Missionaries Arrive--May 12, 2009

I failed to get a picture of this new group together, so I will show them in their individual shots. It is hard for me to believe that they have only been here since May (Today is August 1 and I am now playing catch up!) I feel like I know them so well already. I'm not sure if it is because everyone of them have already had their medical challenges ( hernia surgery, dog bite and rabies shots, flu, knee problems, stitches in the head, fractured toe and x-rays, etc.) or if it is just because they are all great, faithful missionaries. In spite of their challenges, they all still have the same smiles on their faces that they had the first day they arrived, and they love their mission! We are thrilled to have them here.

Elder Zavala

Elder Sanchez

Elder Lainhart

Elder Bigu

(He was born and raised in Romania until he was 13. He then moved to America where he was baptized!)

Returning with Honor! May 13, 2009

This amazing group of missionaires flew out of Bucharest on May 13, 2009. They were wonderful missionaries and we miss them here in the mission. We know that they will each move forward to be as valiant and strong as they were in the mission. Best wishes to you all!

Sora Kiss-Maxim, Elder Cantlon, Elder Platt. Pres. & Sora Lundberg, Elder Bird, Elder Ward, Sora Thompson, Elder Roundy, Elder Anderson, and Sora Garff.

Sora Kiss, Elder Campbell, Elder Cantlon, Sora Garff, and Sora Thompson at last dinner together.

Other side of the table: E. Ward, E. Platt, E. Bird, E. Anderson, E. Hardman, & E. Roundy

Sora Kiss and Sora Garff relaxing while waiting for departing interviews!

Elder Ward's parents came to take him home. It was a joyful reunion!

Elder Anderson's parents also came to pick him up. They spent the next several days seeing the country that Elder Anderson has grown to love!

May Photos!

Sora Gorzo, the "grandmother" of the mission, invited us over for dinner on May 10. She is a wonderful cook and we always get delicious Romanian food when we go to her home. Elder Bailey, Elder Hardman, Elder Campbell, and Elder Thompson joined in the fun. It's always great to be with Sora Gorzo.

Somedays the mission home gets very busy. On this particular day, missionaries were here being interviewed at the same time Joshua was having violin lessons. We have adopted the theme, "The more the merrier!" Sora Kimball and Elder Platt wait for interviews, while Sinziana, the daughter of the violin teacher, plays with Joshua.

Mr. Geanta, the violin teacher, has fun performing with Elder Schwartz, who is waiting to be interviewed!

Sports Day at International School of Bucharest!

Joshua's school held a big event in May. The children in the primary school were divided into teams and held all sorts of competitions. Parents were invited to cheer from the sidelines. It was fun to see the children from many different countries enjoying this day together.

Groups getting instructions!

Be steady, Joshua!

Boy could he run!

Joshua and Mohammed!

Joshua with a few classmates!

May Travels!

I've decided that I really am a "country girl." While I love watching people in the busy city--on the streets, at the metro (subway), in the parks, I REALLY love the beauties of the countryside. I love seeing the fields in bloom, the flourishing gardens, the dirt roads. And more than that, I love seeing the people that make those fields bloom and those gardens flourish. I love seeing the people traveling on the dirt roads, using simple carts to help them carry their loads. I love seeing older women gather at the end of the day, protected from the sun or wind with their scarves on their heads, chatting with their neighbors. Two thoughts always run through my head as I see these people: 1. Everybody has a story, and 2. Everybody needs the Gospel of Jesus Christ in their lives.

Miles and miles and miles of yellow-flowered fields.

Country road!

Road-side stand with soda and coverigi (like a pretzel!)

Beautiful garden beyond the fence.

Women chatting on the roadside, in front of their homes!

A Romanian man pulls his wagon down the dirt road!

Picnic with the Members, Investigators, and Missionaries! May 2, 2009

We had a fun picnic on Saturday, May 2, at the Mihai Bravu Building. There were lots of great activities going on (basketball, football, dodgeball, volleyball, singing, visiting) and lots of good food eaten! It was nice to have the opportunity to enjoy each other's company.

