Week 19

Not a lot to say this week. I am here in Deva, a much smaller city than Timisoara. We only have one family in the branch, but they are so solid, it is amazing. They have a little boy with mircofibro...I forget. Micro something. The mom, Sora F is going to write you pretty soon, if she hasn't already, Mom. They are really cool, super funny and totally commited to the work here in Deva. 

My comp is slightly crazy, in a good way. We are nervous to be in a new area and slightly apprehensive, but ready to go  out and do some work. We have a few potential people that sound promising, so we shall see if we have a slightly larger lead than I thought. 

The language is still going, still waiting to understand people. Its finding the balance between concentration and just letting it flow over you. But I really am grateful for the chance that I have to be in a new city with a new comp. Although I will really miss the people that I knew, both missionaries and others, I am grateful for that feeling because it means that I made great friends and that I worked hard in Timisoara. There should be some really great potential here in Deva.

K gotta go bye

Elder Ormsby

The building rented for church services in Deva.

The missionary apartment in Deva.  A lot of room in there for two missionaries. 

Bedroom. 

Bathroom 

Kitchen

One last picture pirated off the Senior missionaries' blog:  a last Young Men activity to play lazer tag with the missionaries.

Week 18

Hey family!!

Unfortunately the baptism fell through because of her not wanting to cause a tear in her family. But we have faith that she will eventually come back. But I probably wont be there as I am being transferred to Deva, a little two man city with one family in the whole city. It has been a roller coaster preparing to lose 3 friends, 2 of which are ending their missions, and now it is a much longer list. I am so grateful for the time that I have had to be in this amazing city with these amazing people. I am so excited to see  the difference when I come back (and I will come back) and I am almost excited to see my new comp and new city. Another white wash.  In a one comp city.

 I am actually sending you a package as well with a little something for The Love Magnet from that family that I was talking about. There will also be a hand written, yes hand written letter for all of you. I don't know when I will be able to get it out, but it will be there within the next 18-21 months...you asked for a nice long letter, but I really don't know what to write about. 

How about the ability that God has to help us through trials and helping us to change ourselves for the better. Ya that will be good. Ok so a few weeks ago I had a really hard time with missionary work. I had lost the will/desire entirely to do missionary work, which made me mad. I knew that there was no way that I could continue on in this way and be a missionary, so I took my own advice that I gave Dad last week and asked my companion for a blessing. Then I focused on only the good things during the entire week. Any time that I was feeling upset, or angry I would stop myself and then think of only the best thoughts about that person, or about what I was doing. It didn't happen right away, but by the end of the week, with a lot of prayers, I had changed my attitude for the better and have since then learned about how to master my emotions. I'm not saying that I can stop any emotion in its tracks, but I have since learned to rely more on the Lord and also the steps of mastering my emotions. It was a really cool experience for me as I had never really tried to change something that big or intense in my life. Try it out sometime. It will be a really hard experience, but I can promise you that you will be blessed for your work and that you will be able to see a difference in the end. As for pictures, here are some of my favorite people in the whole world and some other stuff.

LOVE YOU ALL!!!

-Elder Ormsby

P.S. thank you for the picture

Singing in a quartet

in the maxi-taxi

one of the investigators

Elder H and Elder O.  Elder O said he will miss his comp very much.

Making stuffed mushrooms.  His mama is so proud!

 Goodbye to Elder E.  He is heading home!

Last photos with Elder H, Sora S, Sora ?, and the senior missionaries.  (Thank you senior missionaries for loving our son.)

Week 17

SO COOL TO SEE HIM GOING ON A MISSION! I have no idea who the other two are...thing 1 and thing 2? I love that family.  That is so stinking funny about the teenagers, you probably should have called the cops, but oh well.  t was funny to hear cause I could totally see it happening. 

Thanks for answering the questions, it will help with a family we are teaching (i hope). 

This Friday  I will be baptizing an investigator (not ours) and I am really excited and feel incredibly honored to have been asked. The branch is coming along great and we hope to get things moving really soon here. That is really funny to hear about A and S (what language(s) is she speaking?)

 Love you and you will get something from me soon (I hope).

-Elder Ormsby

Again, thanks to the senior missionaries, we have pictures!

 Sora H took this pic of Elder H, Senior Elder H, and Elder Ormsby from her apartment window as they were leaving for an appointment.  I love the normalness of it all.  

 At institute playing a game.  They were instructed to try to get the cookie from their foreheads to their mouths by wrinkling their faces to make the cookie movie.  No hands allowed!

 Elder Ormsby makes it look cool.

Taking a "maxi-taxi" to get to a district conference three hours away.  Some of the branch members were able to catch a ride with the missionaries.

