I noticed that none of the pictures I tried to post actually made it onto my last blog; sorry about that. I will include some of them in this blog if I can get them to post. In late March President Ivory asked Krisy and me to come into his office. We thought he might want to talk about something with the office, the Panduri Branch or some other local issue. Of course we were wrong; you just can't trust that man, especially when he has a certain wicked grin. Well he asked us if we could get ready to move (we were and still are under contract for our apartment). We said we thought we could; he gave us 10 days to prepare (which he later changed to 8). Fortunately a new senior couple was coming in to replace a departing couple and they didn't want the departing couple's apartment so we worked some magic with our proprietor and two couples to fill our contract, said lots of goodbyes and headed to a beautiful town in Transylvania called Cluj-Napoca (Google it; some pics are included). We are assigned to help the leaders, members and missionaries.
We are working with some amazing people (members and investigators). We just had a baptism of a young (at least to me) Romanian who had lived in Italy for 14 years. We communicated with her using our poor Romanian and what Italian we could remember from 40 years ago. We are currently helping to teach a young man getting his PHD in classical guitar; he is from Mexico so I get to use my Spanish.
I now have a car at my disposal full-time; driving in Cluj is not nearly as stressful as driving in Bucharest (most drivers actually will let you in) but I think I still experience the same amount of stress because I drive so much more.
Here are some of the old pics I lost and some new pics:
This is what our walk to the mission office looks like in the snow.
A dance party in Panduri; guess where I wasn't. As soon as that started I went to find something to clean.
Mom's favorite graffiti artist (he's all over Bucuresti).
Just a plain ole' shack that used to belong to some princess and is know being used by WHO.
A painted wall on the outside of a bar (with Vlad's likeness).
Just the standard run of the mill venue for a high school concert; this building is beautiful inside and out.
Presents for kids and grandkids (mostly the girls - see below; the guy-stuff is too big and heavy).
One of our last walks in Bucuresti enjoying the neighbor hood
Our Iranian friends and converts who have given up so much and endured so many trials in the year they've been members. We hope to go to the temple with them before we leave.
On our way to Cluj-Napoca
Our new apartment; the next view, too
Our new branch in Cluj
The "local" opera house
Angel, our investigator from Mexico; I get to practice my Spanish, a language I almost know. He is working on his PHD in music (classical guitar).
A new member; Krisy and I spoke to her with our limited Romanian and Italian.
We (with the two local missionary companionships) celebrated a Romanian Easter Dinner with a branch member and his wife, a great couple.
Inside a salt mine; it was huge (see the flyer). It even had a ferris wheel.
The beautiful town of Turda which is about an hour from Cluj.
