So this last Valentines day was my official Half-way mark. 9 months down, 9 to go. 9 moths ago on May 14th I started my mission!! So crazy, it is going by so fast. And it was so awesome!! It is weird to think I will be counting down from here out instead of counting up!!
For
our English class on Tuesday we had a S'mores roasting activity. As I
have mention before I think, people here have no idea what a s'more is
so it becomes a super fun activity to share some of our American
cuisine. We had a group of almost 20 people gathered in the small church
kitchen roasting marshmallows over to open gas flame. (They didn't
even know what a marshmallow was!!) So fun!! There was one student who
had come to church last Sunday and started talking to another student
about it. This student then asked, when is church? I want to come!! And
promised she would come next week. Others were very interested in the
prospect of coming to church after hearing about it from one of the
other students. It was pretty much awesome:)
This
week we literally had the best time. We had a bloc knocking war with
the Elders, meaning you knock on as many doors as you can and have a
point system involved. 1 point for a door. 2 points for a dog. 10
points for someone who wasn't Orthodox. 10 points for a shirtless guy,
etc. Sora Merkley and I scored 140 points!! And won!! We are the Bloc
knock Queens!! and the Elders owe us a cake that is frosted to say just
that:) It was awesome:) While bloc knocking we were let into an old
woman's home via sondaj (polling) and she was so cute! She just cried at
the thought that we were here to help her if she needed us. We had come
in while she was watching the Orthodox slujba (Church service), which
was interesting.
We decided to have a Branch
Valentines Day activity which meant the day before Sora Merkley and I
were at the church making all of the dough. Then that morning on
Valentines Day we baked soooo many heart shaped cookies!!! I should have
counted them. But while we were in the kitchen baking cookies Sora
Merkely left the room to go to the bathroom, or so I thought. Then she
pops into the room singing at the top of her lungs "OHHHHH!!! Half-Way
there, Ohh!! Ohh!! livin' on a prayer!!" (by Journey) and she is holding
this huge bouquet of roses spray painted with glitter. And the Elders
are dancing behind her like little back-up dancers. So funny!! She had
set up with the Elders to go get the roses for me for my half-way mark!!
It was the best. The best part is that I have a good portion of it on
video because my camera was readily at hand;) Best roses I ever got on
Valentines day!
Then
two of our English student who are the two cutest girls ever showed up a
little early and helped us make the rest of the cookies and helped us
with the dishes and everything, I couldn't believe how nice they were! I
seriously love my English class always the highlight of my week.
We
decorated sugar cookies and had a table set up to make Valentines. We
had it start right after English. The entire English class stayed for
the spiritual thought then ALL of them stayed for at least 30-40 minutes
of the activity. There was a really good turn out from the branch and
they were all talking to the members of English class. Then one of the
members requested some karaoke so soon all the members were singing
their favorite songs and dancing to their favorite folk music. I was
laughing so incredibly hard! At one point one of the older women grabbed
an Elder and started dancing with him. I had tears coming out of my
eyes I was laughing so hard as he tried to wiggle out. Then everyone
gathered in a big circle and I watched as they all danced traditional
Romanian dances. Then the cute English students grabbed my hand and
tried to teach me how to dance in the big circle. I love those girls!!
One English student stayed for the entire activity which meant she was
at the church for 3 hours and she kept leaning over to Sora Merkley and I
and saying, " I feel so good here at your place. I feel so happy
here." She didn't want to leave. At one point she looked at a picture
of Joseph Smith in the grove and read out loud, "This is my beloved son
hear him" in Romanian and in response she said "Asa e!" Or in other
words "So true!" It was so funny because she had no idea who Joseph
Smith was!! Hopefully we will be able to tell her. Everyone had a great
time, one of my favorite days on my mission, if not my favorite. I am
still laughing to myself at the sound of Romanians lip-syncing to
English songs when they don't know English!! Mom you would be proud. We
showed the group how to do the chicken dance and the cha cha slide.
Just a room full of old people having a freakin' blast!!
Then the next day at church I had a back up talk prepared and got
to give it. It went really well for how much Romanian I don't know.
Just had to follow my notes, but I didn't read it word for word like I
have in the past. Of course I talked about twue love and how we can have
that in our lives. Then I sat down at the piano bench afterword and
played "Love one another" for the break hymn. I am doing pretty good at
the piano, practice man. Works miracles. I think The soon to be
Elders Alden and Dalan should probably start working on their piano
skills.... just sayin'. One of the members apparently approached my
companion and threatened to stop singing in Sacrament meeting if I kept
choosing songs that she didn't know how to sing. Another member as he
was giving his talk started wondering to himself whether or not Christ
was white"Really, he could be black, yellow or red, we don't know for
sure." Another one elbowed me and said, "Sora Long, I love you!" In
English and then told me she could have danced all night at the activity
the day before. These members kill me they are so funny!
The
Church is true!!! Love one another!! I love you guys!!! Woot!! I AM
HALF WAY THERE!!!! OHHH!! JUST LIVIN' ON MY PRAYERS! Thank you for all
of your prayers!!
Heart,
Sora Long
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