28 August 2017 - Week 21

This week seemed to be a good week to document the alternative modes of transporting things we see here.  Romanians are so skillful in using what they have to get the things they want to where they want them.

We took the Elders to a nearby town called Santana to follow-up on a referral.  On our way home we saw this wagon pulled by a mare with a colt.  The colt must have been tired from the hard work of the day. 

We saw this wagon out in the forest where we take our walk in the mornings.

Bikes are used to haul everything.  Here is a good example.  I even saw a guy riding a bike loaded similar to this one and he was also carrying a passenger. These are just a sample of what we see.  We often don't have time to snap a picture.  

This person is hauling lumber, but we have seen bikes loaded with all kinds of long awkward cargo.

These two guys are pushing baby strollers right down the side of the highway, loaded to the max with treasures they have gathered.

When we went to Timisoara for church on Sunday we saw this inventive way of moving a couch.  I hope their car roof doesn't get squished!

We helped Sora Castenada and Sora Folsom get the things they needed for Sora Folsom to apply for a Visa.  Here they are at the final stop, the immigration office.  They had all the required papers and receipts to turn in.  It takes about 6 weeks to get the card. And they don't send it to you, you have to go back to this same office and pick it up.

Friday is the day we hold District meeting.  We meet at 10:30 in the branch building.  Our Timisoara Elders ride the train to meet with us.  We were happy this week to meet a couple who served a Romanian mission in 2008.  They are the Jesses and came from Birdseye, Utah.  Here we all are.  You see the Timi Elders, Elder Innis and Custer, on the front row, Elder Brother and Sister Jesse, Jamie, Elder Gore, Elder Paul, Sister Folsom, and Sister Castenada. 

Saturday we had a branch picnic at the forest where we take our walks.  We met at the branch building and shuttled people out.  Many of our members do not have cars.  Brother Banatean and his family were our cooks and arrived at the spot early in order to save our space and make the food.  They cooked up some mici ( a traditional Romanian sausage ) and some marinated chicken. 

Sister Banatean and a grandchild who belonged to one of the other members.

Here's a group picture of the group at our branch building.

Sora Mogos and one of our investigators making a salad. 

At the forest.

The Senior Missionaries - :) Thanks to Sister Mogos for sharing her photos with us. 

It has been 20 years since the missionaries first arrived in Arad.  Sister Mogos shared her testimony and some photos of baptisms through the years including photos of herself and her children. 

More group photos.

Sunday was a great day.  We had more at church than we have had since we arrived here in April.  A total of 33 people with 5 investigators.  At Timi their meeting had a good attendance also with a count of 17. These photos show some of the sights from our drive to Timi. 

Waiting for the bus

Can you see the green grapes?

There are rows of these beautiful palm tree planters down the middle of some of the downtown roads. 

Beautiful old buildings in dowtown Timi.

Until next week - La revedere!!