August takes its toll but able to meet with . . .

Hey Great Family and Friends!!

This week was good, though there were not a ton of exciting things. As you pointed out, Mom, it is still August and that takes its toll, but I'm just grateful we're still able to meet with most of our investigators, though they are coming and going. Outside of just the missionary work, I actually do feel really good. I don't say this in any way to brag and pump myself up, but I have a feeling of great growth and, I don't know, acceptance maybe, of course despite my many weaknesses and shortcomings. When I stop and think about my mission, I definitely have not been the perfect missionary, I haven't baptized tons of people, but I really have worked hard and I feel peace when I reflect like that. Of course I still have 4 months left and I will continue to work hard and to learn and to progress. I'm not quite perfect yet, lol.

Haha, thanks, Mom, for the trunky questions. [I had to ask him a few post-mission questions but hesitated for fear of encouraging trunkiness.] But I'm already trunky. I just use it to my advantage and push myself more. Yeah, I would love to live with J in Heritage Halls. Thanks for helping me to set that up. Off and on throughout my mission I've thought about working at the MTC and just now when you asked me that question, I stopped and prayed for a minute. And yeah, I think it would be a really good thing. I don't know exactly how applying works, but I don't think they have many teachers right now. Yeah, I would like you to try applying for me. Thanks!

So we spent a decent of time this week working on the street board, but unfortunately it's not quite done yet. We met with Doamna Mocean and her son was there, too. He listened to most of the lesson, but then left for a smoke. She's doing well, but not as well, because of her son being home. She needs to remember to read and pray everyday. We remind her everytime, I'm sure she'll get it. I mean she has before, in spurts, but actually really solidly doing those things hasn't quite come yet.

We met with Paul as well and that was a sweet lesson. I was actually with Elder Fromm, because we had an exchange and he must have just been so excited that he fell sleep for about 30 minutes, HAHA. Paul had a lot of great questions, sincere ones, and he promised to read the Book of Mormon every day. He said he'll be coming and going for the next two weeks, but that he'll take the Book of Mormon with him and he'll call us when he is home long enough for us to meet. Usually, that's sketchy and investigators never call you, but I believe Paul. He's way sincere. Oh, and super ripped. He had his shirt off when we first got there, lol.

On Saturday, we had a really cool lesson in the blocs. We knocked into this young mother named Ioana and she had a little girl(about 18 months old), Maria, who was sooo funny. At random times in the lesson she just busted out into hysterical laughing and it was super cute. Ioana was really cool and interested in our message and so we'll go back tomorrow or Wednesday. It was a really fun lesson and it was also a really rare lesson, because it's probably the third time I've had a family listen to me and be interested.

Sora Gorzo from Bucharest was here for a few days and also came to church. She is known for always hosting the missionaries and feeding them and she even managed to do it in Cluj. She invited Elder Patterson and I over to her brother's house and she fed us a pretty dang good meal. It was really cool to talk to her and see how she's doing.

Sora Gorzo came with Jeff Dickemore, a former missionary that served in Cluj. He's a way cool guy and I had a lot of fun talking to him. His interest in studies is a lot like mine. He has one more year left of International Studies and he likes languages, too. He learned French and wants to learn Arabic. He actually teaches Beginning French at BYU right now. It was sweet to talk to him about his plans and to share my own. He said that I could pick Spanish up and be fluent in a year, because it's a much simpler language and there are so many people to practice with. Also, he's maintained his Romanian really well and actually translates for General Conference. So I talked to him a little bit about ways to keep up the language.

This week coming up is the last one in the transfer and it's kind of crazy, because it's a big one for me. I'll probably go to my next area to "die" there. I really hope it's a good one, and that I'm district leader, and that I have sisters, too. Haha, those are my desires, but it will be whatever the Lord wants.

Church was amazing this week. There were 60 people there! It is the high since I've been here. And if we managed that in August, maybe it will get even better and keep growing and before you know it, we have a capela! We had 5 investigators there, the Militaru's and Ionut, which was cool, because I haven't seen that kid in like 3 months. The Militaru's are doing well, we had a sweet lesson with them last week. I was praying in my nightly prayer before I went to bed and the idea came to me(nightly prayers are one of my best times for revelation) to teach them about studies and to give them all study journals and colored pencils. So we did and committed them to do a topic study by this week. We're going there tonight with Francisc, Monica and Razvan Kiss for an FHE and one of the children will do the spiritual thought on their topic study. The Kiss' have the activity and Sora Militaru is doing the prajitura. So we will have a member present lesson, a really good one, in which we mostly watch and enjoy, haha. Our plan is actually to come up with a reason to leave early and to leave the Kiss' with the Militaru's so they can bond better, especially with the Militaru dad. It will be sweet.

I think that is most of my update. Next week, I should be telling you all about transfers. I hope you have an amazing one! I love you!!!

