Sora Merrill

Well, sorry I didn't right until now. We had zone conference on Monday so we were traveling until today, but it was absolutely wonderful and I loved seeing all my mission buddies and President and Sora Hill!

 

This week was great...I don't really remember a whole lot of what happened. It went way to fast. I feel like after your half way mark time goes twice as fast, which is totally not fair at all.

 

We did service this week for this old guy who has a garden. We dug up some ground and planted some ceapa and it was really hard. Sora Huffaker and I were so tired and sore! It was great to be able to serve him, though, because he's super old and lives alone and doesn't have anyone to help him. he's pretty picky about his garden, though. He kept yelling at us because we weren't digging or planting in straight lines, which we totally were. But that's ok, I'm sure he just wants it to look good. Before we left he gave us a bag of cauliflower and pickles...it was really weird. He also gave us a bag of ant-infested red onions. I really didn't want to get ants in our house, but we couldn't leave them outside our door, so we hung them outside our window...remember that for later.

 

I got your package! Thanks so much. I haven't finished reading the talk, but I liked the pictures and the butterfly thing and the skittles. Multumesc frumos!

 

We had a couple cool lessons this week. We met with Anca and Valentin. Valentin is so cool! They both have so much faith! We taught the Plan of Salvation and they just want to make it to the Celestial Kingdom so bad! Valentin always says that you have to be 'rich in your heart' with faith in God, even if you're not very rich in real life. I love that so much! He accepted a date to be baptized on the 2nd of May.

 

We haven't really been able to meet with Cristina much this week. We went over there once to make gogosi with Lenuta and them, but we more had a lesson with Lenuta's brother-in-law instead of Cristina, which was kind of frustrating because although he's an awesome guy, we really weren't able to talk to Cristina at all. We haven't been able to meet with her since because her mom's been sick in the hospital and she's been sick, too. I pray for her so much and Sora Huffaker and I just know that we're doing all we can for her.

 

We got to meet with Ileana this week! She's probably one of my favorite people I've met here, not that I have favorites...I just always say I do...for everything. Sora Huffaker thinks it's pretty funny because every time I share a scripture or something I always say it's my favorite...I just like everything! But anyways, Ileana is so sweet! She just got back from Italy so it was the first time meeting with her for 3 weeks. Our message was more of just, we love you and just really care about you. She came to church on Sunday! She always really likes it when she does come, and she loves everything we teach her, but she's still holding on to the Orthodox religion, mostly because it's a cultural thing and her family has always been Orthodox. She's not the only one like that, and I totally understand how hard it would be. Of course I don't understand completely, but anyways, that's why we just had a "We love you and care about you and just want to help you" kind of lesson, because I think we were kind of fourcing her too much, and Sora Huffaker agreed that that's what she felt Ileana needed. She is just the sweetest, nicest lady I have ever met.

 

On Sunday we had Branch conference, so President and Sora Hill came and spoke. It was so good! The Spirit was so strong! And there were so many people there! We invited our English students and probably 6 or 7 of them came! It was simply amazing! Everything just went so well. I tried to translate for Sora Hill during Relief Society, but it was so hard! If you miss one word, you're completely out for 2 minutes, or at least that's how it was for me. It was so hard, but I think I got most of the important things at least.

 

After we got to ride a maxi taxi to Arad. We stayed in a hotel with the Oradea and Timisoara missionaries. It was so fun! zone conference was just amazing, too. We're going to start doing more Family History contacting. They church is starting to digitize the Romanian records, soon, so that more of it will be online. Right now there are very few records on Family Search, but within a month or two there will be a whole lot more! Sora Huffaker and I were really wanting to try contacting with it, and now we really can! It's going to be great!

 

President Hill also talked a lot about Our Purpose as missionaries, and how our success isn't measured by how many baptisms we have. Rather it's more important for us to serve those around us, to bring comfort to those in need, to lift up the hands that hang low, to love the people, and to be Christlike. The best way to bring happiness is through the Gospel, but something that Sora Huffaker and I talked about a little today during companion study was that we first really need to show people that we truly care about them. Once people see that, then they will trust us enough to accept what we have to say. Some people will be really open to what we have to say in the first place, but most people do need something that tells them that they can trust what we have to say, and the Spirit will testify to them of the truth of our words.

 

I just love conference. I love seeing everyone together! All of my companions were there! And I really got to know a lot of people a whole lot better, especially the Cluj missionaries. After conference we went to Cluj to spend part of our PDay with them. We took a 5 hour train ride with them and pretty much just talked to them the entire way. It was so fun! They're all awesome missionaries. We went paintballing there yesterday morning. It was so fun! I was awful, but there was one game where I killed at least three people. Other than that, I pretty much was just good at dieing. But it was so fun. I got shot in the face probably at least 5 times. Sora Huffaker was awesome! She was one of the people who shot me in the face. Don't worry, we had masks. Man, that was so fun. We really needed that. I have an awesome bruise on my leg, too.

 

After paintballing we had to run to the autogara to catch a bus back so we could get there in time for English. We made it! But we didn't have time to change so we were all sweaty and gross on the way back. We were all super tired, too. It was so worth it, though. We got back to Sibiu and had to go straight to English. Luckily we did have time to change, but we hadn't really planned anything so we just did a review and Sora Huffaker and I totally figured out a spiritual thought 2 minutes before we gave it, which actually turned out pretty good.

 

Yep, I can't really remember a whole lot else this week. It was mostly just a very tiring week, but it was so good! I think the most important things I learned this week, though, is the importance and necessity of daily repentance, especially being a missionary. It is so important to have the Spirit with you. Although I often feel the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, there are times where I make mistakes that limit my ability to have that companionship. They're not big mistakes, but I've noticed that the longer I put off repenting of them, the more prideful I get, and the less I feel the Spirit. But I've learned that if I repent quickly, the Spirit will always be with me. I can repent anywhere at anytime! Yes, sometimes repentance takes more time than just saying sorry to someone, but it is so important. When you don't repent, your heart hardens and the Spirit can't enter in, because there's no room there. It is so good to feel that Spirit. The Spirit testifies of Christ and His Atonement. It's real! It is the realest thing on earth! And anyone can feel it, just repent, or think about Christ. The Spirit will be there!

 

Yep, that's this week. It's been great! Next Saturday we find out if I'm leaving. Elder Baielli and I think I'm going to Iasi to be a Sister Training Leader, but nobody knows. Maybe I'll stay one more transfer here! That would be awesome!

 

Again, sorry I'm late. Don't be worried, we're all fine.

 

Love you all!

 

Sora Merrill