September 26

Were those my pants?

The Birthday Party

A castle

Ruse At Night

Our Baptism

Reballing

Hello everybody and I have some fun pictures for you all that hopefully my mom will put on the blog so check it out if you want to see them it is http://www.twoyearsinbulgaria.blogspot.com/.  Well the last couple of days were really hetic but a whole lot of fun so let me get  on with them.

Thursday:
After writting you guys we went reballing at the mall with all the elders.  Reballing is basicly paint balling but with rubber balls.  It was a ton of fun and even after an hour I could still play more.  It is so great getting thin because I am in shape (almost but better than before) and I can do so much more.  After reballing we ate some lunch and then went back to the church for haircuts, movies, and interviews.  My interview was great and it relived a huge wieght of my shoulders and I feel like a new missionary.  Oh how I love interviews they are my faviort part of zone confrences.  After interviews we went to the apartment we were staying at and went to bed.

Friday:
In the morning we went and did Yoga on the beach.  It was fun but I am still a little sore from it.  We also before Yoga had a little time so we made a sand castle on the beach with three bridges that survived all the way through yoga.  After yoga we changed and got ready for zone conference.  Zone conference was a lot of fun and we got a new tool to help us.  It is a white board to write all of our investagators on and their problams and solutions so that we can better keep track of them.  I like it a lot and think it will help a ton.  After zone conference we got a ride back to Ruse from the Ap's which was a lot of fun.  Back home we got a pizza for dinner and then went to bed.

Saturday:
Woke up and baked all of the cookies and then it was time for english.  English was fun but I had to teach it alone because Elders Neuenswander and Seymor were in Varna for a baptisim that they had to attend.  After english we got everything ready for Miroslavs baptisim and then we had the baptisim.  We did have one hick up though.  The programs were messed up but that is nothing major and the baptism went great despite it.   I had the same feelling as always after Miroslav was baptized.   That is like when you send a kid off to school for the first time.  Basiclly he is on his own now I can support him a little but now it is up to him and it is a happy feeling and a sad one too.  But it is what he needs and his life will become so much better because of it.  After the baptism we cleaned everything up and then it was time for bed and I slept lik a log.

Sunday:
Found out that Elder Neuenswander had a stomac virus and so we went to church with out the other elders.  Church was good and it was great to have Miroslav conferem and reciev the gift of the holy ghost.  It is always such a special and amazing thing to have somebody be baptized for it really is the most important decision in their life for it is the turning point and there is no turning back.  I had to teach Gospel Principles but with Mitko's help (young, cool, member) the lesson went great and then we had priesthood and church was over.  After church we talked with the members and then went back home.  We then had lunch and planned for the next week breaking out the new white board and then after planning we went out surveying.  It was a good surveying session and we got to talk with a lot of cool people but we still didn't find anybody who was interested in learning more.  After surveying we came home for dinner and bed.

I love you all and thank you for all fot he support

Love,
Elder Austin James Ewell

September 22

Well this long fast of letters wasn't to bad for us because we managed to keep busy and the time just flew by.  I am glad to see that eveybody is doing great and I hope you all continue to do well.  Well lets get on with the week.  Oh this will have a little less detial than before because it is 10 days and not just 6

Monday:
Well after weriting you guys we went window shopping, gokarting, and bowling.  It was a ton of fun adn a good start to a 2 week stretch of missionary work.  After the fun and games we went to work and had a lesson fall through.  So we contacted with little success for the rest of the night.

Tuesday:
After morning stuedies we street boarded until lunch and language study.  While street boarding we met a American that is going to live here for a year.  He is good friends with Mitko a member here and he is really cool.  After lunch and language study we surveyed until our meeting with tihomir the member that made a complete 180 degree turn around.  He had been inactive for 7 years and against the church, but now he wants to become a faithful active member again.  We don't know were the change came from but we are reteaching him everything.  After the meeting that went really well we met with Miroslav.  We found out he couldn't come to church on sunday so we had to push his baptismil date back to next saturday.  At least it is just work that he can't get out of and not a morality or worthiness issue.  We taught him the ten commandments and obedience to the law of the land.  The lesson went well and after wards we came home for dinner and bed.

