing. It had been such a ridiculous day, I was pretty much at my wit's end. Sora Smullin then starts laughing too so we couldn't even finish the prayer! We headed out to the bus for some bus contacting. I was just standing there feeling like a lame missionary becuase I've been out here for like 14 months and I can't even keep my cool through a prayer and in my mind I am thinking wow have I even progressed? Then I see this girl waiting for the bus and I go over and start talking to her and we ended up having an awesome conversation. Getting off the bus together ( I accidently left my comp on the bus) exchanging numbers and now we are going to meet this week.</div>
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The Lord has plans for each one of us my friends. He is in the details of our lives. He knows how we are feeling, He is aware of how much we can take and sometimes He doesn't even get too upset with us when we start laughing during a prayer. I know that as long as we are striving to do all that we can and to align our will with his will things will work out. He will use us to bless others lives as well as He will send people into our lives to bless us. I have been so increidbly blessed to be surrounded by so many amazing people these last 14ish months. I thought I was coming out here to help the Romanians and Moldovans but in turn my life has been changed by the examples of each of my amazing companions and the friends I have made here wether they are american, romanian, moldovan, or nigerian... or any other nationality. I have been missing my mission friends lately being stuck out here in Chisinau and I just want them to know how much I love them and how much they mean to me. Wow I have become a sentimental softie Ce sa fac, va iubesc cu toate sufletul meu si mi-a schimbat viata. </div>
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Love you guys! Have an awesome week!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08576533160992604971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4182283410360014614.post-15406195746604231062016-01-10T22:22:00.002-08:002016-01-10T22:22:46.386-08:00A Romanian Blessing......<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hello my family and friends!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white;">I hope everyone is well on their way to acommplishing their New Year's resolutions. President had us out attcking the New Year despite the 1 degree weather and it has been AWESOME!</span><span style="background-color: white;">For New Year's Eve we headed over to a members home Sora Gorgos. We had made Sarmale earlier in the week with an investigator and so we took it over to her and had our own New Year's Eve bash. It was fun, Sora Gorgos is a sassy old moldovan lady. She told us all about her life, raising her son on her own in communist Moldova. I could have sat there for the hours listening to her but we had to be home by 9. She then spent 20 minutes warning us about all the dangers of being out on the streets after 8 so we got home a little later than normal but we were all good. </span><span style="background-color: white;">Then on New Year's day Sora Smullin and I hear a knock on our day which is not normal. We decided we were not going to answer but then I realized I had not locked the door. So I go over there and look through the peep hole and it is a man. So I am like nope not answering it. I went to lock the door and our lock is so loud he could hear me locking it and then I felt bad so I opened the door and as I open it I get hit by water. I open the door more and realize it is a priest from the orthodox church that has come to bless our apartment. He then splashes me with more holy water and procedes to bless me in Romanian. I was just like thanks thanks you okay have a good day. I go to shut the door and he sticks his foot in the door and asks me "how much will you give for health and joy this year?" I was like Sorry we don't have money becuase I was not gonna give this priest money for disrupting my study and splashing me with water. he did not like my answer and he went from the friendly neighborhood priest to the grumpy priest. I closed the door and was like uhhh I just got blessed by a priest. Well, ce sa fac? </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 16.9px;">We had an incredible lesson with Dina and her boyfriend is from Suceava this week at the Voglesbergs. We had the opportunity to share our purpose with him and then introduce him to the Book of Mormon. He was so excited about it. It was so cool to watch him as he learned that it was another testimony of Jesus Christ. He expressed to us that he has always felt there is so much more to the Bible that we are missing. When we gave him is own personalized copy, he hugged it! It was cool to have Dina who is not yet a member bear testimony of the changes that the Book of Mormon has made in her life and how is has strengthened her relationship with the Savior. We are planning on doing skype lessons with him and finding him the closest meeting house to Suceava.</span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.9px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.9px;">Sorry this week is gonna be a short email but hey I love you all and challenge you all to go out and attack the New Year!</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.9px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.9px;">Sora Armstrong</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08576533160992604971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4182283410360014614.post-71668692059293677252015-12-30T21:15:00.001-08:002015-12-30T21:15:20.156-08:00Merry Christmas!!!!!I am not even sure how to start this email my week has been so incredible and eye opening.<br />
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On Wednesday, we went with a couple in the branch who work for a non-governmental organization to a village a couple hours outside of Chisinau. There had been a bunch of presents delivered for the kids of town and it was our job to separate them out for age groups. We were working in the gym of the one school in the town, it reminded me of something out of the movie Hoosiers. Super old wood floor, small but just classic. Then later we went and visited the kindergarten. When we walked in about 60 little kids ran up to us. We started talking to them and they started reciting poems about Christmas that were learning for the school play it was adorable. Then the teachers at the school fed us the most delicious bors I have ever had. They were all just so grateful to us and I was just kinda like we didn't even do anything. </div>
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After lunch we ended up in a van with the mayor of the town and a bunch of boxes full of food. We went with the mayor to homes if people that are not able to get to the gym in the middle of the town to collect their food. People always tell us that there are towns in Moldova that are poor but I could have never wrapped my mind around it had I not seen it. We walked into the home... side note when I say home I mean a tiny adobe square with a roof and no running water and no heating system and holes plugged up with old clothes and no electricity. Literally all of the basic utilities we have did not exist in this villiage. We walked in and gave the box to a woman that is about 70 years old and when we asked her to sign the sheet designating that she got her box she said, I didn't go to school I can't write my name. My heart hurt. It hit me that there are people living in this country, a country in Europe that never learned how to write their name. Maybe I have just been sheltered my entire life but wow that made an impact on me. These people wake up everyday and their entire goal for the day is to scrape some food together and keep warm. I thought about all my hopes and dreams about what I want in my life and about what I just expect to have. That night I just came home mind blown. I knelt that night and just thanked God for all of my blessings, for the potential I have in my life. I also had decide to put my trust in the atonement. To be honest at first I was kind of angry "how could I be so blessed, why did I get to be born into such an incredible family in a country where I have so many opportunitiies. If God loves us all why would he make things so unfair? As I was brewing over all this, a line from preach My Gospel came into my head " all that is unfair in this life can be made fair through the atonement of Jesus Christ." I had to decide then and there that that was true. I had to just put my trust in the Sacrifice of Christ and in God's plan. I still cannot comprehend it but I know that one day the people in that villiage will be encompassed in God's love. He will reward them for their hardships. They will feel the joy of progression that God had put into his plan. I am so grateful for all of the incredible experiences I am having here in Chisinau, even though some of them are pretty heavy, I am so grateful for the growth that they give me.</div>
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My friends and family I love this gospel. I love that I am allowed to ask questions and that my Father in Heaven answers me. I love this Christmas season and the beautiful spirit that it brings. Have an awesome week!</div>
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Sora Armstrong</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08576533160992604971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4182283410360014614.post-26625828017272225802015-12-23T22:02:00.000-08:002015-12-23T22:19:10.501-08:00CRACIUN!!!!The other day someone was like Christmas is on Friday and I just about fell out of my chair. How did it get here so fast! We have a fun busy week ahead of us but let me tell you about this last week.<br />
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So it was kinda weird because we went to Bucuresti for some training and we had zone conference, I gave my companion to her parents and had to film a commercial for our english classes.</div>
