Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Hey Guys,

We have 2 new investigators! Whew! haha Excited. So we have this thing called 30/30. It's a meeting with someone whenever, where ever they want, just us and him/her. They agree to 30 mins of English if we can share a gospel message with them about our church for 30 mins. Each agreed to that and we met with them both and they both seemed to become more interested in what we believe rather than English! One investigator's name is Juliana and the other is Raziel. They seem to be interested to learn more and we hope to meet with them more this week.

This week we also went up to Sibiu for Zone Training. We had to leave early in the morning. The train left at 6 am. So my comp and I planned everything the night before and we woke up on time and everything and got ready and then the taxi service just let us down completely. They had no taxi's to give us. So this has never happened before, so we ran to a place that ALWAYS has taxi's. There was not even ONE there. So, of course, I was bumming out because I should have been prepared for something like this and wasn't, but our lovely, great, not very senior, couple saved us and drove us up to Sibiu. They said they were actually glad they went by car because it ended up being an awesome trip up there and everything ended up working out great in the end!

So I have been in Brasov for awhile now and I have never given a talk in sacrament meeting. At first I was pretty stoked that I didn't have to give a talk, but this week I realized that I should probably give a talk because everyone already did and some are even going twice around. I didn't know the reason why I haven't given a talk yet, but I decided to volunteer myself for next Sunday. So we'll see how that goes haha.

We got a SWEEEET looking rainbow this week! Apparently its really rare for that to happen in Brasov. That guy on the video was stoked to see that it was a double rainbow. haha

Our water went out for a little while this week haha. But that same day it came back on, but it was brown for a while. haha yum! (Refer to pic) We did, however get our hot water back but we are still waiting on our washing machine. We needed the help from the super, awesome, Idahoin' senior couple again. And they washed some of our clothes for us so we could survive while we wait for the washing machine to be fixed.




Oh yea, we also studied outside this week. Twas beautiful.

This P-Day we visited another Castle, this one being in Rasnov. Our cool, fly, senior couple took us up there and we got some awesome pictures of the view on the way up and of the castle. Was a great day, today.

Okay, so that about wraps up this week. Definitely was a great one! Thanks for reading and viewing the Blog. It's all thanks to my lovin', hip, cool, awesome, great Mother! haha Have a great week guys!

-Elder Houk

A cute video of the rainbow. You even get to hear Blair speak a little Romanian.

Photos of Rasnov Fortress. Also random photos and a few videos.

The Latest Buzz

Hey Guys,

This week was a great week. I will start with my haircut. I just got it cut by the other missionaries about an hour ago and they buzzed my hair, haha. It's the shortest it's ever been, but the experience was priceless. 

Before

After

Also we have been making great food such as the banana boats. 

Our power, hot water and washing machine went out this week. So we've been having some cold showers for the past couple of days, but on the bright side I've been really awake in the morning, so it's been pretty good, haha.

We have also been trying this week to talk to a lot of people and we seemed to find some interested, but it's tough when we call them and they want to meet and they don't show up or they say they don't have time. But we're trying not to get down about it and we just keep doing what we are suppose to be doing and we know everything will all work out. It's important to just keep pressing on in whatever you're doing, as long as you know that the thing you are doing is the right thing. And even if you don't see the results you want or in your time, they will come eventually and I believe that.

I hope you guys have a great week and keep doing your thing!

-Elder Houk

My backyard

My crazy companion

Cel mai scurt parul l-am avut vreodata!
(The shortest hair I've ever had!)

Good Morning Brasov!

Hey Guys,

So half of the week was with my last companion and half with my new son! His name is Elder Bateman. He is fired up and ready to go! After picking him up from Bucharest on Thursday we headed back to good ol' Brasov. I hope I will be able to relate to him. I remember sitting at the same desk that I am now, doing the same stuff that we are doing, except this time I am the missionary who has been here a little longer. I guess I can also say that I know this city better than the back of my hand, haha, so we won't have a problem getting around. 

Varstnicul Bateman & Varstnicul Hauc

Elder Bateman is already talking to people in Romanian and even though I may have to tell him what they say to him, he can already respond back and have a conversation. I'm so proud! :') haha He's already a great missionary!

Elder Bateman's P-day nap, He's got his shoes on

and everything! Doesn't want to waste time

after nap time is over! haha

We had a lesson with the man who is of the Baptist faith. We made an agreement that he could teach us what he believes if we could teach him what we believe. He agreed. He took us to his church and showed us two videos of Baptist Sermons preaching. After, we discussed them and then it was our turn. We tried to teach him about the apostasy and prophets, but he was more interested in proving us wrong than really listening to what we had to say. We did however give him a Book of Mormon and asked him to read Moroni 10 and that if he wanted to know if it is true, that he should pray to God asking if it is.

I'm excited for the future and I hope you guys are too! Have a great week!

-Elder Houk

"Expecting" Changes This Transfer

Hey Guys,

So this week was pretty crazy. First of all this last week we found out where we are going and who our new companion is...and.....I'm staying in Brasov...Again! anddddddd I'M PREGNANT! With a child of my own! haha. I will be training a new missionary that is coming in! So this is pretty exciting and nerve-racking news. Of course the question, "Am I ready for this?" comes to mind. So I will have to be relying on the Lord to help me teach this new missionary right and be able to survive in the process haha. 

This week we also met with a man who is of the Seventh Day Adventist faith. He was interested in what we believe, but he also seemed to have another purpose to meet with us also, if you know what I mean. But he was very nice about it. 

