40 Day Fast 5/22/2017

Ok so newest challenge for us is now we started a 40 day fast. which means-we put things on a list that we feel like we need to change and we are giving them up for the next 40 days. We are trying to put everything we can on the table so that we are worthy to find the people who need to hear our message.

We added to our little paper of things this scripture about the 2000 stripling warriors (got a theme going).

Helaman 15:9 And ye know also that they have buried their weapons of war, and they fear to take them up lest by any means they should sin; yea, ye can see that they fear to sin—for behold they will suffer themselves that they be trodden down and slain by their enemies, and will not lift their swords against them, and this because of their faith in Christ.

So they made a promise with God that they would not go to war again. After they made this oath with God, they would not dare go back on their promise. They did not just set aside their weapons of war but they buried them. So I guess that's what we are trying to do. Bury our "things" so that we can be better consecrated missionaries. If no one ever decides to act on what we are saying, I don't want it to be because I was not worthy. I want to see miracles happen in people's lives. 

Motra Hegërd

Mother's Day May 15, 2017

Gëzuar Dita e Nënëve (in America)

It was so great talking to the family over skype and then weird because all my cousins and my brother look so old and different. ahh strange. Someone said that Albanian sounds like alien language. ha It's so strange how languages work. Once you know and speak it, it's so normal, it's just-Albanian. I wish I could remember how I first thought of the language.

Delila (8) quote of the week: "I have a lot of mothers, a mother over there (pointing to her mom), up there, and Nëna Teresa."

Ha oh good old Nëna Teresa.

I actually am reading about the 2000 stripling warriors in the Book of Mormon right now and so it just ended up perfectly that I read about how they had faith because their mothers taught them that if they did not doubt, that God would deliver them from their enemies. They did not doubt that their mothers knew it. These young boys had faith in God so much that every single one of them was saved. I'm so thankful for mothers that we have in life. How else would we have learned to have faith? Because first she had it.

For the mothers who understand the alien language:

Nëna të dua, Nëna të du,

Ati në Qiell të më dërgoi ty.

Kur jam pranë teje, dua t'dëgjoj ty,

Duke kënduar që më do ti mu'

Nëna të dua, të dua, të du'

[Think Primary song - Mother I love you, Mother I do]

Motra Hegërd

I don't see "tick" mentioned in this email May 8, 2017

I can't really remember what happened this week. But I know that we did a lot of finding people. Got back on the "I love talking to people". I really do. Like how cool is this, that literally all we do here for a year and a half is that we talk to people, we listen to their stories, and then we tell them about blessings and things that they have never heard before. We open their eyes. Pretty cool job.

Also my companions and I were just sitting there before bed on saturday night and we were going through the children's song book. Ah I miss those songs. What a cool little set of songs. Now reading them as I'm older like oh wait that's what that song's about. And the cutest song that's one of my recent favorites because of my CTR/ZTD 4 class: I'll walk with you. 

I don't know if I learned it and forgot it as a kid but it was new to me when I learned it being a primary teacher last summer.

Jesus walked away from none, He gave His love to everyone so I will I will. I'll walk with you. I'll talk with you. That's how I'll show my love for you.

Aww such a cute song :)

Motra Hegërd

These people. I love them. May 1, 2017

So I put away my english scriptures this week-only studying in Albanian now!

So in the olden days of missionaries they had counsel to not take anything with them and just rely on the hospitality of the people. I definitely think we could do that here. We went tracting and before we even explained who we were, the mom is like well are you coming inside? oh ok, yes yes thanks. Then after we shared the message of the restoration of the church with them, the dad was like well are you going to stay here? have you eaten dinner? These people. I love them. This culture really gives me life goals of how to be a hospitable human being.

Ah patience. I thought I had it down...that was at the beginning of the transfer to Gjakova. Clearly there is a difference between patience with people on week 1 versus patience with the same people on week (well idk maybe like 13). As a missionary I always think ok well we are representing Jesus Christ as His missionaries, which means I have to try to emulate His characteristics...and then I lose my patience...then I lose charity...and after it all well I'm becoming a worse human being than as I started.

2 Nefi 4:27-29, 34

27 And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy?

28 Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.

29 Do not anger again because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength because of mine afflictions.

34 O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.

Same Nephi Same. Feeling like an awful human BUT hey trusting that I can become better as I rely on the Lord. 

