Week 101

Dear Family,

Thank you so much for working so hard to make sure that I have a bed! It will be nice to have some place to call my own, without wondering if there are any bed bugs, cockroaches or other insects ;)

I would appreciate it if you kept a copy of those talks.

We are going to leave tomorrow morning to Deva (my old stomping grounds) and then down to Craiova until Thursday. We are actually meeting with the less actives who live to far away from the branches to be visited by missionaries. I am so excited, because it will be a great opportunity for  Elder C to grow a lot in a very short time. I really hope all the members meet up with us. We don't have phone numbers for everyone, so it will be a knock-and-pray couple of days. We are hoping to have sacrament in Deva on Wednesday, which will be such a great opportunity for all those members.

To tell you the truth, I had a pretty rough day this week. It was an accumulation of many things throughout the week, but Satan really hit hard on Saturday and Sunday. We had set up a lesson with J, just outside of where he worked. We talked about the Restoration and had a fantastic lesson! He even said the closing prayer and it truly was one of the best, most sincere prayers I have ever heard. Just as we finished up, a man walked up who seemed to know our investigator. He said hello to J, and seemed to know him. After they said a few remarks, I asked how his (the new man) day was going (in Romanian). He opened his mouth and began the down hill sermon straight from the devil. Honestly, I have never been more depressed, more disgusted or more angry than I was in those ten minutes (if it was even that long). He asked why we were there, then told us that no one wanted us here, that no one cared and that no one can be helped, because no one wants to be helped. He tried to say some other things before I told him that what he was saying was inappropriate and he needed to stop. We tried to talk to him about his life and faith, just to find out where he was coming from, but to no avail. To this day I still have no idea what his motives were. It just went on for a bit longer, until I couldn't listen any more and we left. I have been berated, yelled at, mocked and questioned, but i have never walked away with so much anger. Usually I am able to laugh about it, or brush it off, but not this time. After such a good lesson, you would think that we would be very upbeat, but it really killed me. It was hard. My comp really helped me out of the rut as we went throughout the rest of our day.  The positive to this story is the sermon I had afterwards. The next morning, as I was attempting to figure out exactly why I was still upset, a light blinked on. I realized that God will always win. I knew that before, but in that time I really knew it. God will always win. Every single time. Satan is fighting a losing battle, and he knows it. He wants us to be miserable, but he knows he will eventually lose. As I thought about all the things the sad man had said, I realized that I was so upset because I knew what he had said was so incorrect. Everything he said was meant to push us away from meeting with J. Satan had come into our path at such a critical time in our day, the time where we had just had our "spiritual boost" from a great lesson and he almost made us give up. I, however, have God, who has given me an arsenal against the adversary, my companion being one of them. As we were walking away, we walked up to J, who was working a little ways away. Elder C said "Hey Jude, do me a favor and don't listen to anything that guy says." I'm not sure why, but I feel as if that one sentence made the difference between us meeting with J. We have another lesson with J. We know he will be baptized and we know he will be a key player in God's army. God always wins and its up to us to decide which team we fight.

I love you all. I will see you soon!

Elder Ormsby

Week 70

Dear Family,

Rabdare Mama, rabdare...

Lol, we just got back from our zone conference in Arad. We were going to write tomorrow, but we have English and FHE, so we decided to take a bit of time to email our stuff now. Lucky you! I have received the bank card and will send it out as soon as I can. I will read over it and see if there are any special instructions that I missed magically. Send me an email if you know something that I need to know. 

I have learned so much on my mission. One of my favorite things comes from my Grandma and has been my internal motto this transfer. "Lighten up” in spirit and attitude and enjoy everyone around you and everything you are doing.  Appreciate the beauty of the snowflake and how if it wasn’t so cold you wouldn’t ever see such a beautiful creation...Don’t look back at what you wish you might have done but push forward solidifying relationships and testimonies remembering in whose name you are working." 

This transfer has been the best transfer of my entire mission. NOT because everything is perfect and we have baptisms and all that jazz. Oh no, we have 0 investigators and have had quite a few people fall out of contact with us (including another member). Its my favorite because of my district and the fact that I have been enjoying "everyone" and "everything". I laugh about the drunken guy, I smile about the mistake in Romanian, I almost cry from laughing so hard about all the funny little things that happen each and every day. 