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We also had some SICK lessons and 6 investigators at church! So miracles are happeing all around. Sora Black gave an increible last talk in sacrament all about hope. I love the idea of hope and Christmas together. Christ was born and died so we could have hope. Without him we would not be allowed to mess up. We would have to do everything perfectly and there would be 0 hope of ever living with God again. But because Christ died and now lives. Death is not the end. We will continue to progress. What an incredible gift our Father in Heaven gave us. The gift of being allowed to not be perfect. The gift of a new beginning and the gift of HOPE that we will return to live with Him again. </div>
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On friday night Sora Black and flew back from Buc and her parents were waiting for us at the airport. She is headed home after and INCREDIBLE 18 months. She has become one of my best friends these past couple of months and boys she is single and ready to mingle! (jk she is gonna kill me for that)</div>
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On Saturday I had to be at our center for filming. Yeah I had to get filmed for an english video we are doing. It was kinda cool. It was a profesional film crew and everythimg. You all know how I walk like a linebacker right? The first shot we did thay had me walking towards the camera and the capera was on the wheely thing moving backwards. After I finished all the camera crew looked at me (a bunch of moldovan hipsters) and just started laughing. Then one of them sain in english "please try to walk like a feminine" Elder Findlay the elder that was doing the filming just about died he thought it was so funny. So then I had to learn how to walk like a princess and it all worked out. </div>
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Another quick funny story </div>
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So yesterday we got invited to this ladyshome in the country side. We take this maxi taxi out of the city, it is the size of a big van and we fit about 45 random people into it. Then we get picked up by this guy we do not know in a creeper van. I kid you not Holly, I voluntarily climbed into a creeper van just praying that this guy was really our friends husband. Then we had an incredible dinner! She just kept on feeding us. We introduced the Book of Mormon to her and the Spirit was present. Then we got home by hitchiking in another creeper van. I LOVE the mission and I love the promise that God protects his people. Mom, I hope you do not freak out... it was all good. There were kids with the people we hitchiked with, so it was totally safe.<br /></div>
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Alright fam bam and friends. I love you guys so much. To all my missionary friends have an incredible mission in the field, turn your heart to the people, we have every Christmas for the rest of our lives to be in America. We are where the Lord wants us and it is a great place to be.</div>
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To all my peeps at home turn your hearts to others look to serve and to give and I promise it will be an INCREDIBLE time of the year!</div>
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Craciun Ferecit!</div>
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Sora Armstrong<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08576533160992604971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4182283410360014614.post-69769563007225620592015-12-07T00:03:00.002-08:002015-12-07T00:03:32.637-08:00Cold Turkey!Buna!<br />
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Is everyone a couple pounds heavier? I hope so. I hope everyone had an awesome Thanksgiving, ate lots of turkey and played lots of football. The other day I was getting ready and I was like whoa the NFL started again and the NBA. I had completely forgotten about professional sports! Other than football (soccer). So now I just have to say GO CHARGERS! Ellis told me last night the warriors are undefeated so that's cool.</div>
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ANYWAY back to Moldova. Life here is good. Thanks giving was super..... COLD and wet. I will explain. But first a disclamer we decided to do our thanksgiving dinner on Sunday night with all the missionaries in Moldova and the Ivorys. So I did get me some mashed potatoes so it is all good. But on thursday I had the best thanksgiving of my life. We got invited to a recent convert's home for placinte which is like a rolled pie type thing. She lives in la tara so we had to take a maxi taxi out to her home which is in this little moldovan villiage. We get there and it starts POURING RAIN. So we are chilling, eating trying to talk to her mom who speaks this crazy mix of russian and romanian, and then we shared a message about being grateful with them and explained Thanksgiving and we talked about what we are grateful for. We are in the middle of reading Psalms 100 and Natalia's mom says your maxi leaves right now. So we are like dang! We run into the pouring rain to wait for our maxi taxi...... 45 minutes later it comes. We literally sat in the middle of this tiny town in the middle of nowhere huddled under an umbrella for 45 minutes waiting to catch a maxi taxi home. It was so much FUN! Natalia came out and waited with us and we just laughed through chattering teeth while she tried to convince us to just spend the night with her. We finally got home and 1.5 later and my feet were FROZEN! I layed down with my feet on the heater and it took another 30 minutes before I could feel them again. I LOVE moments like that. Where you get to just talk and laugh because your only other option is to be grumpy. I think my mission has been 100 times better because I have always been with a companion that chooses to laugh. I am so grateful for ALL of the incredible companions I have had while being out here, they have all become such dear friends to me. </div>
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Okay enough with the cheesiness, next story. We bloc knocked into a FAMILY last Sunday and have been there 3 times since. It is a mom, dad and three girls. They are the cutest! We were asking for Moldovan recipes and they let us right in and fed us on the first meeting! The last time I was there I went with Sevghi and awesome YSA from our branch, she was baptized when she was 14 and has the coolest testimony. <span style="background-color: #e7e6e2; color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.9px;">We shared a simple message with them about prayer and committed them to praying every night as a family. We taught the principle of prayer. The mom did not seem super interested and did not have a lot to say but then Sevghi prayed. She blessed their family, she thanked God for them, it was beautiful. After the prayer the mom was much more open. She told us how she liked our message, how it was a positive one and how she wants to hear more. So we are STOKED about that. It was so cool to see how Sevghi's sweet prayer softened the mom's heart. </span></div>
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We also had District Conference which is like Stake Conference. It was the best one Moldova has every seen according to President Ivory. He and Sora Ivory both gave super cool talks about our journies in life. Sora Ivory talked about how we cannot get stuck in a 24 hour life cycle. We need to do things everyday that push us to improve and become. Then President Ivory gave us three specific things that we can do to become fully converted to this gospel. The first was study the Book of Mormon, the second was keep the Sabbath day holy, but also to USE the sabbath day as a day to serve God. It is HIS day not ours. The church has really been pushing this lately and I have been really thinking about how I want to use Sundays so much better when I get home. Then the last one was to pay a full tithe. They are three very simple things but all things we needed to hear as members here in Moldova. </div>
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My family and friends. This gospel is simple and I LOVE it. This week I challenge you to search for God's hands in your life. He is there with you and is taking care of you. It is our choice wether or not we see his presence.</div>
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Va las si va iubesc!</div>
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Sora Armstrong</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08576533160992604971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4182283410360014614.post-84285027199856862292015-11-22T21:00:00.003-08:002015-11-22T21:00:54.523-08:00Baptisms, Apostles & My People<div dir="ltr">
WOW!<div>
I cannot express to you the emotions I have had this past week.First of all my biggest take away from this week- God loves the Romanian and Moldovan people so much and He is working miracles here. He has a plan for these two small but strong countries.I am grateful that I am on His team because we are going to win. My new favorite President Ivory quote is we will never go undefeated but we will always be champions. This week has had lots of victories and some heavy losses but we gotta focus on the victories.</div>
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We did not email Monday because we were getting ready for Elder Ballard. We had this sign made with some of his quotes and set it up in Centru and just did our best to let all of Chisinau know that an apostle of Lord was coming to speak to us. It was CRAZY windy so one of us had to stand behind the poster to hold it while the others talked to people. Sora Black almost got blown away a couple of times and by the end of it I could not feel my hands. </div>
