2013 April 27th email

Hey what's up guys?

I know what you are expecting for Mother's Day, but again you're dead wrong.  We're skyping again! Yep, and my guess is probably around 6 here, so 12 there, so be prepared to go to morning church to get sacrament so you can talk to me for at least two hours.

The tie thing?  The small part was tucked under my shirt to hide it.  (See picture on 4/22/13 entry)

So, President has said he loves to go out with missionaries, but he hasn't done very many, but I will be asking him to help us out with an investigator of like 9 years who has a greater knowledge of the gospel and scriptures than me.

Yeah, I thought about it.  A year ago I was home from college, just hanging around for 3 months before the mission.  Is time going fast there, cuz it's flying here.  I remember during Eric's first year that year was very slow, but his second year just flew.  And now he pretty much could have re-done his entire mission again.  Next thing you know I'll be dead.

So, I just finished the Book of Mormon in Albanian, so now I don't know what I'll read next.  Maybe Jesus the Christ.

Um, no, Elder Foster was not in any of those pictures.  Those other two were the Zone Leaders, also Second Branch.

Ok, dad:

1)  Yea, 27 minutes.  But the week after was 31, and I'm pretty sure today was even worse.  We run every day now.

2)  Like I said, Skype's the plan again, and I think around 12 your time, but next Monday I'll confirm the time.

3) Yeah, I heard about Boston from the local Albanians.

This week:

1)  Yes, there's an ice cream stand we go every few times a week, it's really good.

2) Yeah, we've had baklava.  It's good but not my favorite.

3) hahaha

4)  Yeah, I just did

Alright, well cool, everyone's home from school.  (BYU)  You should tell them to email me because we're now allowed to email friends and pretty much anyone we want.  But yeah, tell them I say hi.

Anyway, so yeah there was a baptism from that girl who we handed off to the sisters.  I became friends with her because she kept showing up to English course.  I did give a talk during the baptism on the Holy Ghost.  The Winders did say that's someone I could count, but I'm not sure. Maybe Eric, the master of baptisms, can tell me if it counts.  By the way, Eric, I showed some missionaries the main picture of your blog, and they couldn't believe it.  In that day you had more baptisms than we get our entire missions.  (DRC Mission.  Each mission has its blessings and challenges.)

Anyway, love you all.  Don't worry, I am happy.  I am enjoying Tirana, it's a fun setting.

Jake, glad you enjoyed Mormon Prom.

Andrea, glad you're happy.  

Ok, well, have a great week!

Ju dua!

Elder Palmer

2013 April 22 email

Hi family, how's it going?

After playing capture the flag

on P-day

Short Tie

So, yeah, I heard about the Boston bombings.  Had no idea Dad was there this last week.  (Mark flew in on Wednesday, after the bombings, and flew home Thursday, before the man hunt started.  Good timing)  I also heard a lot of other stuff has been going on too, like in Texas or something. 

Dad, no email.  (Stayed up for the last NBA score and then forgot to send his email....)

Ok, so yeah I know about the Pathway Program.  (BYUI) In fact, it's the reason the Winders are here, they're in charge of the program here.  Didn't know about the "speaking partners" part though.  

Right now the temple our district uses is Frankfurt, Germany, but yeah in a year when Rome's is finished they will go to Rome.  It will be good because it's expensive for members to get to Frankfurt, but for Rome they can just take a ferry I think.

Yeah, we have translated Lorenzo Snow Manuals, and they're usually used in 3rd hour.  Yeah, we usually go to Priesthood Meeting.

K, dad like I said you never wrote, so no questions.

Well, this week, we have an investigator who's doing well.  Also, we got a referral from the Elders in Durres, a kid, but we've only had one lesson. But, he came to church and liked it.  We also have this woman who's  been coming to church for like 9 years.

Anyway, that's really about it.

Jake, have fun at prom.  (Mormon Prom)

Andrea, do something that will be worth telling me next week.

Dad, K.

Ok, have a great week this week.

Ju dua!

Elder Palmer

2013 April 15th email

Hi family, how are you?

Looks like you had a good week.  Mom, if you haven't sent another package yet, I think a couple pairs of athletic socks would be good.  We have been running a lot lately, and all the ones I wear now are getting worn because I have been wearing them for like 4 years already.  In fact, we just came back from running a 5K, so be proud dad.  Oh, yeah, and sunscreen too for the summer, I heard it gets bad.

So, yeah, as far as Bro. Gjoligu, tell him he has regards from Marion Marku, and the Nurka family.

 

Dad, nice job on the 10K.  Oh yeah, and if that job's open next summer, I'll definitely take it.  How else will I afford stuff once I get back?

Jake, darn the Lakers.

Andrea, as much as I hate it, keep playing soccer.

Dad:

1)  Nope, I forgot.  This week though.

2) (Conference translation) Yeah, they were doing live Albanian translation for the members to watch, and they should be up on lds.org translated very soon.

