Hello Family, friends and fans!!!!!!

HELLO FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND FANS!!!!!!!

Im am really excited to tell you about my week this week because it
was one of the best and i have so much to write about. So lets get to
it.

As you know from my last weeks email, it was the last week of the
transfer so transfer board came out and we know all the information
for the next transfer. Iv been in Craiova for about 6 months so more
that likely I would be transfered. And i did!!! Drum
Roll....................Ill be going to Bucuresti, the capital of
Romania!!! And I am so excited! So a little information about the
mission in Bucuresti. There are 2 parts: The Mehai Bravo side and the
Panduri side. I will be serving on the Panduri side with Elder
Hokkanen. Elder Hokkanen is from Finland and is a really hard worker
so it should be great. Also we are the zone leaders for the Bucuresti
West section. Yeah Zone leader! It caught me by surprise too but im
really excited and it will be a big growing experience for me. Also
the zone has 4 cities so I will be traveling even more and going on
exchanges with all of them. It will definetly be different then how
its been in Galati and Craiova because there are decent size branches
in Bucuresti. I sure we will have a lot more activities and we will be
able to work with the members more. transfers are on Wednesday so i
will be moving them.

In the mean time in Craiova i have been saying good by to everyone i
know. I actually know a lot of people around the city and they are all
amazing people so it was hard to say good bye. Also we had our last
english class and they were all sad that i was leaving. haha there so
nice. They also made sure to tell me all the things I need to see and
visit. haha Im sure I will get to see it all but they still dont
really get it that we cant just do whatever we want. they have been
really good and een though they arnt very interested in the Gospel
they love us and they love to Spiritual thughts, and the English of
course. Ha English classes in Craiova are the best and in going to
miss that.

So now this week we had a little trip a little out of the ordinary.
There was a previous investigator that use to live in Bucuresti but
moved back in with his parents in a village in the middle of nowhere.
This man had been keeping in touch with a elder that has been home
since 2006. so yeah a really long time ago. Anyways he contacted the
missionaries saying that he really wants a visit and has been
struggling with a lot of things. So since Elder Brundage and I havent
had a busy schedule as far as investigators go, we asked President
hill if we could make the trip to visit this man. He let us do it. So
he lived in a village called Trocani about 30 minutes outside of a
city called Turgu Jiu. (dad you should google search it it is soo
awesome) It total its about 4 hours of travel time. We were thinking
twice about making the trip because we wernt sure if he actually
wanted help or if he wanted money. we decided to go and IT WAS
AMAZING!! After going down a dirt road in the middle of Romania we got
to his house which was basically a little shack and a kitchen which
was outside. Then Pigs and Cows surrounded the place. We had an
incredible lesson in his little house and it was definitely lead by
the spirit. We didnt know exactly what we were going to teach because
we didnt know his situation but it just went so smoothly. He is having
a really hard time not receiving answers to his prayers and he is
really depressed. We talked to hi mostly on the Atonement of Jesus
Christ and love. We also gave him a blessing of comfort. He was great
and we met his parents which were the most village (la Tara) people i
haev ever met. Im pretty sure the mom had a full beard and the Dad had
2 teeth. He grunted a lot and I didnt understand one work he said. We
were really happy that we made the trip out there and it was one of
the best experiences i have had on my mission so far. He called the
next day to thank is again. He was very grateful. The hard thing is
that he lives so far away that the missionaries cant visit him very
often or never. we are going to keep in touch with him by phone.

On Sunday we had church. It was very small because the Spooners are
out of town but like always it was great. I gave another talk to say
good by and thank everyone. I talk mostly about the importance of
scriptures and how we can use them the right way. I was a little sick
and it wasnt amazing but it was ok.

Well thats about it for this week. I will be even more busy this next
transfer so it will be fun an interesting. I am really excited to go
there and its great to be in the Big city for the summer. There are so
many people walking the streets a lot of things to go. Love you all!!
have a great week!

Elder mayans

P.S. Dad i finished that book that you sent. It was great and a good read.

Elder Mayans this week in Romania

3-21-2014

Hello family and friends!!!

Well, it’s Monday again and it’s the last week of this transfer. It’s

going by way too fast like always. So this week was a very busy week

filled with a few new things and some of the same stuff like English.

English is going good still. We have a smaller class of about 10

people this transfer but they are great and love to learn English and

listen to our spiritual thoughts. Actually just this past Saturday we

had an activity right after English class so that if they wanted to

they could stay. We played minute to win it games and it was soo much

fun and really funny. I have the most amazing videos of Romanians

trying to eat an oreo cookie off of their foreheads. haha It was nice

to have more people at our activities.

Also this week on Thursday we went down to Bucuresti for Zone

Conference!!! It was sooo good. We got there on Thursday night and at

the train Station in Bucuresti I ran into Connor Cunningham! He was my

companion my 2nd transfer and went home about 3 months ago. He didn’t

tell anyone that he was going to visit so it was a big surprise for me

to just run into him. It was really good to see him and we got to

catch up far a little bit. That night I had one of the worst nights of

my life because my air mattress popped in the middle of the night.

haha But on Friday we had Zone conference which was really good. We

are going to be trying a new form of contacting in the mission

directed at families and Genealogy. It’s different but President Hill has a

lot of really good ideas and we are excited to try it out. It’s a little

hard to do that in Craiova though because there are only 2 active

members and there is no computer for family search.

