Scatter Sunshine: Adriatic South: Edhe Një Qind!!!

WOOOOOO! EDHE NJE QIND!! (And 100 years. Every Albanian says it when it's your birthday) This last week was an awesome one and I actually got to spend my birthday at a zone conference so it was fun to see some of my old companions-especially Motra Jones from the MTC! I love her!! She and her comp made me a little cake and then sent me the Korcë Branch singing to me happy birthday :) It was awesome! And I'm 20 now-what the heck! Well, I will have to say, I've had the most happen and I've learned SO MUCH this last year than any other year in my life so it's been a good one!! (I'll let you know next week what I've learned in a year ;) Haven't hit my year mark yet!

Culture Shocks of the Week:

1. So the Albanians have this superstition where you can't wish somebody happy birthday before their birthday or it's bad luck. So didn't realize it was my birthday until they all shouted it out to me on my birthday ;)

2. They have a lottery here to go to America and it is HUGE! Everybody gets super into it!

3. I love how much the people here are huge into cooking! They get so excited to see what they'll cook for the next day. We were carving pumpkins on Monday for a Family home Evening Activity with our little group here and one of the mothers asked, "Can I take our pumpkin home and make it into a byrek?" It was awesome!!

To be honest, I can't remember much of this lat week haha I swear time is SPEEDING UP! But what's crazy is that my companion GOES HOME on Wednesday and I am getting a new companion tomorrow: Motra Saldana! She is also in her last 6 weeks of her mission so I will be her companion until the end just like with Motra Risk! Crazy! Motra Saldana is from Mexico. It looks like I'm going to be in Pogradec for a while! I love this place and these people so I'm living it up!

Some activities and things we've had this last week have been that we went on a bike riding activity with the members and others to these BEAUTIFUL villages on water!! We also watched General Conference this last weekend with everyone and it was awesome! It's incredible to see how much more Albanian I understand after just 6 months from the last General Conference Session. We all gathered together, and had a potluck this last weekend. Let me tell you-Albanian and their cooking and everybody bringing their best dish was absolutely fantastic! They were all super excited too!! We also had a full out meal with that couple that was recently baptized and they made us the koran fish!! Found out why they're rare-their endangered. And I'm being fed them....

This last week we had some pretty powerful experiences I wanted to share with you. I just want to share with you the power of the Book of Mormon! This last week, this woman we are teaching as she's been reading the Book of Mormon, she said to us one day, "This book. It's not like it's forcing us to believe in Christ or to join some religion. It's as if it IS the way! This IS God's way!" We then had another family we are teaching-I LOVE THEM-and the father was talking about work on Sunday. I felt impressed to share 1 Nephi 3:7 from the Book of Mormon-one that we all know and love:

1 Nephi 3:7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.

After that moment, I saw him so determined to work and to find a way so he can keep the Sabbath Day because he knew that through the Lord, there will be a way to accomplish all that the Lord has commanded.

We have a Heavenly Father that cares about us and loves us-in every DETAIL of our lives! I have seen that not only through myself, but through others. I see the excitement of others to read the Book of Mormon. I actually actually printed off the Book of Mormon pages (the book font was too small) in English and the lady who received them was so excited to read and then she realized it was in English....dang it....haha I love the love that these people have to learn and to come unto Christ! It is powerful and especially after listening to conference, I am coming to learn more and more about how beautiful the Book of Mormon is! Please read it everyday. It is something so sweet above anything that is sweet and so pure above anything that is pure. It truly consists the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ that brings us closer to Christ and closer to joy. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Pumpkin Carving for Family Home Evening!!

Bike Riding Activity!

One of the communist bunkers painted into a ladybug. I love it!

The village on water :)

Literally I love my life :)

My companion Motra Risk and me! I love her tons it's crazy she's going home!

MOTRA JONES!!! I LOVE THIS GIRL!! I was so happy to be with her on my birthday!

I LOVE THIS FAMILY! I spent my birthday with them and it was the best! Yes-we had roasted chestnuts just like from the Christmas song!

My birthday breakfast! Yeah-THAT'S MAPLE SYRUP THERE! You have no idea how happy that makes me to find a little bit of home here in Albania :) Shout out to my New Hampshire folks!! I miss you TONS actually! Hopefully I can visit you soon! ;) ;)

Officially 20!!!

We were over at this recent converts' home with the Elders and like every Albanian, they gave up slippers. The slippers were just a little too small for the Elders....hahaha then mine were massive!