Wet in Timisoara

Today's blog is going to be full of what we lovingly call “Mormonisms.”  Those things that will mean more to those of us who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints.  Much of our week is filled with serving in a Pastoral capacity as we serve our little congregation here in Romania. We were surprised after our Sunday services this week when we were asked to stay after for what was a surprise for both us and the missionary couple we are replacing.  They have been serving here for 18 months. They are just an amazing couple and the people here dearly love them. Anyway, the following photos capture the fun time we had as the congregation said thanks and welcome in their own special way.  A wonderful meal complete with many delicious Romanian dishes, spiced up with some real americanized desserts.  The desserts here are not typically as sweet as we are used to in the U.S., but these would make Sarah Lee ask for the recipe. The first picture shows some of the members of our little congregation and the second picture is of all of the wonderful missionaries we serve with.

 These young people are incredible.  They left their homes and traveled half way around the world just to serve people they don't even know.  They serve by teaching free english classes twice a week.  They teach a beginners, intermediate, and an advanced class.  They do an amazing job and the service is so valuable.  English is still the language of business world wide.  Speaking english gives the speaker an advantage in their quest to improve themselves economically.  The classes are very popular and some classes have been as large as 70 persons.  I am continually impressed with the dedication and stamina of these young missionaries. They also volunteer for organizations like the Red Cross, and how they love to see those missionaries, because they know they are going to get some real hardworking and dedicated young people who know the definition of hard work.  And all of this in addition to their rigorous schedules as missionaries teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Well enough of my bragging about our great young missionaries.  We love serving with such fun, funny, dedicated, and spiritual young adults.

The missionaries are not allowed to call home except twice a year.  Christmas and Mothers day.  Well, last Sunday was mothers day and we sat as they all called home, actually they all skyped with their families. We sat and visited with the other senior missionary couple for hours as we waited for them all to get a chance to communicate with their families.  We only had four computers so they had to take turns.  It was so fun for us because we have had children who have served missions and we remember how excited we were to visit on those two special days.

Before I close for the night I thought I would share three fun pictures. 

First:  A picture of Ginny and two missionaries on one of our rainy spring days.  It has been raining continuously for three days and nights and the temperatures have been in the 50s and low 60s. Not exactly Tucson this time of year. I kinda feel like Noah must have felt.

Second:  We went to the Timisoara temple a couple of days ago.  Yes you heard me correctly the Timisoara temple.  Well actually it is a picture of the San Diego Mormon Temple in the window of a bridal shop here in Timisoara.  All the missionaries just have to have their pictures taken in front of the store. I don't  know if the owners  know what the picture depicts but we are told its been here for a long time so it must get advertising results. Not significant just fun.

Finally:  A fun picture of Ginny and I with the first person to be baptized in this city.  She has been a member of our church since 1996.  That shows you how young the church is here.  She is so fun, full of life, and faithful. We had a wonderful time visiting with her. 

Well goodnight for now, we have a big day planned tomorrow and will be up at 5:30 am and don't plan to return until about 8pm. This missionary stuff is not for the faint of heart.
la revedere (goodbye) and noapte buna (good night).  Now you know just about as much Romanian as I do.

Finding Our Way

Our dear family and friends,

We have had a great week.  We went to the town of Oradea which is about 75 miles away for a district training session.  It was our first good look at the countryside. It is very flat and all agriculture.  Im not sure what all they grow but the fields go on forever and since it is spring and so rainy all is lush and green. The photo is typical of the countryside if you can imagine that as far as the eye can see in any direction.  Quite beautiful.

The people here continue to amaze me with their kindness and generosity.  We visited a wonderful  sister yesterday.  She made this incredible dinner of chicken breasts that were breaded with spices that would make colonel sanders want to reevaluate.  There was also a delicious rice dish with mushrooms.  Lucky for me she made a lot and I was there with two young sister missionaries and Ginny.  So she kept suggesting that I eat more so what could I say I DID. She is known to be a good cook and she sure proved it to us. She lives on the fifth floor and the building had no elevator.  She has to climb those stairs several times a day. Makes us grateful for our puny 47 stairs to our third floor apartment.   This sweet sister has a small balcony full of beautiful flowers of all kinds, she gave Ginny the lovely orchid in the picture below.  We hesitated to take it but she insisted.  We will see how long it lasts in our incapable hands.  Very, very, very thoughtful though..

I  thought I would include a few pictures of our everyday life.  First a picture of Ginny with the sister missionaries.  They live close to us and on the same road so we get to walk home with them sometimes from the church.  This is the most scenic spot on our walk home.  We often just walk to church.  I am guessing the round trip from home to church is about one and a half miles, maybe two, but pleasant and a real easy walk.  The walking and the stairs help keep us in shape.  Only very tall apartments here have elevators and the elderly really have a struggle. They have minimal provisions for the disabled here.

Next our clothes dryer.  This is the way almost everyone dries their clothes.  It means you have to do laundry often or you overwhelm the capabilities of the dryer.  We often think of Brandons laundromat and those huge 50 pound machines he has.

And last but not least another domestic goddess picture.  I insisted Ginny take this picture for posterity.  It will forever prove that I do indeed know what to do with the clothing that comes off our drying rack.  Its a hoot if you want to know the truth. 

Well its late and we have many new adventures planned for tomorrow so we  will turn on the heater (can you imagine) and get some rest.  
Post you later.  
Elder Alston