Happy Birthday!

Elder Myers somewhere between Oradea and Arad, Romania
This boy is after his mother's heart with this photo.

That goes out to Eli and Heather!! Thanks for the pictures you sent. It was so wierd seeing Nathan and Orson (is that right? I totally can't remember their names now) and his brother. Everybody's so big!! I'm really sorry to hear about everyone getting sick....didn't Heather get sick the last time she was over there too? But I'm glad that it all had a good end result. Its amazing when you can see all the little things Heavenly Father does for us every day to help us out and teach us something new. I thought it was so awesome too the things you said about Heather helping Eli out. It's so awesome that she has gotten so close you all of you in the time that I've been gone. You probably all know her better than I do by now! Oh, and congratulations to Travis and his new bride, that is so exciting! 

So..............transfer information: the Arad district is staying exactly the same! I'm staying here with Elder Harrison and Sora Cook and Sora Remsberg are staying together. It surprised me when I found out that I'd be staying, since I only have two more transfers left and I've been here for 3 already. I thought for sure I'd be transfered out, but I guess I'm still needed here. I guess at this point its even possible for me to just stay here until I go home! I'm really excited and happy to be staying with Elder Harrison, he's definitely one of my favorite companions I've had so far. We've got a lot of good things going with investigators and the members we're working with; it would have been really sad if I had left. 

So here's the update. We're still teaching C---. Last week was pretty crazy for him. His boss told him they will probably move him to a management position at a casino in Oradea, and he got a job offer from someone else to go work construction in France for a few months which pays a lot better than what he's earning now. Then also, President Banatean told him of a job offer for a watchgaurd job in Arad that pays just as good as his current job. And he has to decide this week what he's going to do. We had a lesson with him on receiving revelation and how we can receive guidance and direction for specific things in our lives. We encouraged him to pray about the whole matter, to study the scriptures, fast, and do everything he can to keep all the commandments. So far things seem to be going well, and it looks like he'll end up taking the gaurd job here in Arad. That would be perfect because he would be out of the casino, in a much better environment, and he would also have time to come to church on Sundays!

Shane taking a break from teaching to catch a baby mole -- of course?

We also met up with M--- again and he is doing really well. He's already in the Isaiah chapters of 2 Nephi! He hasn't been able to come to church yet because he has polio and walking is really hard for him but tonight we have an appointment set up with him and we're having a member come who drives a car in the hopes that they can get to know each other and the member will be able to give him rides to church. M--- is such an amazing guy! He doesn't have much going for him financially or socially really, most of his family live in Italy and his wife left him years ago, but instead of his life's problems making him angry and unhappy, he has taken everything in stride and is trying to make the best of things. He also just gets the gospel. He understands it better than almost any other investigator I've taught before.

We're continuing to meet with F--- and bit by bit she's opening up more to us. At our last visit she said that she loves having is come because the time she spends talking to us is really relaxing for her and it fills her with peace and happiness. Its amazing to see the Holy Ghost's influence work on other people. 


Last of all, I don't know if I told you last week about the family we met a week from last Saturday. We were on our way to see if a member was home that we had been trying to visit when a man outside his house pulling weeds out of the sidewalk stopped us and asked what church we were from. He invited us inside and we ended up talking with him and his family for a good hour or so. It wasn't any type of official lesson or discussion, but it was a really good time to just get to know them. We left them with a restoration brochure and they said we were welcome back any time. This weekend we went back there and had an awesome lesson with them! They are very humble, kind and loving people. The father's name is G--- and the mom's is F---. They have two teenage sons as well, but I can't remember their names right now. They seem to be some of the few "middle class" Romanians I've met. They've got a nice house, but not huge or super extravagant, and they have an Audi SUV type car. The dad is a used car dealer and sells mostly German makes. The first thing I noticed about this family is how in their home was this wonderful feeling of peace, and love. As we talked, the Spirit was immediately invited in and this wonderful couple listened to us and shared with us their own beliefs and standards. G--- seems like a great father and husband, and his wife a loving mother, and the two teenage boys were really nice, friendly, clean cut guys. It was so refreshing to talk with them. I felt like I was at home. They are also people who know the Bible really  well, but are very humble about their knowledge. They've been to a lot of different churches, F--- had even studied with the Jehova's Witnesses for a couple years, but they don't really hold themselves to any church. We had a great discussion about the restoration of the gospel and how there was a great apostasy after Christ and the apostles' ministry. He had actually dog-eared that part of the brochure so he would remember to ask us about it. 

Basically I'm so happy to be serving here in Arad, it is an amazing city and I love the branch and the missionaries. Thanks for sharing everything from your week, especially everything you had been experiencing dad. I feel like I can relate to a certain extent the things you talked about. Well I have to go, but I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week free of sickness and stress!

Love,
Elder Myers
P.S.
Photos:
1. a baby mole I cought in the park during the branch sports night activity
2-4. On our way home from exchanges with the elders in Oradea we saw a huge field of sunflowers. They are all over this country!