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Then tuesday, Presient Ivory flew into Chisinau and we had interviews with him, I may have made a joke concerning the Utah Utes and the pride cycle from the Book of Mormon in my interview. Then that night there was a BAPTISM! It was this incredible couple Cristian and Inesa. They have been learing about the church since the summer and are literally the most together couple I know, I love them so much! Cris is a lawyer, he came straight to the baptism from a case where he had beat the best lawyer in all of Chisinau (can you say blessings) Inesa is a translator, she speaks russian, romanian, english and manderin chinese nbd. They are so so sweet and just love this gospel. We have had the opportunity to visit with Inesa and talk to her about her testimony of the gospel and why she has chosen to make this decision to be baptized. She told us about the positive impact that this church has made in their lives and how she just knows the principals are true. Funny story one time we were out with Inesa talking about scripture study and I said before my mission I had a hard time reading the scriptures everyday adn I look at Sora Black and I was how were you? And Sora Black goes I read them everyday since I was 12 and I was just like wow thanks for showing me up, so then I told Ines to be like Sora Black not like me. Ines thought that was pretty funny. Their baptism was BEAUTIFUL no it wasn't in the black sea but there was a POWERFUL spirit! There were so many people there from both branches and there was investigators there too. President Ivory spoke about the first time he met Cris and Inesa in a park with the missionaries. Then Cris and Inesa both bore the most powerful testimonies about the truth of the gospel and how much happier they are and how they are ready to help build Moldova. I am just so grateful that I can call this amazing couple my friends, they are going to have a huge impact on the growth of the church here in Moldova.</div>
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Wednesday we showed up at the church at 10 and Cris is sweeping the floor to get ready for Elder Ballard one of the best lawyers in all of Chisinau is at the church cleaning up! He is just so humble and so cool, he also got to drive Elder Ballard around which is way cool. We ended up cleaning all that morning, we were told that the bathrooms needed to be as clean as Marriot Hotel bathroom.<br /> Then HE CAME!!!! We were outside the church directing people inside and up pulls Cris and the Ivory's and the Kearons (the area president and his wife) and Elder Ballard. As soon as he got out of the car he walked right up to Sora Black and me and shakes our hand and asks us where we are from. He is seriously the cutest, fiestiest little guy. The meeting was incredible we fit over 100 people into our little vila (house converted to a church building) President Ivory and President Kearon and their wives spoke and they were all so BOLD they talked about how through baptism we can have the feelings that we were feeling all the time. The set up the spirit for Elder Ballard. Then Elder Ballard stands up and teaches the Plan of Salvation and the restoration intertwined into one talk. it was BEAUTIFUL. During the first part I was so so sad I had a super hard time feeling the spirit becuase NONE of our people were there. We had invited so many people and had contacted for hours and no one that we had talked to was there. I was sitting on the floor becuase there were no chairs left and I stood up for a little bit and I feel someone grab my hand and it is DINA! She had come in a little late. I went from almost crying out of sadness to almost crying out of joy. Then when Elder Ballard spoke I was so relieved, I could feel the spirit so strong. Elder Ballard had all the missionaries stand up after he taught about Joseph Smith and he said these yooung kids are servants of the Lord jesus Christ if you want to find out if what I am saying is true talk to them. He said then tonight go home and pray and ask God if what I am saying is true and when you get your answer be baptized and receive all of the blessings that are waiting for you. It was so so so POWERFUL AND BOLD and as I was standing there it just hit me, like WOW I am a servant of Jesus Christ this is HIS message. Elder Ballard was so bold about baptism, he would say stuff like "why did the missionaries come? because this gospel is true!" "The message that God calls prophets is not crazy he has been doing it since adam" Then after the meeting we all went out and took a picture with him and he shook hands with Sevghi who is preparing to go on a mission and I said Elder Ballard she is going to be the best missionary Moldova has ever seen and he said " No you're all the best missionaries ever now go baptize!" It was hilarious, he was just so blunt.</div>
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Then we caught a flight to Bucuresti and made it to the last 30 minutes of his talk there. The best part about that was ythe fact that ALL MY PEOPLE WERE THERE. Okay not all of them BUT I got to see Familia Fotea and Musat I got to see Razvan who got baptized while I was in Ploiesti I got to see Alesea and Fratele Ciurdrea familia constantinescu and his mom. Radu simon, Anca Ghiman. It was AMAZING. OH AND LACRA too. Did I take any pictures no becuase I am an Idiot I was just SO EXCITED. I did not know I could ever feel this way about so many people, I was hugging people like crazy and almost crying out of joy again and the sprit was just so strong. Elder Ballard shook Lacra's hand and just told her to keep progressing in the gospel and that her life will be so blessed because of it. Then he told Alin Constantinescu's mom to just get baotized already and to have Alin do it. I told her I would be there if she did it. If you don't remember her we gave our heart and sould to her in Constanta and now she is progressing! Back to how much I love these people. I cannot put it into words but I would do anything for these people. It was so good to just refeel those connections especially people like the foteas and musats who I could barely communicate with. When I first got to Romania all I wanted was my home temecula ward I beeged Heavenly Father to change my heart to help me love these people and wow did he help me change my heart. I hope when I get home He will halp me love you guys agauin becuase I cannot imagine loving anymore people the way I love these people. haha jk I still love you guys. </div>
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This is the longest email I have ever sent but my heart is just so full. Elder Ballard gave us a lot of instruction on what we need to do to help these people move towards baptism.</div>
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I know that God sent him to us at this time because He knows how much these people are sacrificing, he knows that these countries are ready to commit to this gospel and I am so humbled by the opportunity I had to witness that spirit, to see an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ interact with my favorite people. I am so grateful to be here. I know that the Lord Jesus Christ lives, that He is so vary aware of each one of us, that as we invite souls to come onto him and as sould come unto him it makes his atonement worth it. Elder Ballard said that. As we choose to utilize that incredible gift our Savior gave us, it makes all the pain he felt worth it. My friends and family Christ has called his apostles in the latter-days, no times are not easy, thay are having to make some very serious decisions that we may not always agree with BUT they are Christ's chosen servants the calls they make, the instructions they give are those that Chirst would have us receive. I testify to you that they are never wrong. I do not say this becuase Elder Ballard told me he is an apostle, I testify of this because I felt it, because I prayed to know if he is chosen of God and I found out that he is a living apostle of Jesus Christ. If you question their guidance, if you do not agree with how they choose to deal with the oppostion that is mounting I invite you, I beg you to ask God if they are his chosen servants and have a desire to receive an answer. </div>
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I love you all to the moon and back, </div>
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Sora Armstrong</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08576533160992604971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4182283410360014614.post-16229843490513134552015-11-22T20:58:00.001-08:002015-11-22T20:58:20.085-08:00The Latest Pictures from Moldova & Romania <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Baptism in Moldova</div>
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P Day Planning Meeting</div>
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Brittany & Sora Black with Elder Ballard!!!</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08576533160992604971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4182283410360014614.post-81580363838262403302015-11-08T09:49:00.003-08:002015-11-08T09:49:24.915-08:00Stoked on the PlanHey fam bam,<br />
Today has been a crazy pday! So this will be quick.<br />
This week has been awesome! We had two activities the first one was on the book of mormon. I thought it would be a brilliant idea to make mexican food for about 60 people. The idea sounded great and then we realized that you cannot buy tortillas in Moldova so about 100 tortillas later I am writing you now to let you know that it was not a good idea. We did it though with the help of the other soras and sora cooley. We made a lot of tortillas a lot of salsa and a lot of meat. I also graded a ton of cheese and made the white sauce for the burritos. The members loved it! Watching the moldovans try and figure out how to eat the burritos was hilarious they did not want to do it with their hands so they all just kind of picked out the parts they liked but everyone was asking for more so I think it was all worth it. The activity went well. We had a speaker come from Bucharest one of the coolest things he said was that the Book of Mormon translated into romanian has mistakes because it was translated by men but the Book of Mormon in english because it was translated bu God through a man. SO COOL!! Every morning as I read from the Book of Mormon I just get more and more STOKED on the gospel. The other day we said our prayer for companionship study and Sora Black looks at me and goes what did you study and I looked at her and said I AM STOKED ON THE PLAN OF SALVATION!! She laughed for about 5 minutes. The gospel is incredible my friends, study it, use it, LOVE it!<br />
