Sora Nicole Smith Mission Blog: A Rad Week in Arad!

This week was pretty great. In fact, I haven't felt this energized for doing missionary work in a while. So as much as I like to pretend that Arad is horrible and how much I really didn't want to serve there, it's actually a great city. Although I've never been rejected so much in another city. Boo hoo, I'm over it.

Town Hall in Arad

My new apartment is definitely smaller and more cluttered. But I like it. I mean, the "mansion" apartment was nice and all, but it was so big it got annoying since we spent so much time out of it. This new apartment is more manageable, and frankly feels a lot more homey. So I like it.

We so far don't have anyone to teach. Not an ideal start for a new area, so we've got our work cut out for us, but we're both determined to get things going here. I'm planning on working harder than ever this transfer, and that's something my companion and I have in common so we're gonna get a lot done in Arad.

My companion is great. She's Sora O'Brien from Washington, and we work together really nicely. Sometimes time escapes from talking a little too long. So this will be a hard transfer, but in the good way (is there such a thing?)

My companion, Sora O'Brien

Having the ukelele is awesome. Haven't used it contacting yet, but I mean, come on, I have a uke. I was able to carry it separate in the box it came in, not too much of a handle because it's so small.

First, here is a picture or our bicycling activity with the 3 girls in Timi.

So starting Tuesday, I spent the morning packing and baking cupcakes, then we went to the church for FHE and to say goodbye and stuff. Elder Middlebrook brought us all moustaches for a district picture.

Here is our District Moustaches Picture

I said goodbye to the girls and to Claudiu, and then we hopped on the train and headed to Buch. I brought cupcakes because of an inside joke.. and shared them with missionaries on transfer day and a lot of people said they were the best cupcakes they'd ever had. SCORE. I am now like... mission favorite.

Bucharest

Transfer day was all day Wednesday, I got to say hi to a lot of old friends and shiver in the cold air because I didn't anticipate it being freezing... oh well. It poured buckets all day. But it was the first day my whole MTC district was ALL together again since we split up on day one! Usually one or two of us would be missing, but ALL of us were there and we took a picture (which, unfortunately, I don't have...) it was awesome.

Traveling on the train between Timi and Buch, and saying "Hi" to the Elders on the train.

This gives you an idea what the sleeper cars are like,
that we travel in for our 14 hour journey.

That night we headed back to Timisoara. I left my luggage there because it would be pointless to take it ALL the way down to Buch, and then ALL the way back to the west. There are direct trains from Timi to Arad so I just left my luggage there, picked it up Thursday morning, and then we were on our way to Arad. The annoying thing is it was also raining in Timi, and not a single taxi wanted to take us because it would mean they'd have to lift our luggage. We stood in the rain for probably an hour and a half until the Alstons came to our rescue... and then we were on our way.

Rain in Timisoara

The rest of Thursday I unpacked a little, we went out to get some good shaorma with the Elders. Then we contacted. I actually enjoy contacting with Sora O'Brien, it's been a lot of fun so far.

Friday I tried unpacking more, we did more contacting. It was still rainy a little though, so things were going slow. We also worked with our proprietor (landlord) on fixing some broken things, and HE ACTUALLY WORKED WITH US AND SOLVED THE PROBLEMS. That never happens with proprietors here, lol... We also had a problem with our filter that the elders had to come look at. While Elder P was taking a look at it, I let Elder Baielli try out the ukulele, and I've never seen such a happy Italian. He wants to buy one now and I'm going to teach him :)

Saturday was normal. Contacting. District meeting. I finished unpacking finally, lol. Sunday, of course no one really plays the piano, so I'm the branch pianist. Again. Stop laughing. There was a huge turnout which apparently there hasn't been that many people at church for months. One guy had to search for a spot, so it was really, really awesome. The members are so nice, and we'll be meeting with a lot of them this week.

A street in Arad

So that was this week.
In my current district, we have the ZL's, Elder Preece and Elder Baielli. Baielli is from Italy, he's really energetic and funny. Preece, I'm pretty sure he's from Utah, and he's cool, I just don't really know him well enough to say. Today is going to be our first day our whole district will really spend time together. Our DL is Elder Myler, I can't remember where he's from... he's really cool and I'm pretty sure he's a gymnast, I'm only assuming though, because he does a lot of physical training. I'll have to ask. He's training a new missionary, too, Elder Boydstun from Utah (I think Layton?) and, since I'm the senior sister, that makes him my son! So, I have two kids. I'm a proud mommy. He's tall, and I heard he's super funny but I can't tell through the jet lag.

Anyway, not that it's already a novel but I'm done for now. If you haven't already looked through May's church magazines, do it. Nothing in there in particular, but I was fingering through a ton of Liahonas and I just felt really good and uplifted. So if you're in need of a spiritual boost . . .

Have a good week, home!
Nicalled to Serve

P.S. Here are a few final pictures from Timisoara