Wednesday:
After our morning studies we had district meeting.  District meeting was a lot of fun and after wards we had lunch.  After lunch we went surveying all day, except an hour for language study, until 5:30.  At 5:30 we went on splits and I got to work with Elder Simor the Greenie.  We had a meeting with some inactive members that went well.  They are really poor but love the gospel and it was fun to teach them.  After the meeting we had dinner and went to bed.

Thursday:
Basicly contacted all day until english.  English was fun as always and afterwards we went back with our origanal companions and had dinner and went to bed.

Friday:
All day contacting and weekly planning.  We did get a call though saying Elder Dropla needed to be in Sofia on tuesday for passport work.  Well that makes Monday and Tuesday real nice and full of travel.  At least it helped the week go by a lot faster.

Saturday:
Because most of level one couldn't come in the morning we moved their class to six, but second and third level were sitll at eleven.  So Elder Neuenswander and I had language study while the others taught.  We then had lunch and surveyed until it was time to clean the church and then we had english  while the other elders language studied and then dinner and bed.

Sunday:
Had church which was good.  After church we went to Ayri's house.  He is a 22 year old member and we were helping him fill out his mission papers, but we need President Roth to unlock the papers online so we can do them.  We will talk to President Roth about it tomorow though at Zone confrence and hopefully we will be able to get the ball rolling.  I am very excited for Ayri and it will be great to see him on a mission.  Anyway after that we went contacting all day until dinner and bed.

Monday:
Yea P-Day!  Oh wait its not until thursday!  Nooooooo!  Actually monday wasn't that bad.  After having a meeting get dropped in the morning we contacted a little and then got on our bus to Sofia.  Got to Sofia around seven.  After getting situated and everything put away inthe apartment we were staying at we went to bed.

Tuesday:
Got to the passport place around 9:30 and droped off Elder Dropla with his groupies to get their passport work done.  Elder Kariya and I sat at a sweet shop and studied while waiting for them to finish.  After they were all done Elder Dropla and I got a bus back home and in the evening met with Tihomir and Miroslav.  We taught the word of wisdom and the law of chastity to Tihomir and the Priesthood to Miroslav.  Both lessons went really well and it was a good end to the day.

Wednesday:
We went contacting slash shopping for a Birthday present for Mitko a member here who was having his party today.  After that we had a little lunch and then set up for the party and had it.  The party was a lot of fun and Chris the american and his girlfriend came since they were friends of Mitko as well.  It was fun to talk with them and Mitko loved the party.  After cleaning up the party it was 6:20 so we headed home so I could prepare food for Miroslav's baptism since I won't have any other time.  After makeing every thing it was time for bed.

Well that was the long fast week.  Today should be fun since it is a zone p-day and we are all going R-balling.  Anyway one good thing about the long fasts is that guess what Monday is around the corner and then I get to write again.  Yea!!!

Love,
Elder Austin James Ewell

Get Ready for A Long Fast

Hey I guess you are wondering what the subject heading is about.  Well I will tell you.  Next week we are having a zone confrence in Varna on friday, because of this our P-Day is temporarly being moved to thursday.  This means that I will not be able to write you guys until the thursday of next week.  Yea it is going to be terreble but hey it is only for one week and then everything is going back to normal.  Anyway lets get started with this week.

 

Monday:

Well you already know about monday and the trip to Veliko Turnivo.  Well after writting you guys we caught a train back and instead of two and half hour travel time like in the morning the train took us 5 hours to get back home.  Well that was unexcpected but we were still able to get out and work for about two hours before bed.

