esti roman?

From July 13, 2015

yo yo yo!

So, this past week has been awesome. Didn't get a chance to email last week to say anything, but it was a good week too. Did some awesome exploring around some really cool parts of Buch. Went into this parking garage filled with graffiti and met some cool guy. 

​We went out to the Brunaru family outside of Buch a little bit. Had some of the best ardei umpluti ever made. oh my..

Elder Lybbert packed up and left to Calgary, eh?  And it was a good time we had that last week. Picked up Elder Everton and we are homies. It's awesome. We work hard and then basically a laugh fest all day.

Things have been so killer. Mihai Bravu is cool, more Romanian vibe than Panduri. Fratele Brunaru was there to speak and refers to me as Micutule now (little one), it's dope.  The new area is incredible. The branch is really cool, more open and seems more Romanian. Ya know, no pews, different characters in the branch and not so high class. Panduri is awesome, just intimidating to some in a sense, but I am glad I made the friends I did there. My new comp is incredible. We are BROS. He's from Idaho. Nobody took our place in Panduri 'cause we pretty much lost a companionship in Bucuresti. We are down missionaries in general throughout the mish. Work is going well. Members are cool and i've had some cool experiences. 

We went to Sora Gorzo's place on Sunday. She fed us and is the coolest grandma ever. She's super tight with missionaries and randomly throws in stuff she's learned like "what's up dog?" and stuff. it's awesome. I'll send a pic

I've been trying to be as Romanian as possible recently and it rocks. Just picking up on all the little things Romanians do when they speak and such. I've been asked if I'm Romanian like 5 times recently and it makes me soo stoked. Greatest compliment man, I promise!  

This is how we do with NO Native companions. 

Had a cool meeting with this guy who got his papers stolen in Italy and moved back to Romania. He had an intense dream of Christ opening his door and asking "You're still here?".  Then he moved back here to Romania, got helped out hardcore by a cool member and missionaries found him a job. He's sure that he went there to find the gospel and had to come back to do some work here. He's awesome and it's cool to see small miracles and stuff that happen all the time. God works in mysterious ways but it always goes according to plan. 

Life is good. God is good. 

love you all

- Elder Boydstun

Craziness. changing apartments.

From July 6, 2015

Whats Up?

This week has been awesome in Bucharest. 
I'm getting moved to the Mihai Bravu Branch. I'm getting Elder Everton.  We were in the same district in Sibiu. It's going to be cool.  I am stoked!  I'm a little bummed to leave Panduri because it's incredible, but I'll still be around. Still ZL We are basically replacing a companionship because an elder went home and one is going to Arad.  There won't be a companionship to replace me in Panduri since Elder L is going home, too. 

I am going to get in shape with Elder E and do good work. It'll be way fun. We are pretty tight already.

There are tons of missionaries leaving right now, like 15 or something. A decent sized group coming in though, it'll be awesome. 

America is pretty legit! I forgot what it's really like back there. 

Sorry if my email is short today. We have a crazy next few days changing apartments. saying bye. etc. 

Love

-Elder Boydstun 

Love peace and MICI grease

From June 29, 2015

I have been bad at journal writing this week so my memories on all the small ridiculous things isn't the best right now.

But I have a few stories.

We did a bunch of service this week helping Pres Iachimov (in dist presidency now) move a ton of old boxes of stuff in the attic of the church. Seriously so much stuff haha. Like one dude probably needed a book and they somehow received 3 boxes full of em and just put them up there. 

Super solid that we live like right across the street from the church though. 

Metro travel is tedious at times.

We were on our way home one night and I thought we for sure left our keys at the church. I had thought Elder Lyb had em, so I was all bummed and we went back to the church and ended up doing some organizing and decorating, typical corkboard stuff you see at churches w/ activities etc. Then Iachimov asked us to move some real gnarly furniture in this super sketch van and drive it out to his new home with him. Fratele Fotea came and he is so so sick. Used to be a "hip hopper" and is super into rap. He's hilarious too, energy to the MAX. 

Anyways, lets say I was in the sketchiest neighborhood of Bucuresti at like 9pm with these guys. and nobody messed with us.

haha it was like the outside part of Ferentari. supposedly dangerous. But it is sick to say i went there, at night, like a man.

