Life in Albania - Week 4

Hello family and friends! Albania is better than ever! I'll start with the questions.

1. After doing all of this walking in Washington D.C. it made me think about your shoes. How are your shoes holding out? Are they comfortable with all of the walking you are doing?

-My shoes are doing alright. It is SOOO Dusty in Vlore and so they look like crap ha. But they are still comfortable. I doubt that 2 pairs will last the whole mission but we will see! I'll keep you updated.

2. Have you had your first interview with your mission president since you have been out in the field? If so – what are those like? Since I have never been on a mission – I have always wondered what you talk about in those.

-I haven't had one yet. The one zone conference that we were going to got canceled.

3. How is your knee doing?

-Dandy

4. What are some of the things you do on P-days besides writing letters?

-We go walk around the city. Sometimes play soccer on the beach. Shop, hang out with the district. Our latest project on P-days is that we bought fabric and we are making our own ties. It's pretty awesome haha. It just depends.

5. Any updates on the 18 year old girl in the building that you taught and her mother had recently died?

-We haven't been able to contact her again yet. We will keep trying.

6. If the sisters ended up teaching someone and they wanted to be baptized – would you and your companion go to the baptism since you are in the same district, etc.?

Yes, We actually are going to a baptism this week!

7. Do you go out to eat your lunch or do you usually go back to your apartment to eat?

-It just depends on the day. It's probably about 50/50

8. Any new types of foods that you have really enjoyed?

There is something called a Suflaqe that is super good. Actually there are a lot of things here that I really like. I miss a lot of stuff from America but the stuff that they have here is way good.

9. How long until transfers? Are they every 6 or 8 weeks?

6 weeks. I'm hoping that I will get to stay in Vlore. I love my companion and the city. Keeping my fingers crossed.

10. I would like some ideas for Christmas because I don’t want to send you things that are going to be a problem for packing for you. So if you need anything you are wearing replaced or if there is some type of food you would really like – remember Blake always wanted peanut butter and syrup sent to him. Are you missing anything like that?

-hm.. I guess just american candy haha. They have chocolates here but they don't have sour candy or a lot of sweet candy. I don't know.. hmm. It's hard to think of stuff. A USB drive would be sweet! Like with at least 4GB. I'll keep thinking about stuff.



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So this week wasn't as "crazy" as last week haha.

We went on exchanges this week and I was with Elder Nollz. He has been in country for 3 months and so we are both pretty new at the language. It helped a ton to be with him. I couldn't use Elder Warburton as a crutch. It was good to see what things I really needed to work on and it also was nice to see that when I really needed to, I could get my message across to people that I was talking to. People here are amazed at how well we all speak the language for not being here very long. They get super excited that we are learning their language.

Denisa has a baptisimal date now! I think it is sometime in late november! It is pretty exciting. We have quite a few investigators in our district that are close to baptismal dates. Unfortunately Alseda ( the other girl from english class) her dad found out she was taking lessons from the sisters and they are muslim and he doesn't want her to come back to church anymore. We will see what happens..

This week we did service for a member family in the ward. We picked olives off of olive trees. It was way cool. I think that we are going to get to have some of the oil from what we picked. I'm pretty excited because I'm going to consecrate it and use it for blessings! SWEEEETTTT! Also, the place where we were doing it was BEAUTIFUL! i will try and send pictures! It is so awesome.

We had a lot of investigators at church this week. It was good. Well, it was good that we had investigators at church. But church was.... okay. I can't believe some of the things people do at church here. Every sacrament meeting before church, we announce to turn off cell phones and ask for reverence. Every sunday, people take phone calls in sacrament meeting. People talk during sacrament prayers. AHHHH it drives me crazy haha. Also, something I didn't know when I accepted my mission call was that I was also accepting to be Nursery Leader haha. Kids just run around during sacrament meeting so the missionaries get stuck with being babysitters haha. It's wild.

I don't have a ton of stuff to say about this week. It was a good week. We had to deal with a lot of housing problems which was a pain but for the most part, we took care of it. We might have to move. I don't know. Anyways it was a good week of missionary work. We are still trying to find a good Investigator for us! Keep praying that we will be able to find one!

I got a letter from the bakers! Thanks a ton! It was good to get the baker family update. I also got a letter from brent which was hilarious! I want to take a picture of it and send it to you all haha. I miss him so much. I also got a letter from Sarah Pratt. Thanks a ton everyone! Oh and I also found a letter from the Carters in my stuff! It must have got stuck with some other stuff! Thanks so much for writing me Carter Family! I know it was a while ago but thanks! It was good to hear from you and I hope you are all doing well!

It's good to hear that Perrysburg Beat Maumee! Also that Ash and JD are cub scout leaders! hahahah
Hope Alexis has fun in Georgia! and I hope that Mom and Dad had fun in Washington DC! Dad, I laughed so hard during your email haha. i Don't know why but it was just funny. Stuff you said just made me laugh. Like the expensive hotel and stuff. And all the weirdos in America showing up. It was pretty funny stuff.

Sorry that I don't have much else to say! I will send some pictures for you all! Have a good week! Oh, and yes Albanians "Celebrate" halloween. Hardly though haha. It was pretty lame. Although there was a YSA dance and the missionaries were there which was pretty funny. It was basically only the missionaries and like 10 other people. it was fun though. Albanian music is quite.... interesting haha. my comp. promises me that I will start falling in love with it. We will see about that haha. They have line dance type things that they do to their Albanian music stuff. It's kinda cool.

ahh. I can't remember other stuff that happened. I'm doing well though. I hope you are all doing well.

Evan, Happy birthday my man! I know this is kinda late, but I promise I didn't forget. In fact I sang happy birthday in the shower for you on the 15th! I miss you bro. Keep it real.

Kend, hope all is well and that Halloween was fun! Ash said she is hanging out with you this week? I'm pretty jealous of you guys. Oh well. You should all be jealous of me. I'm in freaking ALBANIA! it's the coolest place EVERRRRRRR~! K i'm gonna send pictures now!