Scatter Sunshine: Adriatic South: Gëzuar 4 Korrik!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!! My district and I tried to bring America here to Albania celebrating the 4th of July! There's a restaurant here called the Steven's Center with Burgers, fries, milkshakes, waffles, and pretty much American food you can't find anywhere else so we had ourselves a little American feast :) Other than that, no fireworks but hey-we had one old man call out to us "Gëzuar!" so that made our day :)

Culture Shocks of the Week:

1. I finally got to kinda see an Albanian Dasma (Wedding)!! We were at a ward activity at a park out in this little town and there was a wedding there at the park. I didn't get to see the bride but I got to see how decked out it was! There are literally cameras used for filming movies and tables all over the field with everyone in tuxes and full out gowns. I felt a little bit like I was at prom haha also only in Albania will you be playing soccer at a field and have a flock of sheep run out right next to you during the game.

2. People along the side of the streets have these little grills and they grill and sell corn! There is also corn juice here called Bozë. No it doesn't taste good but it was fun to try it! :)

3.We experienced a literal game of telephone this week trying to find a lady's home. First, it doesn't help that we are 2 American girls in a giant city clueless to the Albanian names of schools and streets here. Second, the speaker was very muffled so we ended up adventuring across the city asking people and trying to find these names of the schools and streets passing around the telephone to people on the streets asking them to talk to the lady haha it was an adventure. Best part: the home was found.

We had some incredible blessings this week! I wanted to focus on the power of music and oh my goodness: it is so powerful! So we met a couple times with our new president this week for a leadership meeting and to get to know him. Something that he shared with us that he learned from his training to be a mission president (he learned this from the Apostles at the Missionary Training Center) was to use music in our lessons! I was super pumped when I heard this because I have loved singing and using music in lessons! So my companion and I have made a goal to sing in every lesson and I cannot even express how many peaceful and powerful experiences we have had just singing in our lessons! One lady shared of a peace that she hasn't felt in a long time when we sang. We had another lady just tear up as we sang as peace was brought to her heart. Music is so powerful! I love the scripture in Doctrine and Covenants 25:12 "For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads."

Music truly is a way that we can feel of the love of our Savior!

I wanted to share of another powerful experience we had this week. So we met this mother with her 3 little girls in the street on Monday. We went to visit her in Wednesday and shared with her our message and gave her a Book of Mormon. We then visited her on Friday and she had read 16 chapters in the Book of Mormon. As we sat down for the lesson, she immediately shared that she had read and she had learned 2 things. One being that the book is a book of God because when she had read the book, it touched her as all of the trials she had faced in life were mentioned in the book. It was as if it spoke to her. The next thing was that she now knows who we are and why we are here. We shared later that we are called from a prophet of God and she immediately said, "I know". I just wanted to share this powerful experience because as I am this 19 year old girl walking in the streets of Albania doing my best to speak the language and to help these people. What do I know about their struggles? What do I know about their trials in life? As I was with this lady and she was just pouring out her heart, I was able to testify to her that while I will never understand what she is going through, there is someone that does completely and perfectly! And that is Jesus Christ! I was able to share with her that we are called of God and sent here for her!

I truly cannot express the joy I feel being able to be a representative of Jesus Christ to these people in Albania. As I rely on the Lord, He truly does direct me and guide me to know what to say and how to comfort these people! Just through experiencing this, I am just filled with a love and a joy as I always look to follow Him and to serve His children. This truly is His work and I am called to invite these beautiful children of God here in Albania to come unto Christ and partake of His joy, His peace, and His salvation. I truly know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and I grow closer and closer to my Savior every time I read it. I invite you to do the same because it is truly through coming unto Christ that we find joy; we find peace. I say that in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

I love you all! Have just a fantastic week and a wonderful summer!