We had zone training this week. lit the place on fire. E Brown and I did some incredible improv in front of the whole zone with E Brundage as a presentation on being present in the moment. It was sick

Also presented some FIRE about involving the Lord more in planning/goal setting and stuff. I was all nervous a day before and trying to figure out what we were going to say, then it all came into place and we were just throwin ideas between us and the crowd. Most everyone said they really enjoyed it, so I was happy. President Ivory basically gave us no direction on what was going down and left it up to us so we just organized it and threw it down. It went incredible. 

Meet the Mormons showing was awesome too. Nicusor is this cool less-active guy that we've been befriending pretty hardcore. He's way cool and jams violin at a nice restaurant for a job, also sets up sound systems for events. So we went through him and got him all types of involved. We joked around about some ridiculous conspiracy theories he brought up about the churches looking like space ships and how Ioan saw this in revelation. It was a good time, he loved the film. It was a quality showing, not too many people but those who came enjoyed it big time. He came to church. He was stoked. Life is beautiful out here in Buc. 

Elders in the office got super sick. E Allphin got some gnarly worm inside him. 5 incher, Change your water filters, my friends. Everyone's good now though 

We celebrated the 4th of July today, it was awesome. BBQ'd hardcore with all the Bucharest missionaries and played a bunch of sports, volleyball, soccer, frisbee, etc. We did some improve and ate some watermelon. It was awesome. Nothin like playing in the sun. and not wearing pants for a while, haha.

Cool senior couples that are real still and great examples, almost parents but mostly friends that work along with you are great in the mission.  Think about it before you're too old, man! Recounting my day in my prayers. like a report, repenting daily and striving to be better and expressing needed help. helps ya stay on your toes to be more awesome daily. 

Recounting my day in my prayers. Like a report, repenting daily and striving to be better and expressing needed help. Helps ya stay on your toes to be more awesome daily. Try it...

Life is fun. 

Enjoy life, your other options kinda suck! 

(stole that from my old man)

LOVE

- Elder Boydstun

"Every man dies, but not every man truly lives" — William Wallace

From June 22, 2015

Hey sorry, today has been insane so I am gonna be a bit short.

Interviews with President Ivory this week were incredible. The man is so cool. We had a good conversation and he shared some solid ideas with me. It's great when you open up with him and he starts treating you like a friend. 

We found these sick Toastmaster groups out here in Bucharest. Basically they are international groups of public speaking and leadership. Like just a group of interesting people teaching and learning together. It's going to be incredible.

I had an exchange with Elder Cernat (Johnny from Sibiu). He is my Romanian bro out here and we are really tight. We did all types of Romanian, went to a big sketchy flea market thing, made some Ciorba and prepared for these two incredible Baptisms that went on in Panduri this week. 

The flea market is the Piata de Vechituri and everyone just sells random stuff. Especially gypsies with tables full of jewelry. 

Mugurel is so solid. He's been taught for a while, quit smoking and is a happy dude. He reminds me of Ace Venture but really chill, haha.

Simona was the other baptism. She is the girlfriend of a member and is stoked on temple marriage. I don't really know her much but she seemed really happy and her boyfriend is a cool guy! 

I had another exchange with AP, Elder Br. It was dope. We talked about paradigms and cool doctrine and it was incredible. We got bunged and a referral didn't answer. But we made the day awesome anyways. 

My BROOO from Camaroon came to church. He looked so fresh in a pink shirt and slacks. His dreads were pulled back and all!   

We have Zone training this week and lots of stuff to focus on. Lots of planning and correlating, it's going to be great. I am excited.  

Anyways, sorry this email isn't so epic. We have to plan some really great stuff for this week so I have to go look up some deep stuff so I can prepare to lift minds and make zone training amazing.  I want the spirit to be palpable. 

I love you all.

"Of all sad words of mouth or pen, the saddest are these: it might have been."

- John Greenleaf Whittier

- Elder Boydstun

Pic salata de boeuf

From June 15, 2015

YO

Things are stepping up for my boy Elder L and me.

