Hey family, I hope you enjoy these pictures I sent you that I took while
I was in Pogradec. I know I am a terrible photographer, but whatever.
Ok,
I will first start with that comment I got from my blog. Yes, I do
know who Elder Woods is, and I think I have actually heard about this
person getting baptized. Woods is training Elder Finklea,
actually. He does have a blog, and if you google "Adriatic South
mission" look for the blog that begins with "Two by Two," it's like the
4th entry, that's Woods' blog.
Yeah, the Boydells told us about Connecticut yesterday. It seems we've been having a lot of shootings lately.
Holy cow, one whole semester has
already passed on my mission. (Friends from BYU are home for the holidays). That's messed up. Tomorrow I hit 5
months, this thing is flying by, I can't believe I will be approaching 6
months. What's crazier is that Juan hits 1 year on Friday.
So, yeah, it got freezing last week, and our heater broke and our
pranari (landlord) was in Greece for a few days so we couldn't contact
him, so yeah we had layers and layers of stuff, but now it's fixed and
it's warm inside our house again. Outside, it's bitter cold, and it
doesn't snow here in Elbasan, it just rains like crazy.
That's awesome that y'all are in 3rd Nephi, I am almost done with
Helaman, I am in chapter 14, right in the middle of Samuel the Lamanite
prophesying to the Nephites.
Yeah, thanks for
the skittles, and if you want, feel free to send more. Yeah, the thing
is, we're not really involved with the 'primary,' if you want to call it
that. The primary is made up of the kids at the orphanage right across
the street.
Oh, yeah, about skype, I really don't know when I'll be calling you,
so my advice is just to leave it up all day. Obviously it'll be, my
guess, around noon in Virginia or something like that. Just make sure
to give me your skype name so I can find it on Christmas. It's so weird
here, these people really don't celebrate Christmas at all, they like
New Years a whole lot better. I still have to remind myself that
Christmas is next week, and that my birthday is in 10 days.
Jake, Andrea, I am glad you love school. So, I got a question, any
particular reason why school stops on Thursday? (It doesn't. School goes through to Friday.) Is it why I think it
is? (No, it is not the end of the world.) Enjoy the Christmas presents I sent you, I worked really hard to
get them. (Sarcasm)
Ok, dad:
1) Our phone is not international, I
have no idea what phone we would use if I called you. We don't text,
only zone leaders and assistants text.
2) Yeah, I just tried googling it, (a dessert called tre lace) and I got the same problem. It's a
cake with a good icing, but the cake itself is also filled with milk,
and it's pretty good if the proportions are good. Honestly, other than
candy bars, there's no dessert that I really like.
3) (Where did you go last week for P-day?) Pogradec, as I said. We're actually going there again because
the zone leaders didn't go last week because they were in Tirana doing
stuff. It was fun, it's by the beach, I kissed a girl (as I have shown
you in the picture I sent) and I finally bought my first two ties in
Albania.
Ok cool, so this past week. So, this week was pretty great. We got 2
new investigators from English course. One just wanted to be
baptized, and her friend at first just came because
the other one didn't want to come alone, and kept telling us that she
has already been baptized. But, after watching the Restoration, I think
I saw a change in mindset in the both of them. They both came to
church yesterday and really liked it, and said they'll be back next
Sunday. We also had these 2 other guys from English course that have
come to church two weeks in a row now, and one yesterday in Sunday
school said he does feel something different when he comes to church.
We haven't had any meetings with them outside of English because they
have been busy, but we're meeting with them this week. They're really
cool too. It's crazy what's going on, I have 2 more weeks with Elder Knight,
and then training is over, and we'll get transfer calls on the 29th, and
I really want to stay in Elbasan. I just want to be able to leave the
place where I was born (started the mission) completely fluent. Man,
this week as far as understanding was awesome, I started having those
moments where I didn't even have to think to be able to understand the
people. It isn't always happening yet, there are still a few people
where I am like 'what?' but it's getting better. My speaking is good,
but I still think like an American when I speak sometimes, and that just
makes no sense when you directly translate English to Albanian in your
mind. Oh yeah, we had an earthquake, it wasn't bad, no one was hurt and
nothing was damaged, we're all good. I think it was a category 4 or 5. (What?)
Oh yeah, something else. With the new missionary changes as far as
age and time in MTC, transfers will now go from 3 months to 9 weeks, so
that could change when I go home. President said if it has to be staying
a little bit longer or going home a little early, he would prefer if we
stay a little longer, which, overall, I am fine with that, but I really
don't want to miss Fall semester. I specifically wanted to leave in
July so I wouldn't be in the predicament that Eric was in when he got
home. So, president is working on it now, because in our mission we
will start to get Serbian speakers, and they are only in the MTC for 6
weeks, while Albanian speakers are 9 weeks now.
We also had general priesthood meeting in Durres on Saturday, it was
pretty cool. We had 20 people sustained for Melchizedek Priesthood,
including one from Elbasan.
Anyway, things are good, hope you all are doing well. Be safe this
week, especially Friday. (12/21/12- the end of the Mayan calendar) I am confident nothing will happen.
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