Lasi, Baptism, Moldova vs Lichtenstien

This week was incredible.  So many good things are happening it is crazy!

The baptism happened. It went really well, I was so stoked to see one for the first time here. Cool thing is, we have one scheduled every week now for the rest of the transfer... cool, huh?

Chisinau is awesome, and President is putting a ton of trust in this place and things are happening.

We had a cool mission conference in Lasi this week, it was super cool. Elder Kearon from the 70 came. He has been a member since he was 26 and was called to Second Quorum of 70 when he was 48. Crazy.  (It took him 2 years of lessons before he accepted baptism)

He had a lot of really great things to say and I wish I brought my notes so I could remember and share them with you. A lot about consecrating our time and efforts and taking the Setting Apart literal. Stepping it up and taking it to a very real level of setting ourselves apart from the world.

He also talked about uniting in prayer. The past few months, President has asked us all to unite in prayer. So we pray together at 6:30 am, 10 am, 10 pm. as a mission. It is cool and we've already seen blessings from it. Elder Kearon is literally incredible. I learned so much.. even in just the first 5 minutes of noticing and noting his composure and demeanor. So composed and sincere and so much love being expressed. Everyone felt like he was talking directly to them and for them. He formed his lesson around our needs and our desires, taking stories and questions.. asking for our imput but not a "guess what I am thinking" game. He is English so he also said I bunch of funny British mannerisms like "niggles"hahaha. But really, it was awesome. Lasi is a cool city, too. We didn't see to much. Pres is very business, get in, get out, get to work. I like it though. It makes me feel like the work is most important, which it is. 

Kearon said that he felt something here and he explained it to the zone leaders and sister training leaders at the mission leadership council in Bucharesti. He said there is something that he felt in Cape Verde (or something) in Spain. and he said that Romania/Moldova will be like the "Brazil of Europe"

Crazy coool. It was a good time!

I am doing well, feel good. Probably not going back to Romania for a while. That's fine though. I love this place.  I think we are going to have a Thanksgiving thing together with the two Senior Couples here in Chisinau. So we'll see how it goes.

English started, so that is crazy and cool and we had a ton of people that came. So basically we had a solid weekend of fast/prayer last week. Ended up getting 10 people that are interested in learning more about the church. So sick!  So, at the end of English (Lex and I teach beginners) we were announcing the 2-min pause and then a spiritual thought. Then this guy just asks "So what religion is this? What church? What makes you different?"  Elder Lex started explaining and we said the name of the church or otherwise known as Mormons. Then I said one thing that is different about us is we believe in the Restoration of the gospel. Elder Lex backed me up and explained Christ establishing his church and then it being lost and then JS. Then I explained how he had a question and that is how it began. And our offer to the world is to read the Book of Mormon and to ask God if it is true and then if it is.. (insert implications). Etc.

It was crazy. We just testified hardcore to like 15 people just sitting and listening. Then after, some guy came and gave us his info wanting to know more. SICK!!   What makes you different"?  Oh let me tell you, man!

When we went to Lasi, we had to take a Maxi Taxi there. So basically a sprinter van filled with bus seats, like the party van things. But anyways, the roads in Moldova are the worst in the world. Like that literally might be a fact, look it up for me haha. We crossed the border and all. We got there fast since driving here is just a free for all blitz wherever you are going.

Elder Kearon from the 70  dropped some sincere and loving WISDOM. I loved it so much, I learned a ton from him. He talked WITH us about consecrating ourselves and setting ourselves apart from the world, to become the men/women we can be. Living on a high standard. He stressed big time a solid Morning Routine. Getting up on time, work outs, eating well and attacking the day. He says that if you go about just lazily and mediocre, you will have a mediocre (at best) day. Then that reflects to the week, month, year, life!

So that is my challenge to you.. Go out and get it!

