Getting ready to go into Moldova . . .

The last couple of weeks have been really busy! Once we got the go ahead to return to Moldova we really started the ball rolling! About a week and a half ago President Ashby took one of his Assistants, Elder Stokes, with him to Moldova to get some things in motion. One of the main things they wanted to do was to thank the Minister of Cults for his help in the process. They presented him with a beautiful church statue of the family called "Family Ties". He was very touched and thanked them profusely. They accomplished a lot in two days and as they finished their work and were coming home, Sora Lofgreen wrote me an email talking about the things they did. I thought it would be fun to include her words here:
"What a whirlwind week meeting with attorneys on Visa issues and President Ashby's visit. He came to thank the Minister of Cults and the govenment for recognizing the Church and we got to round out his itinerary. He also met with our NGO's (Non-Government Organizations) counterpart - the Humanitarian arm of the U.S. State Dept. and the Society for the Blind; interviewed the 18-year old young man who has been so helpful to us with computer issues, for the Melchizedek Priesthood; gave a young lady her mission call - Moscow, entering the Provo MTC on 3rd of April; met with the Branch leaders, YSA and missionary committee to prepare for return of missionaries; met with the CES/Outreach couple; spent half an hour making street contacts; gave the first discussion to the non-member mother, who lives here in Moldova, of a recent Romanian convert and gave her an inscribed Book of Mormon; attended the opening of the container of sweaters, hygiene kits and school kits for the Society of the Blind that we've been expecting since early December and met with the Society leadership; took the senior couples to a very nice lunch; and spent the afternoon with his Assistant and our interpreter (Russian and Romanian) selecting missionary apartments. Other than that, he would have had some time for sigjhtseeing! :) The first missionary pair will likely be here before the end of the month and have an aprtment waiting for them. We wore our missionary badges all week! Previously, we wore them only in Church. This week we proudly wore in public our badges that say "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints"! President Ashby noted that bronze plaques (in Russian and Romanian) are being made for the Villa (Chapel) here identifying it as a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. To say that the people are excited is a bit of an understatement. Karen and I are now speaking in the small Orhei (Ore-hay) Branch about an hour away on Sunday. Couples could not give talks, lessons or blessings previously.
As you can see, official recognition brings a host of changes. And it will bring many blessings to the nation of Moldova, as President Ashby noted to the Minister in their discussions."

This couple photo is of the Lofgreens and I thought their comments explained very well what went on there last week!

The first photo is of Elder Stokes with Oxana and her son, Stas, the two members from Moldova (who are living in Romania) whose mother President Ashby and Elder Stokes gave a first discussion to while in Moldova.

The last two photos are of President Ashby meeting with the charity organization members, the Lofgreens, and helping as they unloaded the truck of donations for the blind society.