The Romanians told us that Arad is a temperate zone and rarely gets much snow and isn't that cold. BINGO! We hit the "rare" which started with our 3 days and nights of snow then the deep freezer kicked in and ICE IT IS ----pretty much everywhere. We found you can make the distance between standing and being down close and personal with the icy snow in a split second and that when snow doesn't melt it just gets moved around as you walk through it. We also found the "radiant heaters" reached their max warm a long time before our deep freeze. My best friend right now is a black down coat! We just got in and it is snowing again.......
On the warmer side are the saints here that we have come to know and love. We have visited in their homes and found that behind the "BIG" doors is a neighborhood of sorts. Most of the buildings in the Centru area are ornate and were the created when the Austrains were building in the 1800's. Some people still call Arad "Little Vienna". It was influenced by the privacy required when war was such a common thing along with communism, spys, informants and mistrust of nearly everyone. Many countries have controlled and influenced Romania. Walking along the walkways we are going to show/tell you how we get to their places. So-----starting at the big door we have to know which button to press to alert them we want "in" then wait for the UNLOCKING sound. Onward through sorta tunnel like until you reach the stairs you want; past their "posta" boxes; up more stairs and we are there being greeted and asked to come in. The family you see with the Elders has most likely the nicest place around. Roomy and lovely antique furnishings. The husband is a member along with 2 kids, but wife was not friendly with the church at all. We have finally broken the ice with her and she sat in on one FHE we prepared for them even had a Priesthood blessing. A milestone; for six months now we have been building trust with these people.
Some of the Gypsy houses we pass on our way to church are very colorful. They are single dwellings, but stuffed with many individuals. A Gypsy couple let us take their picture along the way.
Thanks for the birthday wishes, Sora McFadden had a very fun day of food, SUNSHINE, movie and a birthday party complete with beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers. You see people on the street carrying fresh flowers from the Piata. They carry them with their "heads" down for some reason we haven't figured out yet. However, to keep the flowers from freezing they put a heavy plastic covering over their "stall" and have a little heater inside. You just have to figure out how to get them home without freezing them! Just outside town there is a large area of green houses which provide fresh flowers for funerals and bouquets. Beautiful flowers!
One of our YSA is Hungarian and wanted to make Hungarian Goulash for the group. We took her shopping and bought all the ingredients then came to our place and started cooking. We had 8 here for evening of food and instutite lesson. Elder McFadden is still cooking up good things for our group and the Elders and Sister Missionaries.
We have a new baby that we are aching to hold and love! Porter was born to Jamie and Tyler Hansen on January 29. The Sisters brought over a cake with the announcement written on it and the Elders stopped by to join in the grandparent celebration and brought a "sparkling cider" type drink that when uncorking it Elder Mc hit Sister Cottam smack in the middle of the forehead from the far end of the table!!
We are grateful for your emails, letters and skype which helps us to know what is going on in your lives. Thank you so very much.
Tu iubim,
Elder and Sora McFadden
