Gezuar Krishtlindjen!! --- Dec 10th

This past week in Albania has been freezing! It is now winter. Not only has it been way cold, but SUPER rainny. I have officially decided that I don't want to live in humidity. You have to leave your windows open a lot so that your house doesn't mold. So pretty much everyone's home, including ours, is freezing. It's like living outside.. kinda. In our apartment we shut all the doors to different rooms so that our bedroom will stay warm. It is kinda crazy the second you open the door the cold air rushes in. Today finally has been a beautiful sunny day. Still cold, but warm with the sun. It rains like crazy here. Motra Atkin said that last winter it didn't rain as much as it has this year, so I guess we'll see. The drains also in Albania aren't very good... or are just really plugged with garbage prob. So when it rains all the streets flood. 

 

This Saturday at our baptism we were soaking wet from walking to the church, and then afterwards we rode with the Elders in the makine (car) to go to our English course and the water was so high all the cars in the roads were flooding and dying in the middle of the streets. crazy! It was like boating. The water had wakes like boating and it would splash on the front of the car just like boating too. So... I guess missionaries do get to go boating after all.. ha. It was quite the adventure. We made it through the water and had English class just fine. Even though only 1 person came to our class. Just fun! 

 

This week a part of my studying was focused on the Christlike Attribute of Knowledge. I love Knowledge! I really like the scripture in Isaiah 28:9-10. saying that knowledge is NOT all obtained at once. But line upon line, precept upon precept. Here a little there a little. I love this because this has been one thing I've struggled to understand since being a missionary, but has been the biggest blessing to begin to understand. I can't wait to go back to school and study  to really remember all the things I am learning forever and not just for the test. Especially at the beginning of my mission learning a new language and learning the gospel a lot more and in depth than my everyday studies. I wanted to just know it all from the first day! But daily I realized that that isn't how it works. I had to be more patient with myself and a lot more humble. More willing to be taught by others in order to improve. It still is this way now, and I realized it probably will be and should be forever. Because the second you become greater or more knowledgeable than someone else the second you decrease your ability to learn and grow. Knowledge is so powerful. I hope I can always continue to become more and more teachable in all aspects of my life. NOT EASY! because sometimes I seriously feel dumb (especially speaking Albanian), even though I know I am smart and know a lot. All the greatest and most powerful things aren't easy though. A life of Learning! ya.    I also really like D&C 130: 18-19. 

belief- experience- study- knowledge! 

 

This past Saturday was Alma Grembi's baptism!! Yay! It was a crazy stormy day, but she came anyway. It was super beautiful. I played the piano and she was so excited. Yesterday she received the Holy Ghost. What a beautiful gift! I'm so happy for her and excited for her to continue to learn and grow. Seminary was how she gained a stronger desire to learn. It was amazing to see the change in her. She went from not ever even having 5 min. to read the Book of Mormon, let alone meet with us once in a while, to going to seminary everyday because the girls in the ward befriended her and convinced her to come, meeting with us anytime and however many times we wanted, and being so much more happy! This gospel is so real! It brings so much life and happiness to those who will accept it. I love it! 

We also eat a lot of Chestnuts here in Albania. A few weeks ago we visited the Prenga's home and they brought us boiled chestnuts. We peeled the outside layer off and then just ate them. They kinda tasted like mashed potatoes. kinda funny. Since we had them Motra Atkin and I have been wanting to roast some, and then we saw them roasting on the side of the street. A person with their street grill, grilling raw corn and selling it. was also roasting chestnuts. We will have to get a picture someday. "Roasting chestnuts on an open fire!" fun. Chestnuts are called "geshtenja" in Albanian. 

Love you all! 

Gezuar Krishtlindjen! Merry Christmas.--- It is funny in Albania, because some people do celebrate Christmas, not like we do, but most people think the lights and Santa Claus and the Christmas tree is for the New Year celebration. They don't really get it all. We are having a ward Christmas party though on the 24th so that will be fun. 

Motra Hoover