Being BOLD

BUSY WEEK!

WEDNESDAY:  We got invited to a girls' luncheon with Sora Ivory and the sisters from Ploiesti sisters.  It was really a fun opportunity to discuss some new changes that will be implemented into this mission.

We also met with the Verdeata family from the branch.  They have the 2 cutest granddaughters ever (the ones that think I am a Disney Channel star) and we went over to get to know them and share a lesson with them.  So we beep into the block and we hear this little "Flip, flap, flop" sound coming down the hall.  As we turn down the hallway we see little six year old Bianca running towards us.  She looks up and smiles and starts laughing and says, "Uite!  Am piciorele guale!" (Look!  I have bare feet!)  And then her grandma, Sora Verdeta,  comes around the corner and yells at her so she kisses us and then runs back inside.  Hahahaha.  In Romania, if you go around without shoes on you'll go sterile and not be able to have kids. #nono

Haha so we go inside and Bianca is tackling me from the side and I'm busting up because she is adorable.  And Andreea, who is nine is just talking to us and participating in our lesson.  Eventually, Fratele Verdeata gets annoyed at Bianca and sends her out on the patio because she was being too disruptive haha. 

When we get ready to go I tell Bianca to come in and hug me and she makes a frowny face and says she cant, that she has to stay outside.  So I walk up to the window, open it up and bend over and kiss her goodbye!  She started cracking up and the Verdeatas thought that was the funniest thing they had ever seen! 

THURSDAY: We met with Luana again and we have been working with her.  It is hard to work with someone who has no self confidence in herself.  She has faith in God but none in herself.  We have been fasting and praying for her constantly to know how to help her.  She is unsure about baptism because she says she hasn't gotten a clear answer from God- no "yes", no "no". 

President has encouraged us to be more bold in our missionary work so while I sat in that lesson, I was asking and praying that I could know how to help her, what I could say.  And asking, "Help me know how to say what I want, in Romanian, so that she will understand me". 

So then comes this pause in the discussion.  Merkley looks at me and words just start pouring out. 

"Luana, we have all been given our agency.  God gave us that gift so that we can make our own decisions.  Imagine you are in the middle of a road.  Then, it separates into two roads.  One on the right, and one on the left.  We have to make a decision.  Which road to take.  We cannot just sit in the middle and think about what to do.  You need to pick one and go with it.  If you pick one road and it stops, walk back to the middle and choose the other one.  You won't know which road to take if you don't take one.  Luana you need to make this choice, the choice to be baptized for yourself.  No one can make this choice for you". 

Then, Sora Merkely said, "Next time we meet with you, we will ask what your decision is". 

#GOBOLDORGOHOME

FRIDAY:  BACKSTORY.  The apartment next to us is getting completely remodeled so constructions works are out and in out day long. 

During our weekly planning session we heard the construction workers on the balcony next to us make goat sounds.  For those of you who know me well know that I can make a REALLY good goat sound.  Merkley was begging me to do it.  So I walked up to the balcony, threw my head back and made the loudest goat call.  The construction workers started busting up. 

We made goat calls back and forth to each other for a few minutes.  It was rad. 

We also received a prompting that we needed to change our water filter early.  Weird we thought, but we went with it.  When we opened up our filter we saw that our filter was a deep dark brown color (normal) but that we had 2 INTESTINAL WORMS living on it!  EWWW!  At least they never made it INTO our water.  We also had to take a mini photo shoot with the worms.  Normal.

My name is Sora Lee and I am thankful for water filters.

SATURDAY:  We cleaned the church and went over to do some cleaning for Sora Gorzo, the absolutely CUTEST Romanian woman in the world.  I love her and she loves me.  :)

I LOVE ROMANIA!

Loving the work, Loving the People and Loving the Lord,

:) Sora Lee

Photo 1: Sora Gorzo and I!  I am obsessed with this woman!

Photo 2: Merkley and I!

Photo 3: My Capella!  (Chapel!) It's the first chapel I have served in!