Hey Everyone!!
First off, I can actually sign up for my own college classes!!! I'm allowed to go to an internet place and sign up for classes. President Lundberg supports that and so I would love to pick them myself. When is my registration time? I will come to the internet place tomorrow and see what you respond :)
This week was a pretty good one, super busy again. One plus is that we got two new investigators, Viorica and Angela(Alina's mom) with a couple good potentials, too; Victorina(Alina's sister, 9 years old) and Elena, a girl that we had a super good lesson with after our Tuesday English class. Hopefully she can stay after again tomorrow and then she'll be a new investigator. I'm not so sure how interested Viorica actually is in the Gospel, she seems more drawn to me right now, unfortunately. We will start using member presents and that should help make a difference.
We went down to Bucharest right after English Tuesday night and got in to Buch at about 5 in the am. We slept a little, then had zone conference(well, a half mission conference), which was super good. I really enjoyed a lot of the things that President Oaks talked about and I think it was what our mission needed. He talked a lot about having faith for miracles and helping members out and being effective in the work. It was cool. I haven't gotten my package yet, at transfer meeting, I guess. Then I shopped a little, the Rezina asked for a souvenir from Romania, and found some really cool, scented candles. We then rode back to Orhei and got in at 3am. A very draining day and two nights! Btw, we had our own driver, Oleg, that took us(and Chisinau elders) both ways.
Our Rezina trip was really good. All of those girls are doing super well. They have vacation this week, so no school and I think we are going to do an excursion with them and the member girls from Orhei on Thursday. I think we'll go to Orhei Vechi, the others haven't been there and I don't mind going again. It's for them, anyway. All 4 of them were at church on Sunday!!! I was really happy to see Mariana, Stela and Irina (I knew Alina would be there). And something way impressive is that Stela and Irina bought skirts on Saturday so they could wear them on Sunday. I was really proud of them. All the girls fasted, too. They are doing super well!!
On Saturday we had two classes of English that went well and then the Halloween activity. I think it all went pretty well, but I was slightly stressed with running everything. It didn't help that my companion got in a weird, angry mood (I still don't know why) and he sat in the corner with his Rubiks cube for English, the whole Halloween activity and cleaning the villa afterwards. I was pretty angry at him, but after some praying later, I let it go.
With the Halloween activity, we had a bunch of competitions: bobbing for apples, eating donuts off a string, pumpkin carving, a pie eating contest and a competition with using toilet paper and wrapping someone up like a mummy. We had a really good turn-out, probably about 25, just that Moldovans are timid and most people did not participate. Our Rezina girls were there, too. They were at Institute as well, and then helped us with cleaning afterwards.
Sunday was interesting. There were 2 missionaries, 3 investigators and 6 members. A very small crowd. It made it hard being a fast and testimony meeting. We ended about 15 minutes before the hour. I think there were only 4 testimonies born, lol. Alina was called as a Sunday School teacher and actually taught, because President Carausenco forgot to tell the other teacher. She did a great job. We called the meeting after two hours.
Ok, I think that is the update of the week. It was a good one. I hope the next one isn't too long and that I get along with my companion. It's been hard, he doesn't do a lot. He wakes up late every day and doesn't really study. I try to plan with him, but he is too into his books(a lot of different fantasy books translated in Romanian). My two-man city feels very much like a one-man city. But if God and I work together, everything will be alright. I have gained a tremendous love for the people here and I really am thinking of living here(and starting businesses here). Elder Zemp and I have talked a lot about this. Anyway, so my biggest fear is what happens when I leave and these people are in my companion's hands. I pray that everything will be ok.
Well, I hope that all of you have a great week, I love you tons and I guess I will hear from you soon, Mom. I'm excited to sign up for classes!
Love Elder Ross