Other fun things that happened this week. I translated yesterday in Sacrament meeting for fast and testimony meeting. I am always nervous translating for stuff like this because you never know what is going to be said. Sora Black and I were switching off. So the first guy that I start translating for, starts with "brother and sister" in english so I am like okay cool english I can chill then starts speaking in romanian about a ping pong tournament that happened at the church 10 years ago so I start translating again then he switches into russian and I was just like okay I have no idea what he is saying. So then it is Sora Black's turn she does an incredible job translating she gives the mic back to me the another stands up and starts going off in RUSSIAN and I was like okay we have an all russian branch people it starts at 11 not 9! Anyway that was fun.<br />
Some awesome stuff has been happening here and we are working with the coolest people!<br />
Yesterday we went and made soup with Dina and her mom. We met her dad and her younger brother also.Her family is great and her parents seem to like us. We also had an awesome lesson about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Dina is preparing to be baptized she feels like right now it is still far away but we were able to promise her that if she continues to come to church to study the book of mormon and to pray sincerely she will be ready. Getting to know her family was great because now we understand her situation a lot better and can really help her in all aspects of her life. She also informed me that I peel potatoes wrong. When I get home I am going to have a whole different style of cooking all these moldovans are always correcting me on my kitchen skills.<br />
Okay then we had another miracle happen with Natalia Botnar. We have been working with her a lot and just have not been able to get her to church. We decided to really be bold with her and commit her to fasting with us. We fasted for her to be able to resolve the problems she is currently having with her son and husband. We called her and started our fast together and then she came to church on Sunday!!! She loved it and you could see how happy it made her. She was loving the lessons and when we called her to break the fast she was audibly doing so much better. She came to church and was rejuvenated by the spirit. And we could see it! So cool. AMAZING things are happening.<br />
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It really is incredible how the Lord is preparing these people for amazing things. I am so grateful that I have the chance to just get to know and interact with such amazing humans. Elder Ballard will be visiting us this month and he has challenged us missionaries to have 10 meaningful gospel conversations a day. So guess what my people? That is my challenge for you! The conversation does not have to include Joseph Smith or the Book of Mormon but as you talk with your friends and neighbors with the people you interact with each day, try to make your conversations MEANINGFUL. As baptized members of this church we have the Holy Ghost with us we will be guided and can become tools in God's hands if we are praying and searching for opportunities, take the time to ask how people are, let them know you care, my favorite quote from president Ivory this week is "love people, celebrate people, lift people." There is my challenge for you all. If I can have 10 of these conversations in romanian, you can all do it in english for sure!<br />
Cu drag,<br />
Sora ArmstrongAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08576533160992604971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4182283410360014614.post-8336057693158676192015-10-28T15:26:00.002-07:002015-10-28T15:26:40.572-07:00Time Is Flying!!!!!<br />
I think it is because we are having fun but also because we have so much to do.....but time is going super fast!!! We had some solid lessons about baptism with our friends Dina and Doina. They are both praying to find their answers and we have made plans to meet with Dina's family later on this week. They have both been to church and just love the Gospel. Everytime I have the opportunity to watch someone find and learn about this gospel, I am so humbled by the vastness of it. I am reminded that it is not me at all that is doing the converting, it is the Holy Ghost that is instilling into their hearts the joy of the knowledge of this Gospel. Both Dina and Doina have expressed to us their love for the Book of Mormon and the good feelings they get when they read. I LOVE these girls so much. They are just good people who are sincerely looking to better their relationship with Heavenly Father. Our first lesson we asked Dina if she would like a stronger relationship with her Father in Heaven and she said I already have one but there is always room for improvement and I want to improve it. It was so COOL!<br />
We also got to go over to Sora Cociu's house and do some service. Her husbnad is gone working in another country so we try to help her out. We played with her two adorable little boys and just did house work. House work Romanian style is DIFFERENT. We took their rug outside and beat it with a stick....it was actually very theraputic. Then we hung up laundry and cracked nuts. I LOVED it! It was just so fun to do chores Moldovan style ( I still forget I am not in Romanian anymore). It was cool too because her brother was there and we started talking to him about this book that my good friend Sora Trebas has summarized for me multiple times written by Dale Carnegie. We ended up inviting him to our personal development courses so that was cool. MEMBERS are the key. If you are a member reading this right now you have the power to CHANGE missionary work in your area, no matter your age, or job or whatever. You have the POWER so USE it!<br />
This week we are going hard with our members. We want to visit every single one of them. We are going to talk with them about the power of the promise we made at baptism and how we need to go to church to renew that promise and receive those blessings. Something cool President said on the missionary leadership call last night was that we all received the Holy Ghost after we got baptized but this gift can only be with us when we are living worthily and we can only live worthily when we are partaking of the sacrament. When we do have the Holy Ghost with us, our lives will be guided and we will receive strength in times of need ....basically life will be a whole lot easier if we will sacrifice three hours on Sunday to go to church and receive the blessings that our Father in Heaven has promised us. I love these people! They get this Gospel and now we have got to get them excited about slujba. Here it is so different because if you show up at church you know you are going to end up saying a prayer, or getting assigned a talk for next week. Because there are less members here more is expected of them but that is why they are all so strong, we always love more dearly the things we have to work for. We are also going to focus on making slujba an enjoyable experience, Putting some flowers in the lobby having musical numbers, stuff like that. We really want these 3 hours to be spiritually enriching for our people. They do so much constantly the deserve it!<br />
Alright my good friends that is all from Moldova this week!<br />
Love ya lots go hard for Halloween!<br />
Sora ArmstrongAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08576533160992604971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4182283410360014614.post-68806134002014377562015-10-21T22:57:00.003-07:002015-10-21T22:57:51.658-07:00Go Cougs!!!!!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hey Hey Everyone,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ok, I seriously love the clothes here!!!! I would buy my entire wardrobe here if I could and Mom, I guarantee that you and Gma would be totally okay with it. The look here is so classy but relaxed especially the fall and winter clothes I just look at the women here and I am like...dang! How can I put together and outfit like that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sora Black is from Pale Alto, California. She is an amazing missionary though and finishes her mission at Christmas so I am hoping we stay together for 2 transfers. We love giving President Ivory a hard time about BYU. He tells us how the U's football team is doing and told us to wear red to zone conference. We made a deal with him that if we get 100 people to church, he has to wear a byu shirt to the next zone conference. He hasn't said anything about it, so I am not sure if that deal is on or not.