Scatter Sunshine: Adriatic South: Gëzuar Vitin e Ri!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Gëzuar Vitin e Ri!! I just barely survived a war-zone of fireworks! New Years is HUGE here! We had to be in our homes last night and we have to be inside tonight at 4pm because of how crazy the fireworks are here haha there are like fireworks all out in the streets and it goes crazy! We are able to stay up to see them and went out just barely on our balcony and just about got hit haha people are like shooting them from their windows and from the roofs of all the apartment buildings here. HAPPY NEW YEAR! It was a good start :)

Culture Shocks of the Week:
1. I'm going to gain like 10 pounds due to the amount of BAKLAVA we are given here because of Vitin e Ri. It's about 1,000 calories per slice and we are at 7 this week now already......haha They are about 200 layers of dough baked, then DRENCHED in sugar water and cinnamon with some nuts. My favorite is when the Albanians tell us, "It's actually really good for you! You get your flour and nuts for the day!"
2. We had a bunch of random people call us on New Years that we have no idea how they got our number but we were wished a Happy New Year many times :)
3. The fireworks here....yet again. I'll attach a video haha but they have been lasting for like a week and they probably will for the next week.

I wanted to share about a special moment we had on Christmas Day! So Christmas caroling is not heard of here so Motra McGuire and I made about 50 cookies and starting going around all of Pogradec and hitting EVERY member and investigator we have. (We about 30 members now!!! Isn't that crazy awesome?) As we showed up singing Christmas hymns and giving out these cookies, they just start bawling sharing that they didn't expect such a thing! I love Christmastime! We ended up going home with all kinds of fruit, byrek, and interesting desserts :) It was a beautiful Christmas!

Other moments from this week was the man that was baptized this last Saturday had the opportunity to receive the Priesthood and then baptize his stepdaughter on her 8th birthday this last week. There have just been such special little moments here in Pogradec. I cannot express how much our Savior, Jesus Christ not only just heals US individually but also our relationships! I have just seen so many families united here through the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Something that we are getting really into is teaching such basic, simple doctrine one by one to our group here in Pogradec! They are incredible and their faith is incredible! I can't imagine coming from knowing nothing about Christ and then developing that incredible faith to follow Him through baptism purely due to their faith in Christ! No, they may not understand completely every doctrine and we are all still learning, but their limit in knowledge does not keep them from acting, always looking to learn, and following Christ. Sometimes we're sitting there in Sunday School and some things are said where we are like, "uhhh.....we'll have to address that." I love it though. We are always on the alert haha I love Pogradec and we just had transfer calls and I am here for another 6 weeks with Motra McGuire! I am the luckiest girl EVER because I love Motra McGuire so much! We are seeing miracles here in Pogradec! It is absolutely beautiful!

I am looking forward to this next year! My year in Albania is over which is really sad actually, but I am looking forward to serving with all my heart, might, mind, and strength these next 4 months! I love you all and will weirdly see you all so soon! Happy New Years!

Christmas sweater and Christmas PJs :)

This is one of my best friends, Aleksia :) It's been a year now since she's been baptized when I was in Korcë on Christmas Eve and I had the special Christmas gift of seeing her here in Pogradec.