Life is pretty good. For example (and this one might make you cringe a little bit Mom), today for Zone Conference I was asked to sing in a quartet. We were supposed to sing "Mila sus de straluceste" or "Brightly Beams, Our Fathers Mercy"...something like that. Anyways, its the same song that I sang in Timi last year, only I was singing bass. This time I sang the melody...the "easiest" part. It was so funny. First, I kept going to the bass line, but remembering that I needed to be higher than the bass, I sang an octave higher, then the alto part sounded nice, so I sang along with him. Finally, I would remember my part and get that out of my system before the end of the verse. Then the show started all over again. To make it even better, my body decides that it is going into shock and starts to shake...hard! I was trying so hard not to laugh because all I could think about was how ridiculous I looked. Then I squeaked one of the notes. Better and better! I am smiling right now, as I am writing this letter, it was so funny. I never would have been able to laugh, about a situation like that, before my mission. I loved every second of it! My favorite part was looking up with smile, ready to see some of the agony on the other missionaries faces. One of the sisters had her head down with her hand up, as if she couldn't look at us after the song. Like a "oh those guys, I don't know them" LOL!!! Best zone conference ever haha. The other thing that I was thinkin' was about how you never wanted us to watch the bad performances on American Idol (Trademark symbol (just in case)).

I have just finished the OLD TESTAMENT. Wow, that was one behemoth that I could use a translator for. It was rough going, but compared to the Old Testament, the New Testament is like a bag of cookies. I love reading the different accounts of the life of Jesus. How some apostles put emphasis, where others neglected to mention it. Pretty cool stuff. I also listened to a really good talk from Elder Bednar.  It was a great talk about how we pray for our trials to be changed. But it is more often that we receive the strength to overcome our trials, rather to have them taken from us. The Enabling Power of the Atonement

Ya, so life is good. Missionary work isn't really going to fast, but its going and I can see some hope, so why shouldn't life be good?

Love

Elder Michael Ormsby

Week 67

Dear Family, friends and blog stalkers,

I have to laugh every time some new missionary comes in and says "ya, I stalked your blog." Haha, its all good. I'm glad that someone reads it!

So this last week has been a really strange one. I would be lying if I said I wasn't angry when I left Bacau. I would be lying if I said I wasn't incredibly depressed, but I would also be lying if I didn't say that it all went away the minute I entered Timisoara. It was as if the Lord said "Ok, you've had your time to grieve. Now, I need you, go to work." Walking out of the gara, I felt what every kid feels on Christmas morning. Excitement and anticipation. I am here in Timisoara and ready to make the best of it. I am ready to see all my old investigators, to see if they are finally ready. I am ready to see the members (including one that we all thought would have passed away almost a year ago).

We have got a really good district here in Timisoara. Besides having the Hs back :) we have Elders M1, M2, S (you were so close on the spelling) and then Soras S and L. We have had a great time already and I know that we are going to get along really well this next transfer. 

We don't have dental appts, unless we have an emergency (I can tell you that the dentist isn't going to like that when I get back). Add to the fact that my eye sight has gotten worse in a year and a half makes me really excited to go see the doctors when I get back...

Tell Secondborn and Thirdborn to send me some pictures and to write me once in a while! Don't worry about making me homesick, it would take a lot more than that, trust me. 

Please pray for a friend of mine. Her mom just passed away and I know that it is really hard for her. I'm not going to include a name, cause I don't think she would like her name out and about. Just keep in mind Elder Ormsby's friend. 

Love you all and Ill talk to you soon,

Elder Ormsby

Thanks to the Senior Missionaries for the pics:

Happy to be back on the streets of Timisoara.

 With new companion, Elder S!

 And the beloved Maxi Taxi rides to Oredea for district conference.

Week 60

Dear Family,

Thank you for clarifying at the beginning of each paragraph what feeling I should expect haha! They fit each line perfectly. I am sorry to hear that the insurance is being a pain. I am glad I never had to deal too much with it while I was in the office. Sorry to hear that your favorite patient had to leave you. Hopefully you will be able to work with him in the near future, but the other story is really cool.  How long have you been working with her? It cant have been very long, so that is a really impressive accomplishment! 

