Props to Romania Chivalry

Bună Bună!!! 

Alright this week has been crazy I swear I've felt every emotion known to man this week but it has been a good one!!

I said good bye to all of my friends in Craiova and it was sweet to see everyone but so hard to say bye 😥 I love the people of Craiova so much and I'm so grateful for the time I got to spend there!!!

So on Friday we headed to București, we stayed there overnight and in the morning I picked up my boboaca (greenie)!!! Her name is Sora Barnett and she is so sweet and so excited for the work! I am excited for our companionship and ready to blow up the work in Arad!!! 

Saturday night at 6 we started our voyage to Arad. I should've known what I was getting into when the office Elders handed me our tickets and said "Sorry these suck"

The first stint of the journey wasn't too bad. We were in a "Sleeper" train, so we had beds and plenty of room for our stuff. But then at 2:00 în the morning we had to get off our train and change to another. We got off ok (with much help for sure, we had 6 fairly heavy suit cases), and then waited for our next train, it was late (normal), but we got on ok. But then we go to our seats and I realize that our next train was a "night" train not a sleeper, which meant we had regular train seats and not beds. And on top of all of that we go to our seats and see a bunch of guys sitting in them, and two them sprawled out in sleeping bags. I went over to ask for our seats and most of the guys moved, but the two in the sleeping bags wouldn't budge. I was tired. I was stressed. And I wasn't about to have this battle with strangers at 3 in the morning. But luckily the Lord is good and also chivalry in Romania. Three or so guys in the train came to our rescue and almost forcibly ripped those two bums from our seats. 

So yeah then we tried to get as much sleep as possible (but not much) and then our train got in at 8 am. Church is at 10. So luckily our elders were nice enough to help us get our bags to our apartment and then we had to get ready speedy fast for church.

 

The branch here seems so fun!! The have a bunch of old ladies that just ate us up (phrase copyrighted by Sora Reynolds) 

We had a fun relief society and service!

The rest of Sunday we just tried to do some more chill activities because we were pretty tired, but we did do some street contacting and my trainee killed it!! Already doing amazing haha. I'm impressed for sure!

But that's it!! Arad is gorgeous but I'll have more to say about it next week!! 

Gând Spiritual:

"The Good Shepherd lovingly cares for all sheep of His fold, and we are His true undershepherds. Our privilege is to bear His love and to add our own love to friends and neighbors—feeding, tending, and nurturing them—as the Savior would have us do" 

This quote was quoted in the general conference talk (The Lord Jesus Christ Teaches Us to Minister By Elder Juan A. Uceda) we went over I'm Relief Society. 

I love that is says it is "our privilege to bear his love". I feel so lucky to have this gospel in my life and to have the opportunity to share it here in Romania! All those who know of the Saviors love have this privilege as well! How awesome is that?

Vă Iubesc!!! 

Sora Hansen

 

TRANSFERS

 Bună Bună!!! 

Highlights:

- English Class popped off!! We had 11 people show up (an all time record) and 9 of the 11 were new!!! We had a family come and we had some friends we've been taking too! We where able to have to classes!! It was so fun! 

- We served with the kids again, and at the beginning we all introduced ourselves and one thing we liked. I said I liked to play soccer and a group of boys went crazy. The whole time during our activities with them they wanted to play soccer with me. Finally after we were done we went back to the Church (and the place that hosts them) and set up a little 3v3 in the tiny cobblestone courtyard. It was so lit!! I was a little rusty for sure, but this is the first time I've gotten to play since I got here!! So fun!

- Thursday we had a fire District council and President and Sister Fowler came so that was a fun surprise!! 

- We also visited the Ions and had an awesome discussion about Faith!!

-On Friday we decided to switch it up a bit, we went service finding, we dressed up un service clothes and just went around trying to find service. We unfortunately weren't able to but we met a lot of cool people!! We then decided all go talk to people in our city center because they had a festival thing going on there. And then Ice cream at the end!! It was lit!

-Saturday we had transfer news!! Usually we get calls as companionships but President decided to switch it up and we all jumped on a Zoom call where they released the transfer board.

