Scatter Sunshine: Adriatic South: Një Ditë Me Lakuriq Nate

Pershëndetje!!!! Wow I really cannot believe how fast the weeks fly by! To be honest, I don't remember a lot that happened this week haha but I will try my best!! But this last week was my COMPANION'S BIRTHDAY!! Wooo! I managed to whip up some pancakes and made her her favorite Albanian meal: Speca të Mbushura (stuffed peppers) Also shout out to my dad for his birthday this last week!!

Culture Shocks of the Week:

1. When it's people's birthday here, THEY bring a big of candy to GIVE to people at church on THEIR birthday! I love it!

2. We went out to a place called Pullumbas for a P-Day trip and it was THE COOLEST THING! We went into this massive bat cave that went on forever, to the point where we figured we should probably turn around to find daylight haha and then hiked around the cave to a beautiful river and through the beautiful canyon. I can't help how gorgeous Albania is!

3. We've been doing all we can to try Albanized American food and all I can say is I'm impressed! The food for this week was smoothies :) You'd be surprised and how rare smoothies are here!

We are still teaching Val in the salon and I love her so much!! Additionally we are still teaching Lili and it was the cutest thing. We showed up at her home and she had her books and a table all set up and was like, "What are you going to teach next?" It is the sweetest thing and she honestly goes on and on about what she has read and learned and it is such a special experience. When we first met with her, I remember her sharing with us her struggles and trials in life, Now, she just shares with us the blessings that she has seen as she has been reading the scriptures, praying and learning more about Christ. Now instead of hardships, she is sharing with us the happiness and blessings she finds through the hardships. I can testify of the joy we can find even through our hardships if we always look to follow Christ. I think about when Christ walked on water and Peter came out to Jesus. As he feared and began to fall into the water, Christ helped him through his struggle. What's interesting is it wasn't until AFTER Peter returned to the ship that the storm seized. Christ helps us THROUGH the storms so that we can become stronger and find true peace and joy.

Like I shared last week, we are continuing to work a ton with the members of the ward and visiting them and getting to know them. I love hearing their stories of coming to follow Christ and His gospel. One shared that he saw the missionaries giving out pamphlets and he needed something to sit on haha he got a pamphlet, then ended up reading about the restoration and felt such a peace from it. It was then he learned from the missionaries and got baptized. Another family we had family home evening with and the mom shared her story of coming to church one time and over time she learned from the missionaries and ended up being baptized by who she did not know at the time would be her husband. Now, her son was baptized when he was 8 by the same person she was baptized by. It was the sweetest thing hearing their story.

Wow I can go on and on I love this place and these people! I spend my day walking A LOT on stone streets and piling into PACKED buses. The increasing heat does not quite help with the closeness we experience with people in the buses haha but we've been able to meet with people in their homes, share messages with their families, and continue to do all we can to serve the Lord. I'm going to be honest, I have experienced a lot of hardships personally but it is through them that I grow and it is through the little experiences and the love from the people here and the strength from my Savior that I truly can find the joy in the littlest things. I love you all so much and I hope you have a wonderful week!!!