Joshua's latest passion is dodgeball. He immediately got the missionaries lined up and got a game going!

Adrian, Elder Jensen, Elder Ritz, and Elder Bird anticipate the catching of a football thrown by.....

Sora Benson!

Missionaries are ready at any time to share the gospel and to eat!

Elder Taylor, Elder Nightingale, Elder Brian, Fong, Elder Allphin, Elder Bennett

Sora Lundberg and Doina

Missionaries, Elder Johnson and Sora Ostler, enjoy lunch with members

We love the great Romanian people!

Elder Jensen, Elder Boynton, and Elder Sandberg visit with more members

Many members showed up for a lot of fun!

Elder and Sora Edwards, along with Sora Dillon, visit with an investigator and members

These are "our people!"

Sora Turner works on the Romanian language with the help of Iulia, Cristi, and David.

It's always fun for the women to get together to chat!

More great members!

Everyone made their way around to visit with each other!

The Cooks!

Mission Council in May!

Mission Council this transfer consisted of a meeting with the zone leaders and the district leaders. The house was REALLY full with missionaries and all that entails! (huge piles of shoes in the entryway, laughter, hymns being sung in deep voices, spiritual insight, and testimonies!) I fed everybody dinner afterwards, and they all seemed to like that! In fact, because of all the goings on, I forgot to get the camera out until most had left.

Elder Richey grabbed a broom and helped with clean-up!

Sora Dillon came over and helped out in the kitchen. What a life saver!

Blessing From Heaven!

Annika Joy Jeppsen

Our family is really blessed! On June 10, we received ANOTHER beautiful grandchild! Annika Joy Jeppsen was born to our daughter, Kirsti Jeppsen, and her husband, Paul. Marlee and Barratt are the delighted older siblings. We were told that our family would be blessed as we served this mission. Four new grandbabies in the last nine months are pretty wonderful blessings!

Other April Events!

Sora Slaeman arrived three weeks later than her MTC group, due to a medical problem with her foot. While waiting at the train station for her first companion to arrive, we noticed this Catholic nun and her friend reading our nametags. We walked over to them and had a lovely conversation about our missions! There are so many wonderful people here!

Joshua received a violin for his birthday on April 8th. I had tried several times to find a teacher for him, but nothing would work out. I told President Lundberg that we needed to leap in with faith, buy the violin, and trust that the Lord would help us find the right teacher. So the Saturday before Josh's birthday, we bought the violin. That night, I knelt down and asked the Lord to help us find the right person. The next day, Sunday, we went to the church to watch General Conference. Our family attended the English session in an upstairs room. Afterwards, we stood by the front door to bid good-bye to the members and missionaries as they left. Two of our sister missionaries introduced us to the cute girl in the picture above. They had just met her and her parents that week on a bus. They said that Sinziana played the flute. I asked her if she knew anybody who played the violin. She said, "Yes, my father. He has taught violin for 45 years. He makes violins as well, and has composed sacred violin music. He is in the other room with my mother. We met the missionaries this week on the bus and they told us about the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. We came to listen to them!"

Domnul and Doamna Geanta soon came into the hall, and we were able to meet. Domnul Geanta has been teaching Joshua violin lessons, two times a week at our home, since the end of April. He has invited Joshua to come to a music camp this summer with children from the country who will be learning to play the violin. The Geantas are faithful members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, but have attended ours a couple times now. We are grateful to know this amazing family, and are grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who hears and answers our prayers.

End of April Interviews!

Missionaries coming to the mission home for interviews is always fun for everyone (I hope!) I try to have cookies and sometimes other food here for the missionaires to eat. Joshua especially loves it when he is at home during interview hours, and he does his best to rope the missionaries into playing with him for a few minutes.

Joshua throws the ball at Elder Tilby in a game of dodgeball.

Sora Larsen, Sora Cannon, Elder Ritz, Joshua, and Elder Tilby

Elder Hardman, Elder Boyd, Elder Taylor, Elder Allphin, Elder Foote

Elder Campbell reads the directions of Joshua's new game so they can play a few minutes.