 

Tuesday:

First thing we did after our morning studies was that we meet with the other elders to go over the former investagators in our area book to see if any of them were people that they were teaching.  Well after looking through the area books (yes we have two one just filled with former investagators and the other is the normal everyday use one) we only found about 4 and then we split ways and went and had lunch.  After lunch we cleaned our apartment because we didn't get a chance to on monday do to the train taking way to long.  Also our apartment was turning into a disaster zone and we needed to get it done.  After cleaning we went out surveying/tracting for a while.  Something funny that happened is that we gave a book of mormon to a lady and then she tried to pay us ten lev for it.  After talking with her for about 30 minutes on how we couldn't take it we finally were able to leave her.  We then had a language study before our meeting with Tihomir.  He is the member that was inactive for a long time and just mysterosly turned around.  We are meeting with him once a week to reteach him everything.  This week we retaught him the plan of salvation and the lesson went really well.  We then had a meeting with Miroslav our investagator who is getting baptized.  Elder Neueswander went with me to meet him at least once before the interview.  We taught him about prayer again and the lesson went really well.  After the meeting we got our companions back and went back home for bed.

 

Wednesday:

After our studies we had district meeting and then it was basicly surveying and member hunting the rest of the day with little success.

 

Thursday:

In the morning after our studies we went surveying and then had lunch and language study and then more surveying.  Then we had the baptismal interview with Miroslav.  The interview went great and he is all ready to get baptized this saturday.  After the interview we had english class again.  And to answer some questions at english class we give a spiritual thought at the end of the class and then we will invite them to church and to take the lessons.  If there is somebody that we feel needs to be taught or shows interest in the spiritual thoughts we invite them personaly.  Angelina from Pleven was a english student so it does work it just is slow and like everything else her the people aren't very reciptive to the gosple.  After english we went back home for dinner and bed.

 

Friday:

Basicly contacting/surveying/tracting all day until four o' clock.  At four we weekly planned and then had dinner.  After dinner we met with Miroslav to plan for his baptisim and who he wants to do what, and he wants me to baptize him.  I am happy and excited for that, but I also wish he would have picked a member so he could have that special bond with them.  Anyway I am really excited for the baptisim and it should be amazing and awesome.  After the meeting with him we went home to bed.

 

Saturday:

We had english right after our morning studies and ten we had lunch and surveyed all day.  We did clean the church at 3:30 but other than that it was just surveying and surveying.

 

Sunday:

Church was good.  I taught gospel prinicples and since Miroslav was the only investagator there and we hadn't taught him about priesthood.  The class was a lot of fun but I always feel like I am buchering the language whenever I have to teach our talk for a long time.  At the end of church we had lunch and then went and taught Irie a member that knows perfect english and used to work for carnivel cruise line.  The lesson was really cool and at the end of it he asked us if we would help him fill out his mission papers.  We instantly agreed and said anytime anywhere.  It will be so cool to see him go on a mission.  After the lesson Elder Dropla was getting a fever so we headed back home and where inside the rest of the day.  His fever broke before we went to bed, but it did get high before then so it was a good idea to head in.

 

Monday:

Well the other elders are in Sofia for passport work again and so we aren't going to be traveling today.  We are actually going to take it easy so that Elder Dropla can fully recover so he doesn't have a relaspe.

 

Everything is great here and I am having the best time on my mission with Elder Dropla and it feels amazing.   I hope you all are doing great back home and are keeping the spirit with you.

 

Love,

Elder Austin James Ewell

Miraslov and his new suit!

