Scatter Sunshine: Adriatic South: POGRADEC: My Beautiful New Home

C'KEMI!! I'm back in Albania and life is SURREAL!! I live in the most BEAUTIFUL city of Pogradec right along the lake connecting to Macedonia! I'm about 40 minutes from Korcë which is super weird. I'm back in the south of Albania I feel a lot like I'm back home in my "birthplace" (first area) but hopefully I know a lot more, can speak the language a little better ;) and am a lot more prepared now haha

Culture Shocks of the Week:

1. I live in the breathtaking city of Pogradec. We are right along the lake therefore there are a lot of fishing, beaches, BEACH VOLLEYBALL, and tourists here.

2. We are currently waiting to move into our house here so we are staying in a hotel here along the lake so we literally do studies outside on our balcony over the lake.

3. I'm back to the pure toskë Albanian. I've been trying hard to get out of the Albanian Gheg dialect...

So before heading down to Pogradec, I actually spent a few days in Tirana and was in a trio with the Tirana sisters; One of the sisters now being my companion: Motra Risk! She is from California and goes to BYU! She is also teaching me how to knit so I am PUMPED! While I was in Tirana, I got to visit LILI!!! I love her! I heard all about her baptism and honestly-I have never seen her so at peace! She just shared how calm she feels now ever since then even when things are crazy and busy! I just know that the Lord truly comforts us and guides us through His Spirit: The Holy Ghost! I have seen that in the work here as I couldn't do ANYTHING without the Lord!

We also had the new group of missionaries come in this last week so because I was in Tirana I got to go out with one of the sisters as she was immediately off the plane and take her to do missionary work for a day. I made sure to give her the full experience getting her a byrek and dhallë (watery, salty, yogurt drink) ;) She may have said I tried killing her but you know, we've got to strengthen ourselves through overcoming the challenges in life. Why not right of the bat? I just had a flashback to my first day! It was so much fun! I am so excited for all the new missionaries! I served with Motra Stull for a day. She actually is now going to Korcë for her first area!!

We actually had a crazy blessing! Literally within the first 30 minutes of our first full day here in Pogradec, Motra Risk and I went out to run and right as we were about to go in, we met this mother and daughter who began to tear up because they were touched that we greeted them. We then immediately met up with them that day and are now teaching them. They came to church and it has been such a blessing to already work with them! We arrived in Pogradec about 4 days ago and immediately we've been looking to meet the members and their families and to start up many finding activities to build the group here. It is not a branch yet. There are 16 members here and it opened up when Korcë opened up. We are so excited to help and serve the people here in Pogradec. My favorite part about opening is that both my companion and I are walking and are like, "Maybe this road will take us somewhere" or we are just clueless as to where we are walking or where we are going. It's an adventure! Luckily it's just a little city!

I just wanted to share something that has applied to me this past week:

2 Nephi 4:15 And upon these I write the things of my soul, and many of the scriptures which are engraven upon the plates of brass. For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children.

16 Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard.

This last week I finished reading Jesus the Christ and WOW has that book impacted me! As I studied Christ's life I just learned SO MUCH about His love for us! I just love the scripture from Nephi in the Book of Mormon as my soul truly delights in the scriptures! It is truly something so sweet and something I look forward to read every morning. Feast upon them and you will taste of that sweetness too! It is so good! The scriptures like the Book of Mormon and the Bible truly feed us, fuel us, and guide us as it is the Lord that directs us in all things! Read the scriptures EVERYDAY! We cannot know what we need to do and what we are capable of without studying the words of Christ everyday! I say that in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

I love you all! Have a wonderful week! And the adventure continues.... :)