5 Weeks of our mission have past and

we miss home but are getting busier and busier

Here in Iasi

This cathedral steeple is the one visible from our 

bedroom window.  It's impressive up close

don't you think?

Western sky from our living room reminds us of beautiful sunsets 

everywhere we've been in the world.

The Bucharest nightclub fire probably didn't hit the national news in USA last weekend.

It caused lots of problems for the leaders here in Romania

when citizens, fed up with corruption that led to an unsafe building

caused the deaths of over 30 and many more hospitalized in serious condition 

from the fire 

Over 20 thousand marched in protest which caused the resignation of the 

Prime Minister and two of his officials.

Monday for P-day the sister missionaries had me cut their hair.

Sister Lunt has beautiful blond curly hair while

Sister Weaver has beautiful long chestnut hair.

Sister Lunt hadn't had her hair cut since coming on her mission.

I also cut sister Kitchen's hair but forgot the camera till getting to 

the second sister.

Reading the book of Mormon is a mission wide challenge.  

Wed. nightthe members come to share what they have learned.

The missionaries always invite a member to 

bear their testimony 

then we have an activity.  

This week the Elders made swords and everyone

wrote on their sword one sin they would like to bury.

The brown fleece blanket was the dirt that we 

buried the swords under.

Give a missionary a sword and watch out.  

Glad they were made of paper 

This book case was a nightmare when we arrived.

It was my project this week to clear, move, organize and

make it our own.  

Flowers of course along with pictures of Christ is the theme.

About a block from our church we are watching the construction of another 

four story building.  This one will be apartments.  

Their way of construction is as foreign to our ways as

Ugandan construction was.

It's always fun to see what they are doing next.

Three of our dear missionaries will be leaving us this transfer.

Here is the picture of them with the ward members after

the Block.  Seven missionaries to eight members, quite the 

ratio wouldn't you say?

One of our NGO girls working for an orphanage.  

We call them the BYU kids but this girl is from Canada and doesn't go to BYU.

She was the official photographer of the above picture.

My goal this week is to learn their names.

Daniela on the right is the RS president.

Jenny on the left is the 1st counselor

and I am the activities counselor.

Jenny and I visit teach these three ladies: Cristina, Daniela and Marie

So far we've only visited Marie.  What a fun visit we had.

Her son is the District Counselor.

Last picture of our first group of missionaries.

Elder Swafford and Chatterton are actually acting kind of normal

 This is a strange fruit I found that had fallen off a tree.

We showed it to the members and no one knew what it was.

The BYU kids thought it smelled like some sort of citrus.

 It reminded Elder Brown and I of the nubby textured Jack fruit in Uganda.  

We probably won't open it up and compare.  Too pretty the way it is

Missionaries and BYU kids.  They really have fun together

with Elder Swafford being his usual self.

This morning I finished my three week challenge to read the Book of Mormon.

Tears filled my eyes as I finished Moroni's testimony and farewell.

How blessed we are to have the Book of Mormon.

My next goal is to read the Book of Mormon in Romanian with my companion.

We are on 1 Nephi 7.  We're hoping to finish in the next 17 months.

It may take longer unless we improve.

That is the goal right?

November 1,  2015 greetings from Romania.

We are loving our bedroom view of the skyline and like

Alma of old wish we were Angels with the trump of God to

Cry Repentance to the good people of Iasi

Or at least convince them to take the missionary lessons.

Our week started out being invited to Sister Lidia's for lunch

She lives on the sixth floor and there is only

space for three in their scary elevators.

No one in America would 

claim ownership

to this

You have to close the doors (2 sets) yourself.  

If you get it wrong

you could be stuck in it as we were.

By bouncing between floors we finally got it to open

on the right floor.

Sister Lunt examine the gorgeous h' ourdervs (sp?)

They were as delicious as they looked.

Sister Lidia is famous for her beautifully set out meals

Elder Swafford and Elder Chatteron are our fearless leaders

Good-by pictures with Sister Lidia.

She is one of the oldest members in Iasi.  

Others have joined then moved to other countries

because of better work 

Frozen vegetables at the grocery store.  We would have

had unthawed veggies as this store was a long

ways from our house either walking or driving.

Driving is difficult because many streets

are one way so walking is sometimes the best option.

frozen raspberries, our favorite

Highlight of the week was the Halloween party

held Thur for all members, investigators and English class participants

The only women who came dressed was a sister in the ward who 

wanted to be a gypsie

Sisters made an amazing spider web in the 

corner leading up to our apartment

Pres. Petelawn was so pleased with the turnout 

Jack-o-lantern carving

Minute to win-it games were a hit

Plenty of pumpkins to make into jack-o-lanterns

no halloween party would be complete without the hanging doughnut eating contest

Musical chairs won by the only child at the party

Jock-o-lanterns complete with candles

Elder Brown with a member, friend and BYU student working at an orphanage

The English students really enjoyed wrapping their teachers

in the mummy wrap 

Christmas cactus, a touch of home

growing in our kitchen window 

Elder Brown found the only Chiropractor in Iasi.

There must be a reason he keeps having back problems.

He gave the practitioner a Book of Mormon and 

Proclamation on the family

Outdoor farmers market in Iasi just across from Chiropractos

Julie checking out what looks to be a long beet

It was Halloween, is she dressed to be a gypsie?
probably is a gypsie

Gypsie wagon in down town Iasi

Across street from the market was Snelgroves, Cash and Carry

This store is a cross between Home Depot and Walmart

Upstairs I heard the announcement, "Halloween extravaganza"  

A bunch ofchildren dressed in costumes had come to watch the magician

Saturday beginning English class

The sisters do a great job helping mostly non members

learn to speak English

We were finally able to get the hang of the grocery baskets.

In Romania if you want a grocery basket you insert a coin which 

unlocks the basket.  After using the basket you reinsert

the chain and get your coin back.

It took us a week to realize that they didn't keep the baskets locked up

so you couldn't have one.  Then we thought we had to pay

to use them not realizing you got your money

back if you reinserted the chain.

We had a "break the fast" with the other missionaries Sunday.

We were excited to cook them a roast not realizing

how few choices they had in beaf.

Sis Brown followed the recipe closely and thought roast turned out delicious.

We also found a pie pan and made an apple pie

Sisters brought the potatoes and carrots and elders brought a
fruit salad.  Fun sharing together

Surprise of the week
Rochelle showed up at church.  She is an exchange student
from South Dakota.  She lives about 2 hours from Iasi and
this is the closest branch to where she is going to school.
She has been in Romania three months and already speaks very well.
Wish Elder Brown and I could pick up the language as quickly

Mission President asked the missionaries to read the Book of Mormon in 12 weeks.  We got here with only three weeks left.  I have been reading at least 10 chapters a day and hope to meet the goal.  

What a blessing it has been to have the time to read the whole book so quickly.  

So thankful for this opportunity.

If you aren't reading in the Book of Mormon every day I challenge you to do so.

My testimony is that it will bring you such peace and understanding of why we are here, 

where we came from and where we are going.

Thank you Pres. Ivory