Gëzuar Viten e Ri!!

Gëzuar Viten e Ri!! Happy New Years!!

I hope you all had  wonderful New Years! Albanian New Years is literally insane. It's like a week-long process: There are buses everywhere, the shops are filled, and everyone is busy preparing their baklava. However, when New Years hits, the streets are bare! Everyone is in their home with their family for like 3 days. The fireworks sound like you're in a war zone with fireworks even being thrown into the streets. Due to that, we were home by 4pm New Years eating pizza and watching movies. It was fun! In addition to that, I ate SO MUCH baklava (basically 1,000 calorie dessert in one bite). It is layer after layer of dough, butter, and sugar. 

Culture Shocks of the Week:

1. Addresses don't exist here. There are only village names and that 's about it. We basically have to find someone's home based off of reference points. It took us an hour to find someone's home the other day in another village. However, you really get to know the area. 

2. Everyone gives you oranges. It's a thing. We do a lot of tracting (going to people's homes and knocking on their doors to share a message) and even when people reject us they still bring us oranges. Sometimes people in the streets just give us oranges. The best part about it-they are SO FRESH so I don't complain :)

3. Their form of "fast food" is crepes. There aren't any McDonald's here or food chains. The food however is delicious and an entire crepe and meal is about $2!

I am just loving the people and the country more and more! Something I realized is listening with love! My message I have to share is a message of happiness and I can testify that our message of Jesus Christ will help EVERYONE with all their challenges and problems that we all face in life! As we listen with love, I have this increased desire to share with them our message to really help them and bring them even greater happiness! I'm really working this week on relating to the people and really opening my mouth so that I can really get to know the people and share with them the love that our Heavenly Father has for them and that I feel for them as I serve them! 

I had an experience this last week. Motra Cajupi and I actually were talking to these two ladies outside of their apartment. One told us about her love of music and I was able to relate to her. I told her I used to sing and then Motra Cajupi said, "Yeah, she'd even sing for you right now!" And I did. She said she loved it and then said , "Me një fat të mirë" which basically means "may you find a good husband". All the ladies tell Motra Cajupi and me that haha They either try to set us up or wish us the best. 

I just want to share with you how much you are loved!

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

We are Children of God! Never forget your divine nature! Our Heavenly Father truly loves us that he gave his only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, so that we can find peace, comfort, and love. I can testify of that love that our Father in Heaven and that our Savior has for us! Jesus Christ died for us. He sacrificed for us so that we don't have to experience all of our challenges alone. He is there. I see the power of prayer in my life and in others. We visited this one lady who wanted nothing to do with us. We asked her if we could just pray for her family. She accepted and as we did, she was brought to tears. She said we were a blessing brought to her to pray for her family. Prayer is real. Our Heavenly Father truly listens and it is one way we can be filled with peace and love of Christ. I testify of that in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

I love you all SO MUCH you have no idea! I hope you have a wonderful week! Me një fat të mirë! ;)

I don't actually know how to even get to this church.

WE HAD SNOW!! You don't really find snow in Albania so this we pretty cool!

This is Korcë!!

This is Aleksia our most recent convert. I LOVE her! We are coming back from serving at the old folks home!

We all went to go serve at the old folks home. I love these people!

Just the casual goats crossing the street.

One of the fshats (small village)

Yes I am in the car.

My companion is literally THE BEST! 

This last Saturday we went to Pogradec to go to a baptism for Përparim. It was so special experiencing his baptism and I got to share with him a talk about baptism and how beautiful how he is taking that first step in following Jesus Christ. It was priceless!

Fireworks are huge on New Years! You can literally buy them in the streets.

​Motra Cajupi and I went to see this fshat today.
​

-- 

Mirupafshim! Të dua!

Motra Olsen

Letters:

Adriatic South Mission
Sister Natalie Olsen
POB 2984
Bulevardi "Gjergj Fishta"
Qendra "Alpas", Shkalla #5, Apt #14
Tirana
Albania

(If you can't send it with the POB box number, you can just send it without it. I'll still get it)

Email: natalie.olsen@myldsmail.net

mormon.org