Not your basic Sora

 Bună bună!!!

Highlights:

-Met with the Branch President's wife and kid, super fun!!

-Had another eventful English class. This week a lady came, we were vibing and then she goes "I like you, you should marry my son". Her friend agrees and then they start showing me pictures at the end of class. Mans is probably like 30+. Ahhhh. My list of Romanian prospects continues to grow. 

-Lesson with Sorin and his family!!! I literally walked out almost skipping. His wife and kids were so cute, they all were so excited to hear our message, and begged us to come back at the end. I literally was on cloud 9. 

-Lesson with Mariana, it was good and she always is glad for a visit. 

-Went to Buc and got to go on an exchange with THE Sora Wolsey. We have gotten to know each other, but never served together. In our mission right now we have "Sister Training Leader Leaders" or basically a fancy way to say Sister APs, so Sora Wolsey and Sora Nunez are serving as those right now. We got to do service (and I actually got to do manual labor, letttsss gooo), Sora Wolsey and I taught a lesson and tried parking lot finding (ended up being pretty successful) and it was just a fun day all in all. Sora Wolsey and I have very similar views when it comes to missionary work, so it was so fun to just grind all day. 

-Gave a talk in church on the Scriptures it was lit. 

-Met with our friend Ovidiu. He came to church a while back and has been to busy to meet with us since, but he finally made the time. It was amazing. He is so humble and so ready to change some things in his life. I'm excited for him!! 

Not-so-Highlights:

-Alright time for your weekly dose of Sora Hansen complaining. Our branch president asked us to plan a branch activity on a specific day and time. We did. We set up everything, spent all week getting everything ready. Literally 1 person came. Not even the branch president showed up...uggghhhhhhhhh. I need to get over it I know. Anyways but that's it a pretty good week, no bed bug bites (yet) 

Funny:

-This week I went a little crazy. It started with me kindly asking one the elders to STOP BLASTING CHRISTMAS MUSIC BEFORE THANKSGIVING, and ended with me trying to sling refried beans at him. Yeah we don't need to talk about it. 

Gând Spiritual:

"He then asked me, “Have you done everything in your power to solve this?” I responded I had done everything I could. He then said something I have never forgotten: “So leave this in God’s hands, and everything will work out fine.”

-Elder Joni L. Koch

Just love this quote. Need to remember more often the Lord's part in this work. I can't control everything, and thank goodness for that! 

Vă Iubesc!!!

Sora Hansen

Buggin

Bună Bună!! 

Highlights:

-Prânz with Sora Lidia!!! She made this bomb potato and egg casserole, sausages, and apple pie. And as per usual we practically rolled out of there because she filled us up so much

- English Class was bopping. We always end the class with a spiritual thought and this week's actually sparked a full on discussion!! It was lit!

-Looked at a possible church location with Sora Mogoş. The location was cool but way too big for us. We then walked through center with Sora Mogoș and it was super fun!

-Zone Conference!!! Got edified, pumped up, felt the spirit, ate good, and got lit with the Homies!! It was a good time for sure. 

- We had to run into a store real fast to get a few things we needed and as we were checking out the cashier looks at my tag and goes "oh hey I know you guys. I've been to your church before" I then asked her what she thought about it, sad she said she really liked it! And then she said she really likes our church because of our views on premortal life. 😱 She said she would love to go to church again but is waiting on her driver's license so she can drive there. But we got her number and have been talking to her ever since!! She also told us she had a nice feeling and had to talk to us. We testified that was the Holy Ghost and how God communicates with us. She said she knew we would say that and agreed 😊

-Saturday was super rainy but we had planned in the evening to go streeting. Romanians basically like water as much as the Wicked Witch of the West, so streeting in the rain is never a safe bet. But we still felt good about it so we went anyway. There were very few people on the street but we ended up stopping Sorin. He said he's religious but isn't with a specific church. The last one he went to said he had to baptize his baby, or leave. But He's a dad to 6 kids and just expressed how much he wants to make sure he teaches them all about God. He was super excited and wanted to come to church, but for personal reasons wasn't able to make it. But... he said next week for sure!!!

-We have officially been keeping out goal of 1 mcflurry comp study (at least) a week! Let's go!!!

-Sunday we had a lesson with our cute friend Mariana who is going through a hard time right now!! Any prayers sent her way would be much appreciated! She wants desperately to go to church but she can't leave the house for another 4 weeks!!