Xhavit and Xhev are the cutest little couple that we are teaching. They are hilarious together. And then they'll like interrupt each other and Xhev said oh rri qetë njëherë-oh be quiet for once. oh snap. and then he tells us that when she has a stick in her hand, he agrees with her.

Stories from Xhavit:

1. a man was given a choice between a. drinking a gallon of alcohol and b. killing his mother. He chose the alcohol. Then he got drunk, went home, and killed his mother.

2. A man was put on death row and given one last request. He asked for his mother. (I thought it was all cute..until..) He tells his mother that it's her fault that he is there. That she has as much blame as he does. Because when he was little and stole things, she did nothing, it's ok. When he hit other children, it's ok. Just kids. But now he is here because she never told him anything he was doing was wrong. Whatever guiltiness (is that not the right word?) he has, she has double.

Wow pretty harsh. Anyway lessons with them are always interesting. We also learn cool albanian sayings from him.

1.       Miku i mirë njihet në një kohë të vështirë [A good friend is known in a difficult time]

2.       (From a member this week Vlora, translated cuz I can’t remember how it goes exactly) Don’t stick your nose in hot peppers because you’ll get burned

3.       Guri i rënd peshon në vendin e vetë [Heavy rock weighs in his own place]

4.       Një Zot kemi, Shqiptarë jemi [We have one God, we are Albanians]

Mother Teresa, Prishtina, Kosovo

Tidbits April 24, 2017

From Valbona

i just saw this cute little video of the plan of salvation 

so Maria is 5 and we were eating buke [bread] with her and talking and then all of a sudden she just starts saying a prayer out of the blue so we immediately close our eyes and then the prayer was over...and haha it was the cutest thing ever...precious moments

Wow What a Bride! April 24, 2017

Staying in Gjakovë! With Motra Saldanja and Xhons! They are one of the reasons that I am very very ok with this <3 This is my first half transfer that I haven't had to change my companionship. Weird. 

Shiu ra që lulet mund të jenë dhe lulet janë që njerëz mund të kenë gëzim.

See 2 Nefi 2:25 basically the april showers bring may flowers but to the tune of the scriptures. Classic. Had to wear tights again :( not happy. But I guess we have to deal with the rain in order to expect flowers...or we can just have fun in the rain and enjoy it! 

Xhevahire (Jenny) Kadrija: 

The first time we met: We asked if we could come back and she said no. Then we talked a little more and at the end she said "we are going to keep seeing each other huh?" ha "yes yes we will :)"

Haha she knows us missionaries so well.

Now it's been 3 months of visiting her at her store every week. And every week she has gotten warmer and more friendly. This week we went and we asked how she was and she said "better now that you're here" and then after we had a lesson with her she was like wait you're leaving? 

WHAT! Can you see that progress?? Like wow love and persistence works. I love her so much, and I love going to see her every week. 

Xhavit and Xhev:

This is my favorite old couple! They are both college professors for the albanian language. no pressure. When we asked if Xhavit had read he like said something about Jacob. (huh) but we continued talking and then eventually I was like wait so how much did you read? (this is our second lesson) Casually says like page 209...you're kidding. We taught the Plan of salvation and we talked so much about being sealed in the temple. I want them so bad to be able to go to the temple someday. I love pulling my picture of the san diego temple and showing people. Look at this beautiful place. I'm going to be married there someday. And if people understood what a temple sealing (wedding) means, they would not want to do it anywhere else because only in the temple can we be married for time here annnnd eternity. that means death does not part us. no sir. Also I put away our cups at the end of the lesson and she was like "wow what a bride" oh nena's always making comments about us getting married haha. after. after we finish our missions.

Motra Hegërd

Valbona April 17, 2017

We went to Valbona today! It was probably the prettiest ok definitely
coming back after my mission to explore more. Unfortunately something
is wrong with my camera...so pictures coming next week.

Ok so weird miracle...k so the dad of one of the families we are
teaching was married before so when he married the mom she wasn't
allowed to get baptized in the Catholic church...weird I know. but so
she wants to be baptized. the door is kept open.

We had some of my favorite ever lessons this week. It was so cool. The
difference? We are using more scriptures than ever and I feel like we
are seriously just talking to people according to their questions and
concerns. Love it.

We had a second lesson with a mother and daughter who are very
studious in the bible and in the first lesson they were very concerned
about false Christs and how there are and will be a lot. We talked
this time about God's plan for us and how we learn more about it in
the book of mormon. She said well i was convinced that there should be
nothing more because then it would be a false Christ, but I like this,
it seems good so I'll read it. Then I'll see.

