9 April 2018 - Week 53

Let's just start this week off with a great selfie of Elder Andersen and his buddy, Gabriel who maintains our building.  Gabriel and Brent have developed a cautious relationship as each wants to convert the other to their religion, so they agree to disagree on many things, but talk about the things they have in common. Gabriel is a Romanian and speaks English.  He enjoys practicing his English on Elder Andersen. They talk about cars, music, America, food, and sound systems. 

We spent a couple of days this week at the Arad National Archives looking for ancestors of our branch Sister Mogos.  As we walked down the sidewalk toward the Archives, I spotted this 1950 style telephone sitting in a windowsill just outside the Police office.  It must be for emergencies.

We learned that Sora Robinson from Cluj has been hospitalized in Cluj.  She had seizures and is in a coma.  The doctors think she has encephalitis.  

We paid a visit to our member Sora Piper this week.  As we approached to ring her door ringer, a man leaned out of the window near the door.  He anxiously waved an American calendar at us saying "Take this"  in Romanian.  I reached over and took it.  I was anxious to have it.  I brought a couple of similar calendars with us from America, but they were for 2017, so I was happy to have a calendar for 2018.  I told him Multumesc (Thank you) and we went into our member's apartment.  I wondered if he wanted some money, but the member said no, I'm sure he just wanted you to take it.  So we visited for a while and returned back to our apartment.  The next day, in the evening, the man showed up at the branch building.  The Sisters were there and were shocked to hear someone knocking on the windows and yelling.  They locked the doors and went back to the window and asked what he wanted.  He told them he had given his calendar to a white-haired lady and that he wanted it back.  We were in another city at the time, so they told him to come back tomorrow and they could get the calendar.  Crazy, but it is true.  So the next day we brought the calendar and sure enough, he showed up.

Brent has been called to be in the District Presidency.  The District President lives in Oradea and he called a meeting to plan the upcoming Branch conferences. We went early enough that we could walk the short distance across the city center and have our lunch at the American Grill.  They make the best hamburgers.  I have written about it previously.  The great thing was that it was the Easter Season (Pastele Ferecit) so the fun little market houses were all around the center again, like at Christmas only this time they had spring stuff.  Enjoy!

If you ask my daughters, they will tell you, "She takes photos of the craziest things, like the top of garbage cans."  So here is a sample.  I thought this door was really cool. It needs a little TLC, but it's cool. Romanians really like fancy gates. 

Lots of things blooming and looking beautiful. 

The Romanians make the coolest brooms.  I seem to be fascinated by them.  Here is a photo of what is left when they are done using them.

McKay and Janel all bundled up at one of the cold spring track meets.  I remember those days.  Looking forward to being there again.

Orthodox Easter was Sunday.  Many of the Orthodox traditions seem to still be important to our members.  One of the sweet ladies handed out these cool hard-boiled eggs to us.