WEEK 60

Bacau Bacau Bacau

Hello everyone. I forgot my journal this week sooooooo we'll see if I can remember what we did...
Tuesday: I don't remember. We had lunch with Andreea! One of my best friends in Bacau. It was good.

Wednesday: We went to see Margo and Mihai Popescu and they're so cute. They weren't married yet when I was here last year but they're married now and it's adorable. They made us food.

Thursday:  We had games night. It was a ton of fun. Played Signs. 'Twas great. We got to see Elena (an old investigator of mine) and the Balaseis came and so did Gina (an investigator from the elders). It was fun.

Friday: STUPIDEST DAY EVER. We had to wake up at 5:30 in the morning so we could catch our maxi-taxi at 6:30 to go up to Iasi for district meeting and it was stupid. Then district meeting. We took the elders' keys so we could go get some stuff out of the apartment that we didn't have room for when we moved. They stabbed knives into my bear. I was ticked. 

Then our maxi back into Bacau didn't get back until 6 so our ENTIRE DAY was just gone because of district meeting. It's stupid. We're appealing for a car. LOL

Saturday: English! I literally still hate teaching English. Ha!

Sunday: Church! Oh my heck, it was so good to see all of my people again. I'm so happy to be back here. The church is new now the one they were renovating when I was here last year finally got finished and it's gorgeous. I'm stunned. I had to speak in sacrament meeting and I was given about 12 hours notice sooooooooo I just winged it and taught the resto lesson haha, but people said it was good. They definitely understand me better now than last year! Everyone who told me I spoke Romanian straight up LIED cause no I didnt. Haha. 

Monday: We cleaned our apartment and did the normal p-day stuff and now we're emailing. After email, we're going to the cemetery so I can see where Alin was buried. This city isn't the same without him. It's kind of hard to be back here and have him not be here. 
ANYWAY, let's end on a happy note! Romania is the best. 
Have a good week!

Sora Lucy Gleason
România/Moldova Mission
July 2016-December 2017

WEEK 59

Yeah, BACAU!

Sooooooo I'm just going to do highlights again this week because I'm short on time again and only like three cool things happened.

So on Saturday I found out that I'M GOING BACK TO BACAU! I spent the first four months of mission there and now I get to go do the last four months there and I'm SO EXCITED I THINK I MIGHT DIE. I'm literally stoked out of my mind. Sisters haven't been here pretty much since I left in January but elders are leaving and sisters are going in again! I'm still with Sora Wright. I'm so excited.

My comp and I were both leaving to Bacau together to whitewash the city (kind of. a whitewash is when two people go into an area together but I've already been here and know the city so it's not that bad.) anyway so we both had to pack EVERYTHING WE OWNED and i was so proud of myself I got rid of a bunch of stuff I never use anymore and lightened my load a tonnn, which was a blessing, because we had to haul our luggage all over everywhere today. 

We had to catch a train this morning and no taxis were coming so we hitchhiked to the train station (don't worry mom he was very nice and kind of like a Mr. Rodgers type and it wasn't sketchy at all) and then hauled butt across the tracks with alllll our luggage just to miss the train. Then the later train we caught BROKE DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE and we had about five minutes to switch trains with all of our luggage across tracks again. 

It was a strugggggle but I'm back in my birth city now and I'm so excited! I love Bacau. It's incredible.
That's basically the only noteworthy thing of the week. 

Sora Lucy Gleason
România/Moldova Mission
July 2016-December 2017

WEEK 58

Boring week because I'm sick!  Sorry

This week I was sick so we did a lot of half days and honestly nothing worth writing about really happened... so I'm not gonna do a group email this week. Sorry fam, I know you must be terribly disappointed. I'll just do some highlights.

-I have a cyst on my finger and I had to go to a plastic surgeon for it.
-I learned what it's like to be a mother because our sixteen year old investigator wants to date a 22 year old and she just WOULDN'T LISTEN TO US!
-Cheesy bacon flavored ramen is a thing here. My comp says it was good. 

HAVE A GOOD WEEK EVERYONE. I love y'all.

p.s. In case you're worried I'm no longer sick :)))

Sora Lucy Gleason
România/Moldova Mission
July 2016-January 2018

WEEK 57

"So did Voldemort Die of old age or What?"

Monday August 14
We met with a random guy from our phone who turns out he lives in the apartment above us. We walked home together and then fifteen minutes after we get to our apartment, he knocks on our door and had brought us ardei umpluti. Stuffed peppers. Random. They were pretty good though.

