Week: March 19-25

This week was really amazing. I am so happy to be back here. I find myself smiling all the time and my desire to do the work is just getting bigger and bigger every day. It's been a really cool experience coming in and building off the work that Sora Garrett and the other sisters have done because this is the first time in my mission that I have been able to do this. They really have done a great job and there are some amazing people that we are working with. 

We are of course working with Alexandra but she is still having a really hard time fully accepting the Atonement of Jesus Christ to work in her and because of this we weren't able to meet up with her this week. I have said some of my most earnest prayers in my life for her. Both a year ago and now. Can you all please pray for her? She really needs it. With all of our faith I know that Heavenly Father will give her the strength to ask for Christ's redeeming power. We are also working with Ramona, Ionela, Rebeca, and several others. 

This week we had lessons with some sweet families, including the Geana family from Sacele. They are so sweet and there testimonies are so strong. It seems like they understand the Gospel and now it's time for them to act! We talked about baptism and a specific date and they said they would pray to know if this was the right thing for them! We have met up with a lot of awesome people and have continued to find more people wherever we go. 

We have continued promising blessing and have been focusing a lot on this as a district. Sora Muhlestein had a great idea of how to do better at following up not only on the commitment we extend but also on the blessings the we promise. We have also been focused a lot on working with our less active members. Every day we go out and true to find these amazing children of God! We split up the member list and mapped out where everyone lives so that no one is left forgotten. Heavenly Father always leads us to where we need to go when we are out doing what He has asked us to do. We have had miracles as we have followed the promptings He gives us. 

Something that we read this week in our comp study was to make it clear when we are teaching that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints isn't like other churches. I have felt so much happiness this week as I have concentrated on teaching others that while other churches good and based on true priciples and are lead by good people, that there is a church lead directly by God! From there we teach that through the Gospel restored in this church that we can recieve all the blessings of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Ahh we are a part of the most amazing work in the world! Have a great week!

Love, Sora James

IM BACK HOME

Okay im not back home in utah but im back to my lovely Brasov!!!! As I got off the train, I felt like I was coming home. We have big plans to get through the member list and bring everyone back. The members are doing great and it really is the time for this wonderful city. Already in these couple days of being here we have seen miracles! We got to meet with Alexandra and had a powerful lesson about the Plan of Salvation, concentrating on the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I saw a change in her in this lesson and I think she truely understands her need of Him in her life. She closed with a beautiful prayer and told us that she really feels like God is calling on her to come to Him and that He is really working at her through us. Sora Garrett is AMAZING and so bold and brought up baptism at just the right time. Alexandra said that she is amazed that we still believe that she is worth it. It is a miracle that I am able to be here again. I feel like one of the greatest purposes of my whole mission was to prepare me for this time here again, with her and with all of the people here. I have felt the power of personal revelation and know that God has great plans right now. Like I said Sora Garrett is amazing and has taught me so much especially about promising blessings. We were really inspired but the story Elder Kemeny shared at MLC about promising specific, powerful blessings and we have been making a real effort to do this in all of our interactions. People really react positively because when we do this the Spirit imediately testifies of what we are saying. We really are doing great and really feel like miracles are coming! Love you guys! Have a great week!

Sora James

back in the good ol brasov

me and alexandra (((:

i dont know what week anymore but it was really goooood ((((:

This week we have stayed busy and have been having lots of great lessons. One of the greatest experiences this week was with our cute friend Diana. We taught her the Plan of Salvation. Recently we realized that we need to be teaching the Plan of Salvation as a lesson about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the impact it has on us now and in eternity instead of teaching about us and then fitting the Atonement into the picture. The Plan of Salvation is the Atonement. As we taught the lesson more focused on Him, our desire to share with her was so much greater. The love the God blessed us to feel for this sweet girl was really amazing. She is progressing really well and even in a few lessons we have seen her faith grow. Her prayers are really sincere and you can really see her desire to know if God is there. 

Another amazing miracle from this week was with Carmen Ionica. She came to church again this Sunday. It was amazing to see her take the sacrament and renew her covenants again! Then as the testimonies were being borne she was very touched and she leaned over to me and asked if it would be okay for her to say a few things. I told her that it would be fine. She went up and shared that she was a recently returning member but that God has showed her that she needs to be here. It was a short but powerful testimony. 

We have seen a lot of amazing miracles lately and have been feeling the power of the Holy Ghost giving us the words to say, when we need to say them. I have noticed that if we are prepared and willing God will give us challenges that turn out to be miracles. 

Sora Erickson is doing really well and has been taking the lead in a few lessons and has been working so hard. She is an amazing example and I am so lucky to be her companion. We are always up and praying at 6:30 and something that I try to do every morning is to say "Today is going to be a great day." and then I give a little cheer or jump or something and it really always is true haha. 

Love you so much!

Sora James