Constanta again

Looking at the transfer list

I'm staying in Constanta!!! We found out transfers on Friday and Sora Polatis and I are both staying here in Constanta!!!!! I'm so excited! We were super nervous that I'd be transferred just because there are so many sisters that would be moving around. But it turns out that Sora Polatis and I were the two lucky ones who got to stay here by the beach! I kept joking around as I was leaving Arad, that I was heading to the beach for the whole summer! And so here I am! PERFECT! The Elders are switching it up a bit, but we're super excited for what this next transfer has in store. Sora and I were talking about it the other day, and we've realized that since tons of new sisters will very soon be coming into the mission, and we're some of the oldest, it means that this transfer is the calm before the storm! So we're going to make it the best transfer ever! :D Super pumped! And don't worry, we'll carry on taking photos like crazy ;)

Low hanging wires!

Last Monday, we had an interesting experience. We went to visit a lady whom we found in the Area Book. First off, it took us an hour to get there, simply because Romania directions are so crazy! The block numbers seem to go... C1, C2, P13, C6, A11, MZ 5 etc... yeah... so after walking around a great big lake, all the way down to the opposite side of town, and following the directions of multiple Romanians, we finally arrived at her home. [Side note]: When Romanians give directions it usually goes something like this:

Us: "Excuse me, do you know how to get to the Ciresc Restaurant?" 

Romanian: " Go straight ahead, turn right and ask someone else"

Its very kind of them to try even though they usually have no idea where to go. Ah well, we arrived! The lesson was okay. She believes the Book of Mormon is true and has read it multiple times, only problem is that she believes the Catholic Church is true and the great apostasy never took place. She also gave us coffee to drink and insisted it wasn't coffee. It's funny, how in just a matter of 2 weeks I've been given coffee twice! Sigh... Oh well! Mergem mai departe!

We have the coolest new investigator! She is Jewish! Adica, from Israel jewish! She's the wife of one of the members here. They got married about a year ago. He is the Romanian Christopher Walken Look-alike! Fur reals! I'll  take a picture with him this week! But anyway... she is so cool! And wants to be baptized. Only flaw is that whole not believing that Jesus is the Christ yet. But no worries! She has the desire to know and understand. We're super excited to be teaching her!

With Elena

We had the best branch activity on Saturday! We organized a minute to win it activity! Romanians are sooo funny, because they're a little reserved at first but if you ease them into the situation they get really enthusiastic! We played all sorts of hilarious games and everyone loved it. We played that one game where you start with a cookie on your forehead and you have to get it down into your mouth. Well our branch president, Alin, was like "gross, I don't wanna eat that after its been on my face.... Ugh that's impossible!" But his competitive side won out and he just had to have a go! Then he managed to be the first person to do it! He scrunched and screwed up his face and shook his head as we all cracked up laughing. Then plop! It goes straight in! He then munched the cookie, turned to everyone and yelled, "The church is true!!"  hahaha it was amazing :D

We had a random/funny experience this week. So there we were, 9.25 am. Not having the best day in the world. We were out sitting on the beach ... crying. Then this guy walks up and asks if we could take a picture of him. I guess we must've looked super confused because he was like, "Uhh? What's wrong?! It's just a photo" So anyway we took it and he then sits down next to us and proceeds to tell us his life story. We of course used the opportunity to teach him the restoration and the plan of salvation. He asked us to go on a date with him and his brother, we invited him to come to church and meet the elders :) Gotta love being a missionary. You know you're a missionary when a cute guy asks you out and the only thing you can think of saying is, "No thanks, have you heard about our church?!"

I wanted to share with you a little more about my mission here. This is something that President Hill shared with us last week in his weekly email. He usually does a question and answer session. This is one of them from last week:

Sora Polatis and Sora Lidia

“We've had another week with all zeros. Our lessons didn't work out and we weren't able to find any people that were interested in the truth yet, but we are still looking. Should we be worried about our low numbers?”


ANSWER (from President Hill): I'm so sorry that your planned lessons didn’t work out. That, unfortunately, happens a lot to missionaries--probably all over the world. Just one of the "occupational hazards" of our assignment! We just pick ourselves up off the floor of despair and move forward! I know you're trying so hard! And some weeks you don't even have any "Key Indicators" to report that except zeros! But, never fear, I was a Germany missionary and I fully understand the challenges of România/Moldova missionaries!! You never have to explain low numbers to me. I know you're working hard and often have "nothing to show" for your efforts--except those unreportable "touches" that might someday pay dividends. Just keep trying. Never give up. Never, ever give up!

This wasn't me, that week, but I certainly have had weeks with 100% zeros. in the past I just love how understanding our mission president is. This mission still has multiple branches with missionaries as Branch Presidents. Can you imagine? a little 19 year old as a branch president?! Seriously! We are still building the foundation for the church here. The church is growing, slowly and surely! And I can't wait to see the day, where the church begins to really thrive! This mission isn't about grand events! It's about the little acts, the seeds planted, and the small steps being taken.

With Sora Polatis

Alrighty frumoșilor! Vă iubesc pe voi! Sunteti minutați! știu ca Isus traiește!

mă iubiți!

Sora Riveră