HELLO HELLO!!!! We have had such a great and awesome week this week!! We went to the hospital, celebrated my companion's 20TH BIRTHDAY!!!!!, and we celebrated the most wonderful "lovers day" together!!!! <3 Also coconuts are now starting to be in season and I have never been happier!! Woot woot! Spring time is coming to town! Say hello to palm trees, warm weather, and MORE FRUIT.
Culture shocks:
1. Never tell an Albanian "Happy Birthday" early!!! It is bad luck!
2. The Albanian diet includes fruit, rice, bread, and gjellë. If you are lucky you might get some mystery meat, pasta, or pizza thrown in there. Thankfully, everything is FRESH FRESH FRESH.
3. The buildings are super super colorful here! That is because when communism ended the Albanians went crazy with the paints and painted EVERYTHING !!!!
FUNNIES:
1. Well here is a funny but also not so funny story.... I have had this bump on my wrist for a good long while and then it started to hurt the more I moved it around. We determined that it was a cyst but the best solution was to get it drained at the hospital here! I had my first (and hopefully last) Albanian surgery!! Hahah I was sitting on the hospital bed when the doctor asked me to lay down. I was super confused because I didn't think I would have to lay down for my wrist... I asked him why I had to lay down and he said "to avoid a big mess".... AHHH FREAKY!!! They shot me with some numbing stuff and then tried to drain my wrist but apparently was supposed to look like liquid but came out in a hard gel like form lol that was concerning. But all is well!!! I just had to wear a wrist brace for the past few days but I am perfectly back to normal:) THANK YOU ALBANIA!!!!
2. This week the funniest thing happened. There is a member from a different branch in Tirana and she is staying at her sister's house who happens to live above our apartment! Well we had mentioned to her that we had a free cd that we would love to give her when she had time. Well one night as we got to our apartment both her and her mother came to our house and just walked in and sat on our sofa. Sister Long and I just looked at each other super confused, shrugged, and then Sister Long started "qerasing" (cultural traditional serving thing that Albanians do). She served the Albanians cake and water (all that we happened to have in our fridge at the moment). We tried to help them leave but they weren't quite understanding that we have a rule against having members in our house... then the old grandma started eating the cake and she started choking and we didn't know what to do!!! She recovered quickly and then her daughter expressed her love for the violin and then started AIR VIOLINING THE TITANIC SONGS. I had no idea what to do so I just joined in singing with her. It was quite the sight to see.... after they drank their tea we talked about the second coming and they are officially scared to death for their lives the poor women!!! Then they headed out and we shut the door with the most confused looks on our faces. I love Albanians.
3. This week we were walking down this dirt road when this brown stuff started flying over the fence at us! We were so intrigued to know what the heck was flying at us when suddenly BOOM Another sister we were with found out real quick what the mysterious brown stuff was... GOAT POOP HAHA.
GOOD FOOD FOR THE SPIRIT:
I want to talk about HAPPINESS. Last week I met the most wonderful girl. We were music contacting and singing songs when this girl in her 30s came to watch our singing. I went over to talk to her and she was not very nice. In fact, she looked as if that was the LAST place in the world she wanted to be in the moment. Her dad came over very cheerfully and we sparked a great conversation together. I talked with them about the Book of Mormon and we laughed a lot about funny experiences we had while living in Albania. Her dad told her to give me her Facebook so that we could continue chatting and she was NOT too happy about that. Reluctantly, she gave me her Facebook and later in the week I messaged her to see if we could meet up again! Miraculously, WE HAVE NOT STOPPED TALKING SINCE!! When we got together she apologized for how she had acted during our last interaction and she said that at the beginning of our conversation she didn't want anything to do with me or our church. However, after our cheerful and happy conversation both her and her dad walked away smiling. She said that during that first interaction she felt a way she had never quite felt before. She said she felt happy, and hopeful, and that she wanted to experience that same joy ALWAYS. During our second interaction we gave her the Book of Mormon and explained that through the Book of Mormon we can find true happiness. We testified of God's plan for us. We testified that TRUE happiness is found through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the source of my happiness. I am FILLED with love for my Savior and I know that he LOVES each and every one of us. I am so thankful that as a missionary I can help others feel the love of both our God and Savior through the Holy Ghost. THEY LOVE US SO INCREDIBLY MUCH. 2 Nephi 10:23 reminds us that as we follow our Savior we can have eternal life and EVERLASTING HAPPINESS. BE OF GOOD CHEER. BE HAPPY. USE YOUR LIGHT TO HELP OTHERS. READ YOUR SCRIPTURES. And have the best week ever!!!! I LOVE YOU ALL < 3
Love, Motra Sëtën
Adriatic South Mission
P.O. Box 2984
Bulevardi Gjergj Fishta
Qendra ALPAS
Shkalla NR. 5 Apartamenti NR.14
Tirana, Albania
Pics: traditional albanian outfits, me and my coconut, lake bovilla, cute member friend with her fav food, my cyst!!
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