Anyways so my news... I will be training!! And I'm going to be moving to Arad!!! There haven't been sisters there for 6 months!! I am so so excited go and open it back up! 

- In the evening the Ions came to the Church and we made pies with them!! Sora Elena made meat and cheese pies Romanian style, and then we showed her how to make an American apple pie!! It was a so fun! 

- Also cool, our president asked us to strive make 70 contacts a day. This means we have to extend an invitation, get a referral, or teach a gospel truth to 70 people. I was a little worried about trying to make this goal but the Lord provides!! We hit 70+ almost every day this week!! So awesome!

Not-So-Highlights:

- Sunday was bittersweet. It was my last here in Craiova. I had to say goodbye to a few of the members already. It's just so crazy, I've been here for 6 months but it still feels like I just got here. I'm going to miss our members and friends here, but at the same time I'm so excited to serve somewhere new and meet new people!

Funny:

-This week we went block knocking and this guy was working outside one of the doors so we were able to teach him a little bit and leave a pamphlet. He was at the top of the block and then we were working our way down. And everything pretty open in the stairwells and stuff. After we left we could hear this guy getting questioned by like 5 different people about us, and we could hear them talking smack. It was lowkey hilarious. 

Gând Spiritual:

A quote from a talk I study this week, The Three Rs of Choice by President Monson

"Decisions are constantly before us. To make them wisely, courage is needed—the courage to say no, the courage to say yes. Decisions do determine destiny."

I feel like this is a good reminder for me as I go into the next transfer. It can be so easy to lost in the flow of things, but as we remember our goals and where we want to go, it can help us be sure to make the right decisions to reach that goal. 

Vă Iubesc pe voi toți!! 

Sora Hansen

ROAD TRIPPIN'

 Bună Bună!!! 

Alright this week was straight FIRE!! We had Zone Conference this week in Cluj!!!! And all the fun that comes with that

Highlights:

-Usually we always take trains every time we leave the city but we lucked out because they had a senior couple take us in a van with 4 other sisters up to Cluj #partybus!!! 

- We had to go meet at our Stls apartment though to get picked up so we left Craiova last Monday and then stayed the night with them. We made chicken nuggets, French fries and homemade canes sauce (we are addicted). Then at the Stls apartment there is a massive patio so we dragged out our mattresses and slept under the stars!! It was so fun!! Some of us couldn't handle the "cold" though and bailed out back inside... cough cough* Sora Reynolds * cough but that's alright 

-The next day was travel day!!! 6 hour drive baby!!! We had snacks, stories, beautiful sights, and air conditioning (the trains here have none) so no complaints from me! 

-Zone Conference!!! It was amazing!! The presentations were all centered on us working to get a temple here Romania!! It's still a far ways a way but we know there are people here prepared for our message, they just need to be found!! 

-Service!! We had a two day Zone Conference and the second was spent helping clean up a construction site for a school for underprivileged kids!! It was lit!!! 

- Then we drove back to the Stls apartment stayed another night (unfortunately inside this time because of rain) and took a train back to Craiova the next day.

- Saturday we had a Grătar (barbecue) for a friend of the Elders who is working towards baptism right now. It was so good we had the whole gang pull up and then some. We planned for 8 and had 17... it was crazy, we had several kids, several trips to the store, several last minute dishes cooked and of course it wouldn't be a Romanian Grătar without several pieces charcoled on the outside raw on the inside meat 😉 but we survived and everyone had good time!

- Sunday we met with a friend and her son and walked around the park, we were able to answer a ton of their questions about our church and it lead to us teaching a lesson without them even knowing! So cool!

Not-so-Highlights

-It's still hot. I'm over it. Sora Reynolds is over it. Every missionary in Romania is over it. And I'm pretty sure every Romanian is over it (at least all the ones I've talked to). So it's about time that Romanian weather just chills out a little bit. 

-Traveling is fun but as per usual it takes it out of you a bit, nothing we can't handle though 😉

-My sandels officially broke. It was hanging on by a thread but now has literally snapped in two. What a rip. 

