3/27/2008

I hope you all had a fabulous Easter and thank you very much for the package, I loved it!

So, this week was a little less eventful than last week, but thats okay. I don't remember if I told you about the flag... I will tell you now either way. So, a couple years ago an elder brought a Romanian Flag to the MTC and had his roommates going to Romania sign it. About two transfers later the Spanish speaking elders stole it and used it to sign... why they would want to sign a Romanian flag I will never know, but they did. Anyway it stayed with the spaniards for the last couple years and when me and the elders found out about it (because my teacher Fratele Irion was one of the original signers) we were infuriated that they would steal it, so in a feat of daring and a little stupidity we stole it back! It is currently in my room and I am proud to say that I was the first Sora to ever sign it! It may not sound like much but I assure you that we have officially gone down in Romanian MTC history!

Lets, see... on a more spiritual note (since I am a missionary) we had a really good devotional this week, Elder W. Douglas Shumway of the 70 came and talked to us about what it takes to be a great missionary and how we should let the mission forever change us into better people. And he said something that almost all the speakers say to us twice a week every week which was "this mission is not your mission, this mission belongs to the Lord." but then he went on to explain it in a way that made that statement mean something to me. He said that I in part caused Christ to bleed from every pore because of my sins and pains in my life and so these 18 months are precious little that I could give back to Him. And that just made me think for a minute about how true that is. I remember people telling me that a mission was me showing my gratitude to Christ for His sacrifice and I kept thinking how a mission just didn't seem like enough of a tolken of gratitude, and then Elder Shumway talked about how that was why we have to let the mission change us into better people, how we need to come back better people then who we were when we left, and that we can't come back and be hypocrites. And I thought how true that was. I am so glad that I have been given this opportunity to go to Romania, and even if I don't effect anyone or anything there if I come back better and maintain a desire to do good, then I am still showing Christ how much I love Him and how grateful I really am for His sacrifice! Missions are so cool! And I haven't even got to the good part yet.

Anyway, that was my thought for today... and incase you were wondering about the title of Hristos Învaţat! that I gave to my e-mail, I will explain it. In the Romanian culture at Easter time (from Easter and until 40 days after) instead of saying "Bună ziua" which means "hello, good day" they say "Hristos Învaţat!" which means "Christ has resurrected!" and then in response you say "Adevărat! Învaţat!" which means "its true, He has resurrected!" I just think that is so cool. In Romania they have such a deep focus on Christ at Easter time, so much more so than in America. I just think that is so impressive. I guess thats what you get when church isn't seperate from state :)

Anywho... time is up, I love you and Paşte Fericit! (Happy Easter... Late).

Love,
Nicole