Stay Woke (Ben letter, 6/10/2019)

Hello, sorry I didn't write last week. But yes, I am busy and that is why I didn't write. Being busy makes me super happy, and so I am busy and happy. Also I am healthy I think.

This past week I switched companions, I'm not sure if I already mentioned that. But his name is Elder Cromar from elk ridge UTAH. He is an extremely smart guy and knows what he is dong so I am just going to learn from him. We are both trying to get better with Romanian, although he is way better then me because he has been out over a year.  So we don't speak any English after we leave the house until we return, and it has only been a week and a half and it is already helping a lot. But we are going to try in 2 more weeks to only speak Romanian all day, from the time we get up until we sleep. I'm pretty sure that will help me even more because thinking in English just destroys the Romanian learning process.

As for missionary work, it is going quite well, we have a couple of investigators and stuff, and we just found a new guy this week and he is super awesome. His name is Ștefan, and we get along great.

As for things happening in Moldova, apparently the government just had some crazy thing happen where the president got booted. So now there is a new president and protests everywhere so that's interesting. 

As for the spiritual thought, I would recommend becoming very familiar with the Book of Mormon and its teachings.Very simple, yet this book can help answer some of the deepest questions one can ponder in this life. I know this because I walk up to random people on the street and talk to them about it, and help answer their questions with it.

Love you all!

vă iubim

Vîrstnicul Stanfield

Kickapoo T>R>I>B>E (Cubby letter 6/10/2019)

Kam na mauri

So definitely an irregular week. Monday morning I got up early and had an Interview with President Larkin and then got an the plane to go to Fiji. We had a the rest of that Monday, and all of Tuesday to just chill in the Fiji Gateway hotel. Let me tell you, the Gateway is niiice. I got a nice hotel room all to myself with a queen bed to boot. I think Tuesday morning I took a hot shower for about an hour and a half. But the best part about it was definitely the food. For breakfast we had real pancakes with REAL BUTTER and fresh fruit, all of which I haven't had in a while. Lunch I had a chocolate milkshake and a club sandwich with bacon on it, in addition to some Banana and coconut bread pudding. Dinner I had an actual hamburger. Best part about it is that it was all on our room allowance, so no cost to me. My stomach hurt I was so full. 

Anyways, Kiritimati Island has been pretty dope as well. We're whitewashing (again) so me and Elder Geertsen are just kinda figuring out the area. Here in Kiritimati, it isn't just one main road like Abaiang and Tarawa were, but there are a bunch of roads just going willy nilly every which way. I'm way lost here. 

So a fun story. There is an island in Kiribati called Abamama. This island is known for two things. First, there are frogs there. Second, there is something called Taetae Buaka, which kinda just means that they have dirty mouths. And for some reason, there are a lot of people from Abamama that live here. And I've had some very explicit things said to me this past week, it kinda took me off guard. I was quite surprised people would say stuff like that to a called Servant of the Lord, but apparently people of Abamama don't care. Anyways, I suppose the lesson to be learned here is that if you put on the armor of the gospel, these things won't get to you. 

Anyways, Love you all

Elder Cubby  

Que Sorpresa (Cubby Letter 6/3/2019)

Hey so turns out I've been transferred.

I'm heading to Christmas right now. So yeah

They told me I was gonna stay in Bikenibeu and I was excited, but when transfers rolled around, they announced suddenly that I was moving. I'm pretty excited for this though, I've heard good things about Christmas. I'm currently going to be working in the village of London, but I'll keep you posted, I might end up getting to work on Washington island. 

Anyway, Tiabo, talk to y'all next week.

I tangiringkmi

Elder Cubby

This was taken as he wrote the above letter

Zone conference, Back row center with blue tie

Hold on for the Majical Mystery Tour (Ben letter 5/27/2019)

Buna ziua everyone, Elder Stanfield from Moldova here. This week has been another good one. Lots of contacting and whatnot. Sorry about last weeks letter, it was pretty lame. 

This week I am getting a new companion, Elder Cromar, from Utah. Really cool guy and a very hard worker so we will have some fun. So I am going to become a real missionary this week, as I will no longer be companions with Elder Marshall. It's been 12 weeks in Moldova and it has been a lot of fun thus far. Also we are planning on not speaking english for the next 2 transfers, so that will probably help me out a lot with the language. Also with advice from Cubby, I have been reading from the Book of Mormon a lot more in Romanian, which does hurt my personal study because its a constant translating/understanding battle. But its for the better.

The weather here in Moldova is also awesome, because giant clouds come off of the Black Sea and head right into the Dacian mountains right where I am in Chisinau. So it just dumps rain randomly, with some awesome thunder and lightning. Also the weather here reminds me a lot of when I lived in Downers Grove. Very humid.

For a spiritual thought, always be willing to express your love to others openly. Sometimes people don't feel loved, but you cant tell from the outside. Just be yourself and be their friend, and that will show them that you love them. If your personality or acting normal doesn't show love for others, then change that about yourself. 

Love yall

Va iubesc

Varstnicul Stanfield

Taka and the 1000 Musics (Cubby letter 5/26/2019)

Mauri Oh!

Been a good week. Transfers this week, I'm staying. I'm glad to stay with Elder Russon, he's a great missionary. But because of transfers, I've already heard that my old area, Abaiang, is getting closed to missionaries for a while. I loved it out there, but apparently there was no work. Anyways for our own activities, we just did regular missionary stuff. We got another baptismal dater, which was exciting. I went on my very first split with a district leader, which was fun. We went to a botaki for some member's birthday. We were just glad that this week it didn't rain a bunch, so everyone was out and about, which is naturally good for us missionaries. As a note for mom, I got a kie from Abaiang and I've laid it on my bed for a sheet. so no need to send one. As always my mind is blank now that I am writing a message for y'all, so please please please send me questions.