Funny: 

- At every Grătar our Sorin always gives everyone food and tells them to "Mănâncă tot!!" (Eat it all!!!) This time was no different. It was after dinner, after we had all eaten enough and he kept giving us missionaries giant handfuls of tortilla chips. I was so full and one the Elders actually wanted to eat some, so he was a g and took some of my chips for me. But then one time when I was passing him some of the chips we got caught in the act!!! Needless to say I ended up with more chips than I ever needed or wanted. 

Gând Spiritual:

This week I listened to a BYU Speech that I loved, it was under the "most popular" category so many of you might of heard it before. It is called "Wrestling with Comparisons" and it is fire

I love this quote, 

“My contest is not with anyone else; my contest is with myself. The race is against sin, not against each other.”

The speaker, J B Haws, invites us all to remember this every time we go out of the house, and I extend the same invitation to each of you. 

I hope you all have a fantastic week! 

Vă Iubesc!!! 

Sora Hansen

Nunță de Maria Elena și Bogdon Mihai Andrei Gheorghe

 Bună Bună!!!

Had a train today and don't have a ton of time so here's just an overall summary of the week:

- English Class!! Our friend Marius brought snacks because it was his saint day (cool Orthdox tradition) and we decided to plan a wedding!!!! Twas lit!

-Miracle!!! Went tramvai finding and ended up running into a girl I have been messaging on Facebook for a few months now!! We're gonna meet up this week!! Let's gooo!

- District Activity!!!! Did some service at our branch President's house, had a fire District council in a park in a random small town over some ice cream, stale bread, pizza and with the company of stray dogs. We had a fire meal (probably one of my favorite member meals yet) and then of course throw in a few rickety trains and there you have a successful day!! 

-Solid flower finding and block knocking sessions on Friday. Can't complain too much!

-Miracle again!! Saturday we had people at games night!!! The Lord's hand in the work is real. So games night consisted of:

-us 4 missionaries (normal)

- 1 friend whose been coming for a bit we haven't talked much about the gospel

- A lady who stopped us on the street about a month ago and her son, both open to talking about religion 

-our member family the Ions (who have said every weekend since I've been here that they will come to Games Night but this is the first time the have succeeded in coming)

We were able to basically have three gospel lessons at once. Us, Sora Elena and the Lady were able to talk together with Sora Elena popping off sharing her fire testimony. Sorin playing ping pong with her son, bearing his small, simple, but nonetheless powerful testimony as much as he could. And then with everyone else occupied the Elders were able to have conversation with our other friend able the gospel as well. It ended with some Books of Mormon handed out and hopefully more conversations!! 

In the middle of activity I just sat there completely overcome by the spirit. As I looked around I just knew that God's hand had been in this work. He put these people in our path to be there at this exact moment. Out here it can be really easy to think that the work isn't progressing, that no one will listen, that maybe there really isn't anyone prepared for our message. It can be tiring and discouraging. But this night I knew that these people were prepared to be there, that the work we are doing here really isn't all for nothing. And even if these people don't progress in the gospel this was testament to me that the work I'm doing is important, and God is working through me. I am so thankful for this experience.

 

Gând Spiritual:

Romans 8:28

28) And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Vă iubesc!!

Sora Hansen

Domnul Rizzers

 Bună Bună!!

Alright yall here's the week...

Highlights:

- Service with the kids from the country again. This time we were doing games with them outside, made me miss my coaching days 🥲 but it was a blast for sure. They all call me the speed goddess now, and needless to say I was everyone's first round draft pick for relay teams.

- Went to an Orthdox church service with our friend Mariana! It was very different, but a super cool experience!

- Went chalk finding again!!! We drew the plan of salvation this time!! We had a few good convos and only got bashed once (Let's goooo!!) 

- We had the coolest block knocking experience!! We felt prompted to go to a  specific apartment block and the first door we knocked let us in!! They talked woth about their family, our missions, loved our pamphlets, gave us their number, practically force fed us nasty chocolates and sent us on our way! We'll how it goes from here! We're excited!