Ruse at night

Labor Day

Hello everybody.  Sorry but this letter is going to be short because I don't have anytime to write because we are in Veliko Turnivo to see the fortress since we are the closest city to it and it is P-Day.  Today has been a blast and I have had a great time.  Pictures will be sent later.
Monday:
It was a fun P-day because we had about 4 kilograms of pizza while watching a movie.  It was fatty but a lot of fun.  Also I forgot to say this but as of last week I have lost 48 pounds in bulgaria.  I am at 189 pounds as of right now.  Anyway after p-day was done we put up the baptismal font to test it and after a lot of apoxy glue it was fixed.  That was monday.
Tuesday:
After our morning studies we surveyed for a while and then we had lunch and then went to go do a service project but once we got there we found out it didn't need to be done till thursday and that it couldn't either so we home taught the member and then went home changed and had a meeting with a new investagator that is amazing.  Her name is Nickoleta and she knows perfect english.  The lesson went really well and I have high hopes for her.  We then had another dropped meeting and then we went surveying until bed time and dinner.
Wednesday:
After our morning studies we had district meeting and then we had lunch and then all day it was surveying until dinner time. 
Thursday:
We did some surveying in the morning because we had a the service project again in the afternoon.  For the project we organized a members wood that he had got shipped for him.  We worked a little to fast for him and we had to take a forced brake for a while which was funny.  After the project he fed us and the other elders shared a spiritual thought.  We then went back home and had english class.  English was amazing we had 71 People there and it was huge.  We only had 37 for first level but it was still fun teaching that many people.  We then had a language study and then went to bed.
Friday:
We surveyed in the morning and then we had lunch, language study, and fixed the white board in the church because it broke during english class which was kind of embarissing.  We then surveyed a little while and then had weekly planning.  After weekly planning we had a birthday party for a member we were invited to and we went and it was a lot of fun and we got to share a little about the gospel with her aunt and uncle.  After that it was time for bed.
Saturday:
After our morning studies we had english and that was dissapointing.  We had only 7 people in first level because it was a working day and nobody else could come.  We then had lunch and language study and then went surveying until we had to clean the building.  After cleaning we had a dropped meeting and then went surveying until dinner time.
Sunday:
Church was a little sad because a lot of members were at a youth confrence and so we only had 10 people at church.  Other than that it was alright and then we had to do some branch work with the branch president.  After that we contacte all day until 6 when we had a meeting with member and then we had a meeting with Miroslav.  He is so cool his family and friends had given him some anti matierale but that didn't even bother him and he was just more worried about that he had no proper clothing for church.  So I gave him one of my old suits and it fit perfectly.  The meeting went well and I have to go because we have to leave.

August 29

Well this week was a long week filled with dropped apointments, but it was a fun week and flew by and I can't belive it is monday again.  So let us get started with the week.

Monday:
After writting you guys we had some branch fund to do and then we had lunch and walked around the city window shopping with the other elders while looking for things to see.  We then went to the church and watched "Tangled" to cool down and then we went back to the apartment to clean.  After cleaning we went to work were we finally put up the last of the english posters and then got some good soild surveying time in.  The survey changes every once in a while and we are prototyping a new one right now.  The basic process behind it is we ask some questions like do you belive in god or are families important.  Then at the end we use the information we got to give a short little message about why we are here that should apply to them.  If all goes well we get a number from them to call and set up an appointment.  If not well they just get our number and a small brochure incase they are interested later or have a friend who is intrested.  It is better to get a number because nobody ever calls the number.  From my whole mission I have only had one person act on their own and use the information on the brochure to come to church.  Surveying though is my faviorite finding tool because we get to be outside talking with people and I belive other than street boarding it is the best way to find people here besides member refferals (and we don't get any of those very often.)  After surveying we went in to bed.

Tuesday:
We surveyed in the morning and then had one meeting drop, lunch, language study, a home teaching appointment, and another meeting drop.  So we then had dinner and surveyed a bit till our meeting with Miroslav.  After being owned in chess we talked about the baptismal covenat and went over the interview questions.  Then we asked him if he would like to be baptized on the 17 and he said yes!  And to answer your question dad he would make the 4th person that I have had influnce in teaching get baptized.  I have seen 6 baptismal services and 8 people baptized if this one goes through.  Yea this mission is really difficult to get numbers so just a little something for little Max.  Despite survying hundreds of people and only 1 lesson the week wasn't too bad.  But I don't mind about the numbers because it makes every success all the more sweater, this mission is young and when the hight baptizing missions *cough* (brazil) were young they were growing about the same rate we are now, and I am haveing to much fun here on the mission.  The thing that prevents so many people here though is tradition of there fathers.  I cannot tell you how many times I here I am provoslav (orthodox in bulgarain) so I don't need anything else, and then you ask why they are orthodox and they say because it is tradition.  I would be fine with that if they were all faithful but they are only orthodox in name they don't even go to church except for baby blessings, and maybe easter.  Anyway I love this mission despite the difficulties and it makes me think that my work is really doing something because it feels so hard, and once something happens it makes it all the better.  So I am very excited for Miroslav and I can wait for his baptisim just keep him in your prayers.  After the meeting with him we went back home for bed.

