CHRISTmas!!!!! :)

GËZUAR KRISHTLINDJET!!!!!!!! I can't even believe it has been over a year since I have started this amazing journey of a mission!! It was just one year ago that I was in the MTC celebrating Christmas with my cute district <3 SO FUN!!!! This week has been a little crazy for us here in Tirana! We have had to start from ground zero building up this area!! A little bit about the area... there are two areas we are over here one is a "ward" and the other is a "group". However, in order for the group to stand like half of this ward in Tirana will be transfering to the group in a place called Kombinat! There will be about 50 people in our ward and 20 in the group. SOOO COOL. We have been helping them with this transition and it has been crazy!! We have SOOO MUCH WORK TO DO. It is so so fun working in a big city with TONS of fun people to talk to! Because Sister Long and I are both brand new to this area it has been quite the adventure finding our way around a MASSIVE city, meeting new people, and finding the members! My companion is AMAZING. She is super service oriented and I just love her so much. We have been having some FUN getting ready for Christmas because Christmas is basically non-exsitent in this country.

Culture Shocks: 

1. So it doesn't actually snow in Tirana. However, it does rain. A LOT. Like I'm talkin BUCKETS. Another funny thing is that they stand in front of their stores and sweep out the rain so that it doesn't go into their stores. Haha every single day we have spent in the pouring rain and it has been awesome.

2. All of the old people refer to themselves as "nënë" and "xhaxhi" which mean grandma and grandpa! We can just walk up to people and say, "hi grandma!!" And they take it as a compliment:)

3. They have these sunflower signs EVERYWHERE! They are these big mural things that say, "You are a sunflower". Apparently, they are a symbol of peace here! 

FUNNIES: 

1. So everyone thinks that my cute comp is Albanian!!! Hahaha this week we were in a lesson and the lady wouldn't make eye contact with Sister Long at all! Then, as she was telling me about communism she stopped and looked at my companion and said, " I know you understand since you have lived here. Maybe you can translate." I started laughing so hard and the lady was absolutely SHOCKED to find out that my companion is American hahaha. She looks EXTREMELY Albanian apparently. This was only 1 of MANY instances. More to be continued about Motra Sëtën and her Albanian sidekick;) The lady also told me that I have a face like a baby's bum... thank you Xhulieta. 

2. This week we had a special Christmas program in church! Well, it so happens that the ward was under the impression that I could play the piano. HAHAA. I walked into sacrament meeting and was thrown onto the piano bench directed to play last minute. Fun fact.. I do not play the piano (I told them this many times by the way). I RUINED THEIR CHRISTMAS PROGRAM HAHAHA. I attempted to play the first song while the music director yelled at me because it was so rough. The second song I found on the piano (to play itself!!) However, when I clicked the "play button" it started playing the deepest organ music and was sooooo painfully slow oh my goodness. By the third song I thought I had it figured out right?? I clicked the music button again and out came some fast pace, chipmunk version of Joy to the World. *palm to face* The last song we all sang accapella... but let me remind you. My sweet wonderful Albanians cannot sing:)) also the music lady made one of our elders sing a solo and he is not a singer and it was just awesome. hehehehe it was a great program.

3. We have an awesome apartment here! There is a little damage on the walls from the earthquakes.. but we didn't really think anything of it. However, I was just doing a study when I heard this loud cracking sound and I was like what in the world... I turned around and boom. I was covered in white dust. The wall just fell off hahaha. Whoops. We should probably get that fixed. 

SPIRIT FOOD: 

We had the opportunity to attend 2 baptisms this week and they were so wonderful. This cute lady named Mina taught me a powerful lesson. She explained to me how she found the church through the missionaries and that she is lucky because she just happens to live across the street from our church building. She said, " I am so lucky that I can wake up every morning, get out of bed, and say GOODMORNING JESUS" I loved that!!!! Hahaha Mina is exactly right! We all have the opportunity to think of our Savior FIRST THING in the morning. Our days are dedicated to Him whether we wear a tag or not:) This is something all of us can do better... we can put His will before ours at ALL TIMES. We show our love for Him when we pray for guidance FIRST THING in the morning. We show Him our dedication when we seek from the scriptures FIRST THING in the morning. We show Him our faith when we plan around attending the temple FIRST THING in the morning. He guides us, helps us, and inspires us each and every day. WE ARE SO BLESSED. We are so blessed to know of His Atonement and saving grace. We are so blessed to know Him. I encourage you all to think of ways you can wake up HAPPY and think "GOODMORNING JESUS." I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas this week and have the opportunity to celebrate with your loved ones!!! REMEMBER CHRIST. REMEBER THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!!!! LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!! 

Love, Motra Sëtën

Adriatic South Mission

P.O. Box 2984

Bulevardi Gjergj Fishta 

Qendra ALPAS

Shkalla NR. 5 Apartamenti NR.14

Tirana, Albania

Pics: me and my cute comp @ the lake next to our house, sunrise!!!, rain!!!, sunflower sign, me and cutie sister butters at zone conf, service project pic