Not-so-Highlights:

-BED BUGS ROUND 2!!! Sleeper trains I swear. Also why do bed bugs have to be a thing??? I'm going to have to have a long talk with Heavenly Father about it one day. I will say this time however we didn't take any home, we only just got EATEN ALIVE when we slept in the train. We have to take another this week 🤦‍♀️ I'm not ready. 

Funny:

-Alright I might be the worst. But at least it's a little funny ok... so we are at our meal with Sora Lidia and she tells us to eat everything we can cause she made all the food for us. She did however say that if we were going to be sick, don't over do it. But she continues to load our plates. One Elder is still in training and he's just looking at his plate with wide eyes, probably contemplating whether he could eat one more bite. Well he couldn't understand our member... and I thought I would be funny... so I told him that the member said we had to eat everything (truth) and then I said that she would probably be offended if he didn't (absolute lie) haha. Then his companion heard me and played along too. So this Elder shoveled in more and more food before he did finally call it quits and to which we informed him that it is OK and she doesn't care. Yeah writing this I do in fact realize I am the worst. But it was hilarious I promise you that.

Gând Spiritual:

Our Mission President shared these scriptures from Come follow me this week:

Hebrews 10:35-36

35) Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. 

36) For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

I love this verse because it's a good reminder for us to have patience and to not lose the confidence we have in the Lord by forgetting what he has already done for us. 

At first glance that may seem like all that's there: a reminder, a warning, or a command. 

But there is a powerful statement of truth in here. 

"Cast not away"

Casting means that we have to consciously make the choice to let go. It doesn't say "defend" your confidence, because the only person who can take it away is you. And this gives me hope. Satan is real. He's out here trying to trip all of us up. He can try with all his might to rip away our confidence in the Lord, (and he does, and does a pretty good job) but we are the only ones that have power to throw it away or keep it close. 

Este atât pentru săptămâna aceasta, vă mulțumesc c-ați citit!! Vă doresc numai bine!!

Vă iubesc!!

Sora Hansen

 

Livin' it up in Arad România

 Bună Bună!!!

Highlights:

-Halloween English class. We had decorations, goodies, and a spooky story to read. Unfortunately only 2 people pulled up, but it was still fun!!

-tramvai passes -> acquired 

-Immigration work -> finished (🙏)

-When getting the apartment contract for Sora Barnett's immigration work, we found a paper titled "Contacts not in area book". Area Book is the application we use to track of everyone whose been interested and talked with missionaries. Ours had problems when we got here because there hadn't been Sister missionaries here in months, and it had to be deleted. So we had to start from scratch. This paper is like a gold mine for us cause now we actually have people to bother 😈

-Tried to find some more inactive members this week!! We actually managed to find one that was home!!! He does remember being baptized... but he was cool!!!

-We've focusing this week on practicing lessons in comp study, cause well we haven't many actual lessons. After a few days of practicing we actually got an opportunity to share one in a streeting session, she wasn't interested, but glad for the opportunity!

-McFlurries on a rainy day 

-New mall opened here!! Went and checked out during our lunch break!!

-Lesson with Irina, we actually were able to stay on topic (mostly :)  more down below) grateful for that!

-Played piano for church and went much better than last time!!

Not-so-Highlights:

-Keep running into people who say they are interested. When we start talking though they tell me all about their religion and beliefs, I listen patiently. Then when they ask me about mine, I get approximately two words out before getting interrupted. This week I've been brave an actually interrupted back (Romanian culture im still not quite used too), but then they quickly just negate everything I say, and yeah. I'm sure every missionary ever has had to deal with situations like this. We just had an abnormal amount this week. The Lord really said, let's try Sora Hansen's patience this week. Yeah, if you were wondering I've still got a lot of work to do. 

Funny:

-Ok we're in our lesson with Irina, said a prayer, read a scripture, and all of sudden she's asking us about English swear words. She then tells us she was watching an American TV show where she learned a few. She then proceeds to "show off" her new skills, by sharing with us a few choice words. There goes the spirit of our lesson. Then she was telling us about swears in Romanian and one of them was close to the definition of our swear word. So I was like, don't say that word, it means the same and this other word in your language!! She then proceeds to further explain the Romanian swear word by using the English one 😑😐😑.  Luckily we were finally able to move on to another subject. 

Gând Spiritual:

1 Peter 1

6) Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 

7) That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Found these verses this week, and it was just what I needed. Life is hard. Sometimes the answers and miracles we are waiting and hoping for just don't seem like they will ever come. We may feel anxious and ready (and well like it's about time for something to happen). But God has his plan. He has his perfect timing. And sometimes the wait is actually for our benefit. Because its the times like these when we grow the most. When we are giving the Lord everything and it seems like the blessings we seek, that we've been promised even, haven't been given. This is the trial of our faith. And though in the moment all you want to do is see the end of it, these are the times and experiences that will be most precious to us, even more so than the blessings we may be waiting for. So we truly can "greatly rejoice" and know that the Lord’s got it all under control.

