Monday, November 28, 2016

Cluj - Napoca (Cluj)

On the way to Cluj on the plane
So this week has been absolutely crazy with flying to Cluj and everything! Where to even start!?

I met this super cool girl at the airport and she was on my flight. Our flight ended up getting delayed for 2 hours and we talked the whole time. We talked a lot about the fact that I'm a missionary and what I'm doing here and everything. Then it turns out that our seats were next to each other on the plane! How cool! So we got to talk on the plane as well. As we were about to land, I felt like I needed to give her the Romanian Book of Mormon I had in my bag. So I did. I told her it was a gift for how nice she had been to me and everything. She was so happy! She thanked me for it and said she would read it and that she already knew about it! I almost couldn't believe it. I knew then, that I was supposed to meet this girl and talk with her so I could give her the Book of Mormon :) 

Other random things: 
Cluj Centru  (You can see some of the Christmas lights)
We had a big Thanksgiving dinner with all our members at the Church. There was chicken and pork instead of turkey but that was okay, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and even some cranberry sauce :) It wasn't super close to your traditional American Thanksgiving but it was still a lot of fun :)
Sora Dusenberry (new companion) and Me

We went block knocking Sunday and knocked on the door of an orthodox Priest. It was quite funny because he was just like oh no - what do you want? Then he gave us two books about the Orthodox religion which we were like, okay haha. So that was funny. But we also found someone who was interested in hearing about our church!  We are going back next week to teach her about the restoration :) 


We had signs up for our English class this Saturday and normally not a lot of people sign up. But this time we had over 100 people sign up! We had to start a waiting list. Craziness. The super funny thing is though there were (and we counted) 99 are girls and only 20 are guys. 
Silly Faces

We also visited with a lot of less actives this week. It was really cool because after every single one, Sora Dusenberry would tell me that their last visit did not go like that at all. That they were so much happier and receptive to us this time. 

Our little Christmas Tree
Today we decorated for Christmas and we are so excited for this Christmas season :) Also, it's pretty dang cold up here in Cluj. I had to finally break out my big winter jacket I had bought! 

Anyway I think that's everything.! I'm loving Cluj :) Have a great week!
Love Sora Vann   

P.S.  My new companion is a lot taller than me and her name is Sora Dusenberry.



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Tuesday, November 22, 2016

I'm Flying to CLUJ!

Beautiful Sunset in Bucaresti
Yep, that's right I'm flying; not taking a train. It's a little annoying because then I need to worry about how much my bags weigh, but a 45 minute flight is way better than a 6 hour train ride or something.  I'm super excited to go to Cluj! Can't wait to send you guys pictures! :)

Moose at the Mall (Gave him an English class card
This week has consisted of a lot of tea (herbal of course) and chicken broth because I was sick for about half of it and my stomach still isn't feeling super great. I started to get sick Monday evening and it just got worse from there. Tuesday, we ended up going to a less active members house who fed us Sarmale and Salata de Boeuf (which is kinda like potato salad). Needless to say it did not sit well with a stomach that already wasn't feeling good at all. Wednesday, I ended up staying home the whole day, but I stayed home with Sora DJB and Sora Padgett went with her companion (Sora Letinu) since it was Sora Padgett's last week. I had fun staying home with Sora DJB, but I was definitely ready to get back out Thursday. 

One of our adorable Young Women
I will really miss her.
Cool stuff of the week though is we were in the metro headed to meet with someone when they canceled on us. So we decided to go check in on a member that wasn't at church this week, which meant we need to go back to the metro stop we had just been at. When we got off, I decided I needed to go get a soda, so that hopefully the carbonation would help my stomach. While I was doing that one of my bills wouldn't go in and a guy behind us switched me for one he had. Well, we started talking to him and he spoke English, so he was excited to practice his English. He ended up asking about our church and straight up asked what we believe. I got to tell him straight up what we believe and bear simple testimony of our church and it was the coolest thing ever! 
Dumitrescu Family -  I just love them!

I don't have more time to write this week, but I can't wait to tell you guys all about my new adventures in Cluj next week! I love you all! Have a great week!

                                                                     Love,    Sora Vann
One of my adorable English Students



  

Monday, November 14, 2016

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

Fun Graffiti
They have already started putting up Christmas decorations around the city and have Christmas stuff in the stores! It's crazy! haha I was told they turn on all the lights on December 1st and I can't wait! 

Sora DJB and Alexia Vasile
Sarmale




Anyway, this week we got to make Sarmale with a less active member at her house! It was super fun! For those of you who don't know - Sarmale are pickled cabbage stuffed rolls with pork and rice and seasonings on the inside. They are actually pretty yummy too (depending on who made them haha). 

We met with a lot of awesome potential investigators this week and hopefully they will become awesome investigators. :) One was a girl who after we had talked a lot getting to know her, asked about the Book of Mormon we had sitting on the table. We showed her the Book of Mormon video and gave her the copy we had. She seemed pretty interested in reading it.  :) 

Our English class this week
We also had an awesome English class this Saturday! We teach the children's class and normally we only have one or two or maybe three kids come, but this time we had five! It was awesome!! :) 

I also got to see Daniela this week! She flew in on Friday and I got to see her Saturday! I was so happy! :)  She told me that her aunt is going to start talking lessons from the missionaries now! I'm  so excited for their little family!  
Me and a Cute Kitten
(Allergies were getting the best of me.)

Sorry I don't have more time to write! But I love all of you! Hope you have a great week! 
Love Sora Vann 

Monday, November 7, 2016

AND THEN THERE WERE TWO. . .


So Sora DJB has left us because she got a new companion! There was a Romanian sister here who has her mission call to the Dominican Republic but she hasn't been able to get here visa yet. So she is starting her mission here! Sora DJB will be training her till the beginning of December. So it's just Sora Padgett and I for the rest of the transfer. We are used to it now but at first it felt like we were always missing someone. haha

Daniela's Mom at her Baptism
Anyway the big super exciting news for the week is that on Sunday, Daniela's mom got baptized! Sora Padgett, the office elders (Elder Broberg and Elder Gerber-Kai) ,Talita (Sora Jerez's convert and Daniela new friend :), and I all went over to the office senior couple's apartment for dinner and then Skyped into the baptism :) It was so wonderful getting to Skype in! Daniela talked on the Holy Ghost and I almost started crying during it. I'm such a cry baby. She is just so strong in the gospel already and she has only been a member for about a month and a half. She will be a great example for her mom :) Her mom was so happy afterwards :) You could see the joy and peace on her face. I'm so excited for their little family, and that they now have each other to help strengthen one another in the church!  I can't wait to see Daniela in a few days :) 

Besides that....I forgot my planner at home and I cannot remember for the life of me what we did this week.  I know we did a lot of busy work which kinda stunk, but we have a bomb week planned for this week :) Fall is full bloom now and it is gorgeous! Sora Padgett and I took a walk in one of the parks here this morning and took lots of fun fall pictures :)   

So some random things I remembered :) 
1. I carved a mini pumpkin on Halloween! Sora Padegtt didn't want to do it with me so I did it by myself but it was still fun and she talked to me while I did it. I just couldn't not carve one! 







2. We heart attacked the sisters apartment :) 

Yep thats about it. Sorry! I love you guys so much! Have a great week :)
Love,







Sora Vann