The New Bucharest Life

If I didn't think I was a real adult for the first year and a half of my mission, I do now!

Elder Ditto is in the house!

Life here in Bucharest is a lot different compared to the last time I was here with Elder Bontempo and Elder Jacobson. I am bouncing around from police station, to train station, to buying plane tickets, filming things for our Facebook page, and ensuring all missionaries are safe and always with a companion during transfer changes- every day is equipped with a new challenge and adventure!

Filming Sesh [Elder Welling] for the new Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Facebook country page called 

Biserica lui Isus Hristos a Sfinţilor din Zilele din Urmă - România . It was really awesome to get back in the video editing world!

Click here to link directly on the church's facebook page in Romania:  https://www.facebook.com/mormonii.Romania/videos/752406754954012/?hc_ref=ARS57SWatxTD0_Uu97x6qrmVYtFsfxrzJaKCJhBBp-VOtGH2Q-5B-2r-ykw_UN453xE&pnref=story

Elder Trottier is my new trusty companion. He is also the office guru, serving here for like five transfers throughout his mission as an office elder. I have been able to see him throughout my mission and am really looking forward to serving together. We will most likely be together till the end of his mission (July), and then I will have one more transfer after that. Elder Trottier is a great guy- super funny, always looking for ways to draw closer to Christ, and has a knack with people and the Romanian language. I am SO pumped for this adventure!

Elder Trottier hard at work.

So coming from Chisinau, Moldova- I had been "in the trenches" so to speak. All I had to do was worry about making sure I was finding new investigators, helping those who I met with come unto Christ, and strengthen the branch. Being the 2nd counselor in the branch presidency really gave me some great insight on what it will be like serving in church callings back at home. I felt like I was out of my mojo this week because what I am doing now really isn't just those three things! As an office elder, we are in charge of all the travel in the mission, ensuring everyone is legal and does their visa work, we are spear-heading some social media projects, and then basically do anything else that is needed of us.

It has been a treat getting to know the Hettinger family (mission president for Romania/Moldova mission) over the past seven months, and when President called me about this new assignment, I was giddy at the thought of spending more time with them. President Hettinger has a real way of connecting with people. When you talk with him, you feel like you are the most important person on the planet. He is a man of stalwart faith, and is a humble servant of God. Sister Hettinger is also one of a kind. She has reinforced the fact that you can have fun, and be obedient. She is a great example to me of following the words of our called church leaders whatever the costs. They are a great team and I am happy to be part of it.

Coming back to the Mihai Bravu branch this Sunday was SO awesome. Fratele Lucian asked me to say to say the closing prayer at sacrament meeting and when I got up I took a little glance into the congregation and felt peace and a great love for these Romanians. It was so fun to rekindle all of my relationships with many of the members. When you make a real friend here, they are truly friends for life! I feel so privileged to be back in a branch I love, and seeing the growth made even in the three months since I have been gone, gave me so much hope for the church here in Romania. 

Amidst all the craziness, we did our best to get on the streets and in the blocks to do good ol' classic missionary work. The Lord really did bless us with several opportunities to proclaim The Good News. 

The best one was getting let in by a family after one of the members suggested we try and block knock a particular block. The family had a relative that married a less-active, and were so curious as to what we believed. I know that God loves each one of us, and that the principles of Jesus Christ truly do bless our families. Eight year-old Flavia, jumped for joy and hugged the Book of Mormon when she found out that we were giving it to the family. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God! 

Here is to another great week! Keep calm and love it all!

Love,

Elder Ditto