--Elder Ross

Working hard but everyone is on vacation

Hey Everyone!

Thanks for all of the awesome emails. I really enjoyed reading about what everyone has been up to and just hearing from all of you. You are a great support to me and I am grateful for it.

Of course it's ok if it takes a couple of weeks to send the package. I just to need to get with enough time before I go home that I can get the shirts tailored. I am SUPER excited to get that CD, too.

This week was kind of rough in a lot of ways. A lot of our investigators didn't set up to meet with us and so we spent a lot of time in the blocs. Sadly, it didn't go well at all. For example, on both friday and saturday we had about 4 hours in a row of bloc-knocking and each day we only got one lesson. It was rough and we both started to have the impression that there is something more effective with our time that we should be doing. I'm not sure yet what that will be. We have a couple of ideas. One is that we are going to finish making a street board this week and then go street contacting with that as the whole district. I'm really excited to try that, I've never done it before on my mission. Another thought we had was going to the parks and playing basketball with kids and then, after we beat because we surely will, teaching them the Gospel. I think it could be a great way to find youth who are normally hard to find. We'll see what happens, I'll let you know next week.

We tried contacting that referral that Laura gave us. Sunday before last we went there and no one was home. This last Thursday we went and same thing, but then we talked with one of the neighbors and she told us that they had moved. But all isn't lost...she told us the hospital that the dad works at so this week we are going to see if we can go and find him. Maybe the Lord will bless us, we'll do our part to be diligent.

We didn't meet with Doamna Mocean this whole week. Her son came home and she has been busy with him. Hopefully, we'll meet with both of them soon. She didn't come to church for the same reason. We are still taking hits, because this is the month that everyone goes on vacation. Paul was gone all week(hopefully we meet with him tonight, he's going to call us) and a few other people. The Militaru's are back, though. We met with them and they were at church, too. They were the only investigators we had there, though.

I am doing good. I wouldn't say I'm trunky, at least not in a bad way, but I've started to get excited for being home, seeing everyone, doing some normal things again, going to school, etc. For example, I've really started to miss reading for pleasure. Don't get me wrong, I love the scriptures and blasting my way through the Old Testament right now and even enjoying it, but it's not quite the same, lol. In no way, do I let such thoughts distract me or discourage me. On the contrary, they help push me even more. But I'm getting ready to come home. I'm not yet, but I'm getting there. By the way, I still don't know when I go home but I've been told it is the 20th or the 23rd, one of the two. It depends on what tickets they can get.

The temperature hasn't been too bad here at all. There were a couple of really hot days this last week, but I think it's passed. I've been super lucky, because I've been in Cluj the whole summer and it is more in the mountains and so is cooler than most areas. And the best thing, there is ALWAYS a breeze blowing, without fail. It's a beautiful thing.

Well, I hope you all have an amazing week, especially because it will be so busy. You guys are all so awesome and I love you!

Until next week...
Elder Ross

p.s. I don't think i told you last week, but I got your package week before last with my journal, wamu card, letters, etc. Thanks! It was very much enjoyed and appreciated!

A Sweet Find and A Blessing

Hey Everyone!

Ok, I may not have as much time today, because I have been trying to upload the movie that we made for zone conference(which was great, by the way). I think it turned out really well, but Snapfish isn't recognizing it and I'm pretty sure it's too big for an email.

Before I go on and forget, I have one little request. This will probably be the last time I ask for something before I go home and here it is. I want a bunch of new shirts(mine now are trashed) so that I can get them tailored here, because I love how they do that. If that's possible, I'd like 2 short-sleeve white shirts, and then one long-sleeve shirt of each of the following colors: black, red and a darker brown. That would be really awesome and I will then get them tailored to my body. :) Thanks!

Ok, yeah, this week was pretty good. We were pretty busy with getting the movie ready and also the rest of our presentation. But we were able to get some lessons and, though we didn't have as many as last week, we had more with a member present. On Sunday, we had two investigators at church, Doamna Mocean(yes! A little miracle with that, too, that I'll share) and Domnul Skabogeza, a 73-year old English student that came last week. I have no idea how to really say his name because it's Hungarian. He's come twice in a row, but he's kind of busy, so he didn't set up with us to meet with him. Hopefully, he'll make it out to English Tuesday night and then we'll talk more with him.

One of the sweet finds of the week actually came from the sisters. They bloc-knocked into this kid(probably my age) named Paul and then the next night the four of us all had a lesson with him and they handed him over to us. He's got the sweetest dreadlocks ever! Haha, and he was wearing a pretty manly skirt, like it was a skirt, but it was definitely a man skirt. I'm excited to work with him. He is really open and was really excited to get the Book of Mormon. We're going to meet with him later today and then, hopefully, he'll go play sports with us, because right after we're going to go play sports again with the American guy and all the Romanian youth that he invites. It will be fun.

