So here's my super long weekly email:
On Monday night we had FHE and our new investigator came, so we have an awesome new investigator!! On Monday night we got a call from President Weidmann...we were slightly concerned as to why he would be calling us. He told us that we were getting a new companion. Sister White would be with us starting the next day. The three of us are now working 2 areas. We are in Tirana 2nd ward and Tirana 4th ward. So we are literally covering half of Tirana.
In the middle of district meeting someone came in and the AP's left to go talk to them and didn't come back for like an hour. When they came back they told us what had happened. They met a guy in a building next to the church. He said he has seen nice respectable looking guys with white shirts and ties walking back and forth all the time. Someone spent a lot of time translating the bible into Albanian, however, the guy recently died. They didn't want to sell them because they thought it was a sin to sell the word of God so they decided to give them to us. We now have 1,220 bibles in the basement of our church. Most of the members don't know about them yet. We have to have them approved before we can start giving them to the members. This could change a lot of things. It was pretty much a miracle. We have started calling them the one thousand miracle bibles. A lot of people here don't have a lot of money to buy a bible.
Tuesday, the bishop cancelled ward correlation meeting and Anthony travelled all the way to the church to tell us because he was unable to call (phones are different here...just go with that). When we went to visit an investigator, a super awesome 17 year old girl, we couldn’t find her house. Eventually we found it with the help of more than one member. They don't have addresses here so it is rather confusing.
On Wednesday we met with our awesome new investigator in the morning. We planned lunch with the elders at Ali Babba's. I had heard a lot about it so I was excited to go there, but it wasn't as good as I thought it would be. We had a lesson with a member, it was great, she basically taught us. She is really, really awesome. Another investigator, a cute 18 year old girl, came to institute with us. We went with Amy to visit one of the members, she's the best nene (mother or grandmother) and always feeds us so much food, it's ridiculous.
On Thursday we had another lesson with our 17 year old investigator in the morning. Then we went to teach English. It was not good, there are two super cool investigators from Iran that Sis Z and I found for the Elders, but during the English class one of them told some of the other students that he was from Iran. They started asking him if he was a terrorist. It's a super good thing he doesn't understand Albanian. I was so offended for him. I jeped a dru (got mad at them) for it. I was super upset. The guy is super cool and super sweet. After the English class, a girl showed up and wanted to do a lesson with us. We taught her English and then talked about the prophet. She actually had questions about complicated English so it was really awesome. We went with Amy, Anthony, and Sonia to get hot chocolate. Some ordered dark chocolate, some ordered white chocolate, it was way better when you mixed them together. It was like hot chocolate pudding though. They make hot chocolate different here.
Friday, we were in the middle of companion study when a lady that had cancelled on us twice, called and wanted to meet. It was an interesting lesson. I went on splits with Amy out to Kombinat. I thought that Amy knew where the member lived that we were supposed to meet, but she didn't know and I didn't remember, eventually we found it. We gave another lesson and tried to stop by and visit people, but no one was home. Went to a lesson with a recent convert who decided she's not coming to church anymore. It was an interesting lesson again.
As we were getting on the bus, I got a strong prompting not to get on the bus so we waited for the next one. Amy quoted President Monson and said "never, never, never postpone following a prompting". We were at the last bus stop on the line, two more buses came and dropped off people, then the 3rd bus came and I thought we should get on. However, just as we walked over to get on the bus, Anthony got off the bus. It was crazy. What are the chances? Anyway, we didn’t have much time, we just talked to him for about 10 minutes, then got on the bus and went back home. We made it by curfew.
Saturday was...idk...weird. We went to soccer in the morning, then left early so we could meet Amy at the church at 10:15 to go to Leprak to visit a member. Anthony was there already and 4 of us came later. We sang hymns with her. It was so awesome. I love that woman so much. She is really awesome. We all walked outside except the member, but her grandkids came with us. While we were standing there I got a call from Elder Verushi, the 1st counseler in the 2nd ward had asked him who should give a talk the next day in sacrament meeting and he said me. I asked Anthony if he had anything to do with it. He said no, but he wished he had. So at that moment he decided to call the bishop of 4th ward and ask him if my companion, Sister Z, could give a talk. He, of course, said yes. So my companion and I both had talks in different wards.
We met with an investigator, she's an elderly lady. Then we went to the institute and had an awesome lesson with our other investigator. We taught her the restoration and it was a really cool experience. During the lesson she expressed concern about praying in the name of Jesus Christ because she is Muslim. We explained the importance of it and encouraged her to try it and see how she feels. She said she wasn't going to, but agreed to say the closing prayer. At the end of her prayer she paused for a few seconds and then said "In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." The spirit was so strong when she did that. It was an amazing experience.
