Because of the Birthday celebration of Mary, mother of Jesus many had the day off Monday including Sandu Craciun.  He offered to take us on his famous tour of Centru. 

He knows the city like no other.  Didn't know this walkway even existed.  

 long narrow path similar to the one in Brasov.

Some of what we learned:  Sandu was hired to clean the 4 sphere on top of the evangelical church when he was a young man (he said he would never do that again- seven stories high). 

 There are many secret walkways under Centru, seen below.  They connected the different churches and one lead to a leper colony out by the Gara (train station) where men could escape to the outside world if the need came.  Rand and Sandu are looking at what we thought were round benches.  They are above what used to be a storage room of wheat for emergencies.  All these walkways and storage rooms are now sealed off and few know that they exist.

German wood carvers are here for the month.  They do not use anything but hand tools for their art work. 

Examples of some of their work.

 

 Rand getting a hair cut from our branch member Maria.  It will take time to get her business built up.  Rand was the only customer she had last week.  She has accepted the calling in the Branch to be over Self Reliance.

 Goodness, what is the center of attraction in Sibiu this week?  Orange is the sponsor.  "Orange" is our mobile phone and internet service.  It costs us just over $8 per month.

 This week is all about cars.  They drive up on this stage and everyone admires and claps.  Rand isn't as likely to fall asleep in this kind of show.

 Drive to Deva to conduct a Sacrament service with Sunday school lesson shows a little fall in the air.   

 A little hard to tell but the pretty sunflower petals have fallen off and the blackish center is all that is showing right now.

 This was a hard week with many Branch issues.  While feeling a little discouraged we read a talk given by Elder Monson, back when he was an apostle called "Finishers Wanted".   His talk and the poem he quoted will keep us going.

"Stick to your task 'til it sticks to you;    Beginners are many, but enders are few.   Bend at it, sweat at it, smile at it, too;      For out of the bend & the sweat & the smile     Will come life's victories after a while.
-Author Unknown