Ok, so Sunday morning we went to meet Doamna Mocean at the bus stop near her place. We were supposed to meet her and a couple of other people at 9am, but 9:05 came and went and then the bus we needed pulled up so we hopped on it. I thought maybe she didn't come, because the night before we had a pretty intense lesson on baptism and it pushed her a little bit out of her comfort zone. So on the bus, I was feeling pretty discouraged and I was thinking about how all week we tried to get people to come to church and then no one did. Finally, I started praying and in my prayer I said, "Well, I've done everything I can. Now it's in your hands, Father. You take this load and do according to Your will." Not 10 seconds later, the sisters called me and said they were at that bus station and were with Doamna Mocean. The person they were supposed to meet didn't show up, but they were exactly where they needed to be, at exactly the right time, to help our investigator get to church. It was a cool experience for me.

Well, my hour is up in like one minute so I better go. I hope you all have a great week. I love you a ton!

--Elder Ross

Eight New Investigators

Hey Great People!

Hopefully, I can get enough written so that you have an enjoyable email to read. One of the rules that President Lundberg has emphasized is that we are at internet for no more than an hour. It's going to be hard sometimes, especially when I have pictures to put up, but I will keep the rule, because, frankly, I want a lot of success and blessings will come as I'm obedient. D&C 130:20-21 have become some of my favorite verses since I've been on my mission.

This week was really great. It was an absolutely normal week and so my companion and I were able to work really hard. A lot of our investigators weren't able to meet with us and so we went and found some more. For example, the Militaru's and Ionut are out of town. Anyway, even with the numbers being different, we managed to have 18 lessons on the week and the best part is that we gained 8 new investigators!! It's the most I've gained in one week, ever! So our goal of getting 20 by the end of the transfer will be greatly overshot, seeing as the countdown is down to 4 now. Not all of those new investigators are super promising, but some are. I'll tell you what happens next week as we see which ones really progress. Doamna Mocean is doing well. We had an amazing lesson with her, but unfortunately she was sick on Sunday and didn't come. Next week for sure. We also want to give her a baptismal date soon. We'll see, as the Spirit directs.

You're probably wondering why I'm writing you on Tuesday. Well, in the past it was usually because of zone conference or English fliers. Not this time, but because we were all too poor. Something happened with the office sending their file to Salt Lake and it wasn't received and so we didn't get any MSF until today. We were all very, very poor so we wouldn't have been able to shop and anything else that requires money, including internet. I used up all 400+ RON of personals left in loans to other people and myself just trying to survive(Don't worry, Mom, I'll get it back). It was nuts. Zone funds were also depleted so no one was getting paid back for that and only by borrowing 150 RON from Elder Smith were we able to get everyone from Bucuresti to Oradea and Cluj two weeks ago.It was pretty insane. It's all good now.

At church we had three investigators, all 70 years old or more, lol. All three of them are actually from our English classes and we told them about church, they took Liahona's and pamphlets and then they came to church! They seemed to really like it. I'm not sure how serious they are as real investigators. I've definitely never seen someone that old get baptized, but ....why not? If they are sincere and really investigate the truth and pray about it, then we will work with them. If not, it's ok. We'll just go and find someone that will keep their commitments.

So zone conference is this Saturday and I'm really excited for it. A big part of that is the movie that Elder Patterson and I are almost done making. We spent a good chunk of yesterday filming it and we just have one more little part tonight. It's on the Christlike attributes and we made a little clip on each one of the nine attributes, showing actually the lack thereof. I think it's way funny. So after we're done editing it(tomorrow probably) I'll see if I can email it to you. We're going to do it on Calin's computer and I think it's a good one so we'll see. Ok, to answer some questions...sarmole is like boiled cabbage rolls with meat, rice, onion, etc. inside. I think they are super good. They are pretty traditional, too, a very Romanian dish. Basically, I think I went into Buch on Wednesday because that is when Elder Smith needed to go down and President just thought it would be better for me to go with him, to travel in numbers I guess. Yeah, that Wednesday night, we had to help some greenies and their trainers catch trains back to their areas. Haha, yes, there is a very good mix of missionaries in this mission. A lot from Canada, a few from European countries and a lot of missionaries from states outside of Utah. I just get lucky, I guess. Only two of the six people in my district are from Utah. Elder Grimmius, Elder Smith's boy, is actually from Oregon, too, though Albany.

One last thing before I sign off. Last night we went to a big field and played softball with this American guy named John. He's here as a teacher and he's been here over 10 years. Anyway, he always organizes sports; basketball, softball, soccer. So I think we will play with him and a bunch of Romanian youth every P-day. It felt really good to play a sport again. It's been a while for me. I got warmed up, though. I think in the night I hit like 5 or 6 home runs. It was a ton of fun.

Well, I should sign off pretty quick. Thanks for everything you guys. I love you!