Tuesday August 15
The only notable thing from Tuesday was meeting with Otilia. It was a weird meeting. She was like "okay now I wanna teach you guys something!" So she read us a bunch of weird Bible verses about marriage and taught us how to be good wives. Weird. 

Wednesday August 16
I was sick all morning. We cancelled everything and I slept all day basically. I might have a stomach worm  or I'm just lactose intolerant now.  We went out for dinner with the ILP girls later in the evening and it was good. Two of them are getting married like as soon as they get home. Like, they have a month to plan their wedding. WHAT?

Thursday August 17
We did limba study and comp study and weekly planning and then we were supposed to meet with a guy named Nicu and the elders to pass Nicu off to them but Nicu bunged and then the elders weren't even there anyway. 

Friday August 18
District meeting was chill. Salad box for lunch. Contacting. We showed up to an appointment an hour early because our phone freaked out and was an hour ahead and neither of us noticed. LOL we both wear watches. We're dumb. But we met with Otilia and talked about personal progress and we're gonna do the program with her :) Then games night. The elders made ice cream sandwich cookies. Sora Wright smashed my foot with a chair and now my toe is swollen and my whole foot hurts :))) 

Saturday August 19
We did some contacting and had a good day and then we had a baptism! 

Mihaita got baptized and it was so great. Highlight of the day. Also the special musical number got sick so the elders called and asked if we could do something. We were like yeah, fine. This was fifteen minutes before the baptism. Then Elder Redenbaugh is like wait, what if Sister Wright and I just duet The Hills Are Alive from The Sound of Music? WE THOUGHT HE WAS JOKING. But we get to the church and he had the lyrics printed up and then they did it. At a baptism. It was ridiculous. 

Sunday August 20
We went to church and then came home and made lunch. Did some fun missionary stuff. Got bunged. Highlight of the day: SORA WRIGHT ASKED ME THE DUMBEST QUESTION OF MY LIFE. We were talking about Harry Potter and she just goes: "So did Voldemort die of old age or what?" I DIED. And called our elders just because I needed to express my disgust. All in good spirits of course. Elder Brownell was just as outraged as I was. Then we spent about an hour over dinner learning about the life of Voldemort. 


Sora Lucy Gleason
România/Moldova Mission
July 2016-January 2018

WEEK 56

Mi-am vopsit parul si vreau sa vorbesc in limba romana tot timpul :))))

LUNI 7 AUGUST

Dupa email noi am mers la biserica si ne am intalnit cu Otilia :) Niciodata nu a mancat tacos, deci noi am facut tacos cu ea si a fost foarte fain :) Ei ii a placut dar a spus ca erau prea picante. Ca si deobicei aici in Romania. Nimanui nu ii place mancarea picanta. 

MARTI 8 AUGUST

In dimineata noi am avut interviuri cu Presedintele si Sora Hettinger. Al meu era ok. Dupa interviurile noaste, noi am avut un schimb de experienta cu Sora Hettinger. Am mers la Carturesti ca sa facem studiu de limba. Sora Hettinger incearca sa invete limba romana, si intr-adevar, invata! Am invatat-o cum sa te rogi pentru mancare. Dupa aia am mers la un restaurant de tip mexican pentru pranz. Am mancat taquitos si uau au fost foarte buni. Noi am facut studiu cam colege ca sa ne pregatim pentru lectiile noastre de dupa-amiaza. Sora Hettinger a fost un ajutor mare pentru noi. Noi am facut contactare in centru si Surorii Hettinger ii placea sa faca contactare cu familiile cu copii mici. Atunci, am mers la biserica din nou sa intalnim cu Otilia :)))) Noi am invatat-o Evanghelia lui Hristos. Ea e cea mai pregatita persoana pe care am intalnit-o in toata misiunea mea. Serios. Ea a citit Cartea lui Mormon in doar TREI ZILE. O iubesc foarte mult. Familiei Hettinger le place de ea foarte mult. Dupa aia, am avut corsul nostru de limba engleza. Inca urasc sa predau engleza. Clasa noastra e smechera. Dupa, noi si cu Sora Hettinger am mers la Maxim dar el ne-a BUNGED. Ce trist. La 23, surorile din Brasov au ajuns la apartamentul nostru :))))))

MIERCURI 9 AUGUST

Conferinta de zona! A fost okay. Nimic mindblowing. Pranzul a fost scarbos. Otilia a venit pentru interviul ei :) Dupa conferinta, am mers la mall pentru cina cu misionarii din Brasov si atunci am mers acasa. 