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We had 86 people at church this last week our goal is 90 by the end of the month.... so we are getting there BUT we still need miracles. We need the members to really step it up and start sacrificing. The members do not need us as much as they did in Constanta so I am having a hard time really forming relationships with them just because we don't see them as much. I miss feeling needed but the members here are incredible. The other night we were on our way to go see Sora Cociu. She is a recent convert and has two adorable little boys. Her husband is a member also, but is working in another country right now. On the way over there I was just really missing Constanta and kind of feeling down. I have gotten used to being the companion with the relationships, the one knows how to do everything after 4 transfers of training.....I was very used to being the boss I guess. Sometimes I feel like I am not filling my part of the companionship. Anyway, I was just praying and just letting Heavenly Father know how I was feeling. So we get to her house and she is making food. She was not super friendly and just really quiet. We start the lessons talking about Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail and she just walks out to go do something else when she comes back in she looks at me says "will you bear your testimony." I was super caught off guard so I said if I do it you gotta do it too she was like okay. I talked about how we are all called here for a reason, how Heavenly Father enables us to do hard things through the atonement and that he has plan for all of us. Then this amazing woman bore one of the most powerful testimonies I have ever heard in my entire life. She bore testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith of how his sacrifice changed her life, of how much happier she and her family is because of the teachings of this gospel. She bore testimony of the fact that she knows that this is the only true church and that we have to share it because it makes us so happy. It was INCREDIBLE!!!! It was a direct answer to my prayer. I felt the spirit so strong in that little kitchen. Heavenly Father was just like calm down you got this.... just love them and you will form your relationships. It was one of the most direct quick responses to prayer I have ever gotten. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some other cool things about Moldova the food is more Russianish everyone here mixes Russian and Romanian into this language called "Moldovaneasca." </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Missionary work is LEGIT here. The movie 'Meet the Mormons' showed last night on NATIONAL TELEVISION and there are billboards all over the city advertising for it. It will show next Sunday too. We have this center that just opened up for personal development. Sora Black and I teach English there and we help teach this business class. BTW no other country has shown Meet the Mormons on tv so we are the first. The people here are just super cute and super put together. It is very different from Romania. It is more obvious that Moldova is a third world country but the people here are a lot more hard working. It is very interesting. There are protests going on in Centru right now because this guy stole half of the Moldovan economy .... literally look it up online it is nuts and now he is the mayor of a smaller city in Moldova. All that it means though is that people sleep in tents outside the government building it is not violent at all. Also, Randy the American Army guy from Constanta gave me a knife before I left so do not worry Mom.... Sora Black and I are very safe. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Funny story about Sora Black, she is super chill and we love giving each other a hard time. The other night, we were at Sora Cocius ,she pulled out this juice mix with a bunch of different berries and Sora Black leans over to me and in English says I hope it is a little bit fermented, meaning I hope there is a little bit of alcohol....joking of course... She is super great to work with because we go hard so hard but we have so much fun too! Sora Ivory asked us at zone conference if we were eating and sleeping because she knows how much both of us like to work.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I miss you all.....thank you for all your letters!!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sora Armstrong</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08576533160992604971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4182283410360014614.post-69695154269641816882015-10-11T19:40:00.000-07:002015-10-11T19:40:34.248-07:00Prevet?<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Hey hey my peoples..... what is up from MOLDOVA?</span><br />
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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! </div>
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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!</div>
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<br style="background-color: #e7e6e2; color: #666666; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.9px; outline: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: #e7e6e2;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.9px;">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 </span><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.8999996185303px;">apostles</span><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.9px;"> 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.</span></span></span></div>
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Well that is it for the this week, I love you all and wish you all health,</div>
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Sora Armstrong</div>
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Brittany heading to Moldova<br />
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Brittany with her new companion, Sora Black<br />
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Brittany Sora Mitts & Sora Armstrong (the younger)<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08576533160992604971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4182283410360014614.post-69905642631094756142015-09-29T22:54:00.001-07:002015-09-29T22:54:37.394-07:00Goodbyes Are The Worst!!!!<div>
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Hello my family,</div>
WOW. So I found
out this last week that I would be leaving from Constanta. I have
actually known since last Wednesday. It was rough because I knew all
these lessons would be my last. We had some awesome lessons especially
with Mercy and Familia Olteanu. With Mercy, we talked about prophets and
modern revelation. As we sat there in her hotel room, all these
memories flooded back. We have come full circle with her. I remember
just sitting there begging Heavenly Father to testify to Mercy's heart
that he has a prophet on the Earth today and that his authority has been
restored. I remembered when Mercy just could not accept that fact and
my heart broke. But then I remembered when Mercy looked at me and said
"I think I am going do it". Then I remembered her baptism and the
powerful spirit that was there. Then talking to her after she got back
from the temple and feeling that spirit of the temple with her. Then
sitting there and listening to Mercy testify of Prophets and of the
authority of God being on the earth. She testified to us of the fact
that this is the only true church because it has the authority of God.
We have literally come full circle, I feel like I learn from her when we
go and it is AWESOME! MAN I LOVE THAT GIRL and now I cannot see her
every week and I do not even know what to do!</div>
Goodbyes are the
worst my friends. But here are some happy things that happened this
week. Lacra got BAPTIZED!!!! It was beautiful. She was the other soras
investigator but she is like my best friend. She is one of the purest
people I know. The first time I met her at english I just felt this
spirit. She is beautiful one of the little girls in the branch thinks
she is a princess but yeah as soon as I started talking to her I just
was like she is going to get baptized! And guess what she did! It was
amazing. She chose to have it in the black sea and the night was just
perfect. Lacra faced so much opposition this last week before the
baptism and seeing her be so courageous to take this step has been a
huge example to me. This gospel is so WORTH IT PEOPLE! It was just so
peaceful as we were walking back on the beach Lacra said "I was so cold
but now I am so warm" Sora Trebas and I were like yeah that is the
SPIRIT! It was seriously just beautiful I cannot really describe it.
Then Liviu bore his testimony at the baptism about how much this gospel
has helped him and how we have to the little things. Sora Armstrong and I
gave him a tie as a going away present and he loved it, he even pooped
me which means kissed me on my cheeks. </div>
Saying goodbye to the
branch was rough I just wanted them to understand how grateful I was to
them and the impact they have made on my life. I got to bear my
testimony in Sacrament meeting and I may have shed a tear up there. They
all wished me lots of success and gave me lots of kisses. I just kept
saying thank you so much thank you for everything. I honestly do not
think I got called here because the people need me but because I need
the people. The people of this branch have changed my life, they are my
family. I will be so much better because of the examples they have shown
me. I cannot describe the affect these people have had on my life. I
cannot imagine Sunday without them but I am excited for my next
adventure. </div>
I have been so blessed up to this point in my
mission. I have served with amazing people. Saying goodbye to Sora
Armstrong is not going to be easy at all. I love that girl so much. She
has taught me so much about how to rely on the Spirit, and turn to the
Lord in times of need. She is so ready to take on this area and I would
not want to leave it to anyone else.<br /></div>
Well my family and friends, that is it from Romania I will hit you up with that Moldova Spirit next week!</div>
Sora Armstrong<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08576533160992604971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4182283410360014614.post-8596842919427958442015-09-21T16:56:00.000-07:002015-09-21T16:56:10.798-07:00POLICE!!!<div>
<div>
Buna, buna, buna,</div>
It has been a full week of running
away from the police. doing a little bit of stalking and and preaching
the gospel. Such a solid combination.</div>
We had zone conference
this week so we headed down to Bucuresti on our favorite 5:30 am train.
