SOCIAL MEDIA MIRACLE

On January 12, 2015, Elder Bateman (our 18 year old boy wonder from Florida) came up with a great idea! He is always thinking about what we can do to improve our missionary efforts in Moldova. They had been teaching English classes on Tuesday and Saturday, with about 50 students. So, Elder Bateman (also our District Leader) decided that we should have a Facebook page and to advertise the classes. He had it up and going in just a couple hours.  He set January 19th as the sign up date at 5:00 pm. The missionaries also handed out cards and hung posters around town.

They were having lots of people call and ask about the classes so they expected a large turn out. Lee and I went to help do a little crowd control and set up. By the time we got to the church the missionaries had the tables all set up, marked with the classes they would sign up for at each table. They had sign up sheets and pens all set out and ready to go.  This was a well planned event.

We waited and it wasn't long before be had a steady stream of people coming. By 4:25 they started coming and by 4:45 we had a line of people waiting at each table and by 5:00 the room was packed.  There was still a crowd outside and more coming.

 Most of the people had signed up by 5:15.

We had 6 different classes the people could sign up for. At 5:30 we had all classes filled and the other people on a waiting list. What just happened? We went from 50 students to a mob in a matter of minutes. Now, what do we do with them?  We only have 140 chairs in the whole church building. This meant that English classes had to be taught several times a week.  By the time the dust settled Elder Bateman announced that 450 had just signed up for our English classes.

Who would have ever thought that Social Media could be so powerful in Moldova! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!

This was only the first day. On Saturday we had a late sign up that added another 50+ to the list. Do we believe in miracles?!

The most exciting part of all is that all the companionship's received people to teach the gospel to from their English classes. I was told that just last week we had more lessons given than the whole month of February. We could even lead the mission in the number of contacts and lessons given. To add perspective, Moldova has only 10% of the people in the whole mission.

Elder Ballard's dedicatory prayer is coming to pass. Chisinau is coming out of obscurity with nothing other than English classes. Each class ends with a spiritual thought, the students don't have to stay but we are finding that they want to hear those uplifting positive messages their missionary instructors deliver each class.

Another wonderful experience last week was a baptism.  Deanna was baptized and we had 51 people there to witness. We had 17 non member,s most of them from-you guessed it, English classes. On Sunday March 1 we had 41 come to Sacrament meeting ANOTHER RECORD.  So small by US standards, but for us big.  This is a 30% increase in the average attendance since we arrived just 3 months ago.

BY SMALL MIRACLES SHALL LARGE MIRACLES COME TO PASS!

Our English classes have worked so well that the other two cities with missionaries (Balti and Orhei) are also advertising their English classes. Good luck Balti and Orhei! Romania is also getting their Facebook page ready.

Our last amazing news is that Elder Tita came from the MTC after 9 weeks of training for the Russian  language. He is Romanian and was so happy to come to Moldova for his mission. He told us that we were "the talk of the MTC" and everyone was already excited to get out and start English classes in their appointed foreign missions. Chisinau English Classes are famous!

To all you parents and grandparents who have missionaries out in the field, DON'T worry. These young ELDERS and SISTERS are absolutely amazing and meet every challenge head on. We marvel at the willingness and energy that they portray each and every day.  May the Lord bless them all for their efforts in bringing others unto Christ.

 WE LOVE YOU MOLDOVA MISSIONARIES!

This is our Romanian district (minus Elder Cooley he is always off somewhere else). 

Top left: Elder Bateman, Elder Daland, Elder Weaver

Middle left: Sora Cooley, Sora Bischoff, Sora Elliott

Bottom left: Elder Brown, Sora Bray, and Sora Barrera.