Wednesday:
After our morning studies we had district meeting with the zone leaders who were in for splits.  District meeting was really great and I have come to love any oppurtunty I have to be able to sit down and listen to others teach.  After district meeting we had lunch and then another dropped meeting.  We then surveyed for a bit and then for 3 hours we were at the church for english sign ups.  We got around 50 people who signed up which means we will have around 70-100 at english which will be great.  It gives us a chance to teach people here that we are normal and that we are the true church.  It was really funny to see Elder Dropla's and Neuenschwander's reactions to one english student.  She is around 25 and gorgous, also lets just say you have to focus on her face while you teach because the clothing will just distract.  Well they freaked out and it was hilarous.  Anyway that was about the highlight of that day.  After english class sign ups we went home for dinner and bed.

Thursday:
We went surveying again after our morning studies and then had lunch and language study.  After these we had a english planning meeting and then another dropped meeting.  We then surveyed until our meeting that night with a less-active member.  The meeting went fine.  Her name is Boyanka and between work and care for her mom who has Alzhiemers (or something like it) she says she has no time to come to church.  We committed her to once a month though and she agreed.  Lets pray and hope that she follows through this time.  We then had dinner and bed.

Friday:
In the morning while it was cool we surveyed and then had lunch and weekly planning.  Oh while surveying today we finally got 2 reciveds for us.  We had gotten about 4 other reciveds (that is contact info) throughout the week but three were for other missions (India, England, and California) and one for Varna, so it was nice to finally get some for us and they are really cool their names are Anna and Nicoleta.  Please keep them in your prayers.  After weekly planning we surveyed some more and then had a meeting with less active named Tihomir.  The meeting went really well and he knows his church history better than I do (at least with the dates.)  I really hope he stays active because he is great and normal so please keep him in your prayers as well.  After the meeting with him we went to see if we had a lesson with Miroslav because we couldn't remeber but he was in his village.  We then came back home and made the best mashed potatoes ever.  They had hamburger sausage, eggs, Cirane (like feta cheese), galic, milk, and butter in them and it was so good. After eating we went to bed.

Saturday:
We had english in the morning and I was teaching first level with Elder Neuenshwander.  First level is so much fun to teach because you can actually see them progress in the language.  After english we had lunch and then waited for some stragling english students because our posters had two times up for saturday but we had changed our plans to just one.  So we waited for the others to see if they would show up.  Some did and we taught them and then told them the change in plans.  After english we cleaned the building and then went surveying until dinner and bed.

Sunday:
Had church and then branch funding we had to do.  We then had a home teaching meeting with the other elders and then surveyed and tracted all day.  We did get let in by a muslim and he just talked about his faith and wouldn't listen to us but even though it was a waist of time it was very educational.  We then came back for dinner and bed.

I love you all and sorry about the hard time max it is just funny and frustrating to read your numbers some times.

Love,
Elder Austin James Ewell

New Transfers

First of all this letter is going to be really short because I don't have much time.  So lets us all the time I have and get to work.

Monday:
Just another regualar P-day.  During the working hours we did our deep clean and then there was a small gettogether of english students so the other elders could say good bye.  We then had dinner with a member that was really good.

Tuesday:
Basicly traveling all day and settling in my new companion.  His name is Michael Dropla.  He is from Columbia, South Carolina and he his full of energy which is really refreshing.  He is really good at the language despite only being out for about 2 months.  I am very excited to be working with him and I belive this transfere will be a good one.

Wednessday:
After we had morning studies we had our district meeting.  It was really good and I am looking forward to working with this district as well.  My district composes of me, Elder Dropla, Elder Neuenschwander, and a greening Elder Simor.  After district meeting we had lunch and then language study.  We then went and surveyed for about 3 hours and then advertised for english. 