We decided to race the elders to the train station so everyone got
there with plenty of time to spare. The elders won but they cheated so
it didn't count. Zone Conference was AMAZING!!!!! Sora Ivory shared with
us this children's book called Pierre I care I think I think we have it
at home but I am not sure if not GO BUY IT. It is about this boy who
says I don't care to everything until he gets eaten by a lion and then
he starts caring. Sora Ivory talked with us about apathy and how
poisionious it is. I have never really relized this concept before but
wow is it so true. When we care about what we are doing we do such a
better job. Sora Ivory talked about Good Better Best and how abolut as
we grow to care about who we are as people and the journey of growth
that we are on we start to be our BEST. Apathy is such a dangerous trap
of the advesary. Love is the greatest motivator of all and apathy is the
absence of love. We each of "lions" in our own lives, we each have
things that we don't care about, maybe because we are too scared to open
up our hearts maybe it is because we have been hurt before and we don't
want to start caring again or maybe we are scared of failure nothing is
wore than failing at something we care so much about. BUT WE HAVE TO
CARE!!!! We gotta open up our hearts, we gotta strive to be our best no
matter the risks because that is who we are. We are children of God who
LOVES all men perfectly we are here on earth because of LOVE. So if we
lose that love if we stop to care. We get EATEN. We become selfish we
lose our purpose and nothing is more frustrating than a journey without
direction. When we strive to care about all those around us we strive to
be our best for them. I wake up at 6:30 every morning because I CARE
about these people, I study and plan and pray for guidance and direction
because I CARE about these people. Missionary work has become so much
easier and so much more worth it the more I start to care. My challenge
to you my friends and family is to pick something you need to care more
about and start to work at it, it could be temple attendance, scripture
study, a relationship, school etc. Find a reason to care and let that
caring turn into love and I promise that love will motivate you to do
your very best and that is what our Father in Heaven expects of us.<br /><div>
Okay
I have now stepped off my soap box. Story time, we decided this week
that the members needed a nice reminder to read the Book of Mormon so we
each made a dessert and met for district meeting to decide who and
where to take it to. As we talked I realized I knew pretty much every
single one of our members schedules, when they would be home, where they
would be at certain times and when they most prefer us to visit them I
was like wow I have been here awhile. We were sitting in district
meeting and two people walked into the church I walked out and said
"Buna" then I realized they both had these badges in their hands that
said politia or police I was like uhhhhhh. They asked me if I spoke
romanian and I said yes and they said we need to speak with you, at the
point my mind whirred back to all of the posible things they could have
to talk to us about. All of they places we had drawn in chalk, all of
the people we had talked to, all of the blocs we had kind of entered
without really having permission from anyone living there. All I said
was about what? Then I was like actually here talk to the district
leader. So he went out and started talking to them then he was like Sora
Armstrong they need you and I was ready to jump out the window and run
but I was like dang I can't leave my companion. So I start talking to
them and it turns out a member who had been asked not to come to church a
year ago had kidnapped her son and ran away with him so they were
trying to find her and her ex husband told them she was a member of our
church so they paid us a visit. I explained that the member had caused
some major problems in the branch and did not have permission to come
back here so we had never spoken to her and knew nothing about where she
would be. They were kind of skeptical at first. The church is still new
here in Romania and sometimes people do not quite understand that our
sole purpose is simply to come to Christ through faith in him repentance
baptism receiving the holy ghost and enduring to the end. The whole
thing was resolved and the ended up finding her in Brasov so it all
worked out.</div>
<div>
Things are going so well in Constanta these
members are incredible and miracles just keep on happening. I had an
awesome conversation in english about families. I showed a picture of my
family and they said wow you are all so happy. That segwayed into the
fact that we are happy becuae of the gospel and I ended up getting to
share the Book of Mormon with one of our cute english students. She
dresses like Grandma I love it! </div>
<div>
Sorry fambam that is all I have time for this week but I love you guys and never forget to CARE!</div>
<div>
Sora Armstrong</div>
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Our one year celebration dinner at this awesome restaurant. They gave us blankets because it was kinda chilly.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08576533160992604971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4182283410360014614.post-64791555060452058062015-09-14T21:38:00.003-07:002015-09-14T21:38:53.299-07:00Romania is Rockin'!!!<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Hey hey fambam!</span><br />
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How is life? Life in Romania is ROCKIN' Every night right before I fall asleep, I go over my day and every night I am just "really we did all that just today" I LOVE IT. </div>
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We got to see Mercy fresh home from the Frankfurt, Germany temple. She was GLOWING! I could not stop smiling as she told us of all of her adventures. She just loved it. She was so impressed by how kind everyone was. She said she felt like she was in a "royal house" and everyone that greeted her treated her like royalty. Props to my temple worker friends in Frankfurt for taking care of my girl Mercy. As she told us about doing the baptisms for her family this spirit just settled over the room and she showed us all of the pink and blue cards with the check marks. it was SO COOL. She was just about to start really telling us how it was when one of her friends walked in. We started talking with him, the conversation ended up on God's love for us. Then out of nowhere he started quoting scripture from the bible at us about the Law of Moses and how it been fulfilled and the spirit was gone and I was like "here we go Nigerian bible bashing this always makes my head hurt" So he then proceeded to tell us that the law of tithing is not a commandment and if we keep that law we have to keep the whole law of Moses. My favorite was when Mercy perfectly taught him the law of the tithe where it came from and why we do it. I was like "you go mercy!" I felt so proud. I think the Preach My Gospel should that say that if you want to check for recent converts understanding of the gospel just have them talk with someone that questions the church.....it is more effective than asking questions. Okay maybe that is not a good idea, but Mercy understands the law of the tithe, so that is good. We ended up just testifying to our Nigerian friend of modern revelation and challenged him to ask God if God would call another prophet to this earth. I was the most bold I have ever been in English and I might have scared Sora Armstrong a little but I was not going to let him bust in there right after Mercy had gotten back from the temple and start giving her doubts, that was not going to happen. I am so grateful that Sora Armstrong always has my back no matter what haha.</div>
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We also had another awesome sacrament meeting I spoke but that was not why it was awesome. Funny story during my talk Rebecca Olteanu the branch president's 2 year old daughter walks out from behind me and walks up to Sora Armstrong who is on the front row like 3 feet away from me. Becca yells UITE! Which means LOOK! and frisbees this empty phone case at Sora Armstrong, Sora Armstrong like spazed out and all of hair just went flying and Becca just walked away. I started cracking up in the middle of my talk. So then everyone started laughing and Becca got removed from the sacrament room. Once I regained my composure I finished and then Gabi spoke. He is the district Sunday school president at the age of 21! He is an awesome guy and he spoke about how when our lives get busy our scripture study starts slipping. He testified about the power of opening the scriptures even in our busiest moments. He works in a pizza restaurant and he while of his work buddies taking smoking breaks he takes Book of Mormon breaks. It was so cool to hear is testimony and I think it made a big impact on the branch. I feel like Heavenly Father is sick of hearing us say "I don't have time" He created time! There is no way he would not give us enough of it! There are so many blessings just waiting to be grabbed if we will MAKE time for this gospel. My challenge for you all my friends is MAKE time for the things that matter most! </div>
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I love you all and have an awesome week!</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">
Sora Armstrong</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08576533160992604971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4182283410360014614.post-60798576846593502102015-09-07T22:30:00.002-07:002015-09-07T22:30:39.327-07:00Kid's Meals, Coke, and Testimonies<div>
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Hey my friends!</div>
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. </div>
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.. </div>
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.</div>
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.</div>
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!<br /></div>
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. </div>
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.<br /></div>
Thanks for reading! Have a great week</div>
Sora Armstrong<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08576533160992604971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4182283410360014614.post-21334079436131470062015-09-02T16:46:00.001-07:002015-09-02T16:47:11.513-07:00Romanian Elevators<div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Hey hey hey!</span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">So this week was one of those weeks where when I look back on it I am like "yep I for sure in Romania" </span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">GUYS
I LOVE THE TEMPLE!!!!!! This week Sora Armstrong put her family history
skills to work and tackled the names of Mercy and Sora Ghiman late
family members to get them ready for the temple. I think she did around
45 names in all, and believe me doing work for people in Nigeria and
Romania is not as easy as doing American names. At first it was hard on
me because we were inside a lot. We tried getting branch members
involved but nobody else could take care of it. But Sora Ghiman came on
Wednesday night and we showed her the names and this smile lit across
her face. She jumped up and hugged Sora Armstrong, when I saw that a
thought entered into my mind that even though we weren't out on the
streets talking to people we were still doing missionary work. Then
Mercy came later on in the week and we showed her her names and she had
her interview after the interview she burst out of the office and just
grabbed us both and hugged us and just said how excited she was to go to
the temple and how much it meant her to be able to take the names of
her family members and again I felt the sweetest spirit. In our lesson
this week Mercy bore testimony of the hope that the temple gives her.
