Those of you from whom I haven't heard in a long while - you know
who you are. Update me on the ways and whiles of your lives or you will
suffer a persistent and boring guilt that you only remember when you log
onto Facebook and see something related to feminism or find a peanut
shell in one of your cars!! Repent! And email me!
Anyway. Hottest Summer 2012 continues. Old ladies
throughout Stara Zagora continue to ramble to us about the Turkish rule
and how it's 40 degrees (C! C I tell you!). There was a red alert heat
warning on Sunday (it ended up being like 43 or something) and so
Bulgarians, being very health-conscious and suspicious of hidden death
everywhere (as I suppose we all are, especially with the option of
Internet self-diagnosing) are not likely to leave home on such days. So
we had a total of 5 members, 2 investigators and 6 missionaries at
church on Sunday. It was an interesting day. But it was somehow the most
spiritually uplifting sacrament meeting I had ever been to. Not to be
trite or anything. But 'twas true. The more you talk and think about
sacrament, the more you realize why we actually do it, and how it's not
just a social club/strengthening other members/seeing babies club. It's a
covenant we made, and a renewing of said covenant, and a chance to have
a new beginning in Christ. I looked up during the sacrament hymn and
saw our stalwart member Nikolai, the only non-missionary to bless the
sacrament in at least a year, kneeling on the dirty-ish Starz floor
tearing up the pieces of bread he had brought in tin foil, tenderly and
intently, and the reality of the covenant became more present somehow.
Abstraction. But true.
We found more people this week, as is our custom.
We've been searching for a new convert-immediate inactive lady this
week, and we went to the address on her baptismal form and found a sweet
old guy named Raiko, a friend of hers, who didn't know where she was
but invited us in for COKE LIGHT (big deal; most Bulgarians only drink
cheapest of cheap colas, e.g. Derby Coffee Soda, etc.) and showed us his
painting and wood-carving studio, invited us back to talk about the
Book of Mormon he had from a few years ago, and gave us each a wooden
cross he had carved when we left. So there you go. A good metaphor for
the way things go here: tender mercies, unexpected pleasantness, some
smelliness, and Coke Light, if you are lucky.
We also had the chance to talk to the first person
I've ever talked to in Bulgaria who wanted to talk about religion who had questions, had thought about existing doctrine, and wanted to
challenge what we believe. It was actually really refreshing and cool,
when most people are shocked by the idea that any kind of belief is
good, to talk to someone who had a set of beliefs in mind and wanted to
discuss them. And somehow I was able to communicate with her about said
things. Next to an ice cream stand playing that stupid "Turn Me On"
Nicki Minaj song? (Nicki, why? Can't we do better? Can I help you do
better??)
It is hot. Peaches are really good. Watermelon also.
They have this weird canteloupe type thing here called "pupish" that I
like. This week I will be making at least 2 pies for our Pioneer Day
party on Saturday (all of those words in that sentence should be in
quotes, if you know what I mean). The members here are really like the
pioneers: they suffer at work, at school, at home and with friends
because of what they believe. They lose jobs and husbands and wives and
respect. But they keep coming back to church, keep contributing to
Relief Society, and keep walking (and walking and walking and walking,
like in that song). I love them.
I love you guys. Wear a bonnet and churn some butter for me. And send me pioneer day food/activity ideas if you have them!
Love,
Sister Crantbul
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