Zone Conference
Hello Everyone! I hope you all had a great week! My week was super crazy full, as usual. Tuesday and Wednesday we had multiple English and Gospel related lessons. We had our last lesson with Maria! Her baptism is coming up on April 2nd and we are all so excited for her!
On Thursday we got on a train at 8:30 in the morning to head to Brasov for our Zone Conference! The train ride was 7 hours long but ended up not feeling as long as I thought it was going to be thanks to good conversation, yummy snacks, and card games:) When we arrived in Brasov we were sent straight to work there at the train station! The first part of our Zone Conference was a service project where we helped deliver food, medicine, and other necessities to Ukraine refugees that would be passing through by train. It was so cool to see so many people working together to help get these refugees the things that they need as they travel to somewhere safer, but at the same time also very sad! My heart goes out to all the mothers and children who are being separated from their husbands and fathers and having to travel with little to no provisions. I am very grateful we got the opportunity to help, even if it was just a little bit.
After we finished at the train station we went back to the church for dinner and games! While we waited for dinner we played volleyball, basketball, and other outside games it was so much fun! I love sports so I was just soaking up every second of being able to play with such a large group of people! For dinner we had yummy roast, potatoes, and salad and then to end the night we played a huge game of signs with all 25ish missionaries that were there! So much fun!! My night was full of yummy food, good exercise, and lots of laughter!! I was very happy!!
That night we stayed in a hotel and then in the morning one of the other sisters in that same hotel agreed to go running with me!! Which I was so happy about! Brasov is a city right next to the mountains and it is just so pretty! I was so happy to get out early in the morning, move and get some beautiful, crisp, clean fresh air! On our run we saw a hill and decided to hike to the top and I am so glad we did! At the top was a super cool old brick castle/fortress! And it had a beautiful view of the whole city! I honestly was so happy!! It was a beautiful morning!
The rest of the day was full of the spirit as we had several amazing presentations at our Zone Conference from President Rucker, the AP's, Zone Leaders, and STL's. I also got to sing a musical number which was a lot of fun! I love music and singing so much! We also were fed breakfast and lunch on Friday at the conference. After lunch while we waited for our train, we played more ping pong games with each other! It really was so much fun to be able to visit with everyone and enjoy each others' presence! I got to see so many friends from the mission like Sora Robinson!! Love her so much! As well as Sora Eve Gunderson! She is the granddaughter of a couple from my stake back home who I grew up with and who used to be in our ward! That was so much fun to get to talk with her, it would be so cool if we get to be companions in the future! On our trip back home to Cluj Friday night our train had several cars that were filled with Ukrainian refugees! Towards the end of our trip, the Elders were able to go back to those cars and help distribute more food and medicines to those in need. I really wanted to go back and help as well but someone needed to stay with all of our stuff and there wasn't a ton of room on the train cars for extra people. I am so glad we had the opportunity to help again! The Elders were even able to give a little Ukrainian baby, who was struggling eating and having seizures, a blessing. It was crazy to get back into Cluj only 36 hours from when we had left Thursday morning! It felt so much longer than just a day and a half with all that we did!
The weather in Cluj has been so beautiful, I am so excited for spring! Sunday was such an amazing day! I love our Branch so much and every single member in it! After church several of us went outside in the sun and just talked! It was so warm and beautiful!
Thank you so much to all who have kept the missionaries and the people involved with war in Ukraine in your prayers! I can feel the blessings that come from your prayers in my life and in the lives of those I associate with every single day and I am beyond grateful! This week if you could keep our friend, Maria, who is planning to be baptized this Saturday in your prayers, as well as her family to be supportive of her decision, that would mean a lot! We have already overcome many bumps in the road while preparing her for baptism and are just praying that everything will run smoothly this week as we make the final preparations for Saturday!
I love you all SOOOO MUCH! Hope you have a great week1 I have such a strong testimony of the blessings that come from centering your life on Christ every single day! I hope each day this week you will find some way to put more focus on the Lord and His hand in your life! I know that by doing so you will see blessings and feel more joy in each day!
Sora Acton
Sora Acton! You are so incredibly free with your love... you have so much in your own bucket that you have plenty to offer others... absolutely LOVE this about you!
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