That when she is missing her family and wants to cry she thinks of how
through the temple she will see them again. As we talked about the
temple I got to feel a little bit of that special spirit that we feel
there, I miss that spirit a lot. But after seeing the smiles on Sora
Ghiman and Mercy's face as we printed out there family member's names I
also just felt so grateful that I get to be here in this incredible
country at such a pivotal time. I just want to say again what a whiz
Sora Armstrong is at <a href="http://familysearch.org/">familysearch.org</a> she
is seriously such a champ and put with all my cabin fever grumpiness.
Also my friends and family GO TO THE TEMPLE but also FIND NAMES to take
with you. Sora Ghiman had to go all over Romania looking for her family
names it is got to be easier for you guys in the states, make a call to
your mom/grandma/great aunt ask them to tell you stories about your
relatives and then just explain we believe we can be with our families
FOREVER after this life, ask them for their permission to do service for
their passed on loved ones in the temple. BE BOLD it will be worth it
and Heavenly Father will soften the hearts of those that you work with.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">Okay
next miracle. We went and visited a member from Bacau that has just
married a man that lives a little bit outside of Constanta when we got
there her new granddaughter was there. We had planned on talking about
the Book of Mormon w</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">ith
the member but I had the feeling that we should teach the full
restoration so we did! It was powerful and we committed her
granddaughter and husband to reading the book together. MEMBERS are the
key my friends!! MIracles are happening here people are being prepared
and Heavenly Father will not let this work be stopped.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">Now
to explain my subject line. This week we all went to visit a less
active member that has been coming a lot more often. The whole district
went because we wanted to show how grateful we are for him. So the Soras
headed to his tenth floor apartment in the lift and the elders decided
to race us up the stairs. Let me just say I REALLY DO NOT LIKE
Elevators but they
made me get in so I did. We were all squished in and around the third
floor the lift just STOPS. Sora Trebas and Sora Armstrong immediately
start freaking out, Sora Trebas starts going off about all the worst
case scenarios, (which is the worst possible thing to do in a situation
like that) Sora Armstrong calls the elders, Sora Green is just in the
corner like "Oh my gosh is this really happening?" and I start hitting
all the buttons on the panel to no avail. The doors to the lift were
just this wooden cupboard type doors so I opened them and it turns out
we are right in the middle of the wall and the metal door leading to
freedom. But in order to open the metal door there is this lever that
normally the lift triggers as it arrives at the level but we were still
about 4 feet below it. Sora Armstrong reaches her arm up to pull the
lever and Sora Trebas is like "You are gonna cut your hand off!!!" but
sora Armstrong risks it anyway and gets the lever door opens to our
elders who are just standing there looking down at us. Elder Jardine has
this dead serious look on his face and says "If you guys try to climb
out you will get cut in half" I am like whatever how is that even a
thing and I am so sick of everyone being so dramatic that I decide to
shake things up so I jump and the lift kinda falls down a little bit but
not really and everyone starts screaming at me. So then the Romanians
come out of their apartments and they are like just climb out and I am
like what they said so I climb out and everything is fine no one got cut
in half and we had a great lesson with Fratele Vitel. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">We
had another fun experience with our friend Sora Corinna this week. She
is a less active that says it is too hot to come to church and yes it is
hot but not too hot to renew your baptismal covenants. Sora Corinna is
very devoted to helping Sora Armstrong speak the language better so she
tells me to be quiet in lessons and makes Sora Armstrong teach the
whole thing. Sora Armstrong does teach the whole thing and does awesome
at it. Recently Sora Corinna has come under the impression that I look
Japanese so she started calling me Samurai. During lessons she will look
at me and say hey samurai and then karate chop the air. This week during
the lesson I started do my part of the lesson and she looks at me says
"Be quiet Genghis" and does a karate chop I was so shocked she had
called me Genghis Khan I just said "Poftim" Which means excuse me?! She
started cracking up and would not stop laughing so now I am Genghis Khan.
Sora Armstrong thinks it is hilarious too so she likes to call me that
too. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">One last miracle
of the week familia Fotea came to Constanta!!!!!!! It was so good to see
them. They are such a solid family. Being with them and the
Constantinescus at the same time just made me so grateful for the
caliber of people I get to be around here in Romania. Both Fratele Fotea
and Presidentele Constantinescu are in the district presidency which is
the equivalent to stake presidency here in the Bucuresti District and
wow are they INCREDIBLE men. We talked about the Book of Mormon and
they just got so excited. We talked about how the book encourages us to
see the best in others, it is not only
a book of doctrine but it can help us grow closer to Christ by
teaching us how to be more like him. Fratele Fotea led the discussion
being with their family just reminded me of my first couple of months in
Romania. They are truly some of the strongest saints.... ever!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Life is good, I LOVE being a missionary, I LOVE this gospel, and I LOVE you all!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Sora Genghis Khan</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Fratele Vitel</span></div>
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Trapped in an Romanian Elevator<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08576533160992604971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4182283410360014614.post-60697051473775321542015-08-28T22:20:00.001-07:002015-08-28T22:20:17.905-07:005 Day Update<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 19px;">What's up my friends and family? </span><br />
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I wrote you five days ago so here is another update on the happenings here in Constanta Romania.</div>
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We had an awesome recent convert lesson with our buddy Liviu. We asked him how he felt about the Book of Mormon. He looked up and said it has become the most important book in my life. It was the coolest feeling! Liviu has progressed in this gospel so quickly, he just gets it and it has been such a blessing do be apart of it. Then he blessed the sacrament on Sunday! It was so cute, I almost cried. Afterwards I was like Congrats! He just smiled and said I no idea what I was doing but I did it and it felt great! The priesthood is a very powerful thing and I invite all who have it to SEARCH for opportunities to use it.</div>
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On Wednesday night we headed out to Costenesti a beach side town outside of Constanta to visit with some friends of the Assistant's to the President. They called us on Sunday and asked us to just go visit with this couple that they had met through English class. We headed out there at 7am on a bus. We had an AWESOME conversation about the gospel. They have such a desire for the truth, it was cool. This couple wants to start a fitness program. They have so much drive and passion for what they do. We talked a lot about how the gospel should play a part in every single aspect of our lives. It should be more than just a thing we think about on Sundays so that was really cool. Then we start making our way back to Constanta and we go wait for the bus that had taken us out there. Little did we know that the bus had gotten stuck in traffic and so by the time it finally reached us <a href="x-apple-data-detectors://1" x-apple-data-detectors-result="1" x-apple-data-detectors-type="calendar-event" x-apple-data-detectors="true">at 9:30 pm</a> it had finished it's work day so it wasn't picking people up anymore. So there we were stuck about 30 minutes outside of Constanta when we are supposed to be home already. I was going through options of how to get home in my mind, my thought process went a little bit like this. "Well we could hitchhike, no Sora ivory would kill us if she found out we hitchhiked, we could call a taxi no we do not have enough money for that, we could just stay here for the night, wow I am the worst trainer ever, President is so going to fire me when he hears about this." Meanwhile Sora Armstrong the trainee realizes that there is a train that runs through the town we are in and she says we could just take the train so we start going to buy are tickets, the train pulls up as we start buying our tickets so I am just like come on come on we gotta go! We grab our tickets and sprint onto the train. We make come to find out the train is SO SLOW and it takes us like 45 minutes to get home. BUT either President still doesn't know or he thinks I am an okay trainer because I get another whole transfer with Sora Armstrong and I am so excited about it!!!</div>
