4-25-2011

" I really like Fier and my comp. and I get along great. I loved talking to you last week as well. It will be nice to talk on mothers day. I got your packages and we had an awesome easter party on friday. Tons of members that i've never seen before were there and i had a blast playing games with kids and dancing around with everyone. There were some people who taught us a traditional folk dance and it was pretty fun. We also had a few investigators come and they had a blast as well. It was nice because a few of the members there age started talking to them right away and they were all laughing and having a good time. A few also came to church yesterday and said they have a desire to be baptized so i'm really excited about the work here and the people i'm teaching are awesome. I've been blessed my whole mission by awesome people to teach and it makes the work so much fun. Today we are going to a members house and she is going to show me how to make stuffed peppers and some other traditional food so hopefully i can cook a little when i get home. It's really simple food with not a whole lot of spices used but simple is good for me. We are starting up English course this week and we should have a pretty good turn out. A lot of people have been asking us if we're going to start one so i'm excited to start one up."

4-18-2011

"This week has flown by for me. We were in Tirana for 2 days because of some training and i was able to visit some families there and we stayed at my old house with one of my old companions so it was a blast. We played chess and some card games all night. It was hard to stay awake the next day for training =). It was a really good training though because it gave all the new elders and chance to work on the language, since it was in Albanian, and i learned a lot as well. Every time i train i have flash back to when i was new and ya you're right i always think wow, i was once that horrible. I honestly don't know how i got where i'm at. I'm not the greatest by far but i'm still able to communicate and show my personality in a different language so i'm happy. We have been trying to do a lot of less active work since i've been here. There are tons of families that don't come to church and we have been working with one of the really strong members here in Fier and trying to visit them. These next coming up weeks we should be even busier with visits and trying to get some people back to church. We should be starting up an English course in the next month or so. The other Elders don't want to do it so i decided to open up one myself so it will be nice once that starts up. My comp. doesn't like running so i'm stuck to jump roping inside the house. We're going to play soccer this Saturday which i'm excited for and then either this week or next week we will have an easter party"

4-11-2011

"It has been beautiful here in Fier. It's a little further south so it's a little hotter than Tirana. We are going to a small town called Lushnje today and hanging out with a group of Elders. A few times every transfer we're allowed to go outside our area and go on a district trip. I think we might go to Barat this transfer and one other historical site about an hour away or so. My comp. is pretty cool. His name is McCullam and it's funny because Albanians can't say it at all =). He is from Utah of course =), but he is really cool and i'm excited to work with him. I will be with him for at least 7 weeks and then i might get a new comp, but who knows. He likes sports but he's not a big runner but i'm hopping i can convince him to come because there i a member here that loves to run and wants to go with us every morning. We aren't the first missionaries here because there is another companionship but we are in a different house and different area that just go reopened so we don't have any work so we will be busy tracting and talking with people on the streets. That's what i've been doing my whole mission but we will be doing it even more since we don't have meeting with people. There are some awesome members here!! We are neighbors with a family called Mellaraj and they are amazing! We went over there last night and had a great time getting to know one another. I felt so bad for my new comp. because he was lost but every new missionary is like that. It's nice to be able to sit back and laugh a little because i know it's all part of the experience of learning a new language. I remember when i was like him and i don't know how i ever got to the point that i am at now. We also went to lunch at a different families house and she fed us so much! I couldn't eat anymore i was so full. We had chili, beans, stuffed peppers with rice and ground beef in them, a Greek salad and another traditional dish. Yeah i know i was very thankful. I guess she cooks like that every Sunday for us. It's the Gjika family and they are the strongest family here in Fier. To say the least i am very excited to serve here in Fier. There are also unfortunately many many inactive families but i am excited to work with them and build relationships with them and help them come back to church. It will be a fun and exciting last 3 months"

4-4-2011

"So i got a huge surprise this week for transfers. I got moved out of Tirana again!! lol. It was crazy. I will be going to Fier and i will be training again. This is my 3rd kid that i'll train. I guess Pres. thought i did good the first 2 times so i will be doing it again. I'm excited for it. I will open i new area in Fier so we have no investigators and i dont know anybody there,lol. I have met a family that lives there and they are amazing so at least i know one family. The branch has about 10-15 people at church every week and it's a pretty small place i believe. You could probably look and see exactly how many people live there and some photos. I don't know why but i am really excited to go and finish my last 3 months there."