Hey Everyone!!
Well, it's a new week, a new city, a new branch, and a new companion. It was a transfer of breaking streaks. First of all, my avoiding Bucharest has come to an end. I'm now serving in Sector 6. My companion is Elder Mielke, and that's where I broke another streak. He's not from Utah! He's actually from Oregon, La Grande. I have a really tight district, which also gives me a bigger responsibility, because it's more than just me and zone leaders, which I really like. I am in a district with zone leaders again, though. It's Elder Valentine and Elder Suckow
(he's from Berlin, Germany). Also in the district, Elder Divis and Elder Fitzgerald. And also a senior couple, the Reeds. They are a CES couple. So that gives me 3 phone calls every night, when last transfer I just had one. I like it, though.
Other exciting stuff from transfers. Like four people from my group are training this transfer, including Sora Harrison. Elder Sumbot and Elder Rigby are both zone leaders now, which is way cool. Almost everyone from my group that was at transfer meeting said that they thought I was going zone leader and were way surprised that I didn't. I am really glad that I have a chance to be in Buch right now, I'm really looking forward to this transfer, but it made me feel way good that they all said that and have that confidence in me.
So the missionary work in Buch is really different. We only have one investigator, a huge change from Iasi, where I had at least 10 at any point. But we are determined to work hard and get the pool up. With only a half week(starting Thursday), we had 18 lessons this week. I'm sure it will pay off. People have been pretty cool with us. I'd heard that people in Buch are way harder, but I don't buy into it. The work can go here just like it goes in Iasi or Timisoara or any other city. That's actually been something that has really motivated me. I really want to turn this city around and bring it back to what it used to be, the powerhouse of the mission. We have the district to make an impact and we're going to work our behinds off.
The branch here is so different from the one in Iasi. We meet in a real chapel, like it's as big as our chapel back home, but there are only like 30-40 people at church. Nobody sits by each other, they're spread out throughout the whole room. They're not united like Iasi, and they aren't as strong either. Like there are a few slightly crazy members that talk a lot and distract from the classes. Obviously the branch has some really cool people, too. The branch president is President Iachimov and he is a big stud. One sad thing, though, is that no one knows who anyone else is. They don't interact at all. We had a lesson with a recent convert, baptized over a year ago and we referred to some of the other members and she had no idea who they were. We'll see if something can't be done about that.
Well, I should probably tell you about the one investigator we have, Victor, because he is really awesome. He is about 50-60 years old and is a piano professor at a university. Anyway, even cooler is that he has a baptismal date for the 9th of March. Actually everyone in our district has a baptismal date, which says to me even more that Buch doesn't have to be the hole everyone says it is. It will be what we make it. And we're going to tear it up!
I started this way sweet, super intense ab workout.I started that on Friday and it's already working me way hard. I love it. Then this morning I added to my workout, doing Perfect Push-ups. It's like a push-up workout using this circle things that spin. Haha, it's way hard to explain. Google it and you can see a picture probably. Anyway, it's super helpful having a companion that works out every single morning. It makes it easier for me and I'm super grateful I'm doing it. It makes me really good.
It was hard saying goodbye to everyone in Iasi, but I am excited to work harder than ever and have more fun than ever here in Bucharest. My companion speaks really well which is really nice. Well, everyone. I'm sure I forgot stuff. Ask questions. I'll hear from you next week. I love you all!
Elder Ross
