it's so hot here and it's good

Hello family. How are you? Are you staying cold in air conditioning and by a pool? I am not. But it is wonderful. :) 

We got the General Conference Ensigns in Romanian and English this past week :) Let's start with a really great talk that I read this week for language study. Life changing. Click HERE for a link! The Holy Ghost is everything as a missionary. But He should also be everything in each of your lives. I've really learned that if we receive a prompting to do something, WE HAVE TO DO IT. So. Take counsel from one of my favorite scriptures found in Ezra 10:4 - "take courage, and DO IT". Ask for and follow promptings this week. Email me about them :)

One of those promptings that I want to talk about in this email (also, sorry this is going to be SO SHORT because I have no time left hehehe) is about a girl named Valentina. When President Ivory was here a few weeks ago for Branch Conference, he gave us a Book of Mormon to give to one of the receptionists that works at the hotel he often stays at. We dropped it off a few days after President left. She said she would call us later that week. Well didn't happen. Then BAM this week, we felt impressed that we should go and see when she was working this week. The idea came at a reallyyyyyyyyyy inconvenient time. But we went and did it. When we got there, she told us she had read have of the book (WHAT?!?!?!?!?!) and needed to talk to someone about it. So we set up to meet with her (for tomorrow) right then and there. It was a serious testimony builder to me, that if we follow promptings when we get them, miracles can happen. So keep Valentina in your prayers tonight! She's a super cool girl! 

As the days keep getting hotter here in Chisinau, I continue to eat ice cream. Sora Nemelka is trying to keep me from getting diabetes.....so I'm only allowed to eat ice cream every other day. We will see how long she can put up with my complaining ;) 

I love you all. The church is true. I'm grateful for you and your support every day. LOVE YOU 

xoxoxoxo 

Sora Idiart 

good lighting=selfie

hit 11 months this week. nutz! 

also. this is the best candy bar in the entire world <3333333 

it has gummy bears and pop rocks and cookies in it :) 

we stole these flowers from the ground. well not really stole. but like they were weeds? 

and we gave them to one of our investigators....but yeah. we stole them. hahahhaha. oops. 

I LOVE CHIS

we were having a lesson with an investigator on a park bench. 

some girls came up and asked if they could draw us. 

i'm the one in the sunglasses hahahahahahaha 

MY ENGLISH STUDENTS KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE CHOCOLATE, 

SO ONE OF THEM WENT TO GREECE AND BROUGHT ME BACK A GREEK CHOCOLATE BAR. 

IT IS SO GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE MOLDOVANS. His name is Oleg. 

Piata Shoes

I HAVE SOME REALLY COOL DUDES IN MY LIFE

HAPPY FATHERS DAY to all the fathers + future fathers. Love you. I have the best example of what righteous, worthy priesthood holders should look like. You guys rock. Love you loads.

Hello to the rest of you. I love you, as well :)  Here is a little shopping tutorial I filmed for you:

SCRIPTURE POWER: I read this story this week. I don't actually remember ever reading it. But IT IS NOW MY FAVORITE. The Acts 8:29+30. Really the whole part about Philip is just great. I would probably name my son Philip if I didn't think it was such an ugly name....anyways back to the point: SO PROMPTINGS. We have to respond like my boy Philip. He RAN. Do we run? Let's run this week, shall we? I'm going to. And it's gonna be great.  

So this week was a stretching week. Like big time. It was rough, but SO MANY MIRACLES. Heavenly Father always seems to do this to me hahaha. He's got a sense of humor. The week was just the pits, for the first little bit.  Really, He just wants to make sure that I'm really gonna pull through in the end. Luckily, this week Sora Nemelka and I worked through it all AND MIRACLES BABY. Really mostly thanks to me running after promptings. I'm out here becoming Philipa. Hahahahaha anyways.

