Hey Everyone!
Transfer calls came in this morning! ....and Elder Garrett and I are staying together for one more transfer. Only one person in my whole district is transferred and that's Elder Middleton, our district leader. So I don't get to go to transfer meeting this time, but that's ok. This transfer will be good. I have a lot of goals, especially with the language. Like starting to read the Book of Mormon in Romanian, SYLing outside the apartment, becoming able to teach any of the lessons. It'll be good, but as always, remember me in your prayers.
This week was a lot slower than last week and I really hate that I can say this, but we didn't work as hard. Our numbers for the most part were lower than last week, but we did gain 5 new investigators, 3 of them coming from that one night exchange(that's insane!) with Elder Woodhouse and one coming from a guy I street contacted. It's pretty sweet. Gabriella wasn't able to meet with us this last week because her son came into town from Germany and she also had a huge thing with work going on. We will soon, though, and I'll keep you updated.
Last week's ping pong tournament was pretty intense, lol. I lost the very first game in mega overtime to Elder Woodhouse, but then I went undefeated after that, beating everyone else and then Elder Woodhouse at least 3 times. It was wild! And lots of fun. Plus, I got to wear shorts for P-day, because we were playing. It gets extremely hot in the little room where the ping pong table is. It's like a sauna.
It has been extremely hot here and I come home at night smelling pretty rank... and I'm stuck with taking baths for another month and a half! I just wish I could hop in a shower for a couple minutes. Man, the simple luxuries that I miss SO much! Like swimming in the summer...
That's nuts that Doug is getting married! Emily B, huh? Thats pretty funny. There is an Emily B here in Romania right now, from my MTC district actually. I'm sure she is an awesome girl. I remember, too, when I was younger really looking up to Doug. He's a great guy.
Dad - It's great to hear about people getting ready for their missions and that Erick is in the MTC. He's going to D.C., right? He'll be a great missionary. 25 years, huh? [It's been 25 years this week since G. entered the MTC.] Wow, that is very cool. That's for telling about how your mission has been such a blessing in your life. It's good to hear that. And also, all the support and positiveness you emit in your emails. Thanks!
Mom - Wow, I didn't realize your business was doing THAT good. That is awesome! Wow, I am really impressed with the website, too. It just looks very classy and professional. I'm sure you are very busy, but that is good. Enjoy the temple this week. I really, really miss being able to go, but it'll be that much better when I do get a chance.
J - How's the scripture mastery going? I'm sure you'll get it done. I've just started marking all the scripture mastery in my Romanian Book of Mormon. I know exactly what you mean, about never having enough time to study. You're getting addicted to the Spirit! Once you start to realize how real and living the Gospel is, it creates a huge desire to continue to learn and grow in faith. Keep it up! Oh, and we'll see about better-looking and stronger when I get back!
W - Thanks for writing me, buddy! I heard you are bald! [Someone had their annual summer buzz cut this weekend. Actually, he wanted it all off so J took a razor and shaving cream to give it a nice smooth top for a few days. Mom says only once a year.] You're sending me a picture, right? I'm glad that you are doing well at home and at school. I love you, W!
Well, come Wednesday I will be a missionary in his 3rd transfer. Time is going by pretty fast and everyone tells me it gets faster and faster. I'm gonna bounce now, but everyone have a great week. I commit you to that right now. I love you all!
--Elder Ross
P.S. - can you get an address so I can mail something to Brandon? How long has he been out anyway?
Monday, May 28, 2007
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Great Week!
Hey Everyone!
Things are going pretty out here in Timisoara. The weather here has been pretty Oregon-like. It was really hot and sunny for a couple of days and we thought summer was here, but then it rained pretty hard for a couple days and now today is pretty sunny again. Who knows what tomorrow will bring.
We got a lot done this week, it was super productive and we worked hard. The mission standard for contacting people is 140 a week, but Elder Garrett and I had never even broken 100 together...until this week. We had 184 contacts! We've had a ton of lessons and hopefully we'll have lots of new investigators from our efforts. The other elders had a baptism yesterday. It was a woman named Gina who is very large. It was a challenge to get her into the bazin. She had to step onto a chair, then onto two chairs, then step over onto a stool in the water. But she did it and it went great and she bore a powerful testimony at the end.
