HELLO, I LOVED SEEING YOUR FACES YESTERDAY!

HELLO!!!! I JUST TALKED TO YOU ALL LIKE 24 HOURS AGO. FACE TO FACE. THAT WAS GLORIOUS. 

But first. Let me start with the weekly scripture: Moroni 9:25. May Christ lift you up this week. Dang. He doesn't even lift me up anymore. Pretty sure I've been riding piggy-back for the last 5 months hahah. But really. I read this verse the past week. POETRY. 

This week was FULL OF MIRACLES. Can I get a Christmas miracles shoutout or WHAT. We had zone conference up in Cluj for all the missionaries out here in the west #westisbestBABBBY. IT WAS SO MUCH FUN. But first. On the train ride up Tuesday night....I gave out my first Book of Mormon to a stranger! His name was Draco Malfoy or something like that haha jk not Draco Malfoy. But Drancu. Oricum. Really dope. He was super chill. Sora P pushes me to be bold. Flipping love this comp of mine. 

OKAY SO AT ZONE CONFERENCE I GOT TO SEE SORA STANLEY !!!!!!!!!! REMEMBER HER?!??!?! MY MISSION MOTHER?!?!?! YEAH. IT WAS AWESOME! Also I got to see Sora Dusenberry (MAH GIRL), Elder Trottier, AND ELDER PERRETT!!!!!!!!!! Shoutout to the best 6 weeks of my life <33333 What a blessed day. Also, I love the Ivory's. Best mission president (President Ivory) + real mission president (Sora Ivory) hahah. People. WE NEED TO FOCUS ON PEOPLE. GET TO KNOW PEOPLE. Christ ministered one by one. We should to! New Year's resolution #98263865872463. 

Not sure if I've talked about how much Sora P and I love kurtos kalacs yet ???? Probably. Oricum. We learned some Hungarian carols and sang to Eni (our BFF who knows our kurtos order) AND gave her a Book of Mormon in Hungarian! Sora Mogos helped us translate our testimonies from Romanian into Hungarian for her :) a lot of people here know Hungarian. Very fun. I know how to say yes, no, hi, and what's up. Who knew that my mission call would also include learning Hungarian? hahaha 

So one super fun Christmas tradition/thing that Romanians do=CAROL. The 23rd was actually like the national day of caroling. But they do it ALL NIGHT LONG on Christmas Eve. So we did too. Literally. 5 hours. DOPE. And then 4 hours yesterday. I've realized that I do a lot of singing in this country. . . I feel very bad for them. But hey. Some guy gave us a huge bag of oranges. And also tried giving us 50 lei. Maybe I could make it a career? Or at least be able to afford all those chocolate santas hahaha

I LOVE THE SAVIOR. I'm so grateful for everything that He is in my life. I'm grateful for the strength and comfort that He offers me on a daily basis. I'm grateful for this time of year. CHRISTMAS ALL THE TIME. 

I love you all. Have a great week :) 

xoxoox Sora Idiart 

MY HOMIES from the MTC :') frick I love these humans. 

hahahahha My Companion, Sora P is so cute 

This was the elders xmas present to us.....hahahhaha love them 

Punk Rock will never die 

Me and my boyfriend

TALKING TO YOU !!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!! BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT

Freaking cold dude

These were taken off daysmission.blogspot.com  The Senior Missionary Couple in Arad hosted all the missionaries and Branch members for lunch after Christmas Services.  The top pictures is Sora Ana Mogos talking about making a special Romanian dessert and the bottom picture is a quartet singing to everyone.

CRĂCIUN FERICIT!!!!!!!!!!!

HELLO FAMILY!!!! 

HOW ARE YOU!!??!?!? I hope your week was awesome. My week rocked. 

Scripture to check out: Ether 12:18-19. Is your foundation FIRM in Christ? It needs to be before anything else! 

OKAY SO THIS WEEEEEEEEEEK! Many things happened. Twas a good week. Sora P and I just ran ourselves to the ground. And it was great. First off, DON'T YOU JUST LOVE THE CHRISTMAS VIDEO THE CHURCH MADE?! It's been a huge tool for us. People love light. And they typically love Christ. And they all love Christmas. And generally people like to help others. SO THE VIDEO IS MAGIC. HERE is the link in case you haven't seen it :) 

Here is a funny language story...these seem to keep happening. Lol. Okay so Sora P and I were on the tramvai on our way home for lunch...I hear this super cute family speaking French. So I go, "Hey, I'm 1/2 French. Let's see if they also speak Romanian".....So I ask the mom if they're from France. She replies yes. I tell her that my family is from France. THEN SHE WHIPS OUT SOME MAD FAST FRENCH. I don't know French. At all. So I tell her, "Nu, nu, nu. Nu vorbesc Franța" aka I told her I don't speak France....not French. Hahaha. Pretty sure she also could tell that I don't speak Romanian ;) learning! 

