Hey All!
It's been a pretty busy week. I'll try to fill you in. We've got all of our English classes going now. Elder Garrett and I teach two beginning classes on Saturday morning and an advanced class Tuesday evening. The two beginning classes have about 15-20 people each and our advanced class has 4. It's pretty fun, I get to learn a lot of Romanian while teaching, I'm sure I learn as much as they do!
Yeah, I'm learning to navigate Timisoara better, but my companion is really good with maps and directions so he already knows the city better than me and I am the follower again. I don't why, but I don't remember how to get places too well. All the streets and blocs look similar to me. Our numbers weren't too good this week. Definitely not where I wanted them to be, but we improved and I'll do my best to improve again next week. This last week, our District Leader went to Arad for a meeting with the Zone Leaders and all the DLs. They came back with some goals for our district which have made me want to work really hard to meet them. We also have a goal (which is actually a rule, which no one ever told me about,lol) to only speak Romanian outside of the apartment. I've been doing pretty well at that, but it's pretty awkward. That's pretty crazy about your 2nd companion dad. He sounds A LOT like mine. He speaks really well, but doesn't like to speak Romanian. So the day is weird, me speaking in Romanian, and not well either, and him just talking in English. Well, I'm doing my part.
The branch is really cool here. There are about 40 or so people every week. There are a lot of older women but there are some families, too, and youth. I love the people here! Oh, and there are a LOT of youth in this town, because it's a big college town. The branch president here has been in his calling for 8 years now and he is ready to be released. Because he has been president so long, he has a lot of ideas that aren't right. Mostly traditions that he thinks are doctrines. Like last Sunday, Elder Garrett said the sacrament prayer but he wasn't facing the table straight on so the President made him re-do it. Anyway when we try to correct him on anything, small or big, he gets really offended. It's a big problem, because he is showing all the signs of going inactive if he gets released. He's a really great guy, though, that really wants to help. It's pretty sad.
Oh man, last night, we were invited to a Baptist baptism by one of our investigators. The first hour was all singing with this rock band they had, pretty weird. Then, when we got to the baptisms...it was just straight up wrong. The priest wore all black while he baptized them. He raised his left hand to the square when he gave the prayer and as soon as he started to dunk the person the rock band broke out in song. Then there was a interpretive dance done by some youth. One kid was Jesus, I guess, and they crucified him. It was pretty...well, it wasn't spiritual at all and not a good presentation of such a sacred Man as Jesus Christ. Overall, I felt pretty empty during the service, but it was pretty interesting to see. They definitely didn't try to claim they had the true gospel of Christ. In fact, they said that they needed to change the gospel for the new generation. It was an experience.
Dad - That is VERY exciting about the basketball tournament! Tell everyone congratulations for me. Thanks for your email and for sharing a little about your mission and your attitude there. It is nice and it helps me to hear that. Thanks! Oh, quick question for the physical therapist. If I am trying to build some size, is it better to do push-ups every day or every other day to rest my muscles?
Mom - I look forward to those tapes, thanks. And I appreciate your long letters so keep writing them! That's pretty exciting getting a new car. Too bad it costs money, too, lol. Oh, hey I need P's home address so I can send him a letter. Thank you!
J - Sounds like you tore it up at Neighbor to Neighbor! That's good to hear. And nice planning on the ODS tags, lol. Sounds like they are really good, though. I like the idea. Well, tell me how it went.
S - Your school's finally dedicated, huh? About time! lol. That's pretty exciting you get a cell phone for the week, and yeah, J definitely doesn't need help going over his text limit, haha. No, I haven't read Glory Field. Is it good?
E, A, W - You guys can share one :) How are you all doing? I thought about you guys on Sunday. I sat by a little girl, probably W's age and we talked about our favorite hymns and which ones we liked. She would point to a hymn and I would hum the melody and we would decide if we liked it. It was extremely fun, one of the happiest moments of the whole week. I hope you little runts have an awesome week. I really miss you!
Well, I sent a package(finally!) to you guys. Doesn't have a lot, but a few things. Thanks! Okay, for Mother's Day, I call you guys. What time is good for you that Sunday? Is church at 9 for you now? Well, let me know. I can't wait!!
Ok, I'm going to put up some pictures now. [Ross posted the photos on a photo website. I am hoping to be able to post some of them on the blog.] Thank you for everything! Have a good week everyone and choose the right! I love you all!
