ON HER WAY TO ALBANIA October 2nd

We just talked with Kristi!  She was able to call from the airport.  She sounds great!  She is so excited to go to Albania.  She said her mission president sent their teachers at the MTC a note saying that they are excited for the new missionaries and that they all have their new areas and assignments.  Kristi said that her assignment was not in either of the two main cities so she will have to write later to let us know where it is and all about it when she gets there.  She thought her companion is the girl that left the MTC three months ago, just before Kristi got there. 

She sounded so good.  She told us a lot of stories about Albania that her native Albanian teachers told her.  They were under communism even in the late 1990s so these teachers remember being children and being in that type of government.  They had some really interesting stories about having to sneak to church undetected to take the sacrament and how the Lord blessed their families in difficult situations.  They are students at BYU now, a girl and boy that both served English speaking missions so they are very fluent.  They both married Albanians so they will go home to their country after their education here to help strengthen the church there and start new businesses to help their country grow.  I guess they are in their mid-20s. 

She said she is so excited to learn more.  She realizes that even though she has come so far in the MTC that she really has only learned a fraction of what she needs to know to really communicate but she said, "I can teach a lesson and give a prayer and bear my testimony in Albanian so I guess that is a good start."

We are just so proud of her great attitude and love for the gospel.  I wanted to share our excitement with all of you too.  We love you all so much.  Thank you for your great examples of faithful service and temple marriages that have influenced your younger brothers and sisters so much and helped them all be better members of the church, and stronger, better people than they could have been otherwise.  Dad and I feel so blessed to be part of this wonderful family.  Thank you all! Love,  Mom & Dad xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxo