Cool week!
This week was pretty solid. It is crazy I have already passed my year mark now.. goes by soo fast but I am stoked I still have more time to live here and do the work out here.
I feel like my character has improved for sure and I am striving to go all in. This next transfer will be a good one with whatever happens. This past one has been so awesome with Elder Reed. He's a good friend and we have had a great time and have done some good things.
We went out to a small city outside of Sibiu, Talmaciu. To visit a member and his parents. It was really cool. We hung out with his dad and he talked about the rules of snooker, which are incredibly confusing. I guess he is retired from being a nuclear physicist and just smokes and chills watching snooker. Also takes care of a vineyard in his backyard. I swear if you live La tara or even have a little bit of a yard here, you have a cool garden and chickens for sure. I learned some crazy words playing scrabble in Romanian. I need to step my game up on my Romanian recently.
We made Mici and some salad. It was a good time.
Conference was incredible. I need to watch again and study my notes, but I really liked Elder Causee's talk, the french guy. Elder Holland always delivers and really prophesies which I love, because it really makes me feel like I am hearing the word of God.
We watched it in English on a SmartTV that we got the branch from Bucuresti because our other TV was huge and old, and also in Romanian over this broadcast system that was a huge pain... running back and forth trying to get things to set it up and hook it up to the TV and ended up not working, but we could listen/watch in english at the same time which was great. There are some members across the country that translate for the church as a living, so they do the translating and it came over the broadcast. If you go on lds.org and the conference page, you can change the language to Romanian... Check it out and let me know what you think! haha
Our district has 2 possible baptisms set here in Sibiu. They haven't had a baptism here in over 4 years. As BP I have extended callings to some members and they are really stepping up and feel the trust we are placing in them, which is cool. Trying to get the members to take more responsibility and it's going well. The church is growing and it is legit. But most importantly more and more people are coming to be converted to Christ and truly seeking him and understanding his fullness through the restored gospel.
So we are chilling and about to start conference and the old BP and his wife walk in. I'm just like, oh hey BRO how was GERMANY!!!!?? We shared some laughs and had a little convo. So this is going to be an incredible help to the branch. For real, it's going to be great.
Last time I saw him, the only time I saw him, he said he was leaving the next day so... now I've got some help.
I haven't celebrated Easter yet since this part of the world is all Orthodox. We are going to be partying it up at a cool activity this weekend. Painting eggs and all that greatness. Plus teaching more about Christ. Easter is supposed to be really huge here so I am stoked!
Elder Lex (my old comp in Moldova who went home) and his family came to Sibiu to visit. It was sooooooo incredible. He is super Austrian and I love it so much. We just toured around the city for a bit and got some good food. It was a great time. He wore Lederhosen and everything haha so sick!!! I wore them too, I'll send a photo probably. I look GOOD man. haha They are comfy too.
Conference was really incredible by the way. If you didn't watch, read, or listen. Re-evaluate yourself and go feast on the good word of God! I promise you'll find an answer you really need. Tons of hits on marriage and family. I was stoked on President Monson talking about the Temple. I totally miss that place and just seeing them. If you have the chance, go and take advantage of the spirit felt there. It is true peace and joy.
Sometimes being here I miss when I was able to relax on Sunday a little and have someone share a bunch of great lessons and spiritual meat. But in return I have understood the importance of study and reading, gathering knowledge and searching for truth. "seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith."
Go get it. Search and find it. Learn something knew and recognize it everyday this week. make it a habit.
God is love.
- Elder Boydstun
