Visit to Sannicolau Mare, Romania 

End of February                        

Rand really wanted to visit this city about an hour West of us near Hungary.  Pres. Ivory notified us that a Muller family had written him hoping he would find someone to do a little family history investigation for them.  We asked a member Cristina Marin if she would be willing to go with us and she thought it sounded fun.  Here we are at the German cemetery where the caretaker in blue knew of one gravestone with a name they were looking for.  The man in brown coat directed us to the cemetery on this rainy, muddy day.  Cristina kept trying to stay out of the pictures we took.

At the City building we found out that all records older than 100 years had been transferred to the County seat - Timisoara.  

it would have been impossible to get that info without Cristina's help

We were told that there was one person who still lived in town by the name we were looking for.  At the gate we knocked and knocked.  When we finally gave up and started to leave two people came and told us that the 80 year old was in Germany and wouldn't be back till after the 18th of March.

 The German cemetery was just down the street.  

We sent the pictures to the Mullers and they said that these would be cousins.







Quite a few names in one
                                            burial plot.
 

 

 Rand's exploring finally lead him to the local farmers market.  The hubard squash we bought was the best we'd ever had.  Went back to buy another.

This outdoor hardware store would be hard to work in during the winter.  My sense of organization was highly offended but Rand loved it.

  My idea of a store to visit.

 A visit with Sora Olga who missed our craft day at the church because of knee problems.  I took the craft to her and she had a great time.  Their grandson, Mano has not been at church.  Rand would love to get some things going for that age.  We have a couple other boys that might be enticed to come if it was the right activity.  We spend a lot of time brain storming.  They do come to games night on Fridays with the Elders but the boys don't necessarily enjoy the same kinds of activities.

Our monthly activity in Arad for March was a family history activity.  

 We were hoping to attract English students as well as branch members to the activity.  

We did get one English student, Ioan and Lidia who is a friend of the other Lidia but is not an english student.  Bro. Ghiti brought his non member wife, Maria and their two grandchildren; Denisa & Mano.

 Sora Mogos coordinated the refreshments.  I brought sliced apples and carmel dip made from sweet and condensed milk.  It was a hit especially with Sora Pepier.

She also loved the Soras snickerdoodles.

 Bro. Ghiti would like to go to the temple but his wife hasn't progressed towards baptism.  They are raising their grandchildren, parents are often too busy to attend to their own children.

 Glad Sora Roberts took over the baby picture activity.  We feel so frustrated that the language barrier keeps us from doing what we want to.

 Not everyone brought a picture but that's ok, it was the highlight of the evening.

In my picture I may have been 7 or 8.  We just happened to have some old slides on our computer that my Dad took many years ago.

Sunday, March 5th we had two visitors and a reactivated member at the Timi branch.  The ladies on the far right and far left are nurses from Utah exploring Romania, quite adventuresome we thought.  The gentleman in the back is Petru.  He has a strong testimony but goes inactive when he falls into deep depressions.  So sad cause they sure need him.

Took the wrong exit home from Timisoara on Sunday.  How did we get here?  We sure don't know our way around town and roadways don't make sense anyway.  Looking forward to the logical systems back home.  

Went with the Soras to visit Sora Krista.  She had two strokes but seems to be overcoming the last one that left her paralyzed three years ago.  She told us she hopes to get to church this summer.  She showed us how she is able to walk without her walker.  Her husband wanted to know if we brought our bible.  He has lost his testimony of the restored gospel and as the missionaries said,  just wants to Bible bash.  We all know that doesn't accomplish anything. We really admire his wife for staying true to her covenants and no we didn't have our bible with us.  Book of Mormons, we always have.

A member who has been ill died in Timisoara.  Petru was in charge of the flowers.

 After church ten of us drove out to the home about 8 miles from the church.  We were surprised how well the flowers did zipping through on top of the car in the rain.

 The black flag denotes a death at the home.  Out of courtesy to the family I didn't get the camera out in the house, but want to describe the "wake".  The body sits in the casket in the living room with mourners sitting around.  The casket has attached (at the head end of the casket) a portable refrigerator system to keep the body cool.  A glass top so you can view the body keeps the cool in.  We all stood in the middle of the room and sang a couple hymns.