We have this cute friend named Mada. She's great. We were walking around with her, speaking in English (she likes practicing with native speakers mwuahaha). Sora P has a stroke of GENIUS and we showed her the Christmas video. She opened up to us about how one of her friends was recently diagnosed with cancer. Bore simple testimony about the Plan of Salvation, and kept walking. Later as we were waiting with her for her mom to pick her up, I was like, " Mada, I can't stop thinking about your friend who has cancer. That can be a super scary thing because there is so much uncertainty in the world about life after death. But we believe something super cool. Would you be interested in learning more?" She said...YES! Yeet.

Also we met this super cool girl named Laura. With green hair. She's dope.

AND I learned how to make Sarmale. So good. Making it every Christmas from now on. 

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!! KEEP GOING! Praying for you. Merry Christmas :) stoked to talk to you on Christmas! 

Xoxoxo,

Sora Idiart 

(Emma sent pictures without captions and one can only GUESS
what she is thinking about these photos?!?!? . . . Sorry!!)

(And a funny video about the icy conditions in Romania!)

I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR ETERNAL FAMILIES

HELLO FAMILY! 

WOW. This week was a long one! Lots happened! BUT FIRST . . . 

. . . scripture hehe okay. So Mormon 9:21 & 27. DANG FAM. I love these verses. Especially verse 27 when it says "...come unto the Lord with all your heart, and work out your own salvation". YO. IT TAKES WORK. And it can be really hard. It can be hard to start. But you can do it. Whatever you are on the path. You can do it. It's easier when you have a real love for the Savior. PLEASE KNOW. HE LOVES YOU!!!!!!!!!!! x3984758495 more (!!!!!!'s). I promise. I know. I have felt His love for myself, for the people of Romania, and for you. Just do it. You've got it :) 

Alright so! More about my week! It was hard! But I can do hard things . . . all through Christ and His sacrifice and love for me :)

One DOPE thing that happened: our cute mom friend who we help with English, Irina, gave us some DANG GOOD homemade zacusca. Spelling? Not sure. But it's this way good Romanian vegetable spread thing. Flip. I think me and Sora P. ate like half of the can in one sitting. So yum. Way yum. We had a great spiritual thought with her after our English lesson. She asked if we could pray together at the end (she's very Baptist), and MAN. Her words were sincere - so heartfelt. Inspired me to do better. Am I really making my prayers with my Heavenly Father a conversation? I am from now on! 

You guys. I am SO GRATEFUL for the Plan of Salvation/Redemption/Happiness. This weekend less-active member who I've spent a lot of time with the past 3.5 months passed away Friday morning. Hard! Her name was Elisabeta Sabou - 70 years old! Sora P. and I spent probably a total of 15 hours with her over the past two weeks in the hospital, when her daughters/granddaughters couldn't be at the hospital. One of the funniest, most witty old woman. Sora P. and I had to talk with the family - in the best Romanian funeral terms we could muster - for a good chunk of the morning. My heart literally broke seeing the sorrow in their eyes. 

DEATH IS NOT THE END MY FRIENDS. I KNOW THIS. Which reminds me of another verse that I really loved this week in Mormon 7:5. Because of Christ, we WILL see our family members who have passed on. The sting of death is swallowed in Christ. Yes the sting is still there, but we can turn to the Lord. We can turn to Jesus Christ. We can find strength in Him. I find strength in Him everyday. 

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! I love Arad. I love my companion. I love my Heavenly Father. I love Jesus Christ. I love their teachings. I love being in Romania. FLIP it's hard. So hard. BUT I LOVE IT! I am praying for you all! Thank you for your prayers and love and support!

