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 58

Dear Mom,

Haha, no I meant 5pm your time, sorry for the mix up. Would Dad be home by then? IF this doesnt work for you, then you need to email Sora or President Hill so they can call me and we can figure it out.

You will do such a great job as a nursery teacher! Just keep up the good work.

There isnt a whole lot to share this last week. Not a lot happened. We were able to get out and contact more than we have been able to do in the past weeks, which is good. Hopefully we can have a bit of success.

Talk to ya SOON!!!!!

Elder Ormsby

District Christmas Feast

 Romanian and Moldovan money

 Found the shirt and shorts.  Bought the hat.

 Elder A made french toast!

 Sick, so Elder Ormsby bundled up and the comps turned up the heat.

 Caroling with the members.

 More of the district feast.

Week 57

So....

Funny story. All the pictures that you took from other people and put onto the blog were from a different Christmas party. We are in Iasi haha, on the other side of the country! We went up to Moldova for our Christmas party. We had a long Maxi Taxi ride that was less than fun. When we finally reached Chisinau (capital) we were met with a brisk Siberian wind. SOOO COOOLDDD! I feel bad for those missionaries up there, but only for the cold. Moldova is a great place! It was like going from America to Romania. New country, slightly dirty, slightly broken, new language and old communistic...I LOVE IT! We started out our Christmas conference with a short training meeting and then off to hear from the APes and President and Sora Hill. We then hear about some of the mission news and found out that the new mission president is going to be President Ivory.  This guy is one smart dude (can you call future presidents "dude"?) Just as we were about to start the tie and scarf exchange, the power went out. We said a group prayer asking for power while the senior couples rushed the food over to their apartment and then us missionaries started our exchange. Good thing all our cell phones come with flash lights! I got a pretty slick tie, and my 3D tie was a hit. Still in the dark, we started to sing Christmas carols, not by the fire, but again with cell phone flash lights. Finally the lights came on, just in time for dinner and the slide show. We then found out that we would be the only 2 zones in the WHOLE MISSION who wouldn't receive root beer. This is ok, because we are ordering our own (beating the system one step at a time haha). The next day we stayed in Chis to have a Pday. It was cold, windy and awesome. There is so much communistic stuff out there. I am going to go back and get a few pins and what not. I did buy a big fluffy hat that I will have to show you at another time. 

Skype: When do you want to Skype? I can do it any time during the week of Christmas. You tell me when and I will be there. Or at least, what times will be best for you?

Love you lots,

Elder Ormsby

Sorry no pics this week, I forgot my hard drive and my camera. Next week will have lots. 

(Note from Mom:  if any missionary parents were sent pictures of the Iasi/Chisinau conference, would you please send me some pics?  And any other pics of Elder Ormsby and his comp, Elder A, Iasi, and Chisinau.  Huge thanks!)

The villa where the branch meets.

Elder Ormsby on the right.

Apparently, President Hill performed "If I Were A Rich Man" from Fiddler On The Roof , in costume and with great drama.  The missionaries all loved it!

Week 56

Dear Family, 

Sorry this letter will probably be a little short. This keyboard is not making me the happiest camper right now, but here is the run down of the past week, and then maybe I will aswer some of your email.