Later that week, we were walking on the street and a man stopped us and was asking a lot of questions to try to "disprove" us or our religion. We were able to explain what we believe and understand each other a little better. He said that he wants to meet again and that he wants to send me a video of a sermon that we can talk about later. We gave him our number and he actually called us and wanted to meet over lunch and get to know each other. He even knew English for me and Italian for my companion. haha I looked at my companion after the phone call and was like,"This guy is speaking each of our languages and wants to meet and discuss religion, he is US!" haha 

So at the beginning of this transfer I made some guacamole for my companion and he loved it and told me "I want to make a pasta sauce out of this!" So here we are, last week of the transfer and WE DID IT!!! GUACAMOLE PASTA! and guess what, IT was GOOOD! haha will definitely be a recipe to remember! 

So that pretty much wraps up this week! I hope you guys have a great one and I'll talk to you later!

-Elder Houk (Bucătarul)(chef)

What a nice surprise to get an email from a Utah woman who was bringing her 16 year old son to visit Romania to meet his birth parents. She saw the missionaries and the Senior Couple, took a picture and emailed all of the families. Looks like a yummy place to eat!

Pressing Forward

Hey Guys,

 This week was a week alright. haha. So we have been trying to find people that have stopped coming to church (less actives) and see if they want to start coming again. We have been trying to see if we could find anybody that is on this list that we got and either they weren't home, didn't answer the phone, or didn't want to see us, unfortunately. But  the other day, this man who was smoking and drinking stopped us and said that he was baptized in England and wanted us to baptize his wife. Unfortunately, he works all week and didn't come to church on Sunday, but we still have hope. 

On exchanges this week, my companion and the other missionary met with Gabi, who we haven't been able to get in touch with for a while, and he set a baptismal date! He said that he knew it is true, but his family still doesn't know. Unfortunately, he also didn't come to church and canceled an appointment we had with him twice. 

Today, I got a haircut and the lady who cut my hair was interested in why we were here and what we are doing as missionaries and all that jazz and I was able to pretty much explain the Restoration to her simply. She wanted me to speak in English because she knew English and she knew it was easier for me, but before she asked if I wanted to speak in English to her I said, in Romanian, that I wanted to learn so I just tried to speak Romanian. We exchanged numbers and she seemed really cool, so I hope she becomes interested.

We also went to Sapte Scari today, for my second time. It was really fun and got a lot of pictures! Okay, hope you guys have a great week!

-Elder Houk

The Seven Ladders Canyon (Romanian: Canionul Șapte Scări) is a mountainous canyon carved by the Șapte Scări Brook in Romania in the county of Brașov, south of Timișu de Jos village. It is considered to be one of the main tourist attractions from the Piatra Mare massif.^[1]

The canyon has been carved in limestone and is composed by seven waterfalls, the tallest having 35 metres (115 ft) high. The trail within the canyon is arranged with metal stairs and platforms.^[1]

To see more pics from this hike go to top of blog and click tab labeled Sapte Scari Hike Pictures.

Holy Guacamole!

Hey guys,

This week was good! We had a zone conference with the new president this week and there are going to be a lot of changes in this mission. Mostly how things are going to run. I would go in depth but, you know, it's just missionary stuff and I'm excited but you guys might be bored. haha

This week for English [class], I made guacamole for the class and everyone who stayed after for the activity. No one from Romania even knew what it was, but they loved it!! One of the members even made it for her mom and she loved it and ate the whole bowl. haha 

This week I decided to buy new shoes (pic to come) and it ended up that my comp liked the same ones that I picked out so we got comp shoes! hahaha. They are really cool European ones. haha

I also went on an exchange with an elder who just came into the field. This was the first time when I was older in the mission then another missionary. It's weird to think that I have actually been out from home for 8 months now! Weird!

Thank you again for all the Birthday wishes and I hope you have a great week.

-Elder Houk

ps Sorry for the short letter, I didn't have much time this week.

Blue birthday cake

Missionary volleyball

Full moon

Beautiful hike 

Get away from the edge! Love, mom

My Missionary Birthday

Hey guys,

Took the picture in the morning.

      Thanks so much for all the Birthday wishes! It means a lot! Got sung the "La multi ani" song from my companion. I ate at a pizza place and opened some of the members presents to me and played game of bowling! (I think they let me win haha) I'm planning on making a blue cake that my parents sent me, today. And now that I'm 19, does that make me officially a real missionary? haha

The sister's present to me. A birthday tie that Sora Ralls got for her birthday.
And it just keeps passing from one persons birthday to another.
Some cherries, chocolate and a caramel filled croissant haha.

     This past week we had an interesting encounter with a man while we were eating in the park. He roller bladed over to us while we were eating sharma and asked if we were Mormons. We said yes and then he said, "Well I'm a pirate!" (He had an open button up shirt exposing his hairy chest, haha, had a fake earring on and two plastic swords) He had a good American accent, so for a second I thought he might have been a past Elder that was here or something, it turned out that he wasn't. He said, "What do you do when you see a pirate? You run like h***!, trying to scare us in the process with his swords. haha We both just looked at him plainly and replied, "Nope, we just keep eating." He then expressed his feelings on how he dislikes religion wars and that no religion was above the law and then before we could say anything else he skated away. We both looked at each other and shrugged and kept eating. haha. We're used to these kind of things happening way too often now.

This week I had to give my first talk in Romanian about Baptism at a Baptism on Saturday. It was pretty nerve racking, but I got through it. Later that same day we actually had someone threaten to burn the church down. Sorry that was random, but he didn't so it's all okay, haha.

It's also fun when people compliment you to their friends and they think you don't understand and then you speak Romanian to them. haha Those times are always great.

Well, that just about raps up this week. I'm still here and trying to love it everyday. I miss you guys, but I'll see you soon. Have a great week!

-Elder Houk

Marius, The mission branch leader, made this for me from his name tag!

A gift from Emma, a member in Brasov.

On the journey to the bowling alley.