That is Sora L! She is the happiest person on the planet. He first name is _______ (or something close), literally means Sunny! That is so cool that she is in Gs ward. I cant believe that all these people are going home. It is so sad, but life moves on. I think it will be the hardest when my sisters go home. We shall see what we shall see.

Yes! Remind Secondborn to write me, and Thirdborn. I don't remember ever saying that they could stop haha. No pictures for this week. I will tell you why in just a bit. Good for Secondborn for doing the math tutoring. Tell him that his grades are important (say its from me). It probably wont do anything, but eh who knows. 

I am so excited to play bball in the spring. It is so much fun when you are a little bit better haha. Ive been trying to be a more obedient missionary with morning work outs. I am going work on my vertical before summer. 

So, it looks as if my turn here in Iasi has come to an end. I am being transferred to Bacau. It is the weirdest feeling to leave someone you are training, especially since I thought I would have another one with him. I am going to be companions with the missionary branch president. President says that he is "testing the waters". We shall see what that means next transfer. If I stay another one, it means I will be the next BP in Bacau. I am both excited and nervous. It will be like nothing I have ever done before, except when I was working with President F. The other weird thing is that I am going to be traveling by myself on Tuesday down to Bacau. It is a 3ish hour maxi taxi ride, but I will be all alone. It will be the longest time I have been by myself in the last year. Nervous? A little. I might stop a few times to "stretch". Just kidding Mom, no eye rolls now (i hear it now "oh, you little stinker"). 

We met this couple while English contacting that was very good for myself and Elder A. They were a bit hesitant at first, but then opened up. My favorite part was when the wife asked me where I learned to speak such good Romanian. The husband immediately turned to me with a wink and said "From his girlfriend of course!" I had a good laugh and then explained a bit of what we do here as missionaries and who we were.  They were really polite and reminded me why I like missionary work and gave Elder A a taste of acceptance. I really hope that they come to class on the 21st. They would be great investigators. 

With working hard this last week, we were given a great opportunity. On Saturday, R (a member, who is legit) texted us and asked us what our schedule was like. He then forwarded a message from one of his friends. "Anywhere, it doesn't matter. I need to meet with them. I received an answer and I want to be baptized." We met with him that day and he is very prepared. He used to be an investigator 3 years ago and went so far as to pass the baptismal interview. I don't know exactly why he wasn't baptized, but he is ready now. He was very guided during our lesson, even when I almost messed up a part! There are at least 4 potential baptisms here in Iasi for the next few transfers. I am very excited for Elder A and Elder F.

Love you all,

Elder Ormsby

Week 59

Dear Family,

Well, if I didn't have such awkward fingers, then the CTR ring would fit nicely. My knuckles are pretty fat, while my fingers are real skinny. It fits on my middle finger, and is kept on by my knuckle haha. 

I bet Secondborn had a really cool experience with B. I loved taking the sacrament to a sister in the old ward who fell and broke her hip. She was always so grateful for us. 

Glad to hear that you weren't hurt too bad. You just had to go and join the club! Your car looks suspiciously like ours out here, only our back right tire was the one that was killed. As soon as I saw the car I thought "Totaled".

Definitely go for the Subaru Forester, it looks like something I can take muddin' when I get back. Just kidding...but really.

Yesterday I wasn't feeling all that hot (actually I was really hot, but that's beside the point) and we didn't get out. I called a few people in our area book and found a few potential lessons. As I sat there thinking about our work, I decided that we hadn't been working to our full potential. So I grabbed Elder A and went to the kitchen. We threw away all our old goals and set new ones. This week will double if not triple all of our numbers for the entire transfer. I am really excited. No more worrying about an apartment, no more dealing with holidays, just missionary work. Prepare yourself first week of January.

