Hey everybody!
This week was a rollercoaster of good and bad things but great things happened. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see any conference. I don't know why they don't have internet in the villas here. Because then we could show our investigators once it's up. None of ours currently have internet... So we wait forever to get the DVD's. And there hasn't been a consistent amount of time to judge when we might get those. But I heard about the temples which is fantastic! The Provo surprised me too but I think it's an awesome call on their part and will be well used. And beautiful no doubt. Paris=awesome. The Church is really making great efforts with France. 2 in Africa is awesome! I wonder what those will look like...
It's alright I got mail! Don't worry. Ammon sent me the funniest letter along with a couple Pokemon cards?? He's a character. And I got some DearElders from you/friends/relatives. It was great. Your package should be fine, the lady I was talking to about them was kind of crazy. A lot of times we'll put saint stickers on the side/corner/ or wherever so that if they open it they'll rip the stickers and a lot of the people here would refuse to rip the sticker of a saint. So that's cool. Don't worry about sending things that they'll be old and/or outdated by the time they get here. I'll love anything! Pictures, words, news, chocolate, gold, chocolate gold, you name it. And if you want something here by Christmas I have no idea. I think if you use Air Mail it's like ten days.... If you go by barge it takes like two months. I'd be appreciative of anything at anytime though so don't worry. I think Christmas here will be pretty awesome and much more focused on religion, I hope.
We had zone conference on Wednesday in Arad so we took a maxi taxi there and had a great couple of sessions. President Hill and Sora Hill are the best. Really bright and really loving. I'm so glad to be working with them. The AP's are awesome too, great examples of how to work and to work with energy and love. For lunch, the McFadden's (Senior couple in Arad) made the most amazing mexican food ever.... Everyone had their own burrito... He owns a bunch of Marie Calendar's-like restaurants and some Cafe Rio-like restaurants so he knows recipes for everything and it was probably the best I've eaten here yet. We caught a train back and saw more of the beautiful agricultural/untamed parts of Romania.
We're making a lot of long-term investments here. Working intensely with members and less-actives. Instituting programs with the members and with the government here. As well as organizing and thinning out the Area Book. It's hard to see any immediate success. But I know it will pay off. Already we have received several fantastic referrals from the branch. And one thing I believe to be most fruitful here is to work with less-actives and part-member families.
Sunday was amazing. Sora Tutor unexpectedly showed up at church with her cane. She can't sit down and so she stood in the back for all of sacrament meeting, in pain as usual. She bore beautiful testimony during the meeting. Then the Branch President walked her home and she slept due to exhaustion. Thank you for your prayers. She is going to be key in bringing that family back. She has so much faith and would be there every week if she could. Also, a lady I didn't know showed up and sat down and was instantly welcomed by the branch members. She got up to bear her testimony and I found out that she was an inactive who had felt that God wanted her back at church and she listened. That blew me away. We had tried calling her a few weeks ago but she wasn't very friendly and hung up on us and we were worried we had just made her angry. But amazingly she is back. Also the other Elders had an investigator show up with her boyfriend and it was obvious that they both enjoyed the meeting. The best part about this all is how welcoming our branch is. With each person that showed up yesterday they all welcomed them and got to know them or caught up and sat by them etc. This branch helps us so much with our work.
Emil was very busy at work this week and was unable to meet with us, Raluca didn't answer her phone, but our newest investigator, Mary Anne, met with us three times and had two of her twenty year old kids there each time. She reads what we give her and asks great questions and feeds us way too much... She always sends us home with like a meal. or two. Last time it was a large pot of Sarmale... She's awesome. But she and her kids smoke more than the ratpack... And it's hard to invite the Spirit in with us with nimbus clouds filling the room. It's tough to know what to do. We're going to bring it up next time... Pray that she doesn't get offended. But she's awesome.
We're also working with a member's little brother and he's such an awesome kid. He's my age and really nice. He knows he needs to change, he wants to. But he has been offended and has very strong feelings against somebody in the Branch. It's hard to work past. But pray for Andreas too please, Thanks :)
Another awesome thing that happened yesterday was we met with Attila Tutor and his wife Angie. Attila is the son of Sora Tutor and he lives just down the street from us but we met with them in their parents house. His wife is not a member but wanted to be there. They are just a cute, young couple and were married only a year or so ago. We taught the restoration and it went wonderful. Attila wants to meet more and openly talks about how he knows these things and believes them. He's very honest. He said it's just hard to return after being gone for three years. It makes it so much easier to connect with people when they're honest like that. It really would be hard. But hopefully we can help him to overcome that because I know him and his wife would be blessed like crazy. The Tutor Family is different, you can tell they've had the gospel in their lives. And it's already made a huge difference in the way the treat people and love. They are a great family and I know the Lord's just waiting to bless them If they come home.
Anyways, things are going pretty good. I'm learning way too much about how to get along with other people. The hard part is accepting and applying it. You've got to compromise with people.... No matter how right you think you are. And you need patience. Truckloads. It's a good thing I can just be quiet.
Miscellaneous:
I am now allergic to mint like Dad. Every time I eat anything with mint I sneeze. I like it.
Lex D Azevedo's CD that's all variations and impromptu's is amazing. And it reminds me of Sundays when I was younger.
Yes we currently have a CD player and I'll buy one if need be.
Also I took a little out of my debit last week (like sixty/seventy bucks) for random stuff like a Bible, stamps, etc.
Dad, I don't think I ever understood the priesthood well enough, or at least how sacred it is and now that I understand (better) the role of revelation and what it means to hold the priesthood I'm beyond grateful for it and for opportunities to exercise it. Also, I have a strong belief that we are pretty pathetic without God. But with God we can be more than just human. Mosiah says it best, we're nothing. But the fact that God entrusts us with that blows my mind, that needs to be emphasized.
Anyways I'm going great, pray for our investigators and less-actives.... Share the gospel with your friends and relatives.... Enjoy everything you're doing or change it. Oh and for some reason lately everybody keeps talking about the story of Peter walking on the water and I've learned a great deal from it. So go read the account of Matthew and ponder What does it mean to get out of the boat? What does it mean to notice the winds/waves and to begin to sink? And realize that the Lord will always pull us up. Especially when we cry, "Lord, save me!" Of course you have to make your own efforts. But ya it's a great story of working on faith and having a purpose/focus.
Love, Elder Taylor
No comments:
Post a Comment