Iulia + the twins: It is hard to make only Russian speaking 6 year old twins focused....when you don't know Russian. BUT THANKFULLY we were able to do it. And their lovely mother Iulia sat down and took the Russian Book of Mormon that we brought for her and started reading. We're talking like the Introduction until 1 Nephi 2. That's about how long we could keep the boys distracted. But then Sora Nemelka was able to do a bomb job testifying and teaching her about The Book of Mormon/why we have it, while I played Chess with the twins (and lost....but thanks for Gpa Al for teaching me how to play hahaha)

Valeria - guys. THIS GIRL IS THE CUTEST GIRL I HAVE EVER MET. She is this suppppper smart 17 year old. Who just needs to know that her Heavenly Father loves her. We had such a great lesson with her on Saturday - honestly she's the miracle that Heavenly Father was making us wait for. We fasted as a district on Saturday for one of our friends, Eric, who is having a hard time getting permission from his mom to be baptized. We met with Valeria near the end of the day. Saturday had been pretty discouraging. But then BAM. VALERIA. IT WAS AWESOME. The Spirit was definitely present. Definitely the greatest thing ever. 

Ala - YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ALA IS PROGRESSING SO WELL. We had a lesson with her yesterday with the Godfrey's. Taught her about the Law of Chastity. Her boyfriend is living with her. Well he's not really her boyfriend. Just kind of this drunk. Anyways. Long story. But she agreed that she needed to kick him out. So she did. She is going to be baptized in 2.5 weeks. Keep her in your prayers! But also. Yesterday. The Spirit was so strong. MAN I LOVE THE HOLY GHOST!

Also flip. Brett Bryce from JERICHO ROAD CAME TO CHISINAU. He served his mission back in good old San Bruno. So he talked to me about the fam (he says hello).  Showed him a picture of all of us. Good memories. I love you all :) But he did a concert for all the members in Moldova. It was awesome. He sang Coldplay. And Sara Barielles. My heart. Shattered. Best 2 hours of my life. I miss music. Hahahaha BUT SWEET IS THE WORK. 

Also transfers came out and, I'm still in Chisinau with Sora Nemelka. Happy sister missionary am I :) 

I love you all! I pray for you all. Thank you for the love and support :) 

xoxoxoxo

Sora Idiart 

I caught our oven mit on fire while making rice.....it really was flaming.

I didn't scream, just burned my hand a little bit. #yolo #bringingbackyolo

Brett Bryce. Such a cool dude. Mostly I just loved that he knew all of the Idiarts

and sang some "Yellow" hahahahaha 

THIS IS ROMA!!!!! He is the one who helped us in our lessons with Tania.

Life saver. I literally love the people of Moldova. 

We found the BEST BURGER PLACE IN ALL OF MOLDOVA. 

Literally. The burgers are better than burgers in America. I cried. 

We also went there again today for lunch. Addiction problems. 

Just got done eating ice cream. Companion unity <33333

Babe comp.

Making placinte (PIES) with cute Daniela

Showing Maria the fam <3333  

I have started substituting ice cream for meals. . .but it's okay because it's only 2 lei

Hello fam and friends :) 

This week was wonderful. I hope you all read that talk that I sent you. Instead of a scripture (again, sorry), I want to share something that President Ivory sent us in his weekly email to all the missionaries. "FAITH MUST BE CENTERED IN JESUS CHRIST AND HIS ULTIMATE VICTORY. We can not fail. Our focus on faith in Jesus Christ brings us understanding and perspective we need to overcome challenges in our own lives and in working with our friends. Ultimately our faith in Jesus Christ leads to salvation." The part that really sticks out to me is "We cannot fail". That is the truth. We cannot fail if we have faith in the Savior. He has already won. We must stay valiant. We chose this life. We chose this plan. If you don't know what plan I'm talking about, stop my nametag wearing friends wherever you are in the world. They would love to tell you about it :) 

This week was good. Hard, but good :) aren't they all a little bit like that?

Two quick miracles: 

Ala. She is getting baptized in July! July 7th to be exact. We had such a great lesson with her on Tuesday. The new senior couple, the Godfrey's, came to our lesson. The Spirit was strong. There were probably 3 or 4 times when she really profoundly felt the Spirit. It was awesome. She is awesome. She came to church on Sunday and met President Ivory (who was in Chisinau for Branch Conference this weekend). She's got a lot of potential. We have our work cut out for us! :) 

Victoria, this really REALLY awesome girl who is dating one of the elder's investigator's, came to church this Sunday! She usually works/is too busy to come. Granted, she came about 30 minutes late due to public transportation. We've been struggling for awhile as to how to help her. She just really had no belief in God. BUT THEN ON SUNDAY AFTER CHURCH WE HAD A LESSON WITH HER AND SHE TOLD US "YOU KNOW WHAT. I BELIEVE IN GOD." Her grandma passed away this past week. She was really really close with her. She told us that she had been praying for peace all week to be okay with whatever would happen to her grandma. Then BAM. You know how Heavenly Father works. He fills you with peace and love and support when you need it most. She attributed that peace as an answer to her prayers. She knows that God lives. She will be baptized. Her and Igor will lead the church here in Moldova. They are the coolest couple. 