JOI 10 AUGUST

Schimb de experienta cu fosta mea colega Sora Vann! Mi-a fost dor de ea. Am avut o lectie cu Oana.  Dupa, am luat pranzul cu surorile celelalte. Am primit un telefon de la Otilia. Ceva a schimbat in mintile lor si ea a trebuit sa push back data ei de botez :((( Dar am avut o lectie foarte tare cu ea. Spiritul a fost prezent intr-un mod foarte tare si clar. Otilia e minunata in fiecare fel. Dupa aia ne-a sunat proprietarul nostru si ne-a spus ca un instalator o sa vina la noi sa repare aer conditionat si noi am fugit acasa si acum apartamentul nostru e cam frig :))) aleluia. La 23, surorile au plecat. Ce trist. Probabil n-o sa o vad pe Sora Vann din nou pana merg acasa. Ciudat. 

VINERI 11 AUGUST

Am mers la casa lui Maxim. Elderii au facut ceva si banuiesc ca a mers fiindca acum el era pregatit pentru botez. Am avut seara de jocuri si Sora Wright a facut no bake cookies pentru ea. Otilia a venit :)))))

SAMBATA 12 AUGUST 

Engleza! Uch. Botezul lui Maxim :)))) Si cam atat pentru Sambata.

DUMINICA 13 AUGUST

AAAAAAAAAAA! Pentru societate de alinare, am tradus din engleza in romana si am reusit foarte bine si ma simt un pic mandra :))))  Dupa aia am mers acasa pentru pranz si am facut planificare pentru saptamana aceasta fiindca n-am avut timp joi sau vineri. Si..... mi-am vopsit parul. aaaaaa. 

LUNI 14 AUGUST

Am facut curatenie foarte adanc... adica apartamentul nostru e foaaaarte in regula acuma. Si cam atat. 

LUNI 7 AUGUST

After email we went to the church and met with Otilia :) She's never had tacos before so we made tacos with her and it was awesome :) She liked them but thought they were too spicy. Like usual in Romania. No one likes spicy food. 

MARTI 8 AUGUST

In the morning we had interviews with Pres and Sister Hettinger. Mine was okay. After interviews, we had exchanges with Sora Hettinger. We went to a bookstore to study Romanian. She's trying to learn, and she's learning! I taught her to bless the food in Romanian. After that we went to a Mexican place for lunch. I had taquitos. They were good. We comp studied. Did contacting. Met with Otilia. The Hettingers love her. I still hate English. 

 

MIERCURI 9 AUGUST

Zone conference. Nothing mind blowing. Gross lunch. Mall after for good food with Brasov missionaries. 

JOI 10 AUGUST

Exchanges with Sora Vann! I missed her. We had a lesson with Oana.  I don't know what to do with her. After, we had lunch with the other sisters. Otilia called. Her parents want her to wait to be baptized. Sad. But it was a good lesson still. She's super prepared. Our landlord called. Our AC got fixed so we had to run home. Now our apartment is actually not hot! Eventually the sisters left. I probably won't see Sora Vann again till I go home :( weird.

VINERI 11 AUGUST

We went to Maxim's with the the elders. IDK what happened but he's ready for baptism now. Games night. It was good.

SAMBATA 12 AUGUST 

English! Maxim got baptized! 

DUMINICA 13 AUGUST

So for RS I translated from English into Romanian which is WAY harder than the other way around and I did SO GREAT and I'm a little proud :,) after that we weekly planned and did some other stuff and.... I dyed my hair. 

LUNI 14 AUGUST

We deep cleaned. That's about it.

Sora Lucy Gleason

România/Moldova Mission

July 2016-January 2018

WEEK 55

It's so hot that even a Texan and a Californian think it's too hot!

MONDAY JULY 31

Uh after I emailed I packed more and cried some and then we ordered pizza :)

TUESDAY AUGUST 1

So on Tuesday we went and cleaned out the other sisters' apartment in Buc because the sister coming in was whitewashing and getting a boboaca so she wouldn't have time to do it. (So whitewashing is when two new people go into an area together so  they don't know anything. Boboaca means little duckling and it's slang for freshman here so it means greenie.)  It was pretty gross but now it's clean. Then we got KFC and did some office treaba and packed more and then visited Daisy. She's great. She makes awesome food. 

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 2

So Wednesday morning I actually finished packing haha. Also at some point I found out that the trio got cancelled! So I was just going to Iasi with one companion, not two. We met Sora Wright at the gara and I said goodbye to my lovely companions and then we took a train to Iasi. Then a taxi to our apartment. Then we slept. 

