This week was absolutely, hands down, the craziest week of my LIFE, let alone my mission. More things happened than I can even explain!! Its too much to write.. so here is a basic list of all that went down. I will expand on the most important parts!!
- Wednesday, we travel to Bucharest. End up contacting THREE American people, all in Romania for super random reasons. We referred them all to the Buch missionaries, and even ended up teaching one of the guys for an HOUR in a COFFEE SHOP!! It was crazy. So spontaneous and awesome!!
- Attended a giant Devotional Meeting with the one and only M. Russel Ballard!!! An actual Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. He told some stories that seriously blew me away. Had the whole congregation in tears! He is absolutely GLOWING with the Light of Christ. He told a story about a miracle of rain during an Ethiopian drought. One of the coolest stories I've ever heard. My new catch phrase is "let it rain" because of His miraculous story! It has applied so much to missionary work too haha.
- We returned to Bucharest the next day for a giant, mission wide conference with Elder Ballard!!! One of the most incredible experiences of my life. His counsel is absolutely GOLDEN. No matter who you are, what your title is, ALL people can benefit from his words. He is a true witness of Jesus Christ.. I know it with every bone in my body! From the moment he walked in the chapel I felt it and I knew. :)
- Leaving the conference, we had a crazy mishap with transportation and spontaneously jumped into a random taxi! For the next twenty minutes, we ended up teaching this taxi driver an AWESOME lesson. And the gift of tongues was SO REAL in that moment! I was whippin out stuff I didn't even KNOW that I knew how to say! Such a huge miracle.
- We arrived at a Hotel in Bucharest. We had to stay the night because we had some stuff to do the next morning in Buch. This hotel was super nice and we felt like we were getting the Royal treatment!!
- Upon arriving at the Hotel, I notice that my legs have completly BROKEN OUT in HIVES. Haha! This is the second time its happened in two weeks. My legs have been on fire and itching like crazy ever since then, and they have spread to my back and my hands now!! ITS TOTALLY FREAKING ME OUT AHHH #pain
- We explore Old Bucharest for the evening, contacting more people and going to a great restaurant there. It is definitely my favorite place to visit in Buch, the old cobblestone roads and cathedrals and little shops are amazing!
- Friday morning, we wake up to go meet with President Ivory's LAWYER. Because a few weeks ago my wallet was stolen, which included my Visa!!! It has been a literal NIGHTMARE getting the Visa process moving again, because of complications with moving cities and everything. Absolutely nuts. So we met with this lawyer, and went to a SKETCHY police station underground in the Metro. I am sitting on a table, talking with the police chief (total jerk), as people are literally being HANDCUFFED NEXT TO US!!!! Yes.... definitely the scariest place I have been on my mission. Terrifying. But awesome story hahha.
- We then go to a hospital in Bucharest. I had an appointment there because several weeks ago, I got a super bad ingrown toenail!! (Gross..) and since then, something went wrong and it got super infected. So... I go into this appointment hoping and thinking that he will just give me some antibiotics, soak it in something (i dont know) and I can go home and move on with life! But no...... this wonderful doctor decides to freaking OPERATE ON MY TOE.... RIGHT THERE, RIGHT THEN. He takes a scalpel to my toe and just rips into it, without giving me an anesthetic. I WAS IN SO MUCH PAIN.... I can't even describe to you. Talk about craziest day, right?? After he does some procedure that almost made me scream with pain... he then announces to me that he is not a foot doctor, he is a Surgeon. ........ hahahah. WOW, SO HELPFUL DOCTOR, THANK YOU ...*not.
- On our way back to the train station, we make an incredible contact with this lady on the Metro. We were able to refer her to the Buch missionaries as well! Such an incredible woman!
- Get home... the next day there is a GIANT YSA activity at our chapel. We have 20 YSA members from all over Romania, at our church!
- They begin to cook pasta for lunch.. and the stove at the church breaks!!! We then have to carry the pasta sauce to our house (about five minutes away) and cook three HUGE pots of sauce for the YSA. It was crazy, I tell you.
- Later that day... must have eaten something bad.... I get GNARLY food poisoning. Crazy crazy bad... and I was freaking out because I really felt like I needed to be at church the next morning. I just had this feeling that I could NOT miss it. But I was almost dying in bed, I was so so sick.
- Comp and I say a prayer, asking for my stomach pain to go away. After that, I said another prayer in my heart, begging Heavenly Father to take all of this pain away from me. About two minutes later, I stand up to go get some water... and the most miraculous thing happened! All of a sudden, just like that, all of my pain and stomach sickness was absolutely GONE. In fact, I felt better than I had all week!! Just like that... quickest answered prayer I have ever received. I was able to go to sleep well that night and wake up for church the next day. Which is such a blessing, because...
- The next morning in church, our investigator Nicoletta and her 11 year old son Florin come to church. We pull them aside second hour and have a lesson.... actually one of the most incredible lessons I have had on my whole mission so far. The spirit was SO powerful. I felt it, and I know they did too. And then, I got a voice in my head that told me... "they want you to ask them to be baptized. They are waiting for you to ask it McKay!!"..... and this was a very strong prompting I received. So.. I asked them. And both of them IMMEDIATELY said Yes, yes, yes! We want to be baptized. We know that this is the truth. :) We set a baptismal date for December 19th!!!!! MY FIRST TWO INVESTIGATORS TO HAVE A BAPTISMAL DATE!!!
... all because of the answered prayer and the magical healing :)
all I have to say is that... this week was nuts. Tons of ups... some downs... but.. without a doubt... I KNOW THIS CHURCH IS TRUE! And I know that our work is guided. My week was absolutely crazy... but look at the amazing miracles it lead to. :)
I love you all so much. I can't wait to see you all in 8 months!!!
cu drag,
Sora Draper
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