Thursday:
After our morning studies we advertised for english again by putting up posters and then then we had lunch.  While advertising though somebody didn't like what we were doing even though we were following the law and they tried to take our Bucket of glue.  They couldn't so they kicked it destroying our bucket and spilling glue everywhere.  Anyway we just bought a new bucket and it is just a fun story to tell now.  After advertising we had lunch and then language study.  We then went surveying and then had a meeting with Stefi.  The lesson went well but she doesn't have the spark to continue on her own so please pray for that.  We then went street boarding with the other elders and that was the night.

Friday:
All morning was taken up with weekly planning and then we had language study.  We then went street boarding with the other elders and then had dinner.  After dinner we met with Miroslav and had a really good lesson with him.  We watched the joseph smith prophet of the restoration film with him and the spirit was really strong.  I am hopeing to commit him to baptizim in our next meeting so please pray for luck and success.  We then went home for bed.

Saturday:
After our morning studies we had a lesson with Stefi that went terrible.  We got the information across but it just didn't feel good.  I am really loseing hope for her so please pray for her.    We then had a planning meeting with the other elders to prepare for english and we organized the missionarie and english supplies in the church.  We then street boarded for a awhile together and then went advertising for english again.  We then had dinner and bed.

Sunday:
Church was super busy.  We had a member that was less active for years come to church and we got a meeting with him for friday.  Also there was a lot of buissness that we had to do as well.  And then I met with a member and Elder Simor so Elder Simor could practice giving the first lesson.  He did great and he was really good with the language.  We then cleaned up our area book and went surveying for the rest of the night.

Again sorry for the short letter but I don't have time for a bigger one and I will right more next week.

20 Years in Bulgaria

The latest development in the Mcdonalds empire Mcdonalds in a box

All the missionaries

Dinner

Walking the streets

Me, My Grandfather, My father

The members

Well this letter is going to be a little short this week because of the 20 year celebration.  Just because if I tried to write everything it would take me forever.  So lets get started.

Monday:
Really a normal P-day we wrote, shopped, and then we made enchiladas with the other elders.  The enchiladas were really good and after that we went to the church to do a family home evening activity that all of the members had begged us to do.  Well only two showed up.  Anyway it was fun despite that and after the family home evening we went home to bed.

Tuesday:
After our studies we went around surveying and had a lot of fun doing it.  It was one of my better surveying sessions and I don't know why.  After surveying for a couple of hours we had lunch and then language study.  After that the day was fill with phone tag between us and our investagators and some surveying.  That took up most of the day.

Wednesday:
We had a meeting fall through in the morning and so we surveyed until lunch.  Elder Rothisburger was in Ruse with his family because his family had come to pick him up for his mission.  His whole family was there his brothers, sister, and parents.  It was really fun eating with them and they were really nice.  After lunch we had district meeting and then we had language study.  After that we surveyed for a little until we had a meeting with Miroslav one of our investagators.  We taught him the law of tithing, chastity, and word of wisdom.  He took it really well and seemed to understand it all.  After the meeting it was time for bed.

Thursday:
Most of the morning was taken up with packing for the 20 year celebration because we had to travel to Sofia spend the night and then go to Plovdiv were the celebration was in the morning.  So the morning was taken up with making sure we had everything we needed for three nights away from home and then we had to catch a bus all the way to Sofia which is about 6 hours away by bus.  We got in around 7:30 and went to the mission home were I finally got my package.  Thank you so much I love the otterpops I just have to controll my self now and I love the mesuring cups but most of all I love the photo album it is great and perfect.  Thank you so much mom.  Anyway we then went from the mission home to the elders apartment that we were staying at and the place we were staying at was were my Tranier or in mission jargon Father's apartment is.  He is heading home this transfere or according to mission jargon he is dieing.  So it was great to see him one last time.  Anyway that was the night.