This was our week. We started the craziness by greeting the missionaries from Bacau. They came up for the Christmas season so they wouldn't be alone on Christmas.  Monday, we had a few relaxed pday. We just dealt with all the treaba that needed dealing and prepared for the Christmas season. Monday evening, we went caroling to the S family. Their daughter had just left for BYU and their son is legit. They both went on  missions. One to Ireland (I asked if he knew R, but he couldn't place the name) and the other to London. They speak English really well, basically perfect. After caroling, we went back to the church and watched the first Hobbit. I wasn't all that impressed. I was expecting Lord of the Rings and I feel like I got a video game on sandbox mode (see how many of you catch that reference). 

Christmas Eve brought Hobbit 2. This was way OP, but I liked it a little bit better than the other one. I must say that they were both pretty good movies, I just wasn't all that into it. That evening we talked with Elder A's parents. They are really nice. I will have to take a trip down to California with C and visit them (just so I can send a pic to Elder Anderson). It was so weird to see you with Elder H when he got home, so I figure it will be just as funny for him to see it. 

Christmas Morning (early) I skyped you guys. It was so good to talk to you. Question. Why, in the picture book, is The Love Magnet in the hospital? Yearly check up, or did you forget to tell me something? We had breakfast with the other missionaries on Christmas. Elder C dressed up as Santa (so funny, but you will need to steal that pic from another blog). I made your butter syrup. Most of the other missionaries are timid when it comes to trying new things, so I was the only one who put it on all my pancakes. After food, we had a little white elephant exchange. Sora H opened up a chocolate bar and a mini pineapple. Then "Santa" stole it from her. She was so mad! Not a lot happened after that. We went to eat at a members house and sing some carols. It was some of the weirdest food I have ever had. Basically piftiei (meat jello, this one was turkey). It was mostly good, we all survived. Most of the missionaries skyped their families and we played card games. I was working most of the day to make Christmas dinner. Apparently the sisters don't listen when we talk about plans cause they had no idea that we were doing dinner. They had planned to go back home and eat noodles with something (they didn't really know what). As if I would let someone eat something so sad on Christmas. We had a great meal and some really good eggnog (made by one of the other missionaries).

This was our 3 day Christmas report!

Elder Ormsby

Week 51

Dear Family,

MOM I AM SO STINKIN' PROUD OF YOU!!!

It is so awesome to think about the fact that you have finished with your Masters, you have finished your thesis AND passed the darn thing. Good job!

I was going to send you pictures, but we are at a sketchy cafe, and I dont feel safe plugging in my hard drive (ps I purchased a hard drive. The new mall opened and they had a great deal. 1TB for 300 lei! Hey Dad, do you remember when the GB was "big". Hahah that wasnt too long ago, imagine what the next 5-10 years brings). 

I was able to go to the US Embassy. My companion needed something notarized the American way. Sora B (a member who works at the embassy) gave us a tour after he had his paper notarized. The embassy sounds like a really cool place to work. I will admit that it has been on my watch list since coming to the mission. While we were there I found Franks Hot Sauce. You better believe that I bought it. We had wings that night...So good!

My new companion's name is M, he is from Iasi and he is super cool! I can already tell that it is going to be an interesting transfer. I dont understand Romanian too well, so this will be a great chance for me to improve! He barely speaks any English  so we only speak in Romanian. Yesterday at church was my first time translating from English to Romanian. That is SO much easier. Everyone says it is the opposite, but since when have I been on the norm of things.

Being a district leader is super fun. I love teaching District Meetings. We have gone over the talk by Bruce R. McConkie "the Purifying Power of Gethsemane" and also about prayer. The first few nights were a bit difficult cause I forgot to call my sisters until a little later than normal. I think I have the hang of it now though. 

We havent found anything that can match a world qualifying match. Hopefully we can find something fun though.

Dad, I am the same way. It is super hard for me to connect with people on the streets. If I can have a lesson or two with them, or if I meet them a few times, then it isnt so hard. I much prefer talking to people in blocs (huge cement/communistic apartment buildings). I dont know why, but it is easier for me to approach someone at their door, than to talk to them on the street. Mihai has the desire to talk to people on the streets though, so it will be good practice for me.

Well, mie foame and we still have an hour til the sisters get done with their emailing (I am pretty sure they are trying to write a novel or two )and we can go to pizza hut. Love you all!

