I got the package from home!! Elder Cani brought it up from Tirana on Wednesday.
It was super exciting to go to Macedonia!! IT IS SO NICE!!! I could barely handle how nice it was... SO NICE!! We go to Macedonia for exchanges once every 6 weeks. I saw Elder Halverson again and Elder Cani. Elder Halverson was in my district in Vlore. He's the elder that randomly showed up and didn't have anyone to train him in Macedonia so they put him with Elder Fowles. Now he's being trained in Macedonia. He will be in Macedonia for the rest of his mission. The Visas for the missionaries assigned to Macedonia only allow them 90 days outside of Macedonia or they get kicked out. Usually sometime in the middle of their mission, they get a month out of Macedonia and get to be in Albania.
The cool thing is that now that I’ve been to Macedonia, I can read Cyrillic letters so I can read stuff if we ever go to Ukraine (I won't know what they say except brand names, but whatever).
A week ago President and Sister Weidmann were here so they gave talks and Elder Watson asked me to translate for Sister Weidmann and there were a few times when I listened to what she said in English and then I totally forgot it or I didn't have the vocabulary for it and had NO IDEA of what to say in Albanian so I just went for it and every time...and I mean EVERY TIME...my mouth was filled with perfect Albanian that people could understand. I don't even remember what I said some times, but God gave me the gift of tongues for sure. Then this week I wasn't feeling as in tune with the Spirit and I was asked to translate a talk for Sister Dabell. I had no idea of some of the words, it was so bad and I realize it was because the Spirit was not as much in the meeting and I was trying to rely on my own knowledge of Albanian when I should have relied on God.
I miss Albania...I felt it so much when I went to Tirana. I thought my chest would explode the second I crossed the border. I didn't think that I could love a place or a people as much as I do. It's crazy...it felt so much like I was coming home to a place I know so well and yet surprises me every day. I like Kosovo and all, but there is just something about good old Shqiperia...
Today for Pday, we walked to the Serbian monastery somewhere in between Gjakove and Peje. It was built in 1350. It was super beautiful, but super, super, cold. We are waiting for it to open.
I love you all to Gallifrey and back!! Pafshim:)
Motra Johansen
It was super exciting to go to Macedonia!! IT IS SO NICE!!! I could barely handle how nice it was... SO NICE!! We go to Macedonia for exchanges once every 6 weeks. I saw Elder Halverson again and Elder Cani. Elder Halverson was in my district in Vlore. He's the elder that randomly showed up and didn't have anyone to train him in Macedonia so they put him with Elder Fowles. Now he's being trained in Macedonia. He will be in Macedonia for the rest of his mission. The Visas for the missionaries assigned to Macedonia only allow them 90 days outside of Macedonia or they get kicked out. Usually sometime in the middle of their mission, they get a month out of Macedonia and get to be in Albania.
The cool thing is that now that I’ve been to Macedonia, I can read Cyrillic letters so I can read stuff if we ever go to Ukraine (I won't know what they say except brand names, but whatever).
A week ago President and Sister Weidmann were here so they gave talks and Elder Watson asked me to translate for Sister Weidmann and there were a few times when I listened to what she said in English and then I totally forgot it or I didn't have the vocabulary for it and had NO IDEA of what to say in Albanian so I just went for it and every time...and I mean EVERY TIME...my mouth was filled with perfect Albanian that people could understand. I don't even remember what I said some times, but God gave me the gift of tongues for sure. Then this week I wasn't feeling as in tune with the Spirit and I was asked to translate a talk for Sister Dabell. I had no idea of some of the words, it was so bad and I realize it was because the Spirit was not as much in the meeting and I was trying to rely on my own knowledge of Albanian when I should have relied on God.
I miss Albania...I felt it so much when I went to Tirana. I thought my chest would explode the second I crossed the border. I didn't think that I could love a place or a people as much as I do. It's crazy...it felt so much like I was coming home to a place I know so well and yet surprises me every day. I like Kosovo and all, but there is just something about good old Shqiperia...
Today for Pday, we walked to the Serbian monastery somewhere in between Gjakove and Peje. It was built in 1350. It was super beautiful, but super, super, cold. We are waiting for it to open.
I love you all to Gallifrey and back!! Pafshim:)
Motra Johansen