When Hollister resident Lars Nordstrom headed to Romania in 2002, he was a little concerned with vampires.
“I didn’t know what was ahead,” he said. “All I ever heard about Romania was Transylvania and Dracula.”
After living in Transylvania for a few months, Nordstrom realized his preconceived notions were just that, and he found himself amazed with the culture, the communities and the post-communistic country he was living in.
Just back from his mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Nordstrom said being submerged in the Romanian culture, learning the language, making friends and spreading the word of his church, has changed his outlook on life. He now notices all the little things in life he once took for granted, and has a larger appreciation for life.
“Going on a mission is sort of like how going away to college is the next step of your educational life,” he said. “The next step of being a member of our church is giving back through selfless service. When you’re with these people who have nothing, yet they’re so happy and full of life, it makes you appreciate all the things you have so much more.”
While living in the country’s capitol city, Bucharest, Nordstrom spent his days going door to door talking to people about his church, and learning Romanian. Because Romania used to be a communist country, Nordstrom said, the entire city is made up of apartment buildings so the former dictator could keep everyone equal and watched over.
On a typical day, he would wake up at 6:30 a.m., study the Gospel and the language and then from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. he would be out in the city spreading the word of his church. On average, Nordstrom would talk with 150 to 300 people a week, and although not everyone would be interested in religion, he said the people were “jovial.”
“American people seem to be so closed off,” he said. “And the Romanians were just so friendly and joyful. I made a lot of friends there.”
Of the 25 million people in Romania, only 3,000 of them belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
He went through entire apartment buildings on his trip, and didn’t get invited in once, but the few people he did reach made it all worth it, Nordstrom said.
“The best part of this entire experience was that I was able to share with them, and that they were able to find happiness within themselves,” he said.
