August 27th 2012

Hey Mom and Dad,

It was weird not getting an email from you this week...but at least you had Kelly write. It sounds like you had a good time in California before you headed off on your cruise. You will have to feel me in on everything when you get home.

Let's see... this week we had transfers. So since we have to make sure no one travels alone I got some awesome travel plans haha. I left my apartment in Ruse around 5:30 am and headed off to Varna, then went from Varna to Burgas, then from Burgas to Sofia. By the time I got in to Sofia it was 10pm. I stayed the night there and then the next morning took a bus and went to Blagoevgrad. Blagoevgrad is a pretty small city, surrounded in mountains. It is pretty. I am now serving with Sister Bingham. She is from Leola, Utah which is apparently a very small town. Things are going well here, just trying to get adjusted to everything.

On Thursday I found out that I needed to give a talk in sacrament meeting. Apparently the Branch President here always uses the missionaries to speak...especially the "older" missionaries. So I will probably be speaking a lot here in this branch. My talk went well I didn't feel very nervous at all. I based my talk off of one of the General conference talks. The title of the talk is "Sacrifice" by Dallin H. Oaks. I talked about how we need to be making little sacrifices everyday; that is part of being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I used examples from the Bible, The Book of Mormon and my own life. Too say the least I think it went well. Maybe by the end of this transfer I will be a better public speaker...in Bulgarian.

We have a lot of work to do in this Branch because it is at the point where traditions have started to influence things and people say, "well we do things differently in Blagoevgrad.." So us as missionaries need to try and change things up a bit. The people here are pretty nice and friendly. Blagoevgrad is known as the "University town" there are two American University's here. You have to pretty much speak really good English to be able to go there. So we end up meeting many people who speak English.

The Elders are really nice. Elder Garrett has been her for a little over a year and he is from Highland, Utah. Elder Killpack has been in Bulgaria for almost a week and he is from Idaho Falls, Idaho. They are both great and we all want to work as hard as we can. Later today we are going to the "zoo" and to go play tennis! I am really excited. However, the zoo here is free and from what I've heard it's nothing like a normal zoo... I will take pictures.

Well that's about all I can think of. I really miss the people in Ruse. It's so hard to leave cities. I know that things will be great here as well. I hope you all have a great week! I love you.

Love,
Sister Farnsworth

August 20th 2012

Hey Mom and Dad,

Wow, thanks for all the updates! That's crazy hearing about everyone who is married or getting married! Congrats to all of them!

Oh my goodness! I cannot believe you are going on a cruise this week!!! Wow, that's so exciting. Maybe we can try a cruise when I get back?? haha. Tell Grandma and Grandpa hi!! I am not sure if they got my email or not... But I love them and they are amazing!

I really like the bobble you sent. Very useful to have here since the water isn't the best...

Let's see...we got transfer calls on Friday... I will be leaving Ruse and heading to Blagovgrad. Blagovgrad is in the south west part of Bulgaria very close to Greece and Macedonia. I here it is very beautiful there and surrounded with mountains. I will be companions with Sister Bingham. I am excited but very sad at the same time. I feel as though I just got to Ruse and just started to become really close to everyone. It has been really hard to say goodbyes to everyone. The people here are so sweet. The branch members keep giving me thing to remember them by. Its hard saying goodbyes here beause you never know if you will ever see them again.

However, this week was really nice. We went into Sofia for a bit because Sister Walch had passport work. On our way back we got picked up at th bus station by Elder and Sister Lovebridge who are a senior couple who are currently serving in ...hmm..I can't remember which country.. but they are in charge of branch funds in this eastern europe area. They picked us up and then took us out to dinner! We were all so surprised! We had a fun time getting to know them.

We were able to have a good week teaching some lessons and contacting people this week. We talked a lot about Joseph Smith this week. I am so grateful for Joseph Smith and everything he went through to restore The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday-Saints on the earth again. The early pioneers sacrificed so much and I am eternally grateful. I feel as though these people here in Bulgaria are the early saints here in the church. They are amazing. I am so thankful to be here right now. It is amazing to be able to share my testimony multiple times eachday. Thank you for your example to me growing up. In relief society this week the lesson was on honoring your parents and how parents can lead by example. I though of both of you the whole time. You fit the whole criteria. You both have been the greatest and best examples for my life. I can never say thank you enough. Thank you.

I love all of you so much. Thank you for everything. Have a great time on vacation! take lots of pictures and email them to me!! Love you.

