We continue working in Cluj-Napoca. There are some wonderful members in this beautiful city. There are many wonderful people in this city and throughout Romania; we will remember these people more than any other experience we have here other than the strengthening of our testimonies that we've gained through our experiences with them, the young missionaries, our Mission President of course and the General Authorities we've been privileged to meet. As with the rest of the world where the gospel is new (we've been told "new" means less than 40 years - in other words through an upcoming generation) there are many doctrinal questions and errors that creep in, particularly in this age of the internet. The status of the Church in Romania and Moldova is described as "the Kirkland phase". In members' enthusiasm to learn the gospel they often search the internet for answers and doctrine without checking the qualifications of the author and end up with some weird understandings that are hard to break. That is a major part of our task here along with supporting the branch leadership, the young missionaries, new converts, investigators and the members, of course. We try to help them understand true doctrine and give them references from our prophets, seers and revelators who remain/remained true to the faith.
Many of these problems/questions that arise remind me of two quotes; one from the Book of Mormon ("... and sought for things that they couldn't understand. Wherefore, because of their blindness, which blindness came by looking beyond the mark, ...", Jacob 4:14). I can't find the other but it was either said or quoted in the past year (in a General Conference, I think); it goes something like this: Christ is the author of simplicity; Satan is the author of complexity.
We continue working with our Mexican PHD candidate (classical guitar) investigator and are working with a newly wedded couple (he's a big wig with some international grocery chains - picks out sites for new stores in Romania) and have just started working with a grandmother and her granddaughter (13 years old but acts and looks 17 like many European young ladies and speaks English so well; thanks Sponge Bob). Working with investigators and young missionaries is still our favorite part of our mission; these people are so refreshing.
Our investigators who were just married with our sister missionaries
Here are some other recent pics:
A good luck charm for that house; a stork residing in their vicinity.
This is just one example of how the gypsies build their houses; they are often empty shells with very little furniture and few amenities. We understand their size communicates status. They always remain unfinished so they do not have to pay taxes on them.
The view from our apartment in "Viva City".
Our Branch President and His family
Another example of happy graffiti; we're probably lucky we can't read some of the other stuff.
Sister Nelson, the young missionaries and I spent about 1/2 a day overhauling the Branch President's office.
This and the next pic: Sister Nelson's Cluj Relief Society event.
Two of our fabulous English students
Some beautiful Romanian countryside
We went hiking with the young missionaries in between those two rock formations