3)  We usually have done 3 times a week for only 20 minutes, but now that it's getting hotter and we'll be sweating soon, we plan on doing it every morning, an attempt to shed off as much unneeded weight as I can this summer (it's very common, one of the elders in my district has lost 60 pounds since coming here).  I don't know how much usually, but like I said we ran a 5K this morning, I did it in 27 minutes.  (I assume running)

Ok, this week.  So, the other elders in our branch had a baptism with a girl who's 13 and got baptized by her older brother.  It was really cool.  We also found this guy standing in front of the church while we were waiting for another appointment, and he told us he wanted to learn about the church.  Well, we've taught him twice!  He likes the church, and he came to church yesterday.  Next month is when some members are going to the temple.  Also, there's this girl we were teaching but like into my 2nd week here she said she lives in 1st branch area so she said she'll meet with the missionaries there. 

 

Anyway, that's about it for this week.  Hopefully everything's good.  Jake, be careful driving.  Tell Spencer, "Ju befte mire" for me.

Ju dua,

Elder Palmer

2013 April 8th email

Hey, what's up?

So, yeah, we only watched the morning sessions in conference.  All the Tirana missionaries went and watched it at President's.  It was really good.  My favorite of the ones I saw was Elder Perry's.  10 commandments, not 4.  Yeah, this was a very 'wood-giving' conference I think.  Sorry, 'giving wood' means pretty much laying down the law to those who have breaking it.

Food?  We eat at like 3 different places every week.  We eat at this Kosovar grill like 3 times each week, got good Kosovo burgers, it's really good.  Plus their chicken wings are incredible. 

So, Tirana was weird because it's so big.  I spent my first 6 months in small towns, so I wasn't ready for the big city.  But, I have my area figured out now, so I can get around without having Elder Foster telling me everything.

No, I haven't driven yet, and I won't unless I go Zone Leader or AP.  Personally, I like walking, I've trimmed down a bit because of walking.  By the way, we here in 2nd Branch run every other morning, so we are exercising.

Jake, be safe.

Andrea, tell me about the WiiU.

Dad:

1) (Did you d you survive the "Day of Liars"?) Yes

2) (You mentioned the Winders in your last email.  That name is a blast from the past.  Ask them if they are any relation to the famous Winder Dairy from Utah?  Waaaaaaaaay back in the ancient days, when their used to be milkmen, we used to get milk and other products from Winder dairy delivered to a milk box that used to sit outside our back door.  (Snap, I just looked them up on the web and they're still in business and still do home delivery!))
No, but I'll ask them.

3) (Remind me how conference work's over there.  Do they provide an Albanian translation?  If so, did you watch the Saturday sessions on Sunday?  And Sunday's sessions next week? Yeah, like I said, we just watch morning sessions because that's all we can watch without breaking the rules.  We can watch or listen to the rest when we have free time.)  Yeah, like I said, we just watch morning sessions because that's all we can watch without breaking the rules.  We can watch or listen to the rest when we have free time.

Topeka's closed?  What the crap...(traditional site of  dinner after Priesthood session of conference)

Yeah, go Louisville!  (College basketball)

Well, sounds like you'll have a fun summer going on.  Wow, summer's coming (punches hole in wall).  I'm gonna go on a limb that I'll spend my summer in Tirana, I've moved around a lot already.

Alright, well I don't know anything special that's going on this week, other than that we're going to Shkoder tomorrow with the ZL's to do zone training with the Elders up there in Shkoder and Montenegro.  That means I will have seen every city in Albania that has missionaries except for Vlore.  So, I gotta do a transfer in Shkoder (district meetings in Montenegro) and be a Mountain Zone Leader (go to Kosov twice a transfer) so I can go to every country on my mission.

Anyway, have a good week this week, and take care!

Ju dua,

Elder Palmer

2013 April 1st email

what's going on?

Ok, so that's weird.  I had no idea Brother Gjoligu was ever the 2nd Branch President.  I talked to him like twice, but didn't really talk too much about his time in Albania.  That'll be cool to talk to him after the mish. (See comment on March 25th post)

Yes we can watch conference, but only the morning sessions, which will begin at 6 PM here.  All the Tirana missionaries will actually be watching it at President's house.

Preach My Gospel has been pretty helpful during the mission.  How to teach, how to teach with the Spirit, how to recognize it.  Honestly, just reading it constantly and applying it constantly in your work is how you can best utilize it.

Sounds like the hike was fun.  I bet I wouldn't have complained that time. (Cold Mountain, VA)

So, dad:

1)  So, April Fools day is called "The Day of Liars" here.  And I think people here take the day more seriously than Americans do.  We have a dinner appointment tonight at 6:30, so we will see.

2)  Man, I had to keep reminding myself that it was Easter.  I honestly forgot.  The members passed out colored eggs and we tapped them with each other and said, "Gexuar Peshkat" (Happy Easter).  Otherwise, we went to the Winders (2nd and 4th Branch couple) house and ate ham and french toast.

3)  So, yeah, Tirana is big.  The city is just more active.  The people are more active.  It's weird.  Fier and Elbasan are a lot more quiet. The thing is with small cities you make more friends, and the people know you more because it's smaller. That doesn't happen here.

4)  Yeah, sorry I forgot, there's a sister companionship that covers 1st and 3rd branch areas.  I think next transfer a sister companionship will be opened in the 2nd and 4th branch areas.

Alright, take it easy this week.  I can't believe it's spring break already for you, Jake.  Enjoy driving!  Andrea, sore legs are good for you.  Eric, don't fail.

Ju dua!

Elder Palmer