Not much has happened with our investigators this week. Gabriella is getting closer to baptism, but I couldn't even guess when or even if she'll be baptized. She had a dream, though, where she had to make a decision to join the church or not. Sounds like the Lord is trying to help her a little. Who knows what will happen. Nothing else really happened with our progressing investigators. That area of our work now is pretty hard.
I've had a couple of exchanges this last week. The first one was with Elder Middleton. We went to Arad(about an hour by train) to get a baptism suit big enough for Gina. It wasn't too exciting, rode a train there, met the zone leaders at the train station and got the suit from them, then hopped on a train back. We got back a little after 10:30(this was at night), so we went to his apartment for the night because it was closer. I didn't have a change of clothes, so the next day I was pretty gross, but I took a shower at least. The shower was pretty amazing actually. I really hate taking a bath everyday and so it was nice to have a real shower. My other exchange was last night with Elder Woodhouse. We went bloc-knocking and it was awesome. Elder Woodhouse had me teach a lot and I had to explain parts of the 1st lesson that I haven't explained since last transfer. With Elder Garrett, I teach the Joseph Smith story and that's about it. It was really good to have that exchange with Elder Woodhouse. It pushed to teach better and to teach different things. We had 5 lessons(that's a lot for one night!) and each time we each taught different things so it was always a different lesson. I really learned a lot and he gave ideas on things to add to the lesson. I really like his style of teaching because he is super friendly with the people and has fun with them. Of course he doesn't screw around and forget why he's there, but it's just a really good atmosphere where the people can feel comfortable and enjoy the message. I want to take some of that and use it, too, to have that kind of way with people.
S, sounds like you had a lot of fun with the play! Sounds like your cast party was good. Good luck with your science project. Wow, Mom, sounds like your presentations have been going extremely well, especially at the stake enrichment night. Good job! Oh, and how was the coast?
Well, everyone have an amazing week! I love you all! We're having a big ping pong tournament between our district today. Wish me luck! --Elder Ross
Things are going pretty out here in Timisoara. The weather here has been pretty Oregon-like. It was really hot and sunny for a couple of days and we thought summer was here, but then it rained pretty hard for a couple days and now today is pretty sunny again. Who knows what tomorrow will bring.
We got a lot done this week, it was super productive and we worked hard. The mission standard for contacting people is 140 a week, but Elder Garrett and I had never even broken 100 together...until this week. We had 184 contacts! We've had a ton of lessons and hopefully we'll have lots of new investigators from our efforts. The other elders had a baptism yesterday. It was a woman named Gina who is very large. It was a challenge to get her into the bazin. She had to step onto a chair, then onto two chairs, then step over onto a stool in the water. But she did it and it went great and she bore a powerful testimony at the end.
Not much has happened with our investigators this week. Gabriella is getting closer to baptism, but I couldn't even guess when or even if she'll be baptized. She had a dream, though, where she had to make a decision to join the church or not. Sounds like the Lord is trying to help her a little. Who knows what will happen. Nothing else really happened with our progressing investigators. That area of our work now is pretty hard.
I've had a couple of exchanges this last week. The first one was with Elder Middleton. We went to Arad(about an hour by train) to get a baptism suit big enough for Gina. It wasn't too exciting, rode a train there, met the zone leaders at the train station and got the suit from them, then hopped on a train back. We got back a little after 10:30(this was at night), so we went to his apartment for the night because it was closer. I didn't have a change of clothes, so the next day I was pretty gross, but I took a shower at least. The shower was pretty amazing actually. I really hate taking a bath everyday and so it was nice to have a real shower. My other exchange was last night with Elder Woodhouse. We went bloc-knocking and it was awesome. Elder Woodhouse had me teach a lot and I had to explain parts of the 1st lesson that I haven't explained since last transfer. With Elder Garrett, I teach the Joseph Smith story and that's about it. It was really good to have that exchange with Elder Woodhouse. It pushed to teach better and to teach different things. We had 5 lessons(that's a lot for one night!) and each time we each taught different things so it was always a different lesson. I really learned a lot and he gave ideas on things to add to the lesson. I really like his style of teaching because he is super friendly with the people and has fun with them. Of course he doesn't screw around and forget why he's there, but it's just a really good atmosphere where the people can feel comfortable and enjoy the message. I want to take some of that and use it, too, to have that kind of way with people.
S, sounds like you had a lot of fun with the play! Sounds like your cast party was good. Good luck with your science project. Wow, Mom, sounds like your presentations have been going extremely well, especially at the stake enrichment night. Good job! Oh, and how was the coast?