Cu drag xoxoxo

Sora Idiart 

love this companion of mine

still rly love her

sometimes (all the time) i imitate "Miranda Sings" . . . 

and also we got Kürtőskalács everyday last week, hahahhaha whoops 

?????? Romania doesn't know how to speak English very well hahahaha

Christmas Concert in Oradea
(From Ana Mogos, a woman in Emma's Branch)

Flyer for the Christmas Concert in Oradea.  
Can you believe Emma can speak this language?

NOTE FROM SARAH:  These things remind me of Robert Stebbins Camping Treats:

Kürtőskalács are cakes baked on a metal tube/spit specific to Hungarian-speaking regions in Romania.  In past years, they were considered a festive treat but they are now part of everyday consumption. (oh good, Emma is doing something normal by eating these daily, even if her "Miranda" impersonations are anything but normal.)

Kürtőskalács are made from a strip of sweet, yeast dough, which is spun and then wrapped around a truncated cone–shaped baking spit, and rolled in granulated sugar. It is roasted over charcoal while basted with melted butter, until its surface cooks to a golden-brown color. During the baking process the sugar sticks on the kürtőskalács and caramelizes, forming a shiny, crispy crust. The surface of the cake can then be topped with additional ingredients such as ground walnuts or cinnamon. (I guess I will be visiting Romania to try these bad boys next year!)

Hahahaha I found out what "fur" means in Romanian

HELLO BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

How are you?!?!?! I am great! Thank you for your continued prayers and love and support and WOWZA. Really. I really do feel ultra loved. I hope you know how much I love you! 

Scripture POWA: Okay so this week. Tears. I've been reading in 3 Nephi lately. SO I GOT TO MY FAVORITE CHAPTER IN ALL SCRIPTURE!!!!!!! And this time one verse really stuck out to me. WAY HARD. 3 Nephi 22:11. I LOVE THIS VERSE. Flip. Okay. If you feel like Jesus Christ has abandoned you, read this verse. If you can't feel Him there, IT IS BECAUSE HE IS LAYING YOUR FOUNDATION. And He's laying a dang beautiful one. Keep going. Keep praying. Keep trying to feel Him. You will. He is there. HE LOVES YOU. Man. This scripture. Hit me like a ROCK this week. Hopefully this helps you, reader of my blog<3 

Okay also one more thing. Something that Sora Purtschert said this week. Trials=bring us closer to Christ. Because we have to rely on His atonement to get through them. If you're going through something hard right now, keep going and rely on Him. He who is might to save. He knows you! BY NAME. Ugh. You guys. Can I just. BLAH. I LOVE MY SAVIOR. I have felt His love for me and for you and for my companions and for these people here in Romania. It's real. 

Okay so now I know all of you are wondering what "fur" means in Romanian hahaha (refer to last week's email if you are confused and don't know what I'm talking about). SO "fur" means "I steal". HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA I now understand why that girl was so annoyed/concerned. 

It snowed here . . . it has begun. We went running in it. Wished I would have not been lazy while in Utah and practiced running in snow hahahaha but it's okay. I only slipped 900 times :) 

Okay that's all I have time for! I love you all! Sorry this email is so so so short! But I need to go buy some warm clothes. So I don't freeze to death<33333 fun fact. Every morning when we go running, an old person yells at us. Because Romanians believe that the cold has an ability to freeze your eggs. As in future children. So. I need to buy "fatter" clothing (also a Romanian thing haha). Anyways . . . culture lesson over haha PRAYING FOR ALL OF YOU! 

xoxox

Sora Idiart 

Sora Purtschert<333 and Ashley Tisdale<3333 hahaha

The Elders apparently have a set of keys to our apartment . . . 

so what do they do when they know we're out of town with the Senior couple? 

TP our apartment and leave us MY FAVORITE chocolate santa's hahaha 

New country, Same me. hahahahah 

WIND and my Cute Companion 

We wanted to go grocery shopping this morning after running . . . 

but you have to be in proselyting clothes. . . . 

so . . . this was our solution. W

e ended up not going shopping looking like that. Hahahaha

How do you say "FUR" in Romanian?

HELLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

I LOVE AND MISS YOU ALL!

Scripture of the weeeeeeek = Romans 13:11-12. Sora Purtschert actually shared this with me this morning in comp study. FREAK YOU GUYS. I LOVE SORA P!!!!!! But also just really this scripture. Go open your Bible and read it. Or click on the link and read it RIGHT NOW!!