Sunday was a super eventful day. So first I wrote my talk and then we went to the 2nd ward church. When I got there neither Anthony nor Amy were there to look over my talk and make sure the grammar was right. When Anthony walked in I asked him to help with the grammar and he said he had to find people to pass the sacrament, but he would look over it before I had to give it. He ended up passing the sacrament. So, just as he sat down, I turned and said: fun fact, I'm speaking first. He just said...oh I'm sorry, but I'm sure you'll do great. So no one ever looked at my talk. When I sat down again he just said: are you sure you haven't been here for 5 years already? Amy told me that I didn't make one mistake the entire time. She was super impressed.
During Sunday School I was on splits with Amy, we sat behind a returned missionary. He served in Albania in 1992. He still speaks Albanian, too. He was super cool. Sister Z gave her talk in the 4th ward, it was her first talk in sacrament meeting since she’s been on her mission. Elders Verushi and Guymon, and Motra Z, and Motra White, and I went out to Kombinat to visit a member and his wife. He gave us so much food. It was insane. He made us pick bags of plums from his trees. Then he picked us some fresh figs, basil, lemongrass, rosemary, cranberries, and mint. It was super awesome. Then we just came back and did studies because we never had enough time for them with 5 hours of church that we had to go to.
Today has been a good P-day so far. We were supposed to go to the beach in Durres today, but Sonia had to work so we couldn't go today. We went out to the big treg (market). It was cool, but I only bought a bracelet. Sister Zollinger and Sister White were getting matching ones so I had to get one. Then we went and got lunch at a Zgara Korcare. They are like everywhere here.
I found a quote the other day when I was looking through my MTC notes book. It said, "The Lord will bless you with relationships that mean the world to you! It will be harder to come home than it was to leave home." I am sorry to say this to you guys, but I think that's true. I have made some of my very best friends here. I would cross the world for them if they ever said they just needed someone to talk to. The people here literally mean the world to me. I love them all so much. I was afraid that while I was here I would feel like I was without support. But without a doubt I will always know that I have people that love me here.
Anyway, I love you all to Gallifrey and back. I don't know where I would be without you all. Have an amazing week and don't forget about me:)
On Monday night we had FHE and our new investigator came, so we have an awesome new investigator!! On Monday night we got a call from President Weidmann...we were slightly concerned as to why he would be calling us. He told us that we were getting a new companion. Sister White would be with us starting the next day. The three of us are now working 2 areas. We are in Tirana 2nd ward and Tirana 4th ward. So we are literally covering half of Tirana.
In the middle of district meeting someone came in and the AP's left to go talk to them and didn't come back for like an hour. When they came back they told us what had happened. They met a guy in a building next to the church. He said he has seen nice respectable looking guys with white shirts and ties walking back and forth all the time. Someone spent a lot of time translating the bible into Albanian, however, the guy recently died. They didn't want to sell them because they thought it was a sin to sell the word of God so they decided to give them to us. We now have 1,220 bibles in the basement of our church. Most of the members don't know about them yet. We have to have them approved before we can start giving them to the members. This could change a lot of things. It was pretty much a miracle. We have started calling them the one thousand miracle bibles. A lot of people here don't have a lot of money to buy a bible.
Tuesday, the bishop cancelled ward correlation meeting and Anthony travelled all the way to the church to tell us because he was unable to call (phones are different here...just go with that). When we went to visit an investigator, a super awesome 17 year old girl, we couldn’t find her house. Eventually we found it with the help of more than one member. They don't have addresses here so it is rather confusing.
On Wednesday we met with our awesome new investigator in the morning. We planned lunch with the elders at Ali Babba's. I had heard a lot about it so I was excited to go there, but it wasn't as good as I thought it would be. We had a lesson with a member, it was great, she basically taught us. She is really, really awesome. Another investigator, a cute 18 year old girl, came to institute with us. We went with Amy to visit one of the members, she's the best nene (mother or grandmother) and always feeds us so much food, it's ridiculous.
On Thursday we had another lesson with our 17 year old investigator in the morning. Then we went to teach English. It was not good, there are two super cool investigators from Iran that Sis Z and I found for the Elders, but during the English class one of them told some of the other students that he was from Iran. They started asking him if he was a terrorist. It's a super good thing he doesn't understand Albanian. I was so offended for him. I jeped a dru (got mad at them) for it. I was super upset. The guy is super cool and super sweet. After the English class, a girl showed up and wanted to do a lesson with us. We taught her English and then talked about the prophet. She actually had questions about complicated English so it was really awesome. We went with Amy, Anthony, and Sonia to get hot chocolate. Some ordered dark chocolate, some ordered white chocolate, it was way better when you mixed them together. It was like hot chocolate pudding though. They make hot chocolate different here.
