December in Iasi

December first the lights around the Palac Mall came on and the skating rink opened.  

A huge package all lit with lights. Breathtaking but no sign that Christ is the reason for the season.  Kind of disappointing but guess that's the same at home in many cases.

Elder Brown watching the skaters at night.

Traditional Romanian costume.  I think they are advertising the city of Cluj.

A couple proud parents had their children at the mall in traditional attire.

Native clothing for sale this time of year.  

Iasi is not a tourist town so harder to find.

Fun things we found at the mall that are traditional for us at home.

Gingerbread houses (not made of gingerbread)

Probably just a sugar cookies.  We've already tried finding molasses and it's not to be had

Crocheted Christmas decorations

Isn't this the name of that is now Capital 360?

Christmas trees made of natural (not green) limbs and lights

Much more attractive in person

Monday was Sora Cutler's birthday.  We hadn't done a google translate on

what a birthday greeting said.  We bought this card then

came home to see if we bought the right kind.

It was right.

Couldn't find birthday candles so bought one long one and cut it in half.  

One for each of her two decades.

Elder Hellewell's birthday was also this past week so the BYU kids

joined in and we all went out to eat.

Since I'm not usually in the picture Rand took this one of us three

sisters in Iasi.

Branch Book of Mormon class held on Wed. talked about Ether.  Here is Elder Brown's version of the 16 stones cut out of the rock for the Lord to light their barges.

Then the finger of the Lord touched the stones and the Brother of Jared saw the Lord's finger

The stones lit up.  They were amazing.  The only problem is we couldn't get them to light up one at a time.  They all lit up at once.

Everyone was impressed.

The building in our neighborhood is progressing.  It is now above ground.  We think the white stuff is for windows or something as it holds a space for something.

Poster I made to advertise our Christmas dinner and celebration.

Getting the wording right in Romanian isn't a matter

of going to "google translate" we're finding out.

We have one missionary and one member

that is good at translating that we can

call on. 

With all the hustle and bustle this time of year may I quote Ether 12:41   And now, I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written, that the grace of God the Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of them, may be and abide in you forever.  Amen