RomanianReport: June 23, 2014 - VOI MERGE LA MOLDOVA.

As we learn in the story of Alma, the prayers of faithful parents are answered....and it looks like your prayers have been answered, Mom! Remember how you told me you secretly wish I would serve in a Russian-speaking part of my mission so that I could learn how to speak Russian? Welp, looks like this is my chance! I am being transferred to Moldova. Yep! That's right! With not even three months under my belt in the country of Romania & practicing the Romanian language, I am being transferred to a different country....where about half the people speak Russian. I leave tomorrow night for Bucharest and will there take a train to Chisanau (P.S. I still haven't figured out how to type Romanian letters on these keyboards...so that's totally spelled wrong.) to meet my new companion, Sora Bird! We will then leave for the teeny-tiny city of Orhei, where I will be serving. It is literally the smallest city in the mission! There I will have to learn a new accent for the Romanian language and relearn how to say a LOT of words (I've been told that it's like you have to relearn the language. They have different words for food and the accent is so different that most Romanian speakers don't understand it). The only missionaries there will be my companion and I, and two Russian speaking elders. I've been told I will have to learn how to bear my testimony and to contact in the Russian language. Hahaha. (Any tips Jake, Ben, Mom or Dad?) In my email from President Hill this week he wrote, "And now, in a move to get you closer to your parents, I'm asking you to go to Orhei, Moldova. You'll enjoy that experience!" It'll be very interesting. I will miss Cluj so much. I feel like I didn't get enough time here and that I could do so much more with the people we are working with. But I'm excited for this new experience and I just have to trust in the Lord that this is the right move for me to be the best instrument in His hands that I can be.

I've felt the Spirit so much this week with the passing of Grandpa Schwab. It is such a blessing to know of the Plan of Salvation and to know we will all be together again if we live righteously. I wrote a tribute to honor Grandpa this past week and I just wanted to share it with all of you--

When I recieved the news Monday morning that Grandpa Monie was about to end his journey on this Earthly road I couldn't help but be upset... At first I felt like I should be back home instead of in Romania on a mission. I felt like I should have been in Bear Lake to say goodbye and to wiggle my nose with Grandpa one last time... I felt like I should have been there with my arms around Grandma and to comfort the rest of the family.... But the more I thought about it, the more I knew that this is what Grandpa would have wanted for me... If he was in my situation, it's what he would have wanted too. My feelings changed after that. I began to look at this trial as a learning experience. I started asking my myself what would Moroni do? I looked back on the example he's set for me and everyone else in the family. Grandpa Monie is one of the most influencial, loving, hard-working, humorous and spiritually-oriented men I have ever met. Ever since I was a little girl, whenever I told almost anyone my name they would quickly respond with a, "Are you related to Moroni Schwab?" I'd smile and tell them that he was my grandfather and they'd happily rattle off the story of how they had met him and how he had impacted their life. By the time I could ride a two-wheel bike it was common knowledge to me that my grandpa had changed lifes. Even on the mission, the first day I arrived in Romania my mission president's wife asked me if I knew him. After I told her our relation, we spent a good portion of my "Training with the President" time talking about Grandpa Monie and his wonderful impact on both of our lifes. When my mission president and his wife later came to the branch I am serving in and spoke in church...she gave her talk on loved others, and used Moroni Schwab, her high school driver's education teacher, as her prime example. As I've looked back on these experiences through my life of seeing how Grandpa Monie has touched other's lifes, along with my own, for good, I have tried to base my missionary work on his nearly perfect example. The verse from Alma 48:17 comes to mind -- "Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever: yea, the devil would never had power over the hearts of the children of men." I have strived to follow his principles of obedience to God's commandments, hard work, following the Spirit and especially Christ-like love. I know that through this gospel that Grandpa Moroni cherished so deeply, I will see him and wiggle my nose with him again. I am so grateful to carry on the Schwab name and spread this gospel hopefully half as well as Grandpa and Grandma Schwab have done. I know he is happy....and he's probably already started doing missionary work on the other side. I love Grandpa and I am so grateful for the example he has set for me and how it has changed my life. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Just a quick experience, I know this email is getting long. But this week we've been doing lots of good-bye visits to the people who I've gotten close with in Cluj. Last night we went and visited the Militaru family. They were one of the first investigators I worked with and they left such an imprint on my heart. We all shared our favorite scriptures together and Maria, the mother, just so happened to share Alma 48:17. It touched my heart. I knew that Heavenly Father was aware of me. He was aware of this incredible family who yearns for the gospel. He is so aware of each and every one of us. It's such a beautiful concept. This gospel is so perfect. I hope you all no that I know all of my heart that this is God's gospel on this Earth....and if we follow it, we will return to live with Him.

Hoorah for Israel!

-Sora Schwab

P.S. Sorry for all the photos! I took a lot this week! The church is true! Love you guys!!

Just a photo of how beautiful the insides of some of the buildings are here.

My district doing service in the Botanical Gardens. We go every week and have become close with the head gardener, Benny. Since half of our district is leaving, we gave him a Book of Mormon with all of our testimonies in it.