If I don't sound like I'm in mourning it's because we didn't know the lady.  Few in the branch knew her.  Sora Jureschi seemed to be the only one in mourning as the woman worked most of the time in Greece.  She only visited the branch for a month in a year but always paid her tithing when she came.

Besides the missionaries, Sora Jureschi & Petru, Sora Gyene and Sora Negriu also went to the wake.  The graveside service will be today, Monday.  The members were going to go back and sing several hymns as part of the program.

John 16:33

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world"

This is true for each one of us.  Take a minute to ponder on this scripture and decide how you can apply it to your life - to find peace knowing that Jesus Christ has died that we may live again.  That wasn't the case for people who lived before his atonement.  How blessed we are to have the sure knowledge that Christ has overcome the world.  

Don't be so caught up in the world that you don't look for that peace he has promised us.

A quick trip back to Sibiu on Feb. 21-22 and we were giddy with excitement.  With so many memories and things we wanted to do 

Forgot to get a photo of our favorite corner and hotel we stayed at but took pictures from the Continental Forum of --- 

Neptune swim pool and gym entry directly behind our hotel

What better way to unwind from a four hour trip than to go swimming.  This time my favorite director was there and was able to tell him good bye.

 View from our hotel room of the city and road we passed on daily to get to the church.

 Met with Alena for one last hair cut in Romania and we connected on face book so we can stay in touch.

Dinner that night was extra special meeting up with Nicoleta our favorite tour guide and her boyfriend.  We took the soras with us and hopefully at some point she and her boyfriend will decide they want to know more about the church.

 Reason for the quick trip - Rand had agreed to be a witness for Florin in court.  Florin wants to have visiting privileges with his 6 year old daughter and hopefully the court will agree that he can have time with her.  The decision will be made next month but we won't need to go back.  The court had to hire a translator which was a bit of a nuisance for Rand to be a witness.  

 Spring is in the air and the Browns are starting to go walking around the neighborhood for exercise.  Not too far away they are building this soccer stadium.

Construction on the stadium at present.

Rand standing by the statue across the street from the stadium to be

Rand not standing by the statue.  

We're wondering if this is the church the architect was referring to that is being built.  

 Finally got to see Adriana Decsy.  She is a nurse that works nights.  She was showing us the "spring flowers" she makes for women to wear March 1-8th.  She makes them originally from something like play dough then paints them to sell or give to friends.  She gave the soras and I each one.  Adriana is the family history specialist in the Branch.  She bore her testimony to us of the importance she feels towards our ancestors.  It was so heart warming to hear.

 Another evening we were invited to visit Lidia and Costi Istrate.  Lidia loves to cook and had made us Googos.  It is a dough thinner than doughnut dough that is dropped by the spoon full into hot oil.  So delicious with Nutella or homemade apricot jam drizzled on top.

 The Istrades and the Browns, Lidia hopes that her husband will soon join the church.  He comes with her to church but as yet has not joined.

 Sunrise view from Rand's office.  We can see a Romanian flag in the distance that tells us if is is windy or not.  The days are warmer and clear but a wind makes things still coat and hat weather for sure.

 Full view of the Arad branch building.

The Soras went with us to Timisoara Branch again Sunday.  They were hoping to make a visit afterward but it didn't work out.  Disappointing maybe isn't a strong enough word.  We have four more Sundays with the two branches.  We are exhausted by the end of the day maybe not from the physical but mental.  Sitting through hours of church in another language is exhausting.  Rand says I should take notes to stay awake.  Did he forget that I don't speak the language? Not sure what to take notes on.  Funny man.

In a hundred small ways, all of you wear the mantle of charity. Life is perfect for none of us. Rather than being judgmental and critical of each other, may we have the pure love of Christ for our fellow travelers in this journey through life. May we recognize that each one is doing her best to deal with the challenges which come her way, and may we strive to do our best to help out.
Charity has been defined as “the highest, noblest, strongest kind of love,” the “pure love of Christ … ; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with [her].”
“Charity never faileth.” May this long-enduring Relief Society motto, this timeless truth, guide you in everything you do. May it permeate your very souls and find expression in all your thoughts and actions.

President Thomas S. Monson,  So thankful for a prophet.

This is our outside view from our apartment window.  Our 12 story apartment building actually has a parking lot to look out on.  Many apartment buildings don't have much parking because most apartment dwellers don't need a car.   Public transport is cheap and can get you about anywhere you want to go.    

