Scatter Sunshine: Adriatic South: Gëzuar Festa!

Përshëndetje! Ju dua shumë!! This week has been an eventful one! To start off, Ramazan started this week that means that there will be a month of fasting in the Muslim religion and a month of people sharing they can't pray or meet with us because they need to be dedicated to their religion. It has already begun!

Culture Shocks of the Week:

1. Driving here is like watching a NASCAR race. I sometimes wonder where are the lines or even speed limits or rules? haha

2. The Summertime is WEDDING season! So fun! So we've been seeing cars covered in ribbons and flowers with people blasting their horns throughout the street! Usually a wedding celebration lasts about an entire week and they are huge here! I have yet to see one but I have a goal to one day see one! :)

3. I experienced an earthquake here wooo! It was the littlest thing but it was pretty fun! Also, back to food because I'm telling ya, that's something to talk about haha but they have a bunch of Albanian traditional food places here in Tirana and 1. They are SO GOOD and 2. THEY ARE SO CHEAP! It's the best :)

So this week has been a week of finding and meeting with new people! We have sadly not been able to meet with a lot of people that we are teaching this week and we are doing all we can to meet with them and continue to teach and serve them! We will see how everything goes this week! But some fun stories from this past week, we decided to do more tracting (going door to door to people's homes) due to the rain and heat. We were talking with this one man one night and he was like, "Hey! My wife might be interested!" it was the coolest thing and we planned to go back 2 days later. Then when we came, she made us this delicious meal and we talked with her about her beliefs and we left with a prayer. The prayer was so special as we asked to bless her home and her family. After the prayer, she was crying and asked us to come back! It was such a tender experience to see the spirit touch her and now we can go back and share the beautiful message about the Restoration! I am so thankful for this gospel of Jesus Christ that we can share that truly touches people's lives! We will see how that goes this week!

Another tracting story: we were talking to this one older lady who said she was about to head to Kosovo to do a film. We were like, what? She explained how she's an actress and proceeded to bring us right into her home and show us all her awards and films and things she's accomplished! Some she received from America so that was pretty cool! This week we also had a lady invite us to her work at the hospital. She works with Albania's abandoned babies and she showed us pictures of Laura Bush being there. It was special to talk with her and she said she'd love to meet again but we'd need to wait a month until Ramazan is over. We are excited!

Some other things we experienced this week was a movie night with the Relief Society in the Wards! We watched The Joseph Smith movie and honestly it was an evening of popcorn and tears. Also, I wanted to share of a special experience I had in my English course this last week. The class with filled because we had new people come in and at the end of each lesson, we share a little spiritual thought. As I was thinking of what to share with the people, a thought came into my head to sing. As I testified of Christ with the scripture Omni 1:26 "And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved." I then sang, "I Stand All Amazed" which is a song about Christ and His sacrifice saying,

I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me,

Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me.

I tremble to know that for me he was crucified,

That for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled and died.

Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me

Enough to die for me!

Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!

I felt the warmth and love of the Spirit in the room and was able to share about the love that Christ truly has for us! He just asks us to come unto Him and and partake of His love and His peace! His arms are reached out all the day long for us but we need to come unto Him! I know that our Savior, Jesus Christ, suffered for us. He died for us. And He was resurrected for us! He lives! I know that with all of my heart! He lives and as we come unto Him whether that be through prayer, service, scripture study, baptism, forgiveness, love, He will welcome us with a warm and loving embrace and strengthen us in our times of trials. I know that to be true! O it is wonderful, wonderful to me. I say that in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

I hope you all have such a wonderful week and Happy Memorial Day!

Ramazan began!

I loved this bar code mat haha also it is very typical to see a pair of shapkas (slippers) outside of peoples' doors. They always have a pair to wear around the house!