Being in Bucharest for the day was SO FUN! I ran into Sora Anderson and Elder Lemon from my MTC district! UH ALSO. BEST GELATO PLACE EVER. EMILIAS. YUM. And book heaven=the Carturesti by Piata Unirii. We will be going to both of these places when we come back family. 

OKAY AND THEN AFTER ANOTHER SLEEPER TRAIN I FINALLY GOT TO PICK UP SORA PURTSCHERT !!!!!!!!!! I LOVE HER !!!!!!!!!!! SHE IS THE BEST !!!!!!!!! This transfer is going to be so awesome. She's quickly becoming one of my very best friends. We have a good time together. 

For example. Let me explain my title today. Okay. So Sora P. is in her fourth transfer and I'm in my third. That means she's been in the country for 6 weeks more than I have. Which means that our Romanian? Yeah. It's still pretty new and rough. BUT we're getting by. Okay. So our first day in Arad (Wednesday) was full of contacting. We were just trying to talk to everyone. One girl at a tramvai stop was not having it. She did not want to talk to us. But we wanted to talk to her. So we kept talking to her hahahahhaha so. We're standing in front of Primaria where a bunch of little goods shops are set up for Christmas, and a bunch of the stuff has fur. But I don't know how to say the word fur, because why in the world would I need to know the word for fur?!?! SO. I'm talking to this girl. Basically having a one sided conversation. Then. I say, "Si deobice acest lucru are lucru cu mai mult 'fur'? Except I said fur with a Romanian accent . . . as in ENGLISH word fur in a Romanian way . . . She looked at me like I was a complete idiot. Turned around and didn't acknowledge us anymore. HAHHAHAHA ISNT THAT SO FUNNY HAHAHAHHAHAHA wow. So. Here we are. Sora P. and I. Tackling this town. With 7 months of Romanian between the two of us. Prayers would be appreciated. I still don't know how to say the word fur in Romanian hahaha

OKAY BUT actually. Our little knowledge is helping us. We are being bold. And learning a lot. Tender mercies and miracles LEFT AND RIGHT! 

I LOVE YOU ALL! Grateful for all of the love and support. I hope you know that I pray for you everyday! 

xoxox

Sora Idiart 

PS . . . sorry no pictures this week . . . Computer isn't working. Plus I only had 3 anyway, FORGIVE ME! 

I thought I wasn't being 'trained' anymore" a pun brought to you by Sora Stanley

HEY FAM WOOOOHOOOOO 

Can you believe I've been gone for 4 months? I cannot. Wowza! Time flies when you're having fun out here in vampire land! (Which to my disappointment isn't actually really a thing here...not even for fun. Oh well)

SOOOO I'm no longer a boboaca (Little Duckling or Newbie)....I am a real missionary. Training wheels off. BUUUUT I'm still staying in Arad <3333 oh happy day. YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE MY PEEPS! However....Sora Stanley has moved on to bigger and better things. Like being the new STL (Sister Training Leader) in Bucharest. Because of that, we rode another 15 hour sleeper train down to Bucharest last night (hence the subject line and pun)...So right now I'm in Buch. For the day. Then training (taking the train) back with another sister to Oradea, where I will drop her off and pick up my new companion....SORA PURSCHERT. YEET. It's going to be a crazy next few weeks. She's still relatively "young" in the mission aka she's been out a month longer than I have. We're both super stoked to really have to learn the language because we can't rely on someone with loads of experience. YEET. Pray for us. Hahah.

Scripture of the week! Helaman 6:34 - Ugh. Just really love the chapters before the birth and then Resurrection and coming of Christ to the Americas. Powerful stuff. BUT when I read this verse this week I fell in love. We have to GROW in knowledge and righteousness everyday! We can't get lazy. We have to always be trying to get better. That's the only way that we will improve and become more like out Father in Heaven. Man. The scriptures rock. 

Lots of miracles happened this week! But because this Thursday is Thanksgiving (#USA #FREEDOM #TURKEY #MASHEDPOTATOES!!!!!!!!!!!#YUM) I just want to say what I'm most grateful for this Thanksgiving:

My Savior, Redeemer, Counselor, older brother, and best friend: Jesus Christ. That guy. He's always there for me. When I'm having hard days and when I'm having easy days. You guys. HE LOVES YOU. He has sacrificed so much for you - even His life. The gratitude I feel for him, and for His message which He has allowed me to share with these special people here. Truly humbling. You guys won't even recognize me when I get home ;) hahaha J/K still the same old me. BUT REALLY OKAY. I know that Jesus Christ is your Savior. Because I know that He is mine. And He is ALWAYS there for you. Like I said, good days and bad days. He truly is our advocate. He knows and love you. Ugh. I wish you could feel how much He loves you....because I can feel it! 