Vă iubesc!!! Și sper ca veți avea o săptămână plină de bucurie!! 

Sora Hansen 

 

Domnul rizzing continues!!!! 😵‍💫

Bună Bună!!! 

Gonna try to keep it shorter this week

Highlights:

-Talked with all the sects... this week we met or spoke with someone from about every major religion here. Kind of cool. All conversations civil, and all about christ. 

-Our lesson with Irina was lit!!! 

-Had a missionary day with a youth in our branch. It was surprisingly a really amazi

ng experience!

-We had branch conference this weekend!!! Lots of members, lots of food and lots of fun! No complaints here! 

-Brought our friend Mariana some brownies and her and her family decided to come to church next week. I mean decided. We didn't even ask them to come. They just said they were... let's go!!!!

No-so-Highlights:

-picking up our member from the train station... at 7:15 in the morning. We left the house at 6:30 

- bad food... something we ate has been bugging me and Sora Barnett but I think we'll be ok..OK... we'll see how the week goes.

Funny:

-Get hit up by the homies here in Arad. Had an interesting convo with this guy on the tramvai, went a little something like this:

40+ Guy - stops us and tells about how he knows a missionary that used to serve here. Asks us to call her for him.

Me - politely declines 

The tramvai stops we get off.

Guy - do you have a boyfriend?

Me (seeing where this going) - yes, in the US (if you are wondering this is in fact a massive lie haha) 

Guy - oh. Well. I really like you 

Me - 😐

Guy - will you be my girlfriend? 

Me - nope sorry. 

Guy - but I really like you. 

Me - 😐 thanks. 

Guy - so you can't be my girlfriend? 

Me - nope. can't do it

Guy - oh, you have a boyfriend in America.

Me - yep! bye!!

So yeah at least if things don't workout after the Mish I got one homie waiting for me here!! 

Gând Spiritual:

Alma 30:44 

44) But Alma said unto him: Thou hast had signs enough; will ye tempt your God? Will ye say, Show unto me a sign, when ye have the testimony of all these thy brethren, and also all the holy prophets? The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.

We shared this with Irina this week. The more I learn, and experience, the more I can testify of the truthfulness of this scripture. All things denote there is a God. And if we know there is God than all we have to do is trust him and his council, everything will be ok. 

Vă iubesc!! 

Sora Hansen 

 

Friends and Food, who could ask for anything more?

 Bună Bună!!! 

Highlights: 

- More homies showed up to English Class!! 

- Officially started Taco Tuesdays here, we had all the boujeeness (even refried be-ans, a commodity here in Romania)

-District Activity Wednesday in Oradea!! (Just when we thought we were done with trains we got ✨️blessed✨️ with another) it was super fun though and we had district council in person, did some finding, got Shaorma and Gelato, so I'd definitely call it a success!!

-Carved pumpkins!!

-Met with Irina! Didn't go exactly as we hoped but meeting with her was good! 

-A lady Sora Barnett started messaging on Facebook asked her to meet up. We went and she was like "oh do you all want to get a pizza?" Um...yes of course. She buys us pizza is literally the sweetest, then goes "hey my house is just right here can you come over and meet my husband and son?? And I have cookies for you?" Um yes... of course. She was of a different religion but super open and we ended up sharing a small spiritual thought and giving her a Book of Mormon!!! So cool!

-Met with the sweetest member, she told all about how she's going to be a temple worker!! So cool! 

- Friday the Sibiu sisters had a layover in their trains so we got to have lunch with them!! 

- On Saturday a long time friend of the missionaries asked if we could meet her. She bought us Mcflurries and we talked about our faith, I loved how we were able to focus on our similarities and not our differences!! She's awesome. 

-We've been looking for a new church building!! Ours is too big, and too far away from everyone. Any prayers would be appreciated for us to find a new building! 

