Adriatic South Mission : Mother's Day & bra masks 🥳

Hello hello ladies and gents!! It has been a goodie this week. We had transfer calls and I will be staying with my bff Sister Long!!!! We are STOKED. I lucked out with her. I also had a fight with gripë (sickness) and thankfully I think I may have won. Saturday was "Teachers Day" and Sunday was "Mother's Day" for Albania!!! They go all out for Teacher's Day surprisingly... what a good time of year to be a teacher and a woman!;)

CULTURE SHOCKS:

1. They have this special cookie thing called 'Ballokume' and they make it to symoblize that spring is coming! It is rounded to show the shape of the sun!

2. Albanians will cancel ALL plans if it is raining. If it is sprinkling they just don't show up hahaha.

3. Dita e Nënës is Mother's day!! A fun traditional thing they do is buy single carnation flowers for all the women! It is really cute!

FUNNIES:

1. Recently we have been working with a cute family whose son is preparing for baptism! He is 14 and his sister is 9 but she is already baptized! So this week we went to their house for a lesson and played a homemade game of jeopardy. One of the questions was, "What words/phrases can we say instead of using 'O zot' (which is the taking the Lord's name in vain)". They were super surprised to hear that we don't in fact use that phrase and they were struggling to think of other things they could use in place of "o zot". I gave my own personal examples that I use like "oh sugar" or "oh blueberry muffins" and they were SOOO confused. Albanians don't usually go out of the box on these kinds of things... Well finally the kids starting brainstorming and then suddenly the cute 9 year old girl said, "Ooh I know!! OH ****" and started saying all the swear words in English that she knew!! Haha we were laughing so hard. They have different swear words in English than they do in Albanian so those words meant nothing to her! Haha it was so funny.

2. This week EVERYONE has smelled like Alcohol. There is a rumor in Albania going around that Alcohol will protect people against Corona. That being said they are basically showering in Alcohol and using spray bottles full of STRONG Alcohol. They just are constantly spraying themselves with the alcoholic spray. Better safe than sorry amiright?

3. Imagine 2 Americans (one who stands out like a sore thumb) in dresses, running about a quarter of a mile, weaving in and out of people, with bags and books and papers flying, and arms shaking waving down a bus. Now imagine these moments in 'still picture' form kind of like they do in ratatouille. Now imagine that this was real and add my face to your mental image. This was me and Sister Long I think every single day this week. #GOTTAFIGUREOUTTHEBUSSYSTEM I am thinkin that Albania has this thing where if you are late you truly miss out because the next bus doesn't come for another 30 minutes;)

4. You know you are in Albania when they are cutting their bras and using the cups for masks against corona... HAHAHA AWESOME.

SPIRITUAL TIME:

The time in which we live is extremely special. We live in the latter-days!! We live in the pivotal moments of the Restoration and the gathering of the House of Israel! We are the "finishers" of this great work! President Thomas S. Monson said, "From the very beginning to the present time, a fundamental question remains to be answered by each who runs the race of life. Shall I falter or shall I finish? On the answer await the blessings of joy and happiness here in mortality and eternal life in the world to come. Times change, circumstances vary, but the true marks of a finisher remain. Note them well, for they are vital to our success."

1. The Mark of Vision. We are constantly making small decisions. The outcome determines the success or failure of our lives. True finishers have the capacity to visualize their objective.

2. The Mark of Effort. Vision without effort is daydreaming, effort without vision is drudgery; but vision, coupled with effort, will obtain the prize.

3. The Mark of Faith. Recognize that faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time, for one will dispel the other.

4. The Mark of Virtue. ‘… let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly. …’ (D&C 121:45.) This counsel from the Lord will provide staying power in the race we run.

5. The Mark of Courage. Courage becomes a living and attractive virtue when it is regarded not as a willingness to die manfully, but the determination to live decently.

6. The Mark of Prayer. When the burdens of life become heavy, when trials test one’s faith, when pain, sorrow, and despair cause the light of hope to flicker and burn low, communication with our Heavenly Father provides peace.

In our race of life we are all finishers waiting to finish things! We are finishing high school, missions, a decade, work, having children, university, and many more things. However, maybe most importantly, we are finishers of the great work of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. When we remember that finishing goal we are unstoppable. When we have vision, effort, faith, virtue, courage, and prayers we are insurmountable.

I love you all so much!!! Have a FANTASTIC week and spread some cheer!!!! < 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

1. Rainy basketball pic

2. Family night!

3. Exchanges!