And I'm really grateful for all of you who are supporting, loving, and encouraging me from thousands of miles away. Couldn't do it without you! Honestly. I love you all so much. Praying for everyone. Have a great Thanksgiving! Tell me 5 things you're grateful for next time you email me :) 

and.......EAT THE TURKEY LEG FOR ME. Keep the tradition alive hahahaha (silently crying B/C no turkey leg for me this year. But we gucci) (We Gucci means We're Good, in "Emma Lingo")

UGH I LOVE YOU ALL! Praying for you! 

Xoxo

Sora Idiart Xoxoxo

Just two sisters walking along Eftimie Murgu <3 love this mom of mine 

Don't leave me mom :'( 

District Conference aka SEEING MY HOMIES: SORA DUSIE AND ELDER TROTTIER. 

What a wonderful life. 

False advertising....You think you're getting a foot long chocolate Santa, 

when in reality....HE IS A ORTHODOX PRIEST.....Sneaky. Still tasted good. 

These  photos were taken by the Senior Missionary Couple last week.  Emma (Red Sweater) was put in charge of the Branch (congregation) Talent Show.  If you read their blog post at daysmission.blogspot.com you can read more info about it, but it seems to have been well attended and really fun.  They had a Taco Bar and one Elder taught everyone some line dancing.  I have to say, Emma takes after her Idiart/Nadauld Aunties in the Party Planning Department.  

The following Sunday was District Conference (like Stake Conference) and there were about 65 people in attendance at church.  The blondes in the front are the Mission President's wife and son.  You can see half of Emma  (green sweater) and her cute companion, Sora Stanley to the right of the blondes.  I just love to look at these sweet Romanian people, knowing who is friends with my girl warms my heart.

5 and 1/2 days = 132 hours.......... :-) remember this

Hey Fam!

The one hour I have for emailing always goes by SO FAST! BUT I LOVE YOU AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOU DO! AND ALL YOUR EMAILS! I LOVE READING THEM! 

SCRIPTURE TIME YO. Alma 47:18. Honestly I think this is the most important verse of scripture....like ever. It tells us EXACTLY HOW SATAN WORKS! HE POISONS US BY DEGREES!!!! Little by little. Keep working hard to obey the commandments so that he doesn't trap you! SO IMPORTANT! I love you all. I'm praying for you all. You can do it. We all can! Rely on the Savior! 

Okay so my title.......funny story. That's how long it's been since I showered. AHHAHA ISN'T THAT GROSS!?!? BUT THANKFULLY our proprietor (land lord) finally came over today and fixed it. So tomorrow morning I will be showering. Blessed <333333 I'm very good now at washing my hair in the sink. Hahaha

BUT THIS WEEK WAS A MIRACLE WEEK!! I'M NOT KIDDING! We did a sister-mission wide fast last week to see miracles. Sora Stanley and I worked way hard to be exactly obedient (including actually doing a workout in the morning.....didn't enjoy it but hey. I will learn to obey with a happy heart in that area on day hahaha). So onto the miracles:

WE HAVE AN INVESTIGATOR. Remember our friend Rodica that we met on our train ride back from Zone Conference a few weeks ago? Well we met with her this past week and asked her if she would be interested in learning more about what we believe. AND SHE SAID YES! YEEEEEEEEEEET! Miracle. And serious. As always. Thank you for including me and Sora Stanley in your prayers! WE FEEL THEM! We're meeting again later this week with Rodica. SHE IS THE COOLEST. Also she uses the most beautiful Romanian ever. It's hard for me to understand her sometimes because she doesn't speak like everyone else. I LOVE IT. Ugh. Love her.

A month ago I was put in charge of planning a talent night for our branch. This past Saturday we had "Noapte Talentelor" AND IT WAS A HIT. We had way more people in attendance than we anticipated! One of our investigators (Mariana - wife of recent convert Ghiti) came and brought her entire family. It was super fun. I was stressed out of my mind, BUT IT WENT GREAT. And the branch really enjoyed it. Success! Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures.....so.....yeah. Sorry. Hahaha my bad. 

