Our Search for Happiness --- Jan 21st

It's been a Busy week this week... Lots of traveling. Because my companion Motra Richardson is the Coordinating Sister "the oldest sister" She has to do exchanges with all the sisters...just like with Motra Atkin. So I've done ALOT of exchanges so far as a missionary, and I really do like them because I learn a lot more about myself and I love learning from others in how I can improve myself and be a more effective missionary. We traveled back to Albania, like 4 ish hours, and did an exchange in Durres first and then all the way down to Vlore, the next day. We had 3 new sisters come in the beginning of the month and they seem to be doing great! It is kinda weird to not be the newest anymore, but it was also really fun to work with them and remember how little I knew then and how much I really have grown all ready. I got to see the Prenga Family and My Pjetri Family in Durres also! It was really great! They are doing good.  After traveling all day Friday getting back in Prishtina around 9pm, we were glad to be back. 

The last few weeks and during our traveling I finished the "Our Search for Happiness" book in the Missionary Library by M. Russell Ballard. I really liked it, and learned new things! yes! I really enjoyed learning about the history of the Apostasy, and it helped me understand it a lot more clearly as well... Now I can teach it with even more power. I also really liked this part in the chapter God's Eternal Plan, on pg. 72. It says, "'The quality of our lives' It's an interesting phrase I suspect most people think of this concept in terms of the comforts and conveniences they enjoy. But I prefer to think that the quality of our lives has more to do with substance than style. A quality life is one that positively influences others and makes the world around it a better place in which to live. A quality life is one that is constantly growing, expanding its horizons and enlarging its borders. A quality life is one that is filled with love and loyalty, patience and perseverance, kindness and compassion. A quality life is one that is based on eternal potential and not confined to this life only. A quality life is a life well-lived." I really like that! So great! 

 

Also weekly I study more about my Savior, and how I can become more like him in specific ways each day and each week. This week while also reading "Our Search for Happiness" I learned some really great statements that became my daily "motto's." Here they are: Weaknesses become strengths, Challenges become opportunities, Trials become triumphs, and Adversity becomes an ADVENTURE in the service of the Lord! How could you go wrong with these, right! 

We are teaching a few single girls right now. One's name is Aferdita and one is named Dafina. We had lessons with them both yesterday. With Dafina we talked about Jesus Christ. Who He is and why He is our Savior. Why we need Him and why Heavenly Father sent Him for us. She didn't believe in Him at all before. In my personal study I read in Alma ch. 21 and thought of her when reading about Arron's experience with the people. They believed in God, but not in Jesus Christ. Then he taught them from the scriptures of Christ. So we read that part and Alma 34: 8-10, about the Atonement. and watched the Lamb of God video. She had to have felt the spirit. I did! In the end we challenged her to ask her Heavenly Father if Jesus Christ was her Savior, and when she would ask to wait afterward to feel something or think of something.,, she has a really hard time understanding what the spirit is and how she can feel it... After the lesson I just felt so good and couldn't help but think and pray that Heavenly Father would now do His part and make a miracle happen for her... to recognize her answer from Him. We'll see. 

With Aferdita, she is a Catholic, but is realizing and recognizing that our Church is different. and I think she really likes it. We taught her the Plan of Salvation on Saturday and she mentioned that she had asked her Priest what the purpose of this life was and he didn't have an answer for her. When we asked her what she thought the purpose of this life was she didn't know. After we taught her the full lesson. She was very happy. full of the spirit, I'd say. and gave a beautiful prayer, not the memorized catholic prayer!, thanking God for us and the knowledge that we had given her. It was really cool. Sunday we taught her the Gospel and she's not positive about baptism, but she does realize that her catholic baptism was not the same as the baptism we taught her about...the way and reason to be baptised like Christ was, with proper authority. We committed her to pray and ask God if Joseph Smith was a true prophet, and if God and Jesus Christ really did restore the fullness of the gospel through him. She said she would. 

So... We had some amazing lessons yesterday. Hopefully helping more of God's children learn of their purpose and potential as Daughters of God. and we left them to ask God some pretty powerful questions!! Basically like the biggest questions to be understood. Just really cool... that's all. 

Love you all! Thanks for all you do! Have a great week! 

Kalofshi Mire! 

Motra Kristi Hoover

 

Photos:

1. an old Serbian Catholic church that is here in Prishtina. Its a big controversy here actually because no one like the Serbians and so they want to tear it down, but the Serbians fight against it because it is one of their oldest churches. I guess they are afraid of not good things to happen if they did tear it down... 

 

 

2. Just some cute little "nene's" crossing the street.