2/4/13

Mom,
     No. We do not get to go to the temple. People from Bulgaria actually go all the way to Friedberg, Germany to attend the temple. It is way to hard for them to get into Ukraine. But no, missionaries in Bulgaria do not get a chance to attend the temple while we are here. I really miss it though!
     Probably 80% of the branches in Buglaria have a missionary playing the piano. In ours I am second pick for playing the piano. The first Elder can play maybe 10 songs out of the simplified book. I can do 1 out of the green hymn book and maybe 5 out of the simplified book! My piano skills have actually improved a lot! I think you would be pretty impressed at my ability compared to the lack of any ability  I had before my mission. I have only had to play one song during church though. It was scary.
      In a city called Stara Zagora (the old forest) there was a missionary Branch President for as long as any missionary I know can remember. but about a month ago they finally got a Bulgarian president! That is really cool! Also in Sofia the branch president was a Bulgarian but the counselors were both missionaries. Now however they are all Bulgarians. That was also about the same time as the change in Stara Zagora. So here in Bulgaria it is really starting to get up on its feet and function with out so much dependency on the missionaries.
      That girls name is Vladimira. Just remember when you say it that every i makes the sounds of a long E and all a's make the AH sound. and the accent is on the second i. and roll your r. And Bulgarians kind of make there L's into a whah sound. Good luck. :)
     We actually had a meeting with her mother so that we could try and put her worries to rest. They came to church together and we may just get permission to continue teaching her! She is very receptive to the spirit and wants to believe in something! Also she speaks almost perfect english I found out! One lesson I said something in English to the member we had with us so she could translate it because I didn't know the tense that I had to use. and now I found out she understood everything! Crazy!
     Well I want to go play football in the rain, so I will just have to hear from you next week! Give all my love to everyone! and get the primary kids to write me letters :)
Love,
Elder Petersen