Well that's all. I love you all. I love these people. I really just never want to leave Moldova :-) so like I will probably move back here. Okay love you all.

xoxoxoxo

Sora Idiart 

Poor Sora Nemelka. Working her to death hahahahha 

We eat like kings out here in Chis (brought the other sisters lunch today) 

Making me miss Nina :') 

Also another reason why I'm a mean trainer....I make her stand on the Maxi Taxi rides. 

Hahaha hopefully her mom doesn't see this.......opa

Thank heavens for people playing music really loud.

Unfortunately they didn't open their door......better luck next time.​​ ​

Strawberries are $1 for 1 kilo. So we make lots of fruit smoothies nowadays

HI FAMILY !!!!!!!!!!!!

Instead of some scripture verses to read, here is a talk by President Gordon B Hinckley that changed my life. Probably forever. Man. So good. My new life motto/vision is "Living beyond myself". I'll probably put it on a t-shirt. SO READ IT HERE!!

ALSO CONGRATS TO JOSH ON GRADUATING THIS WEEK. YOU LITTLE GENIUS MAN GOING TO BERKLEY. I LOVE YOU. 

ALSO CONGRATS TO UNCLE ERIC ON GETTING ENGAGED. YOUR FIANCE SEEMS REALLY INCREDIBLE AND I CAN'T WAIT TO MEET HER. Better be invited to be there in the sealing room ;) LOVE YOU. 

Here are some people to talk about:

Iulia - Probably the classiest, richest mom in Chisinau...We're teaching her twin 6 year old boys English, and we're slowly teaching her the gospel. She's a very faithful person. She is a queen though, no joke. She drives a mini-cooper. And her floors in her house are marble. And she has like millions of dollars of original art pieces in her home. And she has a maid. And she is super kind. But like literally the richest person I know in Chisinau. PLUS SHE HAS RED HAIR. YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT REDHEADS. And her twins are the cutest things of all time. 

Maria - We had a really great lesson with Maria this past Friday. She won't be baptized this upcoming week, BUT she will be baptized on July 1st. We read 2 Nephi 31 with her. Just really talked a lot about how important all of the parts of the Doctrine of Christ are. We really tried to focus on how having faith in Christ helps us to endure to the end. It was great. I love her. She's so ghetto and cute. Hearing her pray melts my heart. 

Ala - So Ala is this really great mom of two kids. Her kids live with her ex-husband and his new wife in Germany. She's 1) lonely 2) an honest truth seeker 3) hilarious 4) very Moldovan. Talks like a Moldovan. It's a roller coaster in our lessons :)  

Sora Nemelka - She is a beast. The language is coming along. She doesn't see it, but it's true! We're working well together. I'm learning so much from her. Did I ever tell you all that she's a surgical technician? Well she is. Which basically means that I can now perform surgery. Because she tells me a lot about doctor type stuff. Maybe I'll do med school? Habar n-am. Only time will tell. 

WELL THAT'S ALL. The days are literally a blur. But don't worry. I sometimes right in my journal :-) 

Love you guys. Pray for you all the time. Keep praying for us out here in Chis and our lovely people :) The Savior is on each of our teams. Rely on Him and His power, intelligence, love, and Atonement. 

xoxoxoxo

Sora Idiart 

Played some volleyball with cute little Daniela (one of Sora Langentein's & My old investigators). She really likes taking modeling pictures. Hahhaha she's cute. Love her. 

LOTS OF CHALK CONTACTING THIS WEEK.

Because why? Because everyone canceled on us. Dope. 

I've lived here for 5 months.....and I have yet to show you what the church building looks like. Hahah oops. Well here is it. (Also I forgot mostly to buy new batteries....

so my camera was dead a lot. These are all Sora Nemelka's pics lol)

Sora Nemelka is a beast breakfast maker.