Sunt Bacauana!

This week we were really trying to find a lot of members on the less active list.  When we headed to one home of an Elderly woman she was home!! That in and of it self is rare as most inactive members here in Romanian are just plain missing or moved to another part of the European Union, usually Italy. When we knocked on the door she didn't recognize who we were because she had never seen sister missionaries before in her life.  We were there with the senior couple and she had also never met a senior couple in her life.  but when she recognized us as the missionaries she welcomed us into her home and we sat and had a lovley talk with her. Her name is Georgetta and I love this woman!! She is confinded to the house due to some back problems and to be honest I think she was one of the people who feel in between the cracks and was lost for years. She had not seen a missionary in her home since 2011 and had restored back to the Orthodox church because the priest from that church will come and bless the sacrament in her home if she pays for it.  As we talked with her about the Book of Mormon and the doctrines of the church she started to remember what she felt when she first heard about it and she asked us, "Why are you bringing these feelings and questions about my beliefs back into my heart again?" It was really interesting to see her reaction to feeling the spirit from us. She told us as we left that we had brought the same spirit with us that the Elders had so many years before.  I am really excited to work with her and bring her back to the love and light of the gospel.  She is going to let us do some service in her Garden.  When I told her we could help she scoffed at Sora Draper and I and said, "But you are so delicate!" Haha!!! I quickly explained that I grew up 'La Tara' in the country as a good hardworking farm girl.

This week we also tried to meet up with another kind family that I have taught before whoa re currently inactive.  I have called them several times over the past few transfers ad they haven't been calling back also we decided to give it one more go. This time when I called she answered!!!! But she didn't say a word.  It was kind of creepy to know she was breathing on the other side of the phone while I introduced myself and waited for a response. It was kinda creepy.   I really hope and pray for this family to have a soft heart and the courage to come back to church.

This Sunday was an amazing experience! Seriously, amazing.  I had been studying in Ether 12 about faith these verses:

 15 Behold, it was the faith of Ammon‍ and his brethren which wrought‍ so great a miracle among the Lamanites.
 16 Yea, and even all they who wrought miracles‍ wrought them by faith, even those who were before Christ and also those who were after.
 18 And neither at any time hath any wrought miracles until after their faith; wherefore they first believed in the Son of God.
And the idea just smacked me in the face with a rail road tie that in order to be like Ammon and bring miracles among the people here in Bacau I really needed to show my faith more.  So I went into the other room and knelt down and I prayed with as much faith as I could muster to help bring the miracle here in Bacau. Then I went about my week and worked hard.

On Sunday we had President Ivory the mission president come down to Bacau for the first time since he has been here.  We usually have about 13-14 people at church and this Sunday we had THIRTY-SIX (36) people at church!!! 5 of whom were investigators of Sora Draper and I, I have never had so many investigators at church before. It was incredible.  We didn't have enough chairs or room to fit everyone into our very small chapel.  I was so happy:) And as we were sitting there in this squishy little room listening to President Ivory speak I felt the spirit bring back to memory my prayer and I head the response, "here is the beginning of the Bacau miracle."  Tears came to my eyes and I turned to the only deacon in our branch, 13 year old Catalin who reminds me of Dalan and I said smiling, "Look!! I am crying!!" He looked at me all confused and said, "Why?" The gospel here cannot be stopped.  This branch is going to grow very fast in the next little while here.  I am so grateful to have been a part of serving here.  I have loved every part of it.  Well family I love you!! sorry I didn't send out an e-mail last week... here is a big one to make up for it.

-Sora Long

In the park with Andreea!

Andreea and Alexandra, some of my favorite people.