Hey Everyone!
You guys are great! All of your emails were great and I especially appreciated the title of your email, "Your Mom loves you TONS!" Oh, Happy Birthday, Mom!! I think according to the calendar you gave me, you just turned 29! Mom, you are amazing and I love you a lot! Thanks for raising me right and always being there. I've definitely learned that you are a very inspired woman, especially when it comes to your children. There have been numberless times when your emails have been exactly what I needed to hear. Thank you, Mom, for you countless sacrifices and your many, many prayers. I love you!
My week went really well this week. We had probably our best week of the transfer and we definitely worked the hardest. Not a lot of our investigators could meet, so we had tons of contacting time and we just dug down and worked really hard at that. We had almost 200 contacts, but unfortuneatly, no new investigators. But I have no doubt the Lord saw our work and will bless us and the people here in one way or another. Adriana is doing really well. We have a goal to give her a baptismal date this week. She understands and accepts everything we teach her, so this is the next step. I'm really excited.
Oh, I almost forgot, lol. Transfers! I forgot, because they were really anticlimactic and no one in this city is transferred. No sisters are coming in, either, so absolutely nothing has changed. Throughout the whole mission, not a lot has changed. Elder Woodhouse is now a zone leader and all the elders from my MTC group are now senior. Another one, Elder Kirk, is a district leader. Oh, and Elder Stinson is training.
Yeah, the BYU girls are back now. It's really good to have them back. They do a lot for the branch. They stay here until the December 17th. I'll be the elder that saw them come in and stayed their whole time until they leave. They are awesome and I'm glad that i've been able to get to know them. We're all pretty tight. Christina is pretty sick right now and Elder Hardman and I were able to go over there and give her a blessing. He gave the blessing and it was a really good experience. I love giving blessings and having the Spirit work through me...it's amazing! I actually got to be a part of three blessings yesterday. Christina, Diamanta(for a huge test she has today) and Laura(for the last month out here. She's been here since Katie Price came out here). It was great to serve them in that way.
You are right, we have been challenged to each have a baptism by Christmas, as a gift to the Savior. Alina is doing really well, too. She has problems making sacrifices and changing, but she is a 15-year old. And a very spunky one at that. She is great, though, and hopefully will start coming to church. She is addicted to coffee(at 15!) and doesn't think she can quit that. I'll keep you updated. No, Gianina has no relation to Nicu. Nicu's wife is in Italy, but I think she is coming home soon and then she will be willing to take the discussions. That's at least what he told us. That would be incredible to see him be able to baptize her. Gianina is a former Muslim that does everything she's ever been taught. She even pays tithing(though it's under donations or something because she isn't a member). She would be baptized, probably, if we asked her, but she doesn't really believe in Jesus Christ or understand his role as our Savior. I've never had a lesson with her, though. I think she was waiting for sisters to come back, but they didn't so that's kind of a bummer. We'll try again to meet with her. Maybe have a member, a sister from the branch, set it up.
I don't get fed by members very often here. Timisoara was where I could be fed 5 out of the 7 days of the week. Here, Sora Genoveva feeds us every week(it's really good) and President Popovici feeds us when we go over. That is it, though. But I've been learning to cook a little. Well, lol, not really. I've learned how to make lots of desserts, but that's about it. Snickerdoodles, no-bakes, carrot cake, yellow cake, lemon bars, etc. I'm really enjoying that, actually. I should probably learn to cook a meal, but hey, I still have over a year.
Woo-hoo! That is super sick that about the football game!! That must have been a super fun game to watch. The football team just needs to go all the way now. I'm sure J dominated. Keep me updated!
Well, you guys are the best. I should go now. I love you all! Happy birthday again, Mom. Thanks for the "I know". I love those. Have a great week, everyone. There's no transfer meeting this week, but next week, during Thanksgiving, we'll(the whole mission) be in Buch, because a general authority is coming. Have a good one.
Love, Elder Ross