We had a cool lesson with a member couple. After a year he just got made 1st counselor in the Branch presidency. He is pretty high up in the Police force or something here and has a really nice place. They fed us a 3 course meal and had some amazing conversation.

There is this video being made by this cool film crew for our english classes to better advertise - Cerc and Timu or something like that. They are hilarious and critique our accents real nice. So yeah, we got filmmed in Romanian and English. Things are real weird when you have a camera in front of you but are acting like you aren't looking at it, haha. I wore a really psychadelic tie that day too so it's going to be incredible when it comes out  across the mission. Sorry everyone...

We set this rule for ourselves, with this new international thing. We talk to lots of people but, everytime we see international looking we make sure we open our mouths. It was blazing hot and I didn't see these dudes, but Elder Lybbert did. Ends up they are cool and from Cameroon. They want to play soccer with us and they are homies with the dope less-active guy we have been meeting with. One of them only spoke french. Told him "my name is.." and that's as far as my french goes. Said goodbye I guess haha. 

Went to this traditional restaurant called Caru' cu Bere. when we first got there it was packed with these loud asian tourists but after they left it was so sick. Live classical music and solid traditional food. 

Things are so good though right now. We are meeting some new people. I became homies with this dope Tongan guy playing rugby out here. He was a missionary in Tonga and doesn't speak english really well, but we are broooooss. He was talking about how he just balls super hard and can go harder/faster/stronger than his team mates and how its from the blessings of God and keepin himself healthy. Raising the bar, he said. His name is Poe. 

Today was incredible. I woke up at 4:30 to send out this e-mail to the zone.. then we caught a 7am train with some guys in the district out to Sinaia and hiked some Transylvanian peaks. It was soo incredible. We got rained on, got lost a little and got up to this peak by this small ski resort. There was just a bunch of old dudes hangin out and some random dogs living it up out there. There was this cabin restaurant that we posted up at. A guy was going hard grilling all types of meat and stuff, so we grubbed. E Brundage jammed some guitar and we had an incredible time. Nothin like going from concrete, taxis, and blocs to green groves of trees and mountains only after an hour train ride. There were these epic downhill mountain biking trails and some really gnarly guys going mach 10 down.

There was also this incredible discovery on the way.. an abandoned bobsled course. We adventured  up it.

So I guess you could say I was in a piece of paradise today. 

Life is incredible.
​

God is good. Be faithful. Attack your day.   

Lives remaining: zero   

Love, Elder Boydstun

         

 

French dudes, trajectory

From June 8, 2015

fam and friends,

Things are goin. Meeting lots of foreign people.

A French guy on the metro invited us to this international frisbee club thing here in Buch. So we're going to go play and make a ton of friends.

Also there are some sick guys from Ausralia that play rugby out here. We have to go to one of their games! They are all huge and cool. Three of them are members. 

A cool guy from Camaroon named J… that was like a refugee and has been here for 3 years. He is so sick. Dreads, rasta shirt and all. The guy is such a BRO! He is a member too and is going to introduce us to some other sick Africans and play some fotbollllllll! 

We did a lot of exploring this week. This place is huge.. trams to metros to busses walking and exloring all the huge colorful parks. All these international schools.

Went into a Cismigiu (cool park) and Elder L went hard yo-yo'ing and I just talked to people. It was good stuff. 

And we annihilated the city with posters for our english class. some random old dude came up to us super mad that we were American and just throwin out jabs like "all of your stuff is imported" and that nobody can be fluent by the end of our 4 week english course. What the heck, man I'm just trying to help people! He continues with "you guys just get rejected all the time" hahaha it was the best random argument ever.

I am still grillin, Elder Johnson has this electric grill so I am still on my game. 

We had a meeting with Zone Leaders and Pres. Ivory. Talked about some real amazing stuff. Talked about eternal priniciples and habits that when you apply them, you increase your trajectory incrementally and reach an awesome life. It's good stuff.

Learn, apply

teach, and serve!

Church was cool. Some guy from France was visiting so I translated stuff for him. There is a seperate English sunday school and it is crazy. All kinds of languages being tossed around. Romanians, a Korean family, some french guys. 

It was awesome.

