May 19, 2014 - Mi-e somn...

Buna! I didn't send out an email last week and I feel like so many things have happened since I last wrote. So I'm not even going to try and cover all of it. But here are the highlights--

-Suprise day-trip to Bucharest to get my visa papers in order. In about two months I'll actually be legal here! Whoo!

-Transfers... Sora Tanner and I stayed together! Double whoooo! We've started a really solid base of work here in Cluj and were just hoping and praying that we'd stay together so we could hit it hard this transfer and really see the fruits of our labor. We only lost one elder from our district and the one who replaced him is our new district leader. So we're all pretty happy because we've gotten so close!

-Castles and Salt Mines. We went to a castle last P-day and Salt Mines today. Both were incredible. I'm falling more and more in love with Romania every single day. :)

-Breakups. Lots and lots of breakups... We have been dropped by a record-breaking four investigators since I last emailed home. Some breakups are worse than others.... our latest include being ignored, being hung-up on, a heartfelt text and my personal favorite...when we sat on a park bench and talked for like twenty minutes and we gave her a box of chocolates to end it. Hahaha. It's so weird because we're usually so busy that we don't have time for lunch or dinner hour... But now we have all this time for contacting! At first I felt guilty because I didn't feel like we were working hard enough and upset because the main chunk of our investigators didn't want the gospel in their lives anymore. But my wise companion put it this way... It was a tender mercy from Heavenly Father because now we have more time to look for people who ARE ready for this restored gospel. So before I've fallen into bed every night from emotional and spiritual exhaustion...and now I'm falling into bed every night from physical exhaustion! We're excited for what this new transfer with bring. Out with the old...in with the new!

Side note: Please no one write back and say, "It's okay because you're planting seeds!" We're not here to plant seeds....we're here to harvest! It's just taking a little longer than we hoped.  :)

Okay. So spiritual thought for the week. I've been reading in Alma and although I read this passage a couple weeks ago... I've referred to it many times as an example. So in Alma 35ish-42, Alma is prophesying to his sons because (this might be wrong, so don't quote me on it...) he's getting old and it's kind of like his last written words to them. I have just loved reading in Alma because Alma the younger is ALL about missionary work. He's like, the most bomb.com missionary ever. Anyway, after reading his "last words" to his sons, I assumed he was going to die. But in Alma 43:1 it says....

"And now it came to pass that the sons of Alma did go forth among the people, to declare the word unto them. And Alma, also, himself, could not rest, and he also went forth."

What?! I thought he was going to die! But Alma COULD NOT REST and went forth to declare the word of God. How cool is Alma the younger? He could not stop being a missionary! He was so sure of the gospel of Jesus Christ, he was so sure that Christ was his redeemer, he was so sure that Jesus Christ is the one and only way for eternal happiness that he COULD NOT REST from sharing it with others. Ah, man. What a rad guy.

This verse reminded me of President Uchdorf's talk from General Conference. (It actually might be from the priesthood session because I think the elders showed it to us...) He talked about the fact that yes, this gospel has been restored to this Earth... But the restoration is not over! It is a promise that this gospel will spread to every land and sound in every ear. He said, "Are you sleeping through the Restoration?" We are literally taking a part of the last restoration of this incredible gospel on this Earth.... Are we doing our part? Are we sleeping through the restoration? Or are we following the example of Alma the younger and not even resting from our labors of missionary work? You don't have to wear a nametag to be a missionary. For me personally, nothing has brought me more joy and satisfaction than the gospel of Jesus Christ....and so I try and tell every person I meet about it. Who is someone in your life who you could share this fantastic doctrine with? I'm excited to hear about all of your missionary experiences when I email next week!  ;)

I love you all! Have a lovely week!

PROFITE DE ZILE.

-Sora Schwab

P.S. Brace yourselves for lots of photos.... #sorrynotsorry

Sora Tanner and I.  Typical day as missionaries!  :)

Castelul Banffy, which we visited last week.  INCREDIBLE.

Our "tour guide" of the castle.  There was no one there except this dog who followed us around the whole time, even when it started pouring rain.  He took a special liking to me because I scratched his head so much.  What a cutie!

Me looking out one of the castle windows with my little friend trailing behind me..  :)

This photo is so funny.  If you guys didn't know, PROFITE DE ZILE is "seize the day" in Romanian....which is "carpe diem" in Latin.  This week we found a "carpe diem funeral services" van.  We got quite the kick out of it.  :)

Sora Tanner and I with our black men.  Yep...  They sell black men here....

My district at the Salt Mines today.  It doesn't sound like much....but they were incredible!

This photo is really the only decent photo I got of the Salt Mines.  That big hole goes down miles.  We took an elevator down 20-something stories to get to the part where the tourists could go.

The salt pond at the bottom of a giant chasm of salt.  We rode in those super sketchy row-boats in the picture.  Definitely a rad experience.