OKAY ANOTHER MIRACLE!!!!!!!!!! SORA STANCIU CAME TO CHURCH! She's still been really down lately - depression is the worst :( - and we weren't expecting her to come to church. BUT SHE DID! And she loved it! Praying with my entire heart that it will become a regular thing for her again. She is so sweet. I have so much love for her. UGH really I just have so much love for the entire branch. THESE PEOPLE. THEY HAVE MY HEART. 

Oh here is a NON miracle. In fact. It is the worst thing to ever happen. Today. It started snowing. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Winter has come. And I am not prepared. Zăpadă (snow) is a new swear word. Never say it around me. Hahaha. But really. It's getting flipping cold here. But actually the cold is good. Because then the bugs start to die. The bugs here are big. And scary. Remember that one that I caught and trapped?!?! They're all like that. Except sometimes bigger. Hahaha

OKAY ANYWAYS! YOU GUYS! I love you! And I pray for you every dang day! I know that living the gospel of Jesus Christ will make you happy. It will bring you true happiness now, and an eternal joy in the life to come. It is hard to do! BUT DANG IT IS SO WORTH IT! So worth it. 

Love you guys. So much. 

Sora Idiart 

My baking has not improved.....at all.

These were supposed to be Blondie Bars?!?! SOS pls help me

..........yeah. Very happy Sora Idiart hahaha

NOT HAPPY. But accepting it. At least it's not Finland or somewhere even colder..Hahahahaha

We waited outside in freezing cold weather for a tramvai that never came....

we ended up walking home for another half hour. 

My toes were frozen and slightly blue??? hahah just kidding,

I'm exaggerating. But it was DANG COLD. 

"I'm a Baba!" Sora Stanley upon trying her new scarf out.

Found this on a tramvai. hahahah love you beans. miss u! 

"Wait I'm a real Romanian now!" Sora Stanley upon trying on her other scarf 

and then having the brilliant idea to put her beanie on top. 

Hahah love her. (She wasn't happy I was taking a picture haha) 

Crossing train tracks at night is rlly scary but also rlly fun ??? I LOVE ARAD

(Sorry again!  This letter was written on 11/7.  
All the purple translations are my add ins. ~Sarah)

HELLO HELLO HELLO FROM ARADDDDDDDDD!

Can't flipping believe that it's already week 5 of the second transfer.........uh. Can I stay a bulboaca (girl duckling) forever? That'd be sweet. 

OKAY THIS PAST WEEK WAS WAYYYYY HARD BUT ALSO...MIRACLES?!?!? YA! 

First things first. Everyone. Click this link HERE and either read or listen to this speech. I've been reading it so much this week. I've found great comfort and strength. LITERALLY JESUS CHRIST LOVE YOU. AND ME. AND US. AND NOI TOȚI! (All of us!) How beautiful and comforting is that? So read it. If you're struggling, you'll feel our Savior's love. If you're not struggling, you'll feel our Savior's love. READ ON MY FRIENDS! 

SO! Really funny story. We (S. Stanley and I) were on a tramvai (train) Monday night. Pretty packed full of people. Sitting across from this older lady. Sora Stanley complimented her on her little ascot-y type scarf (Sora Stanley LOVES them so much. She has like 20. Wears one everyday lol so cute love my comp). The lady looks at us for a second kind of quizzical. Looks at our name tags. Looks back at our faces. Then says "Do you really like it?" and Sora Stanley replies "YES!". So then the lady takes it off and says "Then it's yours". She then keeps insisting that Sora Stanley take it if she really likes it. Says "God bless you both," kisses our cheeks (European air kiss thing that reminds me of all my frenchies. HOLLAAAA IF YOU'RE BASQUE haha), and gets off. !!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHHA !!!!!!!!!!!!! ISNT THAT AWESOME ?!?!??!??! ARENT ROMANIANS THE BEST?!?!??! HAHAHAHHAH I was laughing so hard when she got off. Really. I couldn't control myself. BUT THAT IS SO ROMANIAN!!!!!!!! They are so kind and giving and loving. Really. Even though mostly we see a hard and reserved exterior, THEY ARE GOLDEN! So now Sora Stanley has 21 little silky scarfs. (pic will be attached hahahah seriously. So much fun)