For a spiritual thought, I'd like to share a story that Dad shared to me once. It was about the two snakes that live in South Africa, namely the Boomslang and the Death Adder. If the former bites you, you can't feel it, but the Adder can break glass by how strong it's bite is. But both can kill you. Compare those two snakes to sin. I won't explain it, because that would take the fun out of it, but the meaning is deep.

Anyways I tangiringkami

Elder Cubby

The Ice Cream Side of the Force (Cubby 5/19/2019)

Mauri my Family!

Sorry about no email last week, but it has been exciting here nonetheless. Me and Elder Russon took a lot of time re vamping our lesson strategy/proslyting techinique. So that was both mentally taxing and kinda boring. BUT we are more effective missionaries now, so good news. So on monday, the day went about as normal, but for a peculiar reason, Elder Wright showed up to our dinner with a cake. So that was something fine and exciting, that I thought mom would like to hear. Interesting fact, all cakes here are covered in a weird butter substance. By butter I mean margarine mixed with Butter, I think. We ate mantis shrimp again, which is always a pleasure. We went to a two year old's bday party, and for the first time, they saved some of the pork chops for us. Easily the most first world food I've had here so far. I'm pretty sure dad would not eat the pig here. I'm not really sure what else to say about the life over here right now, so hit me up with questions.

But for a spiritual thought, I would like to point out that God frequently gives us opportunities to grow and improve. So me and Elder Russon have a ton of people, but  most of them just kinda invite us in to be polite. So I was complaining about this a little to Elder Russon because we were on our way to a lesson that I thought wasn't gonna go well, and therefore be fruitless. But I got the thought that everyone needs to hear the message so I kept going, The blessing was that thw lessoni actually wentr really well. It kinda gave me the realization that sometimes we are askerd to do things, and we don't know why, but if we follow through, blessing do happen.

Love yall

Elder Cubby

Bikenibeu 99 (Cubby letter 5/5/2019)

Hello again

Another busy week--surprise. But nevertheless a good one. Elder Russon was a little bit sick this week so we had to put the brakes on a little bit at the end there. Highlights of the week:

I found a store that sells a bunch of juice, so that was sick. I had a bunch of money left over from working on Abaiang so I bought a bunch of it. Now the money is gone. Also found a store with Head and Shoulders shampoo, which was also lit. Even though it was a women's version and probably a chinese knock off, I bought all two of their bottles. We had an exceptionally low amount of dinners, so I probably ate too much canned ham.

Here's a good one: We went to a marriage party on saturday, which was supposed to start at 6, but ended up starting at 8. Well anyways, we were made to be "iruwa" or guests of honorish. So we got the novelty of sitting at tables rather than the floor. Only problem is that the two groups pf people we could sit with were either A) the group of Catholic Sisters, who believe that talking with missionaries of our church makes you unworthy of the sacrament, or B) the local representatives of the Gay society. So that was fun.

for a spiritual thought, I don't have anything too specific, but I'd like to point out the value of scripture study. Please please please read the scriptures. Not gonna say I was a perfect example of this at home, but that is the number one habit I've picked up out here, and that is probably what will change my life the most.

Keep it real y'all and kam na tai mate

I tangiringkami

Elder cubby 

When I was a child I had feelings (Ben letter 5/6/2019)

This week was another good one out here in Moldova. Also, Happy Easter once again! 3rd easter sunday in a row. They really like Easter here, and celebrate it for 3 weeks on sunday, and then for another 40 days they say, Hristos a înviat, and then you have to say back, Adevărat a înviat. Which means, Christ has risen, and then the reply, The truth, He has risen.

So yeah the whole city has only been half functional because most people are on holiday. But missionary work still goes on. The only different thing that happened this week was that I lost my voice. It was very hard to contact with no voice, however I still did it and found a little success. When the weather is good, contacting is good. Im sure Carl can agree with that.

For a spiritual thought, always keep your focus on how you can help others. That is the best way to learn and grow. And plus, you might get a friend or something. So yeah try to become more like Christ everyday, and then you will receive some of the knowledge and happiness of love that Jesus has.

 

Ne iubesc pe noi

Vîrstnicul Stanfield

When you're on a holiday, you can't find the words to say (Ben Letter 5/13/2019

Hello everyone,

Another week in Moldova has gone by, and I am now writing you again. This week we had zone conference, so we had elders Johanson and Tyre at our house. This Conference we learned about the Plan of Salvation, in large amounts of depth, so that was very good. Besides that I have about 2 more weeks of being trained, and then I guess I will be a normal missionary. 

This week something fun that happened was "Ziua Victoriei" or "Day of Victory". It is a Russian holiday celebrated from when they defeated Germany. So I am pretty sure the Russian government sent in a lot of money because the celebrations were awesome. Tanks and missiles in the streets, the Police marching around, then at night a huge party. They had multiple stages set up around the city playing soviet Russian music, which was super awesome. I wish Kenny and kyle were here because they love the ussr and to hear and see the music with the hammer and sickle plastered on everything. Then 2 days later was "Europe day" which was just a cultural festival of all the countries in Europe. Definitely not as crazy, but still cool. Lots of food and singing at night. Not that I got any of the food.

 

This week for a spiritual thought, follow Jesus! Someone we are teaching is worried about her future a lot, and what path to follow, and worried it will end up badly. She is worried about marriage because of her bad experience with her parents. She doesn't know how to live her life, and says that she just wants to be happy. These are all questions that every single one of us have, or have had and the answer is simple. A life based on follow Jesus Christ and His teaching will lead you to the happiest life you can have. No matter what problem you have, Jesus Christ is the way. He will lift your burdens and show you happiness.

Love 

vă iubim 

Vîrstnicul Stanfield