Dear Johnned

 

 Fall in Timisoara. Ok, so now that it is finally colder, raining more, and windy, there are no more people out enjoying the beauty of the earth. Sad I know. I like fall and playing in the leaves, so it's all good for me but not good for business. How are we supposed to find people to teach now? Someone has to want eternal happiness and eternal families. Well, we will see if we can find something out. In the meantime, we still have some activities a couple times a week some people come to, when we are able to do awesome object lessons and such. If nothing else, the city is beautiful with the changing leaves which are falling to the ground and adding some character. Next week I get to discuss something really fun, Halloween and our party! Hopefully, that will be smashing... but not the pumpkins.

 Also, ANNIE BREYMAN IS GETTING MARRIED! You are such a cheater! HAHAHA. Way to go girl. Sorry I am unable to attend, and I'm even more disappointed that I found out because of an invitation (which was absolutely gorgeous!) I send you all my love and salutations. But, now what am I going to do when I get back? Everyone is going to be married. As long as I can still hang with my peeps and they don't mind me not being married, life is good. Seriously though, I thought time back home was supposed to stop.

Answers to Prayers

 

Last week I talked about the cool graffiti, but since my email disappeared... The graffiti in Timisoara is awesome. There are all kinds, and we don't think it is illegal either because it is not uncommon to see people in the middle of the afternoon spray painting... in front of police officers no less. We want to paint the plan of salvation somewhere, but we don't think that would be very missionary appropriate, even if it isn't illegal. Most are tags on the walls. There are lots of random English words or phrases everywhere. Normally, you would think graffiti would be R rated, but for the most part its loads cleaner than in the US, which is probably why it is illegal there. There are also awesome pictures you see everywhere. You'll randomly run into them. They are true works of art.

This week, we had interviews with President Hill. That was fun. Also, Zone Conference for all the branches in our areas. We got up at 4:30am to travel to Oradea with some of our members. It was really good. I understood lots of it! Sora Hosking and I had a wonderful experience with an inactive member. I was giving the spiritual thought on prayer (which we all know is a vastly broad subject) and the Lord guided me to what part to focus on and what scriptures to share with her. It was just what she needed! She asked us if she had mentioned anything to us. She hadn't. She has been offered a new job but is unsure if she should take it. I talked about how prayer and our relationship with Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ can help us make decisions in our lives and bring us comfort to know that it is what will make us most happy. Because, anything God wants for us will make us the happiest. Here's the scriptures, Alma 37:36-37 and 3 Nephi 18:20 (I think that's what they are.) They talk about praying to have your will equal with the Fathers and how God will give us what we ask for if it is right.

word on the street ... contacting

I hate, absolutely HATE street contacting. I don't want to talk to people like that. I know pretty much no one who ever converts because of a street contact when missionaries were just going around and talking to whomever. I feel like it is such a waste of time. I don't want to do it, but I can't think of anything better to do. Ugh. Sora Hosking thinks I'm nervous or scared because my language skills are poor. That's not it. I couldn't care less, mostly it's just I don't want to. I wouldn't want someone to do it to me. You don't go to a park to get accosted by missionaries. I told her yesterday that none of the people wanted to talk. She told me I was choosing who should hear the message, and that they just don't know they want it yet. Mission life is really is GREAT though! I love talking to people about God. Honestly, I just want to help people. I just don't think annoying them and making their quills stand on end during our first meeting is helpful. It doesn't mean they aren't ready, but that's what I feel street contacting does.

October in Timisoara

Conference was interesting. We watched 2 sessions live at 7 pm on the computer in the Branch President's office at the church.  I still haven't seen Sunday afternoon nor the Priesthood session. I might not until we get the Liahona or DVD of conference. I liked it though. Crazy, they lowered the age. I would have left when I was 19, well, almost 20. It would have been nice not to have waited for a year and a half, since I've forgotten a lot of scripture masteries.

Last week on P-day we talked with this older gentleman. He was great. I wasn't exactly sure of everything he was talking about, but there was a lot of Romanian history and stuff. He talked about how communists took everyone out of the country and moved them into the cities, now he is trying to get his family's land back. Then, he would say, "I've been talking to much, tell me about your church." I shared the first vision for the first time in a lesson. It was bad. I messed up lots. But I did it again in Arad, and though it wasn't perfect, it's getting better. Anyway, we will be meeting with him again. He says he's Orthodox and won't change because that's what his ancestors were, but he is really receptive to what we have to say and he's really smart.

Casa Dracula

Halloween in Romania, yikes! 

Isn't that like breaking a mirror 

or walking under a ladder?

We have decided to have a Halloween party for the ward.  

There aren't very many ward parties, so we think it will be good for them to have some fun. I also think if we can get some of our potential investigators to come they might want to meet more. We were thinking pot luck so the members feel obligated to come. Also, an inactive family came to church on Sunday. I haven't met them, but their inactivity has weighed heavily on many of the members. They were very influential, so perhaps this is the beginning of a beautiful transformation for Timisoara.

Love you like Jesus!

Sora Kendra Heim

Guitar Contacting in Arad

This week I went on an exchange to Arad. It was actually pretty slow, with traveling to and from Arad. Poor Sora Hosking had to do it four times. Take me, go back, come get me, and go back again. Crazy. But, I liked Arad. We tried to go guitar contacting. Elder Myers plays (he's pretty good), but there weren't many people in the park, so it didn't really work. I think it would be really successful in Timisoara, since we have so many university students. If only I could play, or someone else. 

I love meeting with members and seeing how happy and loving they are. It makes me laugh every time you meet with them, they think they need to give you more and more food. The members I met in Arad were so nice and loving. I also love seeing people save to go to the temple, it's a beautiful thing.

We ate at this pizzeria, Pizza 5 Colturi, and it was really good. Best pizza I have had in Romania. It would pass in the US too. But, I learned that you can't order by numbers in Romania. Do not say I want a #10, doesn't work.

Dead Rats and Pigeons

What is one way that you can get lots of people to come to you or notice you? Sidewalk chalk! Write a question and put the mormon.org site under it.

Yes, there are rumors about Mormons in Romania also. I have not idea how they got here, but they are here. One being we still practice polygamy. How is this still a problem? That was so long ago. Utah, why don't you just make it illegal already? It's kinda funny really. Think of reasons how Romanians can hear all the rumors about Mormons. We came up with a couple and they are the same as in the US. They are being told by someone of influence in their lives. Someone who knows about religion. Ok well, we got some people who were interested and hopefully we got people to go to the site. This week was also the first time I went bloc knocking. A bloc is a Romanian apartment building. So, we knock on the people's doors. It was also my first rejection, which I naturally had to document.

Romania is a beautiful place with all manner of animal life. Yesterday we saw a dead rat. But mostly pigeons. They aren't as annoying as in the US, probably because they look a lot cooler and prettier. They are little works of art walking around. If the people in America are multiracial and the pigeons all look the same (with some exceptions), the inverse would be Romania. People feed them and kinda like them here to boot! I like them. I want to catch them. It's not very hard because they are right at your feet.

Fun Fact about Timisoara. On November 12, 1884 it was the first European city to have electric street lighting. Cool huh?

Love you like Jesus!
Sora Heim