Love,

Sister Jodi Farnsworth or...сестра джоди фарнзуърт

August 13th 2012

Hey Mom and Dad,

To answer a few of your questions... I successful gave a talk in sacrament! That was my first talk since I have been in country that I have had to give. I was pretty nervous but I guess no one could tell because I would just smile whenever I would get nervous. Plus, there are only 20-25 people who come to sacrament meeting each week. It is hard to imagine the big huge wards in America.

Audi and Martin are amazing and they are going to be in Bulgaria for another 7 months. They are so nice! They took Sister Walch and I out to dinner this week! That was my first time I have been taken out for food by a member here in Bulgaria! It sure was a nice treat. They took us to this really nice chinese restraunt that we didn't know about and the man who owns it is actually from China. So it is "Real" chinese food! It was so tasty!

Also on Tuesday I got a call from Anna and she said she wanted to meet up real quick to give us something... So right before our lunch break we met up with her and she made us a dessert! She is so nice. We didn't even expect it at all. Later on in the week we had a really nice lesson with her. I love her so much.

Then on Saturday a senior couple came to visit to have a fireside and they decided to take us all out to lunch! It was so nice. They are a cute couple.

We had a really good week. It was very busy. We felt very "pampered" with everything that was given to us. We were able to have some really nice lessons this week. Last night, we had a meeting with a woman named Rumi (pronounced roomie) she is a little older and is the aunt of a member in the branch named Sevda. This is our second time visiting with her and she has a lot of questions. She doesn't understand why young people like us would leave our families and our education for 18 months to come to Bulgaria and talk about what we believe. It was a great opportunity for me to bear my testimony. The spirit and the feeling in the room was very strong and we continued to discuss more about what we believe and know is true. We have become good friends with her and this Wednesday we will be going over there to help her dust her house. She is happy that I want to help because to them I am really tall and would be the perfect height to do that ha ha. She is still blown away that we are happy and excited to do service for her...she told us that she will make us some homemade bonitsa for helping her. She is so sweet.

Let's see what else....oh yeah!!!! I Got My Package You Sent!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank You So Much!!!!!!!! I LOVED IT!!!!!!!! The senior couple brought it to me when they came to visit.

Well that's all I think for now... I hope you have a great week!! I love and pray for you, all day, everyday! I love you So Much!

Love,

Sister Jodi Farnsworth

p.s. thanks for all the updates!!

August 6th 2012

Hey Mom and Dad,

Thanks for researching that question for me! Oh and Thank Grandma Farnsworth too!

Yeah that would be cool if I could lay carpet in my bedroom when I get back.... but I think I would rather have someone who is more skilled! We still haven't finished it at Plemina's so we have to wait until she gets back from Italy. I am not sure if the packages have arrived in Sofia yet or not. I am sure they are just waiting in the mission home until I go into Sofia. I will let you know when I get them.

I m glad to hear that things are going well for you! It sounds like you are having a great time riding your bike around everywhere! Riding a bike sounds so nice right now. That's good to hear that Keith is doing well! He should write me!! Oh and tell everyone hi for me back home!

This week went by fast and slow at the same time. We taught a lesson with our investigator Anna and she kept saying throughout the whole lesson that what we were talking about was exactly what she needed to hear at that time. We asked her again if she really still wanted to be baptized and she said Yes. We asked if there was anything we could do to help, but it is pretty much just between her and her husband. I love meeting these amazing people like Anna out here in Bulgaria. They are so amazing and have such great faith even when so many things around them are telling them not to.

We did a lot of contacting this week. It was pretty fun. We see all the people who we know and have talked to and we always say hi to them. When we go out into the streets I feel like the people know us so well now. Everynow and then I will see someone that I have met before and across the street they are yelling my name just to say hi. It is pretty funny.

Last p-day we played a little bit of soccer with a couple in our ward. The woman is named Audi and she is from Fiji and speaks perfect english. Her husband, Martin, is from Bulgaria originally, but studied in Austrailia and Canada so he speaks perfect English. He told us that now he thinks in English. Martin is not a member but has plans to be right when they get back to Austraila. Anyway, they are awesome.

Let's see I was able to teach gospel principles and relief society this week, that was fun. Oh and next week I am giving a talk in sacrament meeting! Wish me luck! Many people here don't know how to give talks so... they asked me to be an example of "how to give a talk" no pressure...ha ha. I am going to prepare a talk and have Martin go over to make sure it is good.

Not much else... Know that I love all of you so much and that Heavenly Father loves you even more. I am so honored to have parents like you. Thank you for being you and raising me in this church.

Have a great week!!

Love you,

Jodi...Sister Farnsworth