Okay regarding my subject line. Hahaha. So one of our members, Sora Lidia, lives in a way sketch part of Arad. I think I've mentioned this before. You have to cross some train tracks to get to her apartment. In our Area Book it says in big bold letters "DO NOT GO TO ARADUL NOU WHEN IT IS DARK. NOT SAFE". It actually says that like everywhere in our apartment hahaha. So obviously S. Stanley and I went there last night past sun down. Hahaha it's starting to her dark here at like 6, and we had a dinner appointment with her and the elders. But the elders had already been in that area....so S. Stanley and I pretty much sprinted from the tramvai stop, across the train tracks (almost biffed it haha running in a skirt is uh not safe), and then sprinted through all the non-lit, creepy neighborhoods. I FELT SO ALIVE. I LOVED IT. But we won't be going back at night without taking a taxi/scheduling for a non-pitch black time haha. Don't worry. We were very much on our guard. And sprinting. So. Super safe, mom :) 

Okay. Charity. That is the Christ-like attribute that Sora Stanley and I decided to work on this week. AND MAN DID I FEEL IT. Every week we go visit a less active/recent convert (baptized two years ago) named Maria Stanciu. She is a sweet lady. LOVES missionaries. LOOOOOOOVES the gospel. Loves God and Jesus Christ. She has had a really hard past few years. Her teenage son was murdered three years ago. The killer was never charged. Really hard experience for her. The Plan of Salvation has helped her out TONS. But she suffers from some pretty nasty depression. This past week was a way hard week for her, because the beginning of November is the Romanian holiday to remember the dead. When we went to visit her, she wasn't her normal happy self. Earlier that day during comp study, Sora Stanley and I decided to share a message with her about the resurrection based off of the "Because of Him" film that the church came out with a little bit ago.  Click HERE if you haven't seen it.  As I sat next to her to show her it, I WAS SO OVERCOME WITH A LOVE FOR HER. I can't describe it. But sitting next to her I KNEW that Jesus Christ knows her. And that He was felt the pain she feels. And that because of Him, she WILL be able to see her son again. So everyone knows I'm a cry baby right? Hahahaha somethings never change. I cried practically the whole lesson. She told us about her son and his story. Cried. Sora Stanley testified of the resurrection. Cried. I testified of the Savior's love and support for her. Cried. She asked me to say the closing prayer.....THE ONE WHO HAD BEEN CRYING THE ENTIRE LESSON!!!!!!!!!!!......did it. Cried. But the Spirit was putting Romanian words into my mouth that I didn't know. By the end of my prayer everyone was crying. Hahhaa. The Spirit was SO TANGIBLE. So powerful. 

I LOVE SORA STANCIU. THIS LIFE IS HARD. PEOPLE SUFFER TERRIBLE AND HORRIBLE PAINS. WE GO THROUGH SOME REALLY HARD TRIALS. All of our trials are hard...for us! BUT GUESS WHAT MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY. We have a loving older brother. He sacrificed His life for us. He suffered for our pains and sufferings. I don't believe this...I KNOW THIS. I know it with all my heart. And how grateful I am for this truth. Let me tell you a secret. I hate rejection. I hate being rejected by these people OVER AND OVER AGAIN. It hurts. Really bad. But I KNOW that there are people suffering here in Romania. They need to know that Jesus Christ knows and loves them. And so I put on a big smile and keep knocking on doors and climbing flights of stairs. 

Missions are rough my dudes. I know I say this every week. But it's true. BUT THEY ARE SO WORTH IT. I LOVE THESE PEOPLE. I LOVE THIS GOSPEL. Keep the commandments and keep trying! YOU CAN DOOOOO IIIIIIIIIT (Nacho Libre voice). Praying for all of you. Thanks for the love, support, and prayers :)

xoxox

Sora Idiart 

VICTORY! Hahaha

Lady Bugs are black and red here.....IS THAT NORMAL?!?! 

FROST PEOPLE !!!!!!!! :(((((((( It is so cold. Hahha. 

But the nice thing about the cold is that there are no more mosquitoes. 

Those suckers are bad here. 

VISA BABYYYYYY. It's official. Staying here for a year and a half. 

Sad I couldn't smile in my visa pic.....look like a crazy killer. Lol. 

Dinner......when you don't have time to make food. Wasn't too bad hahah 

Just some cuties shopping on Preparation Day....HOLLA 

I just recieved a copy of this picture from the mission office!  It was taken my 2nd week in Romania, I met the Apostle Dieter F. Uchtdorf.  It's dope. Too bad I look silly hahahaha