Buna Frumosilor! 

Well my week... I hate to describe it like this but basically I had a mini vacation up in Moldova!

- Wednesday - 5 hour train to Iasi! Stayed with Sora Kelly, Rivera, Stapley, and Parr. 

- Thursday- 4 hour Maxi Taxi ride to Moldova! We rented out a whole van just for our zone! it was a lot of fun! We made it to Moldova and then we had our zone conference! First we had this delicious food the senior couples up there made for us! I loved it! Then we had really good presentations from the assistants and from President and Sora Hill. I then had to give myDYING TESTIMONY! So crazy... for everyone's last zone conference they have to get up in front of everyone and talk about their mission and give a testimony. So it was my turn. I have been watching people bear testimony for over a year now and I really never thought that it would be me. Of course I cried a little bit - but I was surprised how well I held myself together! I really have had an amazing mission! I really focused on the enabling power of the atonement and our weaknesses turning into strengths.. I was freaking out before I walked up in front of everyone but I am glad that it went well. Everyone thanked me for it so I was happy! We then we all got booked into a hotel! And we all went out and ate that night at some pizza place. 

- Friday- We switched this day to be our official P-day for the week. I had actually slept good in that hotel... it was not to shabby:) They had little breakfast for us and then we hit the streets of Moldova! They have piatas everywhere to buy stuff! We all had so much fun! Of course we looked like a bunch of tourist because we had to stick together because our phones don't work up in Moldova... But it was so much fun! We then got into another Maxi Taxi and another 5 hours back to Iasi. But our driver was so cool! He had all of his cool 80's music going and then he let us put our music on... So we were jamming out to the Frozen sound track! ha Going through border control is always fun when we have a big van full of Americans! ha but we made it through! That night I slept in Iasi again with all 6 of us sisters. 

Saturday- We were supposed to get on our train at 8:00 - I was there in plenty of time... but the other elders got lost and they had all of our money for the tickets.. regardless we missed our train by 3 minutes. So we then had to stay in Iasi another day until our next train at 6:30 at night. So we took all of our stuff to the church and then I went on an exchange with Sora Kelly and went contacting while Sora Parker got to teach a lesson! We had a lot of fun! Sora Kelly and I have been with or around each other our whole missions! We have so much fun together! We finally made it back to Galati that night at like midnight. 

Sunday - You may have guess we were all dead this day! But I received a call from Elder Rose that morning saying that our speaker isnt coming so we all needed to have talked prepared. So I helped Sora Parker with hers and then I had one I was going to switch up  a little bit during Sunday school. Well we got to church and had relief society and then surprise... Sacrament meeting changed to the 2nd hour... ha and I still needed to pick out the hymns and we had this random girl investigator walk in! I was laughing because it was funny and stressful and the same time because I was exhausted. Well the with God's help I managed to pull it off. My talk went ok.. piano went well and we have a lesson this Friday with that investigator!!! wahoo!!! :) So it was a success! 

We were doing planning yesterday and it is crazy we have at least one major thing happening every week for the rest of my mission- birthdays... general conference... easter.. Bucuresti District conference (which I am so excited for because I get to see all my people from constanta and mihai bravu!) But I know that it will go fast! Still there are hard days... hard times.. but the good times make it so so worth it! Sora Parker is doing great! I love working with her!!! This week she gave her first talk, make her first Romanian phone call, and gave her first real investigator lesson! I am super proud! She asked me the other day... "Sora Polatis.. when did you feel 100% confident in the language and missionary work?" I had to tell her it is still a working process! :) Thankfully we never peak and are always continuing to grow! I am so so thankful for my mission! Have a great week! I love you all so much! I will only be writing you like 7 more times! ha that is so crazy! va iubesc... va pup! 

Sora Abby Polatis