Goody Bag at a Funeral

A graveyard....

This week we'd had a service project all set up to go help an elderly man clear out his yard and house. We showed up on Thursday morning, with some of the branch members and the old man refused to let us do anything to his house. Poor guy... anyhoooo, we started making our way home, walking with the BP as we passed a cemetery. He asked us if we'd like to look around so of course we jumped at the opportunity to be shown around the cemetery by a native. It was huge! The endless rows of huge stone crosses and marble caskets stretched up a large hill towards a church. Alongside most of the graves was also a little table and chairs. "Picnic at Great Granny's grave anyone?"

The picnic

Turns out that the table and chairs is for a tradition they have. At the anniversary every year they have a priest come and sing and family and friends gather and eat bread together so that the spirit of the person will have "bread on high".

Tramvais

As we walked through the cemetery, we found a funeral and somehow accidentally joined it. Everyone was very cheerful looking, and they were all singing along with the priest. They the little picnic bench was covered in food and a pretty blue table cloth. As we were standing further back, watching the priest sing and the men nail the coffin shut, a woman came around handing out "goody bags" and somehow I ended up with one. It contained a candle, bread, matches and a towel. I looked anxiously to the BP but he said it was fine and asked if he could have some of the bread.

Graveyard

Peeps in a cart

Happy Halloween....

My new apartment (just kidding!)

We had a Halloween branch activity this week. Sora and I dressed up as Robin hood and Maid Marian. we even made a bow and a couple arrows from sticks, it was very creative if I do say so myself!

Translating...

We had interviews with President and Sora Hill this week! They are so funny! President starts every interview with the same corny joke, "So, Sora Rivera, given up those cigarettes yet?"

They then stayed for church on Sunday, and they spoke. I was translating for Sora Hill and for the BYU intern girls during Relief Society as usual, and I had a cool realization. Mariana from Constanta was once reading the English Seminary manual and translating it into Romanian. After expressing my awe for her language talents she assured me that one day I could do it from Romanian into English. And yesterday, at church, I did it! No one had brought the English Liahona, so as the teacher read the Romanian talk, I read along in English, translating on the fly. It was an amazing blessing!  :D

Peeps.....

We've been worrking with a little family, who are currently less active. Three kids, 5 year old, 9 year old and 14 year old. They are the cutes kids and we had a really cool lesson this week about the Holy Ghost. The best part though, was that the mother and the 9 year old boy came to church this week! :D

Monica gave her very first talk this week! She did a great job! It's soo cool to see her flourishing in the gospel.

Iasi

The Church is true! I know that Heavenly Father loves us, and loves Romania and Moldova and this is His work!

Love you all,

Keep the faith!

Sora Rivera