My 1st Baptism!!!

What a splendid week we had here in Kosovo. Teuta (Teyoota) got baptized this week and it was absolutely beautiful. President and Sister Anderson attended the baptism and she gave the most rock solid testimony ever. She was so ready!! We also had a branch activity at a members house like 30 minutes away and we had a huge bbq! We learned how to make traditional food called fli that takes about 3 hours to cook outside. It was awesome. I think this might was my favorite weekend on my mission so far. We were out in a fshat (a tiny village in the country) and we played soccer and games, listened to music and danced, learned how to make traditional foods, and everyone was so extremely happy. What a fun time!! I love this place SOOO MUCH.

Culture SHOCKS:

1. Everyone here is VERY VERY TOUCHY. For example, when someone arrives to some kind of gathering they go through to every single person and kiss them on both cheeks and hug them lots. The are always grabbing our faces and kissing them and holding our hands it is so cute :')

2. Things are veryyy cheap here. A $4 meal is considered EXTREMELY expensive here and those restaurants are for like the "high class" people. A $1 meal could feed me for the entire day. 

3. All day everyday we see people walking back and forth at the boulevard. This is what people do for fun. They just walk back and forth back and forth all day with their friends and family. It's called a gjiro (geerow).

Funnies:

1. This week we had a lesson with this adorable woman named Mire. After teaching her she was so thankful and started giving us gifts like earrings that she had made and a bunch of stuff like that. We didn't want to take those from her but she insisted! So we told her we would at least give her a Book of Mormon to say thank you but she wouldn't take it!! She thought we were being way to nice and just really didn't want to put us out. So as I was hugging her goodbye I set my book on the table behind her and then we got out of there as fast as possible so that she couldn't give us the book back! We started fast walking and then about 2 minutes later we just here Mire yelling down the street SPRINTING saying, "HEY HEY HEY HEY STOP HEY YOU FORGOT YOUR BOOK!!" So what do you do when a woman tries to give back her eternal salvation? You run like the wind. 

2. This next story isn't funny, but it was also hilarious. We had the cool branch activity this week like I mentioned earlier and it was the funnest thing ever. We had taken a personal bus to get there and on our way back we had a very interesting experience. Let me just set the scene first... We are in a 20 people bus with muppet seats, every seat is full, it's 1000 degrees, air conditioning doesn't exist, it smells like BO because deodorant isn't really a thing here, and we are enjoying our time wanting to die together. Then, a member starts THROWING UP HER FREAKING GOAT YOGURT SHE ATE IN THE BUS OH MY GOSH. HAHAA. It was not pleasant. So the bus driver stops the bus so she can get out and throw up whatever she had left, but no one would let us get out of the bus so we are just basking in the smell of throw up. HOT, HUMID, THROWUP. I start gagging because of the smell about to lose my lunch and everyone else starts getting sick. Oh my. What an adventure. 

3. This last funny story is about the games that Albanian's like to play here in Kosovo. All the games that they like usually involve slapping people or inflicting pain in some shape or form HHAHA. We play this game we nicknamed called "Olti Culti". It is because we look like a weird cult like group when we play it is such a weird game. So everyone stands in a circle and puts their hands back behind their heads. They aren't allowed to smile or show their teeth. One person goes inside of the circle with their hands behind their head and they crouch down and spin around and the people on the outside of the circle take turns slapping the hands of the person inside the circle. If the person inside the circle sees their hands move or sees them smile then they switch places. It is so weird. 

SPIRITUALNESS:

Here is the story of our lovely Teuta. She is a rock star. When we first met her she was about to give up on the church. She had lots of questions and didn't think she was finding answers to her prayers. We decided to meet with her (and she came reluctantly) and we felt inspired to share a scripture with her. She fell in love with the scripture which was Alma 32:21 and she decided to meet with us again (even though she didn't know why). She was listening to the spirit!!! She developed a desire to learn more and she decided to put in the work on her end. She kept commitments, researched, and asked as many questions as possible. The spirit was able to testify to her because of her efforts and willingness to listen. The best part is that her conversion was developed through a team of missionaries and members. EVERY SINGLE MISSIONARY in Kosovo (including the senior couple) had a chance to teach Teuta and add to her conversion story. She decided to be baptized on her birthday so that she could have a literal "rebirth" and enter into a new commitment with God!!! She is already a missionary and brings new friends to every activity!! Her conversion is graven in her heart. She knows it, lives it, and loves it. She is the perfect example of someone who trusts God and his answers. We can all be a little more like Teuta! 

I apologize for the novel email today but I LOVE YOU FOREVER!!!!

Love, Motra Sëtën

Adriatic South Mission

P.O. Box 2984

Bulevardi Gjergj Fishta 

Qendra ALPAS

Shkalla NR. 5 Apartamenti NR.14

Tirana, Albania