So my new comp has had one crazy first week. This last week we were preparing lunch when we find out that our water has been shut off. The previous missionaries hadnt payed the bill in a water (much to the anger of one man who gave me a talking to). We are then forced to vacate our apartment as our propriatara (land lady) sent us a text and told us we have 1 week before she kicks us out. She was also unhappy with the way that missionaries had previously treated her apartment. It was a pretty nice place, but it will be good to find a new one. The only problem is that the previous missionaries (the one who found the original apartment 1 year ago) looked for an entire transfer. It really takes a lot of time out of missionary work looking for an apartment. The next fun thing happened when we were in a park. I was on the phone with the ZL's and all of a sudden a man approached us and asked Elder Anderson a question. I hurried and hung up on the ZL's and asked the man to repeat what he had asked. We then proceed to talk about things that really dont matter as he tried to tear us apart. He told us that we need to read the Bible. I replied that I was, in fact, currently reading the bible and I was in isaiah. He said " No, you need to read the Bible, you dont believe in the Bible and as such, you couldnt be reading it." It was a very long and very pointless conversation. I say that only because he wasnt really interested in learning anything about the church, or about us. Mostly he wanted us to "be free". I felt really sad for him and told him as much. Elder A loved it, however. I asked him how much he understood, and he understood a bit of it. My favorite is still what he said. I think I already told you about this last story, so I wont continue. So now we live with the ZL's (this is fine, they live at the church and their apartment is HUGE) and we will be looking for a new apartment this week. Right now we are in a internet cafe, in MOLDOVA! Yup, we finally fled Romania and went to a new country. Only for a bit though. Yesterday we had our christmas party/conference, which was a lot of fun. I will be sending pics next week. We are going to go and buy a chaciula soon, so you will need a picture or two of that. Shout out to Elder Andersons mom who has tasked me with helping him to write good emails and take lots of pictures. My mom can attest that the second one will be near impossible, but we shall see what happens. 

Loves to all who read this,

Elder Ormsby

(Note from Mom:  No pics this week.  I did pull these off of the senior missionaries blog.  huge thanks to them for thinking to document this activity)

(Elder Ormsby far left)

(these incredible senior missionaries cooked a feast for homesick elders and sisters.  According to their blog the meal was ham, potatoes, rootbeer, and pie.  I'm sure that Elder Ormsby was particularly thankful for the rootbeer and pie.)

(These missionaries are saints!)

Week 55

Dear Family,

Yup, we went and ate at the Bs house! It was so much fun. We were not supposed to be able to go because we were going to leave on a train to Iasi on Wednesday night like normal. However, the office elders weren't able to get the health appointments done and we had to stay an extra day, lucky us! I asked Sora B if we could come over with Sora K and her boboaca (cause its no fun to be alone on Thanksgiving). Sora B was so excited that we would be able to stay. On the day of Thanksgiving, Sora K called me and asked if one other companionship could come over to Sora Bs house, and if she didn't have room then Sora K wouldn't be coming. I also found out that Sora G and her new comp (all of us going to the Bs house had new companions straight from America) would be out on the streets as well. I called up Sora B and basically plead their cases. Sora B is such a saint, I am so grateful that I had the chance to meet her while I was here in Romania. She said that they could all come over, and there was so much food! It was super good.

My new companion is hilarious! We are very much alike in terms of humor and what not. I will include a picture or two (just to keep you happy :)) We went out contacting the other day and as we were ready to get done, a man comes up and talks to my comp as I am on the phone with the ZL's. So I hurry and hang up, only to have him try and rip us apart. It was a very sad experience. I kept feeling so bad for him, he just wouldn't stop with the bashing. We never went anywhere and he walked away feeling like he "won" (no one "wins" in that kind of situation). My comp loved it. He didn't really understand much, but he thought it was great that the guy said that he loved us before he walked away. ELDER A  (I forgot to tell you his name) said "Well, that's nice that he loves us, at least God wont be so hard on him now" haha! First contact in Iasi and we talk to that guy. Apparently he had already talked to the ZL's, who were in the park with us, and did the same thing to them. I think the part that I was most impressed with was when he told me the Book of Mormon contradicts the Bible on every page. So I opened up a page and told him to show me where, or any other page for that matter, when it contradicted the Bible. I have been reading the Bible for personal study. I have come to understand a little bit of what I have been reading and no where does it contradict the Book of Mormon. On the contrary, they compliment each other. So I felt real bad for the guy, and told him that I was sorry he didn't understand. It was quite a lot of fun to be honest. I learned a bit about what I am made of (especially the fact that I understood quite a bit of what he was sayin') and it was just a good little talk for my new comps first time.

Happy Birthday Secondborn and Thirdborn!!!

Sorry this one is so short, we will be going bowling today and we are already a bit behind.

Love Elder Ormsby

Pic: The family

 How many people can the office elevator hold (you really gotta see these elevators Dad)

 Three of the sister trainers (there were five but the moldovans are too cool for us (I think they were in Moldova by that point))

Dogs got dreads here