Also a new Branch Presidency was made, the old District President is now the BP and some guy opposed him and it was the first time I've ever seen that!

This week will be grand. Meeting new people to introduce to the gospel and havin fun doing it.

So Life is great. Sun is shinin, the weather is sweet... yeah.

Love you,

Elder Boydstun

Here's a grand photo some guy passed out at the park after playing sports with some Romanians.

city slicker

From June 1, 2015

Transfer week.. bunch of madness.

We got out of Sibiu on Tuesday and got into Buc that night. I'll FOREVER love Sibiu.. I'm gonna miss it so much. But this place man, I guess I'm just a city kid now.

No more slow speakin Sibieni, these people speak mach 12 and it's full of character. Bucharest, the big city is incredible. It's insane.. so busy and fast but endless possibilities. The new apartment is dumpy but not too bad. The bed is smaller and less comfy.. but it's still all good. The old guys left it kinda messy cause a missionary across the mission went home for health and there was some emergency transfer. So it was kinda just left, but we are workin on it.

My new comp is Elder Lybbert. Canadian from the rockies..well, Calgary. He is awesome and a yo-yo wizard. He is a ZL pro and is teachin me the ropes of this ZL stuff. It is cool. I like being able to inspire and help people. We have some solid plans and goals we just set off to the zone, so it's going to be incredible. We are trying to get everyone really stoked. We've also been planning out some gnarly games we are going to get the whole zone in on so everyone is havin fun while being awesome missionaries and spreadin da love!  This place (Bucaresti/Panduri) is nice and we have so many tools and organization.. so different for me, haha. I was in awe for like 2 days.

This weekend was district conference here in Bucuresti. A few other cities came down as well. Alexandria, Ploiesti. It was nuuuuts…a grand day! It was so nostalgic seeing an actual church chapel that is clean and organized and I didn't have to lead any meetings and there were litterally 210 people there for the conference. Usually there's about 70 here in Panduri but this conference just went all out. Elder Rena from Spain came and he was so cool. Kinda looked like a cartoon character and was sick. They have these headsets they pass out to all the international people (those who speak english basically) and there is someone translating from Romanian to English most every meeting. This one was nutso though cause Elder Rena is up there going1200 miles an hour speakin Spanish (sorry bros in S. America, just not a fan of the language... :) compared to romanian at least) and a lady is translating to Romanian and the translator dude is a boss and translating his 3rd language (spanish) into his 2nd (English). It was cool.

And there are these dudes from Nigeria that go to school in Constanta, by the sea, and they came and are super fresh and I made some cool friends. Shedrack is the man, I sat by him and talked to em. 

We had Meet the Mormons premire, it was really epic too. Lots of cool stuff. It was legit, like 300 people came. Lots of cool people and a lady straight up told Elder Cernat (Johnny from Sibiu that we ordained an elder and is serving a mini-mission and now turned in his full time papers, too) she wanted to join our church. It was sick!! I had to separate the sisters from some creepy dude though, so I tried to be friends with him... but a little bit of a bummer I didn't get to meet someone way cool.

Check this out though, after the film there was a CAR SHOW outside the mall place. Ohh my, reminded me of home town childhood life. Old american cars and cool funk being played from a bus in front, a raffle to win an 80s corvette, and an impala on bags barely off the ground. It was incredlble. I was just losing my mind about it. good stuff..... 

We are going to play some volleyball today so that'll be incredible. I've been playing b ball with people out here already. I put work on Elder Laititi on transfer day, how it used to be back in Sibiu my first transfer there, haha. But Elder Allphin is a baller! The kid was on the Lone Peak national team so he just rains on everyone, it's amazing. 

Drawing on powers of heaven is incredible. We're applying it again, so it's going to be amazing. Elder L feels super strong he needs to find someone still since he is in his last transfer (another kill for me, crazy I know). 

It's so real I luv it :)

Life is good. I've been reading more good books recently. Thanks mom for "The Blueprint of Christ's Church" it is good stuff.

Summer is here. Time to get gnarly and do something amazing with our lives.

My fondest farewell to Elder Perry. He was a giant of a man, wasn't he?

LOVE,

Elder Boydstun