 From Sora H's blog about this picture:

"The tiny little lady to the far right, was one of the speakers.  She tells about how lucky she was when her neighbor was not home and the missionaries that had come by to visit the neighbor ended up knocking on her door.  She was so excited with their message and the joy that came with it.  She is thoroughly delighted with the gospel - and with her life. She just beamed as she spoke.  This little lady was abandoned by her mother at 3 months.  She was left with various people and had a very hard life.  But that part is over and she now has a wonderful family and she has her church family as well.  It was the first time she had spoken to such a large group but she was very happy to have the chance.  It was delightful just to listen.  One thing about district conference is that they have translators - for the benefit of the mission president and his wife and the area representative - and us!  Many wonderful thoughts throughout the conference.  They are quite direct when they give counsel.  Kind of like Elder Uchdorf when he tells folks if they are doing things wrong - Stop it.  Or if something needs to be done - Do it. "

Week 16

Anyone who is going on a mission and is reading this, follow the white handbook and the rules of your mission president, they are there for a reason. To those same people, I want to tell you a little trick that the Adversary is going to try and play on you. On your mission you will feel frustration. This can be good if you use it to change what you don't like and then become better. It is when that frustration becomes discouragement that it becomes a bad thing. Satan will try and make you feel angry, self-pity or discouraged. If you feel these things, know that you are stressed and you aren't going to help anyone like that. Take a half hour and figure out what is bothering you, change it, pray for help, ask for help from your companion and then take a moment and relax. It is better that you take half an hour instead of a whole day. Know that God loves you, your mission president loves you, and just to throw it in there, I love you. Have fun on your mission.

Week 15

That is so cool about Adam, I bet Grandpa was really excited too. They will both be able to speak French by the time he comes home, although his will be a little different.

Life here is really good, we had mission conference as you know and Elder Richards talked a lot about obedience and referrals. Good thing I have the best companion in the world. I prayed for a companion who would work me really hard and be diligent in all things, and I received it. Elder H is a rockstar here in the Romania/Moldova mission. He is known for his work ethics and everyone loves Elder H, or H as some of the Romanians call him.  Hopefully he rubs off on me a little bit in the next 4 months.

I cant wait to hear about Adam in the MTC, tell me his email, so I can write him a time or two. When does Steph enter in? Or is she already in? OH how is Steph our neighbor? If you haven't seen her in a while, will you just see how she is, take the Love Magnet. Tell her I just wanted to know how she is and then tell her She needs to write me. 

If Dad doesn't get better soon, call up the home teachers. Some of the things that I have come to appreciate here in Romania are: water I can drink from the tap, dishwashers, dryers, elevators that don't scare me when I get in them, ovens with a temp gauge, home teachers and other church callings. We are trying to get things running here in Timi. Right now Timi is jogging, before we leave it will be at a dead sprint. Any ways, call up the home teachers and ask them to give a blessing to Dad, Secondborn and Thirdborn if he needs it. I have learned that it blesses not only the person receiving  but also the person giving. You are depriving those people of the blessings that come from giving a blessing when you think you are wasting their time or dont want to bug them. I learned this in the MTC, understand that you are not bugging someone who holds the priesthood when you are asking for a blessing.  The Priesthood, when worthy, is to be used. Not saved for another time, it doesn't really work that way. Hopefully what I am saying makes sense. Don't be afraid to ask for  a blessing pur si simplu. Love you all and I hope you guys feel better soon.

 

Elder Ormsby

Thanks to the senior missionaries for the pictures 

 Bowling Youth Activity.  Most of them had never bowled before.  The missionaries had to show them how.

Elder Ormsby kept his coat on.

The whole group at the Youth Activity.  Only one was a member, the rest are investigators.

 Missionary concert.  The district from Arad joined in.  Elder Ormsby participated in an Acapella Quartet.

 Missionary choir.

 Must have been the missionaries' idea.  It looks like the Romanians aren't quite sure what to do.

The audience for the music concert.

Going private

Elder Ormsby's blog is going private in the next 2 weeks.  Please msg me if you want to continue to read the blog.

Week 14 with pictures

Know that I love you all and I am so grateful for the opportunity to be in Romania at this time. I have met so many people who I love so very much. I know that this is the true church of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and that we can come to know of its truthfulness through pray and reading the scriptures. I encourage all of you to find out for yourselves, for the first time or to renew your testimony, by reading the Book of Mormon from the beginning to the end with these questions in mind. Does a God exist. Does he love me. How can these stories help me. Is this a true book? Is this the true and everlasting gospel of God? Do these things and end with prayer each time, and I know that our Loving Heavenly Father will answer you. Know that He will answer through the feelings of love, joy and peace in your heart. God can and will help you, if only you ask him with faith, a sincere heart and real intent. Love you all.

- Elder Ormsby

 Showing off his awesome cooking skills.  No, he won't starve.  However, his mother is wondering where are the vegetables?

 Cool car?  Cool car but pink?  Or cool car for mom?  The Love Magnet says "Wow, cool pink car!  I am going to get that for my birthday!"

 Showing the state of his apartment elevators.

Are they up to code?

 Birthday dinner for Sora K and Elder H.  This picture and the next one courtesy of the senior missionaries.  They are so sweet to host these dinners in their apartment.