Elder Ormsby

"The Purifying Power of Gethsemane", Bruce R. McConkie

April 1985 General Conference

Week 48

So I was going to stay and extra transfer, which means I wouldn't have left the office till January. President and I had a talk, however, and after a few questions he decided that it would be better for me to leave the office a transfer early. I just wasn't a happy camper in there. The first day that I got out was the best/worst. I was sad to leave the office, but so happy to leave. I am starting up the Aviatiei district in North Buc as the District Leader. I was/am with Elder E, but he will be leaving for Iasi and I will be with Elder P until October 31, then Elder P will become the new office elder and I wont have a companion...I'm thinking about getting a solo tag, like in the MTC. President said a virtual companion would do haha.

The first few days were rough, trying to get back in the missionary mood. But I have loved it so much! It feels good to be talking to people, even if they reject you. Those first few times trying to stop people and having the finger wiggle or being straight up ignored, LOVE IT! Seriously. I am so happy to be out. We still live with the office elders, and I am training them this transfer, so we will see what happens next. We went out chalk contacting with the Panduri sisters, my first time, and it was so strange to be talking to people I didn't have to once again. Eventually I met this really cool couple who knew quite a bit about the LDS church and what we stood for. They told us it was a beautiful religion and they had high respect from it. Due to my gresit I didn't get their number, but they have a card. Hopefully we can run into them again.

We were on the metro and had our CLM (Cartea lui Mormon) out where people could see them (President made a big push for all the missionaries to do this). We were speaking in English and a guy across the metro says "they speak in English, but carry a Romanian book...why?" I turned and said "Cause we speak Romanian...sort of." haha his friends ribbed him a bit before I asked him where he was from and why he was in Buc. We didn't get to anything about religion, but it was cool to see that people really do see us. Sometimes it seems like they go out of their way to ignore us. 

Finally, we were out last night trying to place a few CLMs. We knocked into this guy and he showed us a copy of the Book of Mormon that he received in 1977. It has sat on his shelf for a long time. We gave him a new one and then he surprised us by telling us some of the things that he knows about us. He has a ton of respect for the way that the church does things. He loves how service oriented we are. He is going to come to church this Sunday and we are going to try and meet up with him beforehand.

The beach house sounds great! I am super jealous seeing all the fun stuff that you did. It would be really fun to go to the beach with the whole B family.

Love you all,

Elder Ormsby

P.S. I am so happy, 10/10 easily!

Week 36

That is some really good advice Dad, its good to hear that you wrote a bit about your mission. I have talked to a few missionaries and one of the biggest things that they wish they could change is that they wrote more in their journal. I am trying, but it can be a bit difficult to think of things that I would want to remember. I just need to buckle down and do it. 

I have had a much better few days. I am still working on being a happier missionary (probably always will) but I am doing much better. 

Glad the package got to you safe and sound. There is some great chocolate over here and I will be sure to bring some home. 

I have been wanting to go camping ever since we saw a man cleaning out his car from what was obviously a camping trip.   A float sounds awesome! Tell Secondborn good luck getting into the kayak, its small for me and I think it will be replaced when I come home. 

The Love Magnet's party sounds really fun. We will be having a party on the 28th just in her honor...ok, its actually Elder P's birthday too, so we are going to do something fun. 

I have told every missionary companion Uncle B's story about that fight. It is such a great inspiring story. This week we are just getting ready for transfers. It is getting crazy with all of the missionaries who are leaving. One of them was in my first city and is/was the AP. It is crazy to think that was 6 months ago. 

I have recently been trying to do all the work that needs to be doing, even if it doesn't need to be done for another month or two. This has helped  to stay focused, which is always the best thing for a missionary.

How is the rest of our family doing? Is Grandpa's health doing any better? How about Grandma Great? I remember seeing her out on the back porch on summer, towards the end of the day when the sun was setting. I asked Grandma B what she was doing and she said that she was "thanking God for every blessing that she has". She must have sat out there for a few hours before coming in. I agree that her example of the relationship she has with God is amazing. 

Would you please find out how Sister H is doing? I want to send her a letter, but I don't know where she is living right now.

Love you all and hope you are well,

Elder Ormsby