We got voie to go to the Moldova/Lichtenstein Euro Cup match this Saturday, after a baptism so that was incredible. Off course it was mostly in Russian but that's just fine. Moldova ended up losing off a FOOLISH free kick goal right infront of the box.. perfect upper 90 shot, I got it on film. It was incredible though, just seeing Moldovans get crazy and support their insane little country. So stoked about it. haha!

Of course I got an awesome Moldova scarf.

Yeah but basically that's all I can even remember. 

I am tired all the time, but so stoked on life. it is cool...

"Be happy, but don't be satisfied." 

Push yourself to do something incredible this week.

Elder Cole Boydstun

Vision

From Monday Nov. 10, 2014

Time is flying by.. 

Moldova is awesome. it is crazy and a bigger city. it was cold the beginning of the week but has warmed up!  Chisinau is still crazy. Russian is still everywhere. This email miiiight be shorter

We were English contacting, like handing out English class cards and stuff. This guy stopped and talked to us for a second about English and he wanted to give some cards to his friends or something. Then saying goodbye he straight up Nazi saluted us. Like yelled "heil!" and did the whole wave thing. It was nuts! haha I died laughing for a while.

A lot of the main streets here are filled with street merchants or whatever they would be called. They sell a lot of random stuff.. onions, branza (cheese?), slippers, home made beer, fur hats, etc. Sometimes they are just old ladies that put out a bunch of stuff on blankets and don't even try to sell it, just sit and talk to other old ladies. Or like the random old dude that is selling military fold up shovels. 

But today, we went and got fitted and described to this guy and woman for custom shoes. they are way cool and legit handmade. and they would probably total up to like 30 USD. got to get some shoes for winter, why not get them fitted to my foot?

We've had a lot of planning to do this week and brainstorming to use this upcoming week. We are focusing on doing some cool contacting with some crazy new methods or something.

Being bold.

The whole communist party thing is getting crazy. They have tent things set up and hand out their flyers all over. Same with the EU guys. I guess elections are coming up.

The only time I get bummed out is maybe an hour or two wishing I could utilize my opportunity and find people that are open when things are slow. But we have been fasting and praying to find a way to contact people and find those who are prepared. Being a missionary is awesome, you'd like it.

The sisters here are way cool and funny. The branch here is awesome and they have institute, FHE, and sports night set up weekly. People come and are involved…a solid branch. We had like 60 people at church this Sunday so it's a lot bigger than Arad. Still work to do and strengthening and finding, of course.

People are poor for sure, some are okay. It seems like Corruption is a big problem in Moldova since there is advertisements against it all over and in the city buses and stuff.. so there isn't much of a middle class, ya know? Also it's crazy that the communist party is a legit thing haha, they have tent things set up handing out flyers and posting them across the city and some drive around with commie flags in their car windows. Elections are soon here. 

We had a really cool meeting with our Branch President this week. He FED us... whoa man. It was some really good pasta that he learned to make when he was in Italy. He went on a mission. Super cool family, I got fed for the first time by a member and we had a cool message that I will write in a second.

We also met up with the Cociu family and they are incredible man. My comp just had them baptized last transfer.  They are the happiest little family here and their two kids are awesome. Lorenziu and Maxim. They were just being typical little kids, trying to long jump off the bed over their dad and then playing catch with a stuffed cow toy. I love families. Something kinda rare here, sadly!

Anyways, something Elder Lex has taught me.. I will probably use forever. 

A method to setting goals to reach a vision or idea. We shared this with our Branch Pres.

First, you have to create a vision... where you want to be, what you want to do, who you want to be.. think it out and envision it. Somewhere you aren't yet, but want to be, and believe in.  Something that brings joy into your little ol heart.

Take that vision and think of what needs to happen to achieve it, the goals you need to set to make the steps towards the vision. 

Then take those goals and make plans on how to reach the goals. Maybe something you need to do daily to achieve the goal. numbers are annoying but they help.. step outside your comfort zone. reach towards your potential.