--Elder Ross

p.s. Good luck, Mom, with your presentation at the adoption conference. You'll do great!

An Interesting Week

Hey Everyone!

This last week was definitely an interesting one. It was so busy and full, that we had very little time to actually do missionary work. As a matter of fact, I think I got the worst numbers of my entire mission. I'll go on to talk about all the things that happened, but, needless to say, Elder Patterson and I are anxious to work super hard this week and get the transfer going right.

Monday and Tuesday I was here in Cluj with Elder Smith on exchange until we went down to Buch Tuesday night. I didn't get to do a lot of "my own" missionary work, because we were covering both his investigators and mine. It didn't help that our zones are very far apart. It was good, though, and on Monday night we took a wrong bus and ended up running into Adriana. I don't know if you remember, but she is one the girls that Elder Rigby and I met passing out fliers a few months back. She's the one that pretty much asked me out, lol. Anyway, she was happy to see me and was interested in English. Also, I invited her to an activity we had on Saturday and she and her sister, Alina, came. It was sweet. Oh, haha, and they brought me some sarmole which was way good! We were definitely led to find her. And now she'll be going to the sisters' English class and they can work with her, because we FOR SURE can't.

I was dying in Buch on Wednesday because I had no reason to be there that day. I walked around a little bit with Elder Patterson and went to the boboci meeting and that was pretty cool, because Elder Hardman has made me a grandpa. His boy's name is Elder Herrick and he seems really cool. Then we helped some missionaries get to the gara and catch trains back to their respective cities.

Mission council on Thursday was really good. I really like President Lundberg and the more I learn about him, the more I realize that he is exactly what Romania needs. He changed the whole way we count numbers, which really is just the way PMG teaches. It will change the way we work. Before we counted any discussion in which we taught a Gospel principle as a lesson. But now, we have to start and close with a prayer. So for example, you can never have a lesson street-contacting now. Instead it will more of an investment, collecting phone numbers and potential investigators. We'll see how it all works out. He also said that to go to the gym we have to get his permission. So Saturday night I called him up and talked to him. He said I was "the first brave soul" to ask. After explaining how we schedule it to still have full studies and telling him how much it's helped, he was ok with it. Today I went again and it felt really good. My companion is a big guy and he definitely loves working out, too. He has a lot of ideas that are helping me as well. For example, he has Nike bands that we do some exercises with at night and then before going to bed we do 30 push-ups. We'll see if I can't get more cut.

Elder Patterson is, of course, from Utah. He's about 6 foot maybe a little more, but he weighs a good 30+ pounds more than me and a lot of it is muscle. He has a build kind of like Jake. We get along really well and he is ready to work hard and tear it up this transfer.

We've set some really good goals for this transfer. In mission council, President mentioned how it usually takes 20 investigators to get a baptism and I told you last week that my big goal is to not leave Cluj without a baptism. So we started a countdown. We have 8 investigators now and so we're going to find at least 12 more throughout the transfer. If we get one and then he drops it still counts, because he was an investigator and that's how the statistic was formed. I'm really excited. We are also going to work hard again for weekly member exchanges and taking members to all our lessons with investigators.

The activity we had on Saturday was on becoming more like the Savior. My companion and I had a little presentation with it. We shared Matt. 12:48. Be perfect, easy, right? Then Ether 12:27, how we can become stronger. We shared the example of Peter and I think I rememer the verses right: Matt. 26: 69-75 he denies Christ three times, but then later in Acts 4 and 5 he stands in front of the Sanhedrin and boldly defends the Lord. What made the difference that a man who feared in front of a servant woman became one who defied courageously a full council of those most likely to kill him for what he had to say? It was good, I think, and those two sisters were there and also a man from one of our English classes.

Church was kind of lame, because yet again not a single investigator came to church. It's frustrating, because for almost 3 full transfers we always had at least one person, usually a lot more. But the last three weeks have been 0, 1, and 0. We set a goal, though, to never have that happen again. If none of our investigators come, we'll go on the street and invite people to come in until someone accepts.

Well, I am really excited for this next week and for working really hard. We have an incredible district, and zone, too. Sora Shepard is way cool and in her 3rd transfer she speaks well, but is super timid and reserved(mostly just in Romanian). I feel for her, though, because I still get way nervous everytime I stand up in front of people. I did at the activity.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'll be home before Christmas, though exactly when I haven't been told yet. It'll probably be in the middle of a transfer and so maybe I'll be put somewhere different for that if it's easier on the mission. In any case, I think after this transfer I'll become a district leader again and be somewhere for two or two and a half transfers. I would LOVE to train again, but we'll see.

About the film, the Hakes' computer still has problems. I have all the footage, though. I'm not sure you'll get to see it before I go home. I'll check it out again and see if I can do anything.

Well, you all have a great week. I love you!

Elder Ross