Well, everyone have an amazing week! I love you all! We're having a big ping pong tournament between our district today. Wish me luck! --Elder Ross
Friday, May 11, 2007
Monday, May 7, 2007
Wow! So many things happened in this last week, lots of news about the ward, about you guys. Super busy week for everyone! Not too much for me, same ol' same ol'. This upcoming week is going to be very good, though! Friday we have zone conference up in Arad, which I'm sure will be amazing. Plus, I'll get my package from L then. Yay! And then, of course, this Sunday I get to call my very favorite family. Man, this week will be good!
English has been going pretty well, except for the female admirerers I have, lol. We have a couple pretty good classes on Saturdays, when we teach beginner. After classes we generally try to each grab someone and share the gospel with them. Last Saturday, I talked with Doru, a guy we'd already given a 1st lesson, too. I talked to him about the Book of Mormon and then gave him one. He didn't come to church yesterday, unfortunately but hopefully he reads and progresses and becomes a solid investigator.
Oh man, Sunday was brutal! Hahaha. We had to endure Romanian hospitality, lol. We broke our fast as a district at the sisters' apartment and of course I ate tons of food. That was about 3 to 4. Then, we went to Gabriella's(she's one of our top investigators, we're giving her a baptism date next lesson) and she had a HUGE meal prepared for us. I ate a lot...again, but I definitely didn't enjoy it as much. Lol, it was the first I could say that eating was almost a chore. Elder Garrett and I had prepared a little and lined our pockets with little plastic bags and so I slipped in a couple pieces of food when she wasn't looking. The food was very good, though and she gave us a bunch to take home. Then after that we headed to Sora Nedelcu. She is the coolest lady ever! She was the first member baptized in Timisoara, way back in '96. And yes, she fed us, too. Not as much as Gabriella which was good. Lol, Gabriella wouldn't stop telling us to eat more, more, more! Oh man, it was an interesting night. I don't think I've ever eaten so much in one day.
Saturday I had an exchange with Elder Middleton and we had 3 discussions while bloc-knocking. He pointed something out to me that was pretty cool. Two of the three lessons, I made the door approach and got us in. Lol, not because of my amazing language skills(that's a joke,lol) but because of my boboc power. I guess there's something special about us greenies. It really is something real, maybe because I'm still super reliant on the Lord, but it made me realize the same thing has happened with Elder Selck and now Elder Garrett. I've gotten us into more doors than they have. Well, as long as I have this "boboc" power, I'm going to use it!
After the exchange Elder Middleton and I were waiting in centru for the other two to meet up with us. While we were waiting, a lady from Utah came up to us. She is here with a group of Baptists doing humanitarian work or something. She said she was their "token mormon." She's a pretty funny lady. Anyway, she took our mothers' names and numbers and said she was going to call them when she got back from the trip. So, expect a call sometime. I think her name was Patricia Archibald, something like that. And then one of the Baptist girls knows Elder Stinson. I guess she went to high school with him. So I called him that night. It was really cool to talk to him. He's in Iasi and so I asked him if he knew who Katie P, was. [A good high school friend who is working in an eastern Romanian orphanage and hospital this summer.] He wasn't sure, but he said he thinks she was the one that kneed him in the groin. Hahaha, sounds like Katie to me!
Then last night I called Sora Davison who is also in Iasi because it was her birthday. I really love talking to people from my MTC district. They are all so cool! I love them. Anyway, she said Katie had a calling already! She teaches Sunday School for the youth. Sora Davison translated for her. Lol, she said Katie was talking me up a lot. It's really cool to hear that she is doing well. How weird would that be if I ended up going to Iasi?!
Well, family, you've been busy. It's so nice to know that death was only a step for Great Grandma and now I'm sure she is so happy. I'm sure her funeral was/will be? great and it will be good for Mom to see so much family. I'm sure you'll tell me all about it, Mom. Well, I can't wait to hear from J, too and get some Outdoor School stories. Sounds like S did super well with that camp fundraiser. Enough for all the girls this year and half of them for next year. That is impressive!
Wow, that is so insane about President Trone. That's was definitely a shock to read that. I'll be sure to pray for his family and those close to him. I'm sure that Lord had need of him and he is continuing his great influence on the other side. He was a great man.
Well, everyone have an amazing week. It'll probably be a lot calmer than last week! I love you all!
