By JENI DEERY
jeni@du2.byu.edu
Much like Joseph Smith, Gabriela had no formal schooling in English, but she helped translate the Book of Mormon into her native language. She did this just two years after she joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Gabriela Frunza, 32, a junior from Bucharest, Romania, joined the church in 1994 from reading only the available portions of a Romanian Book of Mormon.
In 1996, she heard an announcement that said members of the church interested in helping translate the Book or Mormon could take a test to show they were familiar with both English and Romanian.
She passed the test, and then her name was sent to Salt Lake City where church officials prayed and decided who would be best for the job.
'I was not expecting to be called. I didn't know much English. I studied it some by myself only because I liked the language,' Gabriela said in her now nearly perfect English.
Gabriela spent two years doing language, content and proof review for the Romanian Book of Mormon.
'God knows who he calls for his missions. He knew I would be able to do it. Joseph Smith wasn't a great scholar, but he was the one for the job,' she said.
Gabriela emphasized the complex process that it takes to do a translation.
She said the missionaries kept asking why it was taking them so long, but after they finished a portion, it would be sent to Salt Lake where church officials made corrections and then would send it back for more revision.
Some days she worked 10-12 hours on the project -- by choice.
There were numerous rules the translators were required to follow. She said the three top guidelines were to be consistent, to have as appropriate literary translation as possible and to ensure correct meaning of the verses.
But more than anything, she said it was important to have the Spirit with her at all times.
'I never started working until I felt I had the Spirit,' she said.
Sometimes the logic of the language would be too difficult for her, but she said the Spirit helped her understand.
She always began with a prayer and often sang a hymn to herself before starting her work.
'I would read the English version, and if I couldn't fully understand it, then I knew I didn't have the Spirit with me so I wouldn't work that day,' she said. 'If I could understand the English version perfectly, then I knew it was a green light.'
Translation today is done with a split computer screen so the English version will be on the top portion of the monitor and the other language on the bottom.
Gabriela said translating the Book of Mormon was the most spiritual time she has ever experienced.
'I felt empty when I was done. I cried,' she said.
The whole process took about five years. The full version was complete at the end of last year and is just starting to be spread throughout Romania.
A former missionary in Romania, Laura Preston, 24, from Orem, said it was difficult to teach without the full text.
'I hated not having all the chapters I wanted to read, especially Lehi's dream,' said Preston, who graduated in music in December.
Preston said before the full-text Romanian Book of Mormon was published, missionaries only had 140 pages, and the translation was 'horrible.'
The full text of the Book of Mormon is currently translated in 46 languages and selections are translated in 45 different languages, according to a representative who works in the church office building in Salt Lake City.
Although Gabriela recognizes the paid calling is a tremendous honor, she isn't prideful.
'This really humbles me. I owe God a lot because He trusted me with this,' she said.
Joseph Smith had many trials in his life and so has Gabriela. She is divorced and lives with her 7-year-old son, Paul, in married housing without a car. She said her son is her reason for living.
She supports them by working in the acquisitions department of the library.
There were also challenges in the translation process, but she said it was nothing she would complain about.
At times it was difficult to find the right logic for some scriptures. She said one tough verse was, 'Adam fell that men might be; and men are that they might have joy.'
'I love challenges, but nothing is too hard with the Spirit.'
Gabriela speaks six languages, including Italian, German, French and Spanish. Her major is Spanish, but she is changing it to Spanish translation.
Before coming to Provo, she studied law in Romania and plans to pursue it at BYU.
A former member of the Romanian National Junior Champion folk dance team, Gabriela attended the BYU Living Legends concert in 1995 when they toured in Bucharest. After some of the students who danced in the performance encouraged her to come to BYU, she considered coming to Provo.
A couple months passed, and she knew it was what she needed to do because it was what felt right in her heart.
'I'm a logical person, but I know I must go on faith,' she said. 'Faith means trust in God and yourself -- He wants us to be self-reliant.'
Her logic, efficiency and organizational skills have helped her with her many leadership positions she's held while attending BYU.
She was the International Student Association president, International Representative in Student Advisory Council and is the International Co-chair of the Coordinating Issues Board.