Shendosh dhe mire -- Nov. 26th

Sounds like everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We had a mission conference on Thanksgiving. So the senior couples made us all Thanksgiving dinner.. it was delicious! All the missionaries did a dessert contest and we did a talent show. It was really fun and I learned a lot too. 

Today we went on an Albanian Adventure! We traveled to a town called Berat. It is known for being the town of floating windows. It was SO BEAUTIFUL! I felt like I was really in Europe.

 

Jodie asked me about cobblestone roads, and Yes, Jodie in this town their were lots of those! SO cool!  

We explored the castle first, which was so cool. Really big. and people still live all over in it. and then we went into the city. Walking through the tiny little cobblestone streets with door after door on both sides of the alley's was really cool... Kinda what I assume Europe to be like I guess. However, I also would think. If my cement house is cold to shower in... these houses would be so cold. ha.

This week we have taught lots of lessons. Our main investigators are Alma, Ilda, and the Family Pjetri's cousins! ya! They are all so great! We also visit a lot of the recent members or in actives (which their are so many here... so sad.) But this week we went to the Family Prenga's home. They were all just baptized this summer. This family is actually the very first visit I ever had in Albania. They live up on the mountain and totally live off the land. It's really cool. The night we went to visit them it was pooring rain! They live up a hill and... it was SO muddy. Motra Atkin and I almost slipped walking the 100+ yards up to their home. I was just imagining us getting to their house with mud on our faces, that would have been interesting. ha. We had a wonderful lesson and their son Arben gave the closing prayer. He always prays for us and for our families to be fat and well "Shendosh dhe mire." So... May you all be fat and well! love it! It was quite the experience coming down the mud in the rain, but don't worry we made it without even slipping. Just really muddy.

I have learned a lot about prayer as a missionary. First because we pray all the time, but also because it is so fun to teach others how they can pray and how powerful pray really is. I love the section in True to the Faith on Prayer. You should all read it! Prayer really is so powerful, and as a missionary I have realized how even more powerful it is and how much more I should pray in my everyday life. I hope that you all pray individually morning and night and as families. Their is power is prayer especially kneeling family prayers! This week we were teaching the Pjetri family and I always feel the spirit when we all get to pray together (dad included). Also this week teaching our 16yr old investigator Alma we got to talk about prayer because her, her mom, and her little brother all sleep in the same room. She said she hasn't been praying because her mom won't leave the room when she asks, and she didn't want to pray with her in their. She is such an amazing girl, but her mom and brother aren't as interested. We first taught her that she could still pray with her mom in the room and it would be good for her mom to see her example. She didn't know that she could pray silently. But then we also taught her that she could pray in the bathroom, the closet, anywhere. She really wants to pray out loud and so she loved the idea that she could pray anywhere. She didn't know that before. I loved her excitement when she found out that she could pray in the bathroom or in the closet and she committed to pray every morning and night from that day on. I loved this lesson and really learned so much about prayer myself. In my life the last few years I have said a few prayers out loud, but mostly I just say silent prayers, or whisper to myself. However, as Alma had such a desire to pray out loud, I think that I should pray with voice more as well. Their is a lot of power in prayer and I think when I have prayed out loud by myself I have felt the spirit stronger than ever before. 

I am so grateful for prayer! I know that my Father lives and that we as His children can communicate with Him through prayer. Talk about Amazing! 

Albania:

This week in Albania is their Independence day. Holidays here are always celebrated for 2 days not just one. But this year is their 100th Anniversary and so it has been getting pretty crazy. Every city has decorated to the max. Flags, banners, etc. everywhere. It is really fun. We have to be in on both the 28th and 29th early because of the crazy Albanian festivities, but I'm sure we will still hear and see a lot of it. Pretty cool to be here for such a fun time, and see how they appreciate remembering who they are. 

Living here I also have found myself saying "in America..." a lot. Kinda funny. Like did you get that when you were in America. Or When I was in America...  It is hard for Albanians to understand what states are and that their are cities in States that make up America. Some people have no idea really how big America is I think... Or it is just very different than here I suppose. Just kinda crazy that even I say America now, instead of at home or in Utah...