Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Week of January 21: Stately, classy Sofia gentleman

Everybody! Everybody! (Remember that Homestar thing? Yeah, Homestar.)
 
Well. Sezgin/Svetlo got baptized, like I said. He's a really cute new member. I told you about he's obsessed with getting cowboy music/movies, right? Especially by this guy who's supposedly called "Tex Ritter"? (Cowboy names are the best, and I've recently read a lot of them.) Well, Europe has a wider selection of interesting chocolate, including that Ritter Sport stuff. Which is PRETTY classic because we can buy him Ritter chocolate once in a while and just write "Tex" above the brand name, BAM, hilarious and delicious gift.
 
This week had a variety of strange and unexpected experiences, much like a casserole layered with different layers of weird. We had a cool experience when a guy who got baptized in Sofia with Sister Tate came to visit us in Ruse after having some job interviews, and had mentioned to us that he might be coming to the Church to say hi, but we didn't really know when. Then, in the middle of a plan to create a district bonding lunch of Chinese food, he showed up. This very stately, classy Sofia gentleman who was wearing all this leather and high-class old timey stuff, like LEATHER GLOVES and a LEATHER BRIEFCASE. And then he played songs for us on my guitar, using an English class referral card as a pick because I shamefully didn't have one. He played all these like, Greek and Russian and Italian songs and I was ENTRANCED. Entranced, I tell you. Music is the best. Also, I want to learn Russian songs.
 
Another interesting experience: a few months ago one of us met a lady in the street named Ivanka, who lives in a village called Byala about an hour from here. We had called her a few times about getting a Book of Mormon, but she was never in the city and we couldn't really go that far to give her one. But this week she was in the city, and arranged to meet us at the bus station before she went and did her errands, so we had a little impromtu lesson and gave her a Book in the bus station, attracting much attention. She was also really cute and grandma-y and kept calling us a word that means like "fresh" or "tender" in the food or soda sense. Refreshing, maybe. A new compliment!
 
Without saying too much, or much at all, we also had some kind of sad experiences this week with some strong members struggling. It made me realize how much we rely on the members we do have here, in a way that is much more urgent than it was at home, because we really are the size of a normal-ish Utah family as a branch, and we need each other, a lot. And it's kind of a painful lesson to learn to know that no matter what you do, you can't fix the problems other people have, but also humbling to realize that we don't have to. We can just do our best and trust. Or something else Dove chocolate wrapper sounding.
 
Ummm, I also gained a new appreciation for awesome companions. Sister Tate is just so kind and nurturing and stable and solid. If her family is reading this, or her, THANK YOU GUYS for being awesome and having awesome pioneer genes. And sharing your gifts with other people.
 
Alrighty. I love you all. Read Jesus the Christ! A fine book, I tell you what.
 
Love,
Sister Crumb Ball

No comments:

Post a Comment