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The gospel is true, our Father in Heaven loves so much!! He hears our prayers no matter where we are or what we have done.</div>
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I love you all!!</div>
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Sora Armstrong</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08576533160992604971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4182283410360014614.post-23002271420396332532015-08-23T11:09:00.000-07:002015-08-23T13:10:01.079-07:00Botez, Mountains, and the Book of Mormon<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">To whom it may concern (WHICH SHOULD BE ALL OF YOU), </span><br />
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I am literally in THE BEST, MOST POSITIVE MISSION ON THE PLANET. This week has been jam packed I am not even sure where to start. Thank you to all who sent me the birthday wishes. I would love to reply but I have 0 time BUT I love you all thank you so much for the thoughts! </div>
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Okay I will start with the BOTEZ!!! Liviu got BAPTIZED!!!!! He is so AWESOME! But wow is it a story. </div>
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So.....Liviu decided to get baptized <a href="x-apple-data-detectors://0" x-apple-data-detectors-result="0" x-apple-data-detectors-type="calendar-event" x-apple-data-detectors="true">at 10 o'clock</a> in the morning. Because it is so hot these days, he thought would be best. We were so excited for him that the logistic side of our brains did not kick in so we were just like yeah of course perfect. Then we are walking home from the lesson and I am like "wait a second, it takes 5 hours to fill up the font and we have to do it the day of or else the water will be freezing." So after some convincing on Sora Armstrong's part (I had to convince her,) we decided to sleep at the church the night before the baptism so we could start the water <a href="x-apple-data-detectors://1" x-apple-data-detectors-result="1" x-apple-data-detectors-type="calendar-event" x-apple-data-detectors="true">at 3:30</a> in the morning. Saturday, we wake up at BEFORE the crack of dawn to start the water. The way we fill up the font here is through a hose connected to the kitchen sinks that runs into the big plastic tub in the next room. So I wake up turn on the water and fall back onto the couch and then I hear this flush of water and the hose as shot OFF of the sink!!! Sora Armstrong and I spent the next HOUR scotch taping the hose onto the sink because the connecting piece had BROKEN!!! Then we finally fall back to sleep around <a href="x-apple-data-detectors://2" x-apple-data-detectors-result="2" x-apple-data-detectors-type="calendar-event" x-apple-data-detectors="true">5:30</a>. <a href="x-apple-data-detectors://3" x-apple-data-detectors-result="3" x-apple-data-detectors-type="calendar-event" x-apple-data-detectors="true">6:30</a> rolls around, we pray, then I look into the font and there is like no water in there, so I walk into the kitchen and as soon as I set foot into the room my foot is SUBMERGED in water. I was like "uh oh" and Sora Armstrong comes running in. Turns out our scotch taping job was not as pro as planned so there was a major leak and resulted in a kiddie pool in the church kitchen. We fixed the leak, mopped up most of the water, and then the Elders brought us some pancakes. Then we had a BAPTISM. It was BEAUTIFUL. Liviu just BEAMED the entire time. He thought the baptism suit was hilarious and just busted up laughing when we showed it to him. Baptisms always have an awesome spirit about them but I think the baptism is different depending on the person. The gospel for Liviu is just such a happy thing. It is something that gave him the hope and change of perspective that he needed as he came out of a very tough challenge in his life. It has helped him heal and after he got baptized he said he just felt ready to start life again. Everyone was smiling. The second counselor in the branch president gave the welcome and he said something so beautiful. He looked at Liviu and said, Brother we are small but we are strong. Liviu just smiled. After, Liviu got up and bore his testimony of the Book of Mormon and of Christ. It was so simple but so SOLID. Not really sure how to put the feeling into words but wow it was an INCREDIBLE day.</div>
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The day after Liviu received the holy ghost, the priesthood and a calling as a Sunday School teacher. He was a little dazed but still smiling. He was walking around with all these books and I was like "Liviu, it's my birthday! Why do you get all the gifts!" He said "It's my weekend. I got reborn yesterday." hahaha I let him have it. </div>
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I am so BLESSED!!! I had the best birthday ever. The branch all kissed me and wished many birthdays upon me and blessed me to have beautiful children and a strong husband and great old age. I was like guys I'm only 20, I got awhile but they just kept giving me blessings which is a Romanian thing. Back to the point. THE LORD IS PREPARING PEOPLE. EVERYWHERE!!!! Go find them! Let me reiterate MISSIONARY WORK DOES NOT WORK WITHOUT THE MEMBERS!!! Get busy!</div>
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Monday, we took our favorite <a href="x-apple-data-detectors://4" x-apple-data-detectors-result="4" x-apple-data-detectors-type="calendar-event" x-apple-data-detectors="true">5:30am</a> train to Buceresti. We made with 20 minutes to spare I will have you know. Then we headed up to climb mountains with EVERY SINGLE MISSIONARY IN ROMANIA AND MOLDOVA. It was amazing! We got there and it was pouring rain and President was like "Let's go!" So we hiked to this amazing waterfall and was so beautiful and so much fun. That night, we had this delicious dinner in A CASTLE. It was so much fun to be with everyone. This mission is changing. We are obedient, we are striving everyday to find the one, we are committed to building the Church here in Romania and you could feel the power as we were all gathered together. There are also just so many awesome people in this mission. I got to talk to my home girls Sora Allen and Sora Marchesci who are going home soon but who are two AMAZING missionaries. I am so blessed to be making the friends I have made here.</div>
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Then we had an all mission conference. It was all about the BOOK OF MORMON. President Ivory's sister was there with her husband who is a surgeon. He and President Ivory both bore powerful testimonies of the Book of Mormon. It was thinking how cool is this gospel? Here are two incredibly intelligent men, President attended Harvard Business College.....and where is the first source they turn to for guidance and direction in their lives? The Book of Mormon. A book that some people argue was made up by a 24 year old unlearned school boy. Would a man that graduated from Harvard and now runs a very successful company turn to a book like that for guidance? NO The Book of Mormon is the word of God. It was written by prophets for our day. In it we can learn how to be a better parent, friend, teacher, sales guy, co-worker, brother, sister, spouse whatever we can learn to BE BETTER. So guess what my peeps I have a challenge for you. READ IT!!!!! The Romania Moldova Mission is starting to read it from front to cover tomorrow. Read it with us! We will finish it in 84 days. When a people unite in something this good MIRACLES WILL HAPPEN. Romania needs miracles, Temecula needs miracles, WE ALL NEED MIRACLES. </div>
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My friends and family I love you, I pray for you, I promise you that there is no truer book on this planet than the Book of Mormon and you will find no greater joy than the joy you can find in the Book of Mormon. </div>
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Over and out </div>
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Sora Armstrong<br />
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when you wake up expecting the font to be full but instead the kitchen is<br />
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Flexin' by the waterfall <br />
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Brittany in Count Dracula's Castle<br />
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Brittany in Brasov with Sora Armstrong, Sora Green, and Sora Trebas </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08576533160992604971noreply@blogger.com0