"Sour cream on all the knuckles" + GIFT OF TONGUES

Alright fam, lemme tell you something about my good old trainer Sora Stanley..... SHE IS THE MESSIEST EATER OF ALL TIME.....AND I LOVE HER FOR IT. But honestly. Dad. You think I'm a messy eater? No. No way. Not compared to this mom of mine (for anyone who hasn't served a mission, a "mom/dad" is the person who trained you. So Sora Stanley is my mom haha). One of the foods we love to eat in our household are wraps. Every time. WITHOUT FAIL. Sauce ends up dripping down Sora Stanley's arm. All the way to her elbow. It is so entertaining to watch. Hahaha. BUT on Thursday night we switched it up and decided to have some quesadillas (I'm becoming quite the chef, hahaha). And Sora Stanley somehow had sour cream on all of her knuckles....but she hadn't noticed it yet. So I get both of us napkins, and she says, "Thanks! I'm probably going to need that later". No Sora Stanley. No. You need that now. Hahaha I just started laughing. For like 3 minutes. And then she notices. Sour cream on all the knuckles. So this story doesn't really have anything to do with the work...but it made me laugh. And I wanted to tell all of you :) I love Sora Stanley. I don't want another companion. She and I go perfectly together. Yin and yang. 

BUT NOOOOOOOOW IT'S TIME FOR THE SCRIPTURE OF THE WEEK! Mosiah 8:18 - I want, JK, I NEED to develop the type of faith - strong enough faith - to be a benefit in the lives of my fellow man. Oh, how I am trying! But life is hard. We all have different trials and challenges. Whether you're the Bishop of a huge ward or a 19 year-old struggling to really believe that Joseph Smith SAW Jesus Christ and God the Father. You know? But I've come to realize and understand and LOVE faith. Faith is so crucial. Another set of scriptures that I LOVED are Mosiah 5:12-13. DO YOU KNOW THE SAVIOR?? I sure am trying. Let's all try better this week, yeah? Yeaaaah :) cool dude. Cool. 

Okay a few more items of business before we get to the best part: pictures. Hahah

S. Stanley and I met with the sweetest less-active named Alexandra. We got to know her and then had a way impromptu spiritual thought on the atonement. We didn't necessarily prepare a spiritual thought (shame on us as missionaries) because we thought she would spend a lot of time talking to us about herself. Romanians are such story tellers. THEY LOVE TO TALK. Usually it's hard for us to get them to stop talking long enough to leave a thought/teach a lesson haha SO we didn't really prepare a ton. And poor S. Stanley is starting to get sick....SO she had a major headache/head cold. So I led the way on the spiritual thought. And I was speaking Romanian. Like actual Romanian. And I'm not super sure what I was saying. In fact I can't remember a single word of what I testified. Because I'm pretty sure I don't even know the vocab I was using. BUT THE SPIRIT WAS PUTTING WORDS INTO MY MOUTH AND THEY WERE MAKING SENSE?!?!?! It really was an incredible experience. I've been getting really down on myself because I've finished my first transfer (!!!!!!!!!WHAT?!!!!!!!!!!!!), and I haven't felt a ton of progression. ANYWAYS. Such a tender mercy. The Lord truly blesses us when we are trying to do our best. I am trying so hard! I am failing SO MUCH. But He and the Savior are CONSTANTLY picking me up, dusting me off, and pushing me forward again. Can I just tell you?? I KNOW. With zero doubts. That Jesus Christ lived. He suffered for us. He DIED for us. He died for you. He died for me. AND HE LIVES. And because HE IS ALIVE. He knows what each of you are going through. He knows that I am struggling with this language and with these people. He knows that every single one of our investigators dropped us, and we're back at square one. HE KNOWS US. He knows you. I hope and pray that you know that. Sweet Alexandra does. And He really does. He knows her just like He knows me and He knows you. 

A super highlight of the week: I finally ate Romanian food, made by a Romanian! AND IT WAS DANNNNNNG GOOD. So good. I shed a tear. MMMM IT WAS GOOD. I love food. Hahhah. 

ALSO IM GOING TO BE A BIG SISTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YIPEEEEE! No longer the baby in the district :') So that means that Elder Winder is leaving (sad!) and Elder Giron will be training! HOW FUN. Arad is officially the youngest district in the mission hahah because I'm going on my 2nd transfer (UM WHAT?! 2ND TRANSFER?!), S. Stanley is going on her 6th, and Elder Giron is going on his 5th. All of us combined have been out for less time than a lot of the missionaries on this mission hahah. DOPE. Fresh minds and energy. Arad needs it! 

UGH IF ONLY I COULD GIVE ALL OF YOU BIG HUGS??!?! I love you all. Thanks for your continued support. Keeps me going from day to day. UGH I LOVE YOU ALL AND I PRAY FOR YOU ALL, EVERYDAY LIKE 50 TIMES A DAY (because literally we are always praying. Seriously. I have never prayed this many times a day in my life. I love it hahha). KEEP IT REAL. I LOVE YOU.

Cu drag,

Sora Idiart 

At a new investigator's house! She is obsessed with mirrors.

They are everywhere.

Also she's like 70 and has traveled everywhere in the world.

And she loves books.

I would guess that she has like well over 1,000.

It is NUTZ. 

I FINALLY GOT A PICTURE OF A GYPSY CART !!!!!!!!! 

I have been trying to get sneaky pics since my first day in this country lol.

They are everywhere in Arad. So awesome.

PS  Sorry, not a lot of pics this week :( me and S. Stanley are going to be better at taking pictures. Maybe. Hahah