-Bubble Waffles 

- Found some pass along cards that are just pictures of Jesus, so we've gone out just asking people if they want a free Jesus picture. (With like 98% of the people here being Christian Orthdox we get a lot of people who are more than willing to take it!)

- Had an unexpectedly packed church this Sunday but hey no complaints here. It's a good thing that Sora Reynolds and I made like 48 muffins instead of the original 12 we planned on. 😅

Not-so-Highlights:

- Creepy old men. Enough said. 

Funny:

- Watch badlandschugs videos, currently keeping the Craiova missionaries afloat.

Gând Spiritual:

 2 Nephi 2:2 

2) Nevertheless, Jacob, my firstborn in the wilderness, thou knowest the greatness of God; and *he shall consecrate thine afflicitions for thy gain*.

This Sunday we talked about trials and how they can help shape us, prepare us, and strengthen us. This week I got some good perspective on some trials in my life, and how up until now I had no idea why I had to go through that, or what lesson I supposed to learn. But though it has been a bit of time since I can now see how I was being prepared for the mission I didn't even think I was going to serve. The plans of the Lord are truly amazing 😊.

As always if you have any questions, need anything, or just wanna talk, hit me up!!! 

Vă Iubesc atât de mult!! 

Sora Hansen

CRAIOVA COOKIE CRAZINESS

 Bună Bună!! 

Highlights:

- Making a baking video with a spiritual thought!! Gonna drop soon!!

- For the baking video we made a ton of cookies, and it's been awesome, we've...

    -Shared them with our neighbors at the church (our church building is in like a shared commercial space) 

   -went cookie finding, basically tried handing them out in the park, it wasn't very successful... but a random foreigner trying to hand out baked goods in a park... idk if I would take any either

    -brought some when we visited some of our members this week, they were a hit!

    -and of course all of us missionaries here inhaled way more than we'd like to admit (and we're not even going to talk about the amount of cookie dough on top of that)

Anyway this is all to say everything didn't turn out how we liked but I glad we were still able to use them this week!!

-We helped out another one of our neighbors at the church. They have a bunch of kids from the countryside that come in every week, so we went to play games with them and help them learn a bit of English!! It was so fun!

-EXCHANGE with Sora Ballard!! She's an absolute legend. We had a great day and I really enjoyed learning from her!! We also were able to have a fire language study and get some of our questions answered by one of her friends.

-Had a bishop visiting from the UK. He wanted to talk with us, and then later that day had us meet with him and his nonmember friend for înghețată!! Let's go!!! 

-Visited our Branch President!! Him and His wife live outside of Craiova so it was a bit of a trek to get out there, but it was so fun!! They are some of the funniest people I've met, and so we had a blast talking with them, having a meal, and discussing a few general conference talks! The meal was fire too!! We had sarmale (first homemade batch I've had), tons of bread, apple pastries, and fresh goat cheese from their goats!! 

-We helped some Elders in Germany teach a translation lesson. So basically we just get on the call and translate everything that they want to teach into Romanian and then translate whatever their Romanian friend says into English. It was so cool!! Sometimes I forget I like actually know some Romanian haha.

Not-So-Highlights:

-No one wanting our cookies at the park 

-Seeing like every bug to ever exist on the pieces of metal and wood we were helping move!! With the star of the show being a few spiders as big as the palm of my hand.(Many prayers were said)

-Crazy trains and not knowing if we would able to get cash to get tickets back home

-THE HEAT🔥 

Gând Spiritual:

"Please remember tomorrow, and all the days after that, that the Lord blesses those who want to improve, who accept the need for commandments and try to keep them, who cherish Christlike virtues and strive to the best of their ability to acquire them. If you stumble in that pursuit, so does everyone; the Savior is there to help you keep going... Soon enough you will have the success you seek."

- Elder Holland (April 2016) 

I listened to this talk this week and it was literally just what I needed. I feel like I set always these goals and somehow week after week I don't measure up. But I love how he points out in this talk that we literally get credit for just for trying. So as you may feel like me and just don't feel like you're achieving what you'd like to, know that as long as you keep trying, it. is. enough. 

Vă iubesc atât de mult!!

Sora Hansen