Then, it's going to come down to Work and Accountability.. man up, and take responsibility. It's your life, Live it!

Take it as a challenge to set a vision, whether it is in your family, career, school, world adventures, whatever... sit down, pray, think and dream a little and make it happen. Read a book, and learn something cool. 

Most important, know that God loves you. He wants you to be happy, he's got your back and he knows exactly what is going to last. Turn to him and you will find life eternal.

I love you all. Thank you for the love you send my way and the friendship. Keep it real! 

- Elder Boydstun

I am going to Moldova

From Monday October 27

This week was awesome. Solid way to end the transfer.

Let me tell you

We were walking to the tailor down the street from our place to pick up my comps pants and such, and this real random BILLY GOAT is just bahh-ing at us from inside this garage/gated off place right next to the street. That was crazy! He had full fledged ram horns and everything.

We met up with our investigator friend Ghiti. Incredible. He is the man, and I am going to miss this guy. I've been meeting up with him weekly for probably 5 months now. 

But it was basically a "where are you at and how can we help you grow even more". We conversed, he gave us some juice, and talked about work, blah blah. Then we started talking about faith and the legit transformation he has gone through the past 5 months into a happier and more Christ-like guy. 

That is the stuff that makes me happy, when people actually change and find joy and peace in their lives. Not just the numbers of lessons. 

But he stepped out of the room, I looked at my comp.. we both say "so are we going to set a baptismal date or what? "13th or 20th of December?"

He comes back and I challenge him to take the step to follow Christ and to grow closer to him and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost by being baptized on the 20th of December.

He agreed. It's going to be a work in progress to help him prepare, but it's going DOWNNN. So stoked.

It was the most flowing relaxed cool conversation. He testified to me about how this is the Church of Christ, and his testimony of the Book of Mormon.

Incredible. WORD to my brother Dustin for hooking me up to be bold.

We had a cool Halloween party, I wrecked everyone at a competition of eating some nasty ginger cookie off a string and got my face painted like an old man.

My branch pres got convinced into bobbing for apples. Oh my, one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

I'm going to miss this guy. I can finally understand his crazy mach 10 Romanian super slurred talk and now...

I'm getting transferred to Chisinau, Moldova! Soo stoked. I am going to be with Elder Lex. He is incredible and from Austria. I wanted to learn Italian, but I guess I'll be picking up on German and Russian now. Whatever works. I am super pumped though. I've heard only beautiful things about Moldova (if you know what I'm sayin) hahaha. 

The branch there is way cool, I guess. It'll for sure be different than the little city of Arad. Going from a city of 200,000 people.. to a City/area of 800,000. 

I hear Moldova is incredible so I am super lucky.  Everybody in Oradea (they've all been here longer) keep telling me that we are "the companionship" now and it's going to be incredible.  So I am way stoked!

It was tougher than I expected to say goodbye to the people here…I love them. But, I've got time to come back.

Today, we went to Timisoara, it is such a sick city. A college city so there's a ton of young people and it's way cleaner than Arad. Way cool Centru that is super open. And a bunch of cool graffiti everywhere. 

We had some good talks, and some crazy discussion about some theories about the 3 wise men. 

Today was solid.

I can't remember everything that happened this week, but that's the gist of it. Gray is killing it in Med school of course. Baby is chubby and white and healthy, haha. The cat outfit is solid and Gray's chili peppers shirt rules!

I'll be heading to Buch tomorrow and get in Wednesday morning, then leave later that day to Chisinau. 

I guess they stop and wake you up at the boarder to check passports and whatnot. and I guess they actually have to lift the train up and switch the train wheels because they changed the train tracks at the boarder in case of war times. 

So that'll be cool. I'll send pictures when I can! 

Keep adventuring, because life is boring with out it!

 oh and... It's not an adventure unless something goes wrong!  Super cool, huh?

Keep doing your thing, be obedient in following Christ. Seek him and you'll figure life out>

Love you,

Elder Cole Boydstun