The other morning Rand asked what the day looked like.  I realized I had quit looking outside.  Kind of depressing when this is your view.  Been foggy for most of the time we've been in Arad.  Course you need to take into account - it is winter.

This is the city hall designed by Eiffel of Eiffel tower fame.

We found it the other day so decided on p-day to go check it out.

The front walkway leading up to the building was beautifully tiled.  Since it was valentines day the view wasn't quite as impressive.

The entry door handle is about eye level.  Wonder why that was?

On each side of the stairway was featured a painting of Queen Ana and king Ferdinand.  Both have now passed on.

This architecture student from Cluj came up and  asked if I was a tourist since I was taking pictures and he could see I hadn't been given permission to go into the building very far.  I told him I was and he, "said follow me".  I did and he told me some about the building but mainly that he thought it was a shame that tourists weren't allowed to view the chambers where the city fathers made their decisions.  Above was a balcony where the citizens could observe what went on.  

 The area I was allowed to photo graph

Looking down into the ruling chambers the citizens balcony.  Lots of gold leafed statutes and figures.

 Ceiling was magnificent.  

 Looking across toward the other side of the balcony.

Gold leafed statues on the balcony.  My friend asked if our church was the new one being built in town.  I told him, "no, we don't build fancy churches.  But we do build beautiful temples".  He had heard of our temples.  He said he studies the principles of Frank Lloyd Wright.  He was impressed that I had been to his Taliesin West studio/school in Scottsdale.

 While waiting for Rand after my inside tour I found this memorial to those who were killed from Arad in the 1989 Revolution  in Timisoara. 

A tall apartment building across from the mall with tiled picture of life in Romania.  One day I want to have time to study it and not just zip by in the car.  Someone was quite creative.

 Rand and I drove with the Elders out to the Banatean family that lives in Sanpru German about 30 minutes from Arad on a small country road.  Bro. Banatean used to be the Branch President.

New district meeting with a waffle breakfast: left to right Sora Alger and Sora Roberts, Elder Meeks from Mesa AZ,  Elder Wilstead and Elder Winder & Elder Faucet who serve in Timi but is the new district leader.  Last district meeting was skyped from Timi.  Elder Brown on Right and Sora Brown not there but taking the picture also part of the district.

 Same line us as the previous picture except Wilstead and Meeks traded places.

 Sora Alger reminded me of someone, but who?  Oh, the girl who played in parent trap 2.

 Great turnout for our Relief Society activity in Timi Sat.  What a fun bunch of ladies and I did learn everyone's name.

 Sora Jureschi

 Sora Negriu

 Sora Gyene, Gabi

 Sora Nedelcu (Tinka, who was the first convert in Timi)

 After our activity we had a pot-luck lunch.  I made my healthy fruit jello.  They had never seen or tasted anything like it.  Sora Gyene made pancakes then rolled cheese up in them and baked.  Nothing like anything we've ever had at home but tasty.  The others just brought store bought goodies.  The Timi Elders were invited to join us and the Sora missionaries from Arad for the lunch.

 Back to Timi the next day for afternoon church.  Three visitors along with the district leadership to sustain Elder Winder as Branch President.  Sora Nedelcu wanted her picture with the two American visitors.

 P-day again and we had to check out a park we had passed getting the missionaries to an appointment on Sat.  This was a WW 1 - 2 memorial with statues from both wars.

Best Angle for this humongous statue of multiple scenes of WW 2.

 Sora Day told me that she hadn't been able to find any fabric stores here in Arad.  So surprised when we stumbled across a fabric and notions store after we left the memorial park.  So happy to find I don't have to go to Timisoara or Sibiu to get items for our projects.

While preparing a talk about the Savior this song/poem has come to mean a lot to me.

Where can I turn for peace?

Where is my solace

When other sources cease to make me whole?

When with a wounded heart, anger, or malice,

I draw myself apart,

Searching my soul?

Where, when my aching grows, 

Where, when I languish,

Where, in my need to know, where can I run?

Where is the quiet hand to calm my anguish?

Who, who can understand?

He, only One.

He answers privately,

Reaches my reaching

In my Gethsemane, Savior and Friend.

Gentle the peace he finds for my beseeching.

Constant he is and kind,

Love without end.