Scatter Sunshine: Adriatic South: Heyo Cookie Ya’r the Whole World

Hahaha this is what I walk out to see everyday as we head out to work. It's my favorite :)

Culture Shocks of the Week:

1. WINTER'S COMING! Do you know what that means? All of the women and families at this time are canning peppers and jam, making homemade pasta, and spending their days storing food for the winter when the fruits and vegetables aren't in season. Now that's what I talk about following the prophet's council of food storage!

2. As we were studying in our apartment, we hear some MAJOR chanting outside and walked out to see a professional futboll game begin at the stadium by our apartment. It was AWESOME! Then it starting pouring and everybody sprinted away it was the funniest thing!

3. Lots of rain here :) I love it. And thunderstorms!

A major blessing from this last week was that I got to go on an exchange with MOTRA JONES my companion from the MTC!! I love her! She currently is my Sister Training Leader and I went to Elbasan for a day. It was fun to teach lessons and spend time with her especially when we could speak more than, "God loves you" in Albanian. :)

This week was yet another good week as we are still continuing to teach both of those families. I will say it is my favorite thing going out and meeting with this families. We all gather around, usually the mother makes some sugar drenched cake or brings out a byrek along with some juice (this is a usual tradition to guests. It's calling "qeras" The host brings out some drink and then some sort of treat or candy). It is good :) Then we all gather around and have a lesson. It is honestly so special to talk about eternal families and see them all work and progress together! As we finish a lesson, we all kneel and have a family prayer. WOW how powerful it is! I love family prayer :) If you're not doing family prayer everyday-DO IT! That's all I can say. It truly brings us all closer together as a family.

Something that I've began to start doing more that has helped me SO MUCH in feasting on the words of Christ through reading the Book of Mormon and the scriptures is using a study journal and keying and commenting on each verse that stands out to me and teaches me something. It's actually incredible! This week I learned a lot more about repentance and what it means. It is so much more than just asking for forgiveness and then continuing on with our lives. Repentance means that we TURN to God. Literally, we decide that in that moment we will follow God and His will. I love Elder Holland's comment, "You can change anything you want to change and you can do it veryfast. That’s another Satanic sucker-punch—that it takes years andyears and eons of eternity to repent. It takes exactly as long to repentas it takes you to say “I’ll change”—and mean it."

I have just found that as we turn to the Lord in prayer, rely on Him, and serve Him, He WILL heal us! That's what repentance does! We see that in the Book of Mormon with Alma and the Sons of Mosiah (Mosiah 28). They were the "vilest of sinners" however when they decided that they would repent and turn to God, their hearts were changed and they desired the welfare of others and to serve God!

It was so much more than just stopping what they were doing, but truly CHANGING! How awesome is THAT? We can do that too! In order to truly repent, just turn to the Lord and He will change us! Life is SO MUCH BETTER that way! We just need to obey His commandments and follow Him and He is just WAITING to pour out His Spirit and blessings upon us! I testify of that as I have knelt in prayer and asked the Lord what He would have me change or do, and He truly guides and directs me. It is then that I am filled with the greatest joy: True joy. God knows better :) Something I realized this last week was that "Working with the Lord means working smart because it's dumb not to" -Motra Olsen. Quote for the day!! I know this to be true in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

I LOVE YOU ALL! Have just a fantastic week and let me know how you are all doing! (Please ;))