So I leave on Monday which is absurd because I can't speak Romanian but I'm very excited. I fly out at 8:00 a.m. Monday to Chicago and I'm in Chicago from 12:03 to 3:40 (I'm not sure if that's our time or if it's already given to me in Chicago Time but I think that it's just in Utah time so I'll call around then). Then we fly to Frankfurt through the night and get to Bucharest sometime someday. Pretty crazy. We'll spend our first night at the mission home and then the next day we're shipped off all over the country with an experienced companion and begin teaching and preaching and doing as the missionaries do.
This week has been very interesting. Every monday we do a TRC where volunteers come and we teach them in Romanian and there is a native girl, Luiză, who has come several times but Elder Peterson and I were able to teach her this last time and she spoke so fast I couldn't believe it. But it was so beautiful, a language I hadn't even heard before. She was the only one from her family who converted to Mormonism from Romanian Orthodox and her family still lives there in Romania. It was very intimidating but also a great help. It forced me to listen and to really try to speak fast and correctly while enunciating and pronouncing my best.
Sunday was great, I was able to play piano for like an hour and I also played a number in Sacrament meeting. I can't wait to play a little in Romania and hopefully on an organ. That would be fantastic.
The exciting things that happened:
I got a little athlete's foot... Gross I know but on the plus side it means I'm an athlete. And it's pretty much taken care of already.
I hit my head so hard on a coat rack I was bleeding but don't worry that's all healed up too...
I ate an entire loaf of banana bread today.
Sister Sellers of the ASL district came up with a bunch of signs for people's name. She dubbed me Elder Smiley because she said she always sees me smiling which really caught me off guard. I don't ever remember smiling that much. But I suppose that's a good thing. I have such a great respect for those who have gone through live with huge physical burdens and obstacles like these deaf and hard-of-hearing missionaries. In their case, they are greatly limited in who they can connect with and really how close they can become. There is one Elder who is 100% deaf and we just can't connect. I can say hi and thank you and simple things like that and we can like each other and be "friends" but think about what we have with our voices and ears. Think about being deaf in high school. Many of them were home-schooled and there are some deaf high schools but there not at everybody's use.
Monday night I had asked an Elder and his companion to report to me on something and we made our way into an empty room. Then one Elder expressed the desire for a blessing so my companion and I stood in while that was administered and then my companion out of the blue asked me for just a blessing of comfort. I was terrified but it was interesting to see how the Lord works through others, and to feel that. I didn't have to worry about saying anything.
One funny characteristic of Romanian I'll share is they borrow a lot of english words and just throw on a certain verb ending or noun pluralization rule to make in Romanian. Even more funny is they love to show off that they know and can use these words. For example Fratele Jepsen told me about one time when he was waiting in line at a bank and the Romanian man in front of him was on his cell phone. Who ever was on the end of the line had asked him for a favor and the man replied, "Nu pot acum pentru că sunt managez foarte mult tascuri....." which just means I can't right now because I'm managing very many tasks. I don't know maybe that's more funny to me because I understand a little of the language.
The MTC is great and all but I'm excited to leave. I'm ready in the sense that I have that desire to teach and preach. It'll be a while before I can understand what people are saying to me and I'll be refining and learning the whole two years but It'll be fantastic. I can't think of anything else I'd rather be doing right now. I'm not sure how writing will work. If you want, just e-mail me. I've heard rumors that dearelders are free if you just send them to the pouch downtown but I don't know. There is an address I'll have posted for the mission home in romania. But they don't really tell us anything about that. Mom, maybe you know???? And I know a lot of the info is in my call packet I'm just not sure if that's with you or me... Maybe I should look.
For more interesting videos go watch the profile videos on Mormon.org. They do a fantastic job of showing the world, all sorts of lives and perspectives, and that you can be yourself, do what you like, be happy, love life, etc. A kid that went to my high school who is now a pro skateboarder has an awesome video on there. Or I really like the blind french guy. Anyways...
Hope everyone is doing well. I'm very tired (I don't always sleep too great(that's what happens when the bed is regular size and I'm not regular size)) but I'm happy. I love you all! Thanks for the letters, packages, and support.
Love, Elder Taylor
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