Leaving Romania for first time to attend Zone Conference in Moldova.  The Mission President said we could do it all in a day; This meant crossing the boarder both coming and going and going where we'd never been before.  Yes, I was a little worried.

We left Wed. morning just after 5 am.  Sora Cutler and Sora Lunt who went with us spent the night at our house so we didn't have to try and find them in their apartment and waste time leaving.  Most of the trip was done in the dark.

It was just getting light when we got to the boarder.  

This looked like a sign of some sort between the two countries.  

Looking at it now,  maybe it wasn't.

  

Getting across the boarder only took 30 min.  We were told it could take 3 hours.  

Finding the church once we got to Chisinau (Key-sh-no) took a while and we were so relieved that we got there before the meeting was to start.  

Wait a minute, there is no one here!!!

Sora's think that maybe the zone conference is at the new Service Center just opened.

But none of us knew where that was and now that we're in Moldova our cell phones no longer work.

After praying about what to do we found a dental office where they allowed us to use their phone.  Yes, the conference was at the Service Center and Sora Cooley said she would drive over and let us follow her to the right address.  What a blessing

Forgot my camera.  This is the room I left my phone in.  So glad it was still there when I realized it was missing.  It just made me laugh to take a picture of this corner of the room.  Nothing is 90 degrees and most walls have a slight curve to them.  Putting furniture up to a wall is how you figure that out.  Pretty funny.

Elder Brown sitting by Elder Dyches of the 70.

Moldova has 9 sets of missionaries and three senior couples.  We were the only group from Romania.  The reason we didn't go to Bucharest was because Moldova was only a little over two hours away instead of seven.  Course that didn't include the boarder crossing which took a lot longer coming home.

Moldova has three sets of sisters.  We ate lunch by these lovely ladies.

Our sister missionaries give Romanians the impression 

that all women from Utah are very blond.  

The girls get a kick out of that impression.

This is Sora Black and I'm Sora Brown.  Her mission is about over 

so probably won't see her again.

Elder Dyches was born at the same maternity hospital I was, 

Murray Maternity hospital

Unlike me he also grew up in Murray, Utah.

Over a week ago our oven quit working after a power outage. (our first one)

Turns out the oven needs a surge protector  and

quit working when the power came back on.

Getting someone to fix it was not easy.  The mission owns the oven so the

landlord on the right didn't want to fix it.

In the end he got an electrician to come get it working again.  

So happy as Christmas calls for a lot of baking.

Sora Ivory, the Mission President's wife gave us this cute Romanian manger scene.

We had not seen anything anywhere that depicted the birth of the savior.  Not sure where she found it.

We had hung pictures of our children and Christmas scenes as our display.

So happy to add the following to our Christmas decorations.

Our last Book of Mormon branch activity.  

We had a good turnout but those who stayed to color the small liahona 

to hang on the Christmas tree . . . .

were three dedicated missionaries

Our last beginning English class.  The two ladies on the left are taking the missionary

discussions.  The lady with the purple blouse comes to church regularly.  We 

hope they all sign up to continue learning in January and eventually

take the missionary discussions.

As you may remember we had over 50 begin the course.  Many were not there for the last

class but six received certificates of completion

because they attended at least 6 of the 8 classes.

One of the leading families of the district was celebrating this Sunday as their 

daughter came home for a three week visit.  

She is a student at BYU.

Elder Brown is trying to figure out what message he could take to the family

to help the father see how important it is that he be baptized.

This should be a Christmas message.  I'm thinking this could be.  What was Mary the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ thinking as she approached the birth of her first born and began a trip to Bethlehem.  Elder Nelson's talk impressed me, so I quote parts of it and imagine that we need to be this kind of women as I know that Mary was.

Attacks against the Church, its doctrine, and our way of life are going to increase. Because of this, we need women who have a bedrock understanding of the doctrine of Christ and who will use that understanding to teach and help raise a sin-resistant generation. We need women who can detect deception in all of its forms. We need women who know how to access the power that God makes available to covenant keepers and who express their beliefs with confidence and charity. We need women who have the courage and vision of our Mother Eve.

My dear sisters, nothing is more crucial to your eternal life than your own conversion. It is converted, covenant-keeping women--women like my dear wife Wendy--whose righteous lives will increasingly stand out in a deteriorating world and who will thus be seen as different and distinct in the happiest of ways.

So today I plead with my sisters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to step forward! Take your rightful and needful place in your home, in your community, and in the kingdom of God--more than you ever have before. I plead with you to fulfill President Kimball’s prophecy. And I promise you in the name of Jesus Christ that as you do so, the Holy Ghost will magnify your influence in an unprecedented way!

I bear witness of the reality of the Lord Jesus Christ and of His redeeming, atoning, and sanctifying power. And as one of His Apostles, I thank you, my dear sisters, and bless you to rise to your full stature, to fulfill the measure of your creation, as we walk arm in arm in this sacred work. Together we will help prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Lord. Of this I testify, as your brother, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.