Not-so-Highlights:

-Tried to play the piano at church. Played the opening hym and probably hit like 2 notes right. Despite all my practice and prelude music I played beforehand just fine. Needless to say I'm glad for the recordings on the piano so I didn't have to play any of the others. 😓

Funny:

-Tried to prank the Elders with plastic Halloween spiders this week. We had them everywhere, strung up on the doors, stuck to toilet seats, etc. The Elders barely got scared it was lowkey a fail. After we did it though we had to hurry to a lesson, but it was a Thursday and no one is ever at the church except for Sunday so we figured we could clean them up the next day. Well the next we go to meet our member at the church and guess whose there, our branch president. And the elders also told us he's not a fan of Halloween. Yeah the was super awkward. But he seemed to think it was funny when we told him it was for the elders.

Gând Spiritual: 

I listened to a BYU Speech by Elder Neal A Maxwell this week called "Patience".  I love this quote. It's long but so gas.

"Patience helps us to use, rather than to protest, these seeming flat periods of life, becoming filled with quiet wonder over the past and with anticipation for that which may lie ahead, instead of demeaning the particular flatness through which we may be passing at the time. We should savor even the seemingly ordinary times, for life cannot be made up all of kettledrums and crashing cymbals. There must be some flutes and violins. Living cannot be all crescendo; there must be some dynamic contrast."

I love this. It made me realize how much day to day stuff I don't take time to just enjoy. Like walking to our church. Not many people are around to talk to so we often walk fast and I just think about all the things that need to be done. But after listening to this, I took I moment to "savor" this "seemingly ordinary" time in my life. The walk isn't pretty by any means but I appreciated the cool morning air, the quiet stillness, even just the feeling of walking and stretching my legs. So amazing. 

If your someone like me who struggles with patience, I highly suggest listening to this talk, if you can't find it hit me up and I'll send the link!! 

Vă iubesc atât de mult!! O săptămâna bună!!!

Sora Hansen

Actually remembered a subject this time

 Highlights:

-Fall is officially in full swing and I'm here for it!!!

-Lesson with Irina!!! We ended up getting sidetracked talking about the 3 Kingdoms of Glory... but ended with talking about covenants and why they are important. She wants to learn more!! I'm excited!! 

- We've been trying to find and contact all our members, we were given a list and then we made a map and had a goal this week to try and contact all the inactives. We didn't quite get there but we did make a lot of progress!! 

-On one visit we had finished at the members and then were walking away and  their neighbor was just standing in outside the gate of their house. We talked to her and got her number and we are excited to talk this next week. 

- Got Mcflurries and had comp study!! For the last 2 months they have only had these special Mcflurries with a Romanian chocolate bar, which sounds good but most Romanian made chocolate has rum, so it is not my cup of tea. BUT... they finally had Oreo back this week and it was amazing 😋

-The Elders in their contacting ended up contacting an inactive member who wanted us to come over!! We all went to her house and just talked about her life and her experience with the church. AMAZING. Her name is Timea and she says she's going to try to come to church next week... I hope she does!! I just feel like she could do so many great things for the branch, and I think they could do great things for her too!

-I made SOUP!!! 

- Saturday/Sunday was district conference in Cluj!! They don't have any wards here in Romania just branches, and the whole country makes up 1 district. So it was basically stake conference with the whole country. Also at the conference they had a young single adult conference, which is what we were actually there to help with. We took the youths out finding!! We were paired up with a girl named Cristina, who actually has a mission call to Bristow, England!! She was a Rockstar and I loved working with her!! The rest of the conference we just helped out where we could. It was so fun to meet so many members and to see our members from Arad!!

-So... Saturday also happened to be my birthday. Thank you to all those who sent birthday wishes!! I had great day and it was so fun to spend it with so many members and missionaries!! Plus my mission leaders were there and they definitely made sure to make me feel loved!! But more important than all of that is that it was MY MOMS 50TH BIRTHDAY on Saturday as well. Luckily mission rules allowed us to talk together on our birthday. 

Funny:

-While going to look for members we were trying to find this apartment and basically got flamed by an old lady. The members apartment was like behind hers or something like that and she was the best guard dog one could buy. She did not let us through and yelled at us to leave 🤪 We then went around another side and were trying to see if there was another entrance and she saw us in the window... we barely ran away fast enough to avoid another scolding from the baba 😪

Gând Spiritual:

"That is what we all want—we want to see Jesus for who He is and to feel His love." 

-Elder Robert M. Daines 

October 2023

I love this quote from this last general conference. Whether we know it or not this is what we all desire. As a missionary I'm here to help people realize who Jesus is, and to guide them to recieve a greater outpouring of his love in their lives. And I know that as I have had the opportunity to do this, I too have come to know him better and felt his love. 

I invite you to read this talk if you haven't!! We studied it this week as a mission and it has so many good insights!! 

Vă iubesc atât de mult!!

Sora Hansen