Good çun's: a boy offered us his umbrella as we were walking home in
the unexpected rain yesterday. Also there were 3 that ran across the
street calling after us one day and we were just like ignoring them
(we are used to boys that are just like ya know) but then there were
literally serious about wanting to learn more about Christ and were
totally excited about being taught by the elders. Oh good there are
some good ones here.

Motra Hegërd

Listen to your Guides April 10, 2017

So missionaries have a rule that when we back up we need one of us to back us up. So one of my companions was backing me up and ya know normal k good and then she was like motioning to drive more right...but I was like no I see the fence like I'm fine. no apparently there was a thing on the ground that she didn't want me to run over with the tires. oh. It was just like a bar thing so no big deal but if I'm a missionary that means I'm going to turn everything into a lesson so--listen to your guides, they aren't guiding you somewhere just for fun, they can see more than you can.

Members are kind of still investigators sometimes.

Vlora is a member that comes to everything. Every activity. But she will not read the scriptures when we are at her house. Always has an excuse for why not until this week when we went and really asked her why she doesn't want to read. She opened up about problems and that sometimes she can't concentrate very well so can't read. Ok. So we asked if she could read 3 verses with us. For the first time in a lesson with her, she read the scriptures. 1 Nefi 21:14-16 My favorite scripture. We are not forgotten. We are not alone. We need to read the Book of Mormon so that we remember that. Then she said the closing prayer and she said afterwards that when she closed her eyes, she actually had a peaceful darkness that hasn't happened when she says prayers before. Because we were able to read those few verses with her, the Spirit was in the lesson, we actually felt peace (something very hard to find at their house sometimes), so she was able to actually say a heartfelt prayer and feel the Spirit.

General Conference! Definitely a better experience understanding the talks this time in comparison to 2nd week in Albania having conference last Oct. One talk though was so fast I didn't know if they were talking about a peshk or a peshkop. A fish or a bishop...kind of an important difference. hey turns out it was a bishop. makes sense. Probably my favorite quote from conference "Mos u shqetëso. Jemi një familje e përjetshme" Don't worry. We are an eternal family. How simple and how sweet, but really they can take a lot of things from me but HA can't take away my family because we are sealed together and we will be together forever. I wish that people understood what that actually means. People often just agree like ya of course, but don't realize that their religion doesn't actually believe in that.

"We believe that marriage and family ties can continue beyond the grave—that marriages performed by those who have the proper authority in His temples will continue to be valid in the world to come. Our marriage ceremonies eliminate the words “till death do us part” and instead say, “for time and for all eternity.” 

Igbali brought her sister and her nieces to conference sunday morning because they were staying at her house. Ah she's such an angel investigator. and she said that of course she will bring all her guests to church if she has them.

Sister's Conference and Motra Willey, my lovely trainer, gave her dying testimony. She leaves in one week. SCARY. Can't wait to get her engagement announcement :)

Oh, and I broke a chair.

can you find the gabim [mistake]? officially kosovo legal!

first pair of shoes to go

sisters conference

April 3, 2017

So I don't talk in my sleep usually...but apparently I did and I was planning a lesson in Albanian...haha wow so motra missionary...hey at least I didn't break SYL (speak your language).

(Igbali)Coming to church: So we have had one lesson with her. The next day she came to church. She then had to go out of town because her sister is sick (about an hour out of Gjakova). We called her on Thursday and she said she was going to be at her sisters' still for a while...bummer. Then I was leading the music in sacrament meeting in church and she walks in...definitely stopped singing haha I was so surprised. So then after the meeting she starts apologizing because she has to leave to catch the bus again...wait. so she literally took an hour bus ride to come to one meeting and then is going back. amazing.

(Also Hajdaraj Fam)Reading the Scriptures: We read the Book of Mormon with them and the mom like leads the discussions, pushing the kids to think and answer, like what?! oh I love them :) They already have the whole family scripture study down.

Praying: We were pretty sure that Igbali wasn't going to come to church because she was out of town but Sunday morning we prayed for her "if she is in Gjakova that she will come to church". Sister Xhons pointing out that we had prayed for her to come even when we were pretty sure she couldn't.

Church, scriptures, prayer. The three basics right? Wow if only we understood how powerful the little things are. Keep doing them!

Byrek April 3, 2017

Made byrek today with potatoes inside.