View from our apartment 😍😍😍

THURSDAY AUGUST 3

We went to the church to do companion study and then we went out to lunch with Otilia. She's sixteen. She met the missionaries about two weeks ago and read the Book of Mormon in three days. We talked about the Plan of Salvation with her and she wants to get baptized! She's tentatively scheduled for the twelfth of August right now, it might get pushed to the nineteenth but definitely this month. She's the cutest person I've ever met. She's literally a Disney princess. Snow White, actually. She's so stinking cute. After that, we did a brief weekly planning session so Sora Wright could tell me about all of the people we're working with right now. Then we both unpacked because we took over a different companionship's apartment. 

FRIDAY AUGUST 4

District meeting! The elders in Bacau are in our district right now and wowwwww I can't even tell you how jealous I am that they get to be in Bacau. I miss that town so much. DM was good. We brought bread and peaches and we had PB and J at the church so we made sandwiches for lunch and then met with Oana. I can't tell if she even likes us. It was a weird lesson. Then we went with the elders to visit Maxim, who was on date to be baptized on the 12th. Well that was an interesting lesson. Needless to say, his date got pushed back. He's just not ready. Then we had games night! Otilia came and brought muffins. They were so good. The elders had a friend there named Andra who I hit it off really well with. We're going to start meeting with her when she gets back from England next week :) I really like Iasi. We have so much going on.

SATURDAY AUGUST 5

We did comp study and then some contacting at the mall. It's been so hot this whole week that being outside is just NOT an option. Like, if a Californian and a Texan can't handle the heat, that's when you know it's hot. Then we met up with Otilia again and talked about her baptism. Since she's underage, she needs parental consent. She said that won't be a problem and that actually her parents would love to hear our message too. Funny story, her family investigated the church ten years ago, both her parents read the Book of Mormon and thought it was great, and then they just lost contact.

SUNDAY AUGUST 6

The branch... well, they're nice. I got to translate again. Yayyyy I honestly love it so much. After church we had two lessons set up buuut they both fell through. So we came home and weekly planned and then tidied up/unpacked more. We found laser pens and messed with pedestrians. It was fun. 

MONDAY AUGUST 7

Not much. A guy came to fix our leaky showers and sinks and another guy is coming later this week to fix our AC. We've been dying. Tomorrow, Sora Hettinger is going to spend the day with us. Wednesday is zone conference. Then Thursday we have exchanges with our STLs adica I get to be comps with Sora Vann for a day sooo it's gonna be bomb. Next week's email is gonna be poppin :)

Sora Lucy Gleason

România/Moldova Mission

July 2016-January 2018

WEEK 54

Oh My Iași

Mihaela

Monday, July 24
So on Monday we had a pretty chill normal PDay. After emailing we went over to a member's house and I helped her do family history. It was a ton of fun. Not much else.

Tuesday, July 25
Tuesday morning, we had interviews with Sora Hettinger at 8am--which meant we had to leave our apartment at 7am. After that we came home and actually got ready for the day. We spent forever trying to find a less-active member's house and then we finally found it and she seemed normal. We got stuck in the rain after that. I have some videos.

Then we came home and did studies because we didn't have time in the morning. We got stuck in the rain for like an hour. 

Wednesday, July 26
We visited Sora Lature, then we did lunch and comp study. Then we had to run to the grocery store to grab laundry detergent and some food because we didn't go grocery shopping this week. So we were out of food, oops. Then we visited Anamaria and her family and it was so great. We taught the plan of happiness and she LOVED it, even though her husband was skeptical. She has a light in her. 

Thursday, July 27
We had to go to the church to let the elevator repair man in. Then weekly planned. Then a lesson with Alexandra. She's great. We met a girl named Alina who's also great. 

Friday, July 28
District meeting was OK. Nothing special. We went home for limba and lunch. We visited Sora Lature again and then went to Piata Unirri and got milkshakes and comp studied. Then we visited Romeo and Simona. They're going to SLC to get sealed this month! I'm so excited. They made us steak and we talked about member missionary work. 

Saturday, July 29
Transfer board. I'm going to Iasi and I'm gonna be in a trio again. I spent Saturday packing. 

Sunday, July 30
Church and then visiting the Bogdan family for Ioana's birthday. She taught us how to make sarmale. Her husband had really loud annoying music on so we asked if we could pick a song and changed it to MoTab and he actually liked it. lol.

Monday, July 31
Happy birthday Harry Potter. We had a bunch of treaba de facut. Nothing fun or exciting just me being sad because i don't want to leave Buc :))))))))

Sora Lucy Gleason
România/Moldova Mission
July 2016-January 2018