Friday:
We got up at six in the morning so we could catch our bus to Plovdiv.  After we got to Plovdiv we first went to a shop so Elder Spencer (my father) could buy a Guveche pot that he could take home and then we checked into the hotel we were staying at.  All of the missionaries came in for the celebration so President Roth basicly bought out a whole hotel for us.  It was fun staying in a hotel and the place was pretty nice.  At twelve o'clock we all met down at the church and it was cool to see all of the missionaries.  I also got to see  my traniers cleanup companion who had came back to bulgaria for the reunion (according to mission jargon that makes him my grandma because cleanup companions are mothers, usually it only goes that far but some missionaries *cough* me add in brothers and cousins and stuff like that.  Most don't because it gets really complicated eventually but I have fun with it.  So technicly I have been serving with my half brother for the last transfere.  His tranier (father) was my clean up (mother) and because of the role change I add the term half.  Anyway I probelly get into this to much but this should help with the rest of the letter.)  After saying hello and all that we began a meeting with all the missionaries.  We first had lunch and then we all went on "rescue visits" basicly all of the missionaries spread out across Plovdiv and between us all we contacted every single inactive member and filled out either a addres relocator if they didn't live there anymore or invited them to church.  Elder Olmsted and I had five people to visit and 2 of them didn't live there any more and the other three we got to meet and invite to the event.  After the storming of Plovdiv we all met back to gether and then went to dinner.  The mission had resevered a Turkish restraunt for all the missionaries to commemorate Turkey being added to our mission.  Dinner was a ton of fun and the food was really good.  Something funny though is that we all walked there together and it was amazing to see 50 missionaries walking the streets of Plovdiv.  I don't know if that helped our image or not I don't think anybody was quite brave enough to heckle us when there were 50 of us there.  After dinner we walked back to the church and then had a two talks from the first counsler of the area presidency and his wife.  The talks were really good and I took some extinsive notes in my talk journal.  After the talks we heard the dieing missionaries testimonies and then went back to the hotel for bed.

Saturday:
So many people!!!!  Wow there were a ton of people there.  We got up and then went to the hotel were the celebration was being held and I stood by the doors to guide people in and greet them.  There were tons we had around 400-450 members there.  It was so cool to see everybody and I was so happy to see my former investagators from previous cities baptized and unbaptized there.  Sister Lawrence (the area presidentsies first conseler's wife) said in her talk that the joy she saw in members greating past missionaries was a type of the pure joy we will have in the kindom of god and I can say that it certanly felt that way.  After everybody was seated we listened to some talks and from the mission presidency and area presidency and then we all went to the church building for lunch.  We got to socilize there and also I got to meet my grandpa on my fathers side.  His name is Robbie Briggs and My father Elder Spencer killed him (served with him his dieing transfere) and it was so cool to see him.  I have a family picture that I will send so you will get to see him and forgive him for the beard his razor got stolen on the way to Bulgaria but other than that it was so fun to see him.  After lunch and talking with everybody we went back to the church to here testimonies from some preselected members and then we heard President Lawrences testimony and he gave the mission and country a blessing that was really cool to hear and I wrote all the main parts down.  We then had to run to catch a bus back to sofia and then a train back to Ruse.  It was hetic and we finally got home around 3 in the morning.  So we went to bed as soon as we unpacked.

Sunday:
Woke up finding out I had slept past my alarm by half an hour and then we got ready for church.  Church was short because of the night train we had to take because we wanted the members to be able to get some sleep.  So we just had sacrament and going away testimonies from the leaving missionaries.  Oh yea I forgot we got our transfere calls on Friday while we were all together.  We got them in a personalized letter from President Roth and I am going to stay in Ruse and I am going to clean up Elder Dropla, so I am going to be a mom YEA!!!  Anyway after church the other elders said there good byes and then we went home for lunch.  Oh a miricale that happened is that a member that has been inactive for years because of a doctrinale issue came to church and he said he would come again next week.  That was amazing and all of the members were shocked.  Anyway his name is Tihomir and please pray for him.  Anyway after lunch we surveyed all day and then had a final dinner with the other elders.