Elder Ross
P.S.
Have you sent some of my emails or told my MTC teachers about the blog? Have they said anything back in response?
P.S.S.
I don't have Pietr's address so I'm going to mail his letter to you guys and you can send it to him. Sound good? And did you give him my package address? I think he said something about sending me jerky. :)
English has been going pretty well, except for the female admirerers I have, lol. We have a couple pretty good classes on Saturdays, when we teach beginner. After classes we generally try to each grab someone and share the gospel with them. Last Saturday, I talked with Doru, a guy we'd already given a 1st lesson, too. I talked to him about the Book of Mormon and then gave him one. He didn't come to church yesterday, unfortunately but hopefully he reads and progresses and becomes a solid investigator.
Oh man, Sunday was brutal! Hahaha. We had to endure Romanian hospitality, lol. We broke our fast as a district at the sisters' apartment and of course I ate tons of food. That was about 3 to 4. Then, we went to Gabriella's(she's one of our top investigators, we're giving her a baptism date next lesson) and she had a HUGE meal prepared for us. I ate a lot...again, but I definitely didn't enjoy it as much. Lol, it was the first I could say that eating was almost a chore. Elder Garrett and I had prepared a little and lined our pockets with little plastic bags and so I slipped in a couple pieces of food when she wasn't looking. The food was very good, though and she gave us a bunch to take home. Then after that we headed to Sora Nedelcu. She is the coolest lady ever! She was the first member baptized in Timisoara, way back in '96. And yes, she fed us, too. Not as much as Gabriella which was good. Lol, Gabriella wouldn't stop telling us to eat more, more, more! Oh man, it was an interesting night. I don't think I've ever eaten so much in one day.
Saturday I had an exchange with Elder Middleton and we had 3 discussions while bloc-knocking. He pointed something out to me that was pretty cool. Two of the three lessons, I made the door approach and got us in. Lol, not because of my amazing language skills(that's a joke,lol) but because of my boboc power. I guess there's something special about us greenies. It really is something real, maybe because I'm still super reliant on the Lord, but it made me realize the same thing has happened with Elder Selck and now Elder Garrett. I've gotten us into more doors than they have. Well, as long as I have this "boboc" power, I'm going to use it!
After the exchange Elder Middleton and I were waiting in centru for the other two to meet up with us. While we were waiting, a lady from Utah came up to us. She is here with a group of Baptists doing humanitarian work or something. She said she was their "token mormon." She's a pretty funny lady. Anyway, she took our mothers' names and numbers and said she was going to call them when she got back from the trip. So, expect a call sometime. I think her name was Patricia Archibald, something like that. And then one of the Baptist girls knows Elder Stinson. I guess she went to high school with him. So I called him that night. It was really cool to talk to him. He's in Iasi and so I asked him if he knew who Katie P, was. [A good high school friend who is working in an eastern Romanian orphanage and hospital this summer.] He wasn't sure, but he said he thinks she was the one that kneed him in the groin. Hahaha, sounds like Katie to me!
Then last night I called Sora Davison who is also in Iasi because it was her birthday. I really love talking to people from my MTC district. They are all so cool! I love them. Anyway, she said Katie had a calling already! She teaches Sunday School for the youth. Sora Davison translated for her. Lol, she said Katie was talking me up a lot. It's really cool to hear that she is doing well. How weird would that be if I ended up going to Iasi?!
Well, family, you've been busy. It's so nice to know that death was only a step for Great Grandma and now I'm sure she is so happy. I'm sure her funeral was/will be? great and it will be good for Mom to see so much family. I'm sure you'll tell me all about it, Mom. Well, I can't wait to hear from J, too and get some Outdoor School stories. Sounds like S did super well with that camp fundraiser. Enough for all the girls this year and half of them for next year. That is impressive!
Wow, that is so insane about President Trone. That's was definitely a shock to read that. I'll be sure to pray for his family and those close to him. I'm sure that Lord had need of him and he is continuing his great influence on the other side. He was a great man.
Well, everyone have an amazing week. It'll probably be a lot calmer than last week! I love you all!
Elder Ross
P.S.
Have you sent some of my emails or told my MTC teachers about the blog? Have they said anything back in response?
P.S.S.
I don't have Pietr's address so I'm going to mail his letter to you guys and you can send it to him. Sound good? And did you give him my package address? I think he said something about sending me jerky. :)
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