Friday, we were in the middle of companion study when a lady that had cancelled on us twice, called and wanted to meet. It was an interesting lesson. I went on splits with Amy out to Kombinat. I thought that Amy knew where the member lived that we were supposed to meet, but she didn't know and I didn't remember, eventually we found it. We gave another lesson and tried to stop by and visit people, but no one was home. Went to a lesson with a recent convert who decided she's not coming to church anymore. It was an interesting lesson again.
As we were getting on the bus, I got a strong prompting not to get on the bus so we waited for the next one. Amy quoted President Monson and said "never, never, never postpone following a prompting". We were at the last bus stop on the line, two more buses came and dropped off people, then the 3rd bus came and I thought we should get on. However, just as we walked over to get on the bus, Anthony got off the bus. It was crazy. What are the chances? Anyway, we didn’t have much time, we just talked to him for about 10 minutes, then got on the bus and went back home. We made it by curfew.
Saturday was...idk...weird. We went to soccer in the morning, then left early so we could meet Amy at the church at 10:15 to go to Leprak to visit a member. Anthony was there already and 4 of us came later. We sang hymns with her. It was so awesome. I love that woman so much. She is really awesome. We all walked outside except the member, but her grandkids came with us. While we were standing there I got a call from Elder Verushi, the 1st counseler in the 2nd ward had asked him who should give a talk the next day in sacrament meeting and he said me. I asked Anthony if he had anything to do with it. He said no, but he wished he had. So at that moment he decided to call the bishop of 4th ward and ask him if my companion, Sister Z, could give a talk. He, of course, said yes. So my companion and I both had talks in different wards.
We met with an investigator, she's an elderly lady. Then we went to the institute and had an awesome lesson with our other investigator. We taught her the restoration and it was a really cool experience. During the lesson she expressed concern about praying in the name of Jesus Christ because she is Muslim. We explained the importance of it and encouraged her to try it and see how she feels. She said she wasn't going to, but agreed to say the closing prayer. At the end of her prayer she paused for a few seconds and then said "In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." The spirit was so strong when she did that. It was an amazing experience.
Sunday was a super eventful day. So first I wrote my talk and then we went to the 2nd ward church. When I got there neither Anthony nor Amy were there to look over my talk and make sure the grammar was right. When Anthony walked in I asked him to help with the grammar and he said he had to find people to pass the sacrament, but he would look over it before I had to give it. He ended up passing the sacrament. So, just as he sat down, I turned and said: fun fact, I'm speaking first. He just said...oh I'm sorry, but I'm sure you'll do great. So no one ever looked at my talk. When I sat down again he just said: are you sure you haven't been here for 5 years already? Amy told me that I didn't make one mistake the entire time. She was super impressed.
During Sunday School I was on splits with Amy, we sat behind a returned missionary. He served in Albania in 1992. He still speaks Albanian, too. He was super cool. Sister Z gave her talk in the 4th ward, it was her first talk in sacrament meeting since she’s been on her mission. Elders Verushi and Guymon, and Motra Z, and Motra White, and I went out to Kombinat to visit a member and his wife. He gave us so much food. It was insane. He made us pick bags of plums from his trees. Then he picked us some fresh figs, basil, lemongrass, rosemary, cranberries, and mint. It was super awesome. Then we just came back and did studies because we never had enough time for them with 5 hours of church that we had to go to.
Today has been a good P-day so far. We were supposed to go to the beach in Durres today, but Sonia had to work so we couldn't go today. We went out to the big treg (market). It was cool, but I only bought a bracelet. Sister Zollinger and Sister White were getting matching ones so I had to get one. Then we went and got lunch at a Zgara Korcare. They are like everywhere here.
I found a quote the other day when I was looking through my MTC notes book. It said, "The Lord will bless you with relationships that mean the world to you! It will be harder to come home than it was to leave home." I am sorry to say this to you guys, but I think that's true. I have made some of my very best friends here. I would cross the world for them if they ever said they just needed someone to talk to. The people here literally mean the world to me. I love them all so much. I was afraid that while I was here I would feel like I was without support. But without a doubt I will always know that I have people that love me here.
Anyway, I love you all to Gallifrey and back. I don't know where I would be without you all. Have an amazing week and don't forget about me:)