Yesterday was a really good Sunday. We had a really good sacrament

meeting and the spirit was very strong. The Spooners are back in town

with their daughter and nephew so the congregation was packed! Ha. Also,

the Sisters had one of their investigators come to church which was

good to see. He said he would come to our church if we went to his. So

we did and last night we went to the Pentecostal church. It was a

really good experience so go. Things are a little different and it was

interesting but it was good. It was nice to see people who were

actually religious and showed faith in their church instead of

everyone just saying that they are orthodox but never going to church.

I love being a missionary and I’m a happy man! Romania is treating me

very well and I’m staying busy which is good. This week I will be

taking an adventure as I go out to a village about 2 hours outside of

Craiova. There is a guy who has met with the missionaries a long time

ago and wants to meet with us. This is also the last week of the

transfer so I will know about everything that is happening next week

and I’ll keep you updated! Love you all and thanks for all the e-mails!!

Elder Mayans

Elder Mayans this week

3-17-2014

Like always, I had a great week this week but I don’t have that much too

say. ha Some weeks I have a lot of things on my mind to say but this

week not so much.

So just a little review. We have been going to the Parcul Mare which

is directly translated (the Big park) haha and contacting a lot of

people. We were able to go as a district to the park and go chalk

contacting. We drew the Plan of Salvation on the ground and talked to

a lot of people about it. It was a success and I got to talk to a lot

of people about it. It’s a good way to contact and the Plan of

Salvation has such a strong message of hope and happiness.

Our English classes were actually not at amazing this week which was

really weird. It was good on Tuesday but Saturday not very many people

came and nobody participated. Lame. That’s just life. Our spiritual

thought was also on the Plan of Salvation. It was good. I read the

song " I am a child of God" to them and they were like no sing it.

haha I was like no trust me you don't want to hear me sing. ha They

always like the spiritual thoughts and agree with the things we talk

about

Also on Friday night we had an activity at the church. Usually we have

about one person show up to the weekly activity so it’s kinda hard to

have an activity but this week we had about 6 people show up. Nothing

crazy but it’s better. ha We had Marian, a guy from English class show

up too. He’s a really nice guy and we have been wanting to meet up with

him. We asked if we could and he’s not really giving us a straight

answer. He still shows some interest so we are keeping in contact with

him.

On Saturday we got permission to go to a classical music concert with

Alexandru, A former investigator that works there. It wasn't really a

classical music concert, more like just a cello player and some people

reciting poems but it was fun. It was in the evening and it was a long

day so I almost fell asleep during the concert. haha

Coming up this week we have zone conference on Friday in Bucuresti. I’m

excited and it will be one of the last times that I see President

Hill. He is leaving in about 2 transfers. Well I love you all and you’re

in my prayers. The Church is true and I love being a missionary. Stay

safe and have a great weeElder Mayans

I forgot my camera but I will send pictures next week. Sorry I haven't

been taking that much lately.

Romania!

2-3-2014

Hello everyone!!!

I’m sorry I actually don’t have a ton of time today so my e-mail might

be a little short but I had another great week. I mean how could I not

I’m serving a mission in Romania. Ha. So earilier this week we went down

to Bucuresti for a Zone Training meeting. Elder Brundage and I didn’t

have to give a presentation this time so we just sat there, but it was

still a really good meeting. There is a ridiculous amount of sisters

in this mission now. Nine sisters came in last transfer and I

think we have sisters in every city now which is crazy. Let’s just say

it makes it interesting. During the meeting we talked a lot about the

best ways to approach doing missionary work and also how to be more

organized. Also, we had a really funny good experience at the train

station when we were going to Bucuresti. Elder Brundage and I love to

play the game "Table" which is like backgammon and it’s very popular here.

There are always really old guys playing it on the streets. So we

heard some people playing upstairs so we went up there to watch and

ask where they bought their board because everyone has one but they

don’t sell them! haha Anyways, long story short they were very surprised

that we were Americans who liked to play table. They talked to us for

about a half hour about religion and stuff. It was awesome and really

cool that I was playing Table with an old man at a train station.

The rest of the week we did a lot of English and Book of Mormon

contacting. We ran into a few people that we have seen in the past and

had good conversations with them. It has been raining on and off so

sometimes there aren’t as many people on the street. Also on Saturday we

went Hospital contacting again which was great like always. I can’t

sing but I’m grateful that my district can because then you can’t hear

my voice. haha We had the opportunity to share with a few people about

what we do and why we are here. It felt good to make people in the

hospital happy.

Sunday, we had a good fast and testimony meeting. The only people that

showed up were the 4 missionaries, President Spooner, and one member.

We are small but strong. We sang I Know That My Redeemer Lives in

Sacrament meeting and for some reason it hit me really hard and the

Spirit was really strong. Seeing only a few members of the church show

up every week is really hard but their faith is so strong. I always

say to the members, " suntem putin dar puternici" which means we are

small but strong. ha I love the gospel so much and missionary work is

the most amazing thing in the world. I love you all and miss you tons.

Have a great week and we will talk next week. The ZL's are coming here

for exchanges on Thursday so I will let you know how it goes. Love you

all and thank you for the letters!

Elder Mayans