5-24-10

"Things here are really good. The hunger strike finally ended after 20 days because the prime minister and his cabinet people went to a different country (Like Melissa said to me in her email) and they are trying to figure out what to do. Write now they aren't telling the public that much so if the people think its just for show and they are delaying the hunger strike will go up again. The huge protests take place in front of Government buildings and that is where they had huge tents and a stadium thing set up for a month. But it is in our area and when there are thousands of people it stretches about half a mile down the road. For now things have calmed down though so im happy about it. It would be horrible to leave here with the knowledge that all these awesome people i have met are stuck here in these horrible conditions. I hope they make some changes with their Government because right now things aren't working for them with the way it is.....

I am over my flu that i had i think it might have been allergies. My new companion and I communicate in English. He has been in the country for 4 months and he has only been around English missionaries so he can understand and communicate really well now. I just talk slow and sometimes i act like i understand his thick French accent. He is from Baldo or Balto. It is in southern France pretty close to Spain i guess. I was a little nervous when i first got him because i wasn't sure how it would be but this week has been a blast. He is way funny and he likes to work hard so it makes the days go by fast. He doesnt like sports but he's still willing to play frisbee in the mornings so i'm happy. We wake up around 5:20 and then run down to play for an hour. Luckily we get 3 hour lunches so i can take a little nap. Most shops close up around 1 and open up around 5 again because the Albanian people love their naps and they hate working in the heat so we have lunch from about 1:30-4:30. I am also able to workout a little during that time as well and read the Joseph Smith Book.

I dont think i have anything else to say. Things are going well and i'm trying to lose all the fat i gained during the winter, lol. we have 2 baptisms set up for July but they aren't 100% yet. Agron, the one i have told you about has a date for the 11th, and another man named Reni has one for the week after but like i said it might get moved up or might get moved back. I will continue to teach them and pray for them and when they're ready that is when they should do it."

5-10-2010

"Yesterday there was a baptism for a girl named Ina and i had the privilege of baptising her. She is in 3rd branch and the sisters have been teacher her but since im District Leader i have the opportunity of interviewing all the people that will be baptized in the branch so i was able to have a really good conversation with her about her conversion and was able to answer some concerns she had by telling her about my story into the church and my struggles. The baptism was amazing. Great talks and a lot of friends were there to support her. There were 3 more girls that the sisters are teaching that i know and talk to on a regular basis as i see them at the church, english and at their work and they ran up to me after the baptism and asked me if i would baptise them when it was there turn and i said it would be an honor to be a part of your baptism. It was a very humbling experience. One of them was a girl i found a few months ago and taught a few lessons but since Elders can't teach girls we had to pass her off to the sisters and she has been progressing ever since. I have kept a close eye on her because when we first met her she was so excited to read the Book of Mormon and to learn more and i wanted to make sure the sisters were taking care of her,lol. Luckily though we have amazing sisters in our district (actually the mission) and they have been answering all her questions and she will be baptised soon. The other 2 girls are her referrals from her so its really cool to be able to play a small part in what going on with these girls. Missionary work isn't always the funnest but the people you meet and the opportunities i have had to see lifes changed through the gospel is worth all the boring times. I truly love the Albanian people and their culture. The gospel brings people together unlike anything else can. In the end it is the teaching of the gospel that will unite us as a people and will bring true peace and happiness. The teaching within the Book of Mormon is what the world needs and it is a message that will never change no matter how matter years pass it will be the same message. God lives, Christ is His son and the Savior of the world and through him we have the opportunity to live with our families far beyond this life. We have can be together forever."

5-3-2010

"On tuesday i got in a speed walking battle with someone on the street,lol. It was this little 5 foot nothing guy and i have seen him before but usually he is on the side of the road talking to friends when we walk by every morning but on tuesday he was walking and he sped up to walk with us and he was joking around about how tall i am and talking about where we were from and then he sped up in head of us and looked back and made fun of me because im so tall and he was out walking me. He was like "See son this is how you walk" and his little legs were going fast and his arms were pumping fast,lol. Then i sped up and started to pass him and then he sped up and we were about even and he told me that i lost my companion and i looked back and my companion wasnt playing along and he was way back so i had to stop. So everyday now we see him and stop and talk to him but he gives me a hard time because i guess i need to find a new companion to keep up with me and him,lol. So today i told my companion to stay close and we saw him walking today and i came up behind him and was like what the matter old man not feeling good today,lol, and he called me a budallah which is a fool, lol, and he sped up and we walked about 5 minutes dodging in and out of people on tiny sidewalks. It was so much fun. Then we stopped and he gave me a hug and pretty much said good job. I just hope he doesnt expect that from me every day,lol.

Another story, this week we met with an old investigator named Agron. He lives outside the city a little and we stopped meeting with him about 4 months ago because he had a bunch of problems but i decided to give him a month ago but he kept hanging up on me so last week i was just like alright fine i will give it one last chance and i sent him a text telling him to meet us at the church not thinking of it and out of nowhere this week he came! We sat down and talked for about 35 minutes and he has stopped smoking for 4 months now, he has found a place to live, he has begun to read the Book of Mormon (which is big because he used to refuse and only read the bible), and he is looking for a job ( he used to work for the military). He looked way healthier and so much happier. We met him 2 times this week and he is a completely different person. I'm really hoping he will find a job because if he doesnt soon he made the decision to go to Greece or Italy to work."