Last Tuesday (April 19) Motra Hansi invited us over to her apartment for dinner. Now understand Motra Hansi doesn't speak English and the Albanians and missionaries even have a hard time understanding her Shqip (shcheep) which is what you call the Albanian language. We arrived at her Communist built apartment and in her small living room she had a table set with plates of sweet bread for each of us, two plates of cookies, a dish of candy, and a small glass of juice (which as soon as it was emptied, she would fill again). This was dinner!! Of course, she had her photo album to look at which were of her many trips to the temple in Germany. One picture was with Earl and Nyla Banner. Others were of all the missionaries that have been in her life. She has been a member for 16 years and is so very faithful. Her husband is not, but he is totally supportive of her membership and always allows her to bring any members to their home. Very unusual for Albania. She is just as funny as they come and always completes her sentences with "amen". From the very first day in church, we have kind of bonded so it was fun to be in her home.
The young missionaries are very good to us. They take time to walk us places we don't know how to get to, and, as I said before, every Friday we are allowed to have a district lunch together. Yesterday we went to a Chinese restaurant which was really good (not the Mandarin, but good and certainly much cheaper). Now that we are finding our way around a little better, we will be able to branch out to new places. Every time we have a problem or need a translation, we call the missionaries and they talk to the person we are trying to talk to in Shqip. We just pass the phone back and forth while the missionaries translate what was said. It works well. We haven't been able to get our internet to work for a couple of days, so the girl downstairs who handles this, asked in her limited English if it worked and between us, the missionaries and her, we had a technician here in an hour. He not only fixed the computer, but he fixed the TV so we have English channels. I have died and gone to heaven. The other night Glen and I were watching a National Geographic show of sorts in French. Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do!!!
We had an activity last night with the YA's up at the lake in Tirana. A short walk of two miles carrying all the food. Two of the young men helped us carry it. It was fun, we played volleyball, bad mitten, soccer (football) and frisbee. Then without tables and chairs, we fixed big sandwiches for dinner. I had a talk with the girls who weren't playing sports and asked them what their interests were that we could do together. It was a good night. Then we loaded up and walked back home. With walking to the restaurant for lunch and the lake, Glen and I walked about 5 or 6 miles yesterday. We were tired last night. Today we have our first experience in driving. Every fourth Sunday, we are on a speaking tour where we go to the different branches to speak in Sacrament meeting. Tomorrow we speak in Shkoder. They have maybe between 5 to 10 active members in their branch. Pres. Neil said we were to borrow the AP's car when we went places like this, so we have their car and are going to drive up there. If Glen can just find his way out of the city, we will be fine.
Good things are happening, we had the Asplunds here from Frankfurt and were very supportive of us needing a bigger place. It just has to be presented to the powers that be in Germany and who knows what will happen. But we will forge ahead and hopefully with our YA Committee, find ways to meet the needs of all of them. Last night was certainly a step in the right direction getting away from our small Center. We even had four investigators there which was great. We know this is the Lords' work and He will help us accomplish all we need to do.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Thoughts and other happenings
It has been over a month since we arrived and it hasn't been all that bad. There hasn't been the homesickness this time and I feel it is because we have had other couples to help us and visit with. There also wasn't the shock of seeing a third world country, because we had that in Malaysia, and we are right downtown in the center of things where we can walk almost anywhere to find what we need. And needs we have had. Every time we turn around, we need something for the apartment. The latest was an office chair for Glen. Luckily the Wilsons were kind enough to take us shopping and we found one. We still have frustrations with the Center, but we know in time we will work through those also. I keep thinking about the Savior and how he taught on the hillside, in the cities, by the seaside in the boat, wherever He went, people gathered and he taught. So why do I feel we need couches, TV's, a kitchen, bathrooms, a game room, an office, etc. We just do if we want to provide a "safe place" where the YA's can come and feel the Spirit and be with each other and us.
I want to tell you about Andy. Andy is the Branch Pres. of the 2nd Branch. When he was a young teenager, he had a few missionary lessons. Then he went to America as an exchange student. He ended up in a Northern California town, where he played basketball for the high school. In an English class one day he wrote a paper where he used an LDS phrase. Well his teacher happened to belong to the Church and showed his paper to the missionaries. One thing led to another and Andy was baptized, served a mission in San Diego, went to BYU, married a girl from Virginia in the San Diego Temple, and after graduation and an internship in Washington DC, came back to Albania with his family to help build up the Church. His family has a successful business which he was able to step into, which didn't hurt. After district conference a few weeks ago, we saw a Sequoia driving down the street with Utah license plates. After a double take, we learned about Andy. Andy has been helping us find properties to have a Center and we have really learned to love him. He took Glen and I to a great hamburger place on Glen's birthday. His mother took me to her hair stylist to have my hair cut and stayed with me the whole time. (She is a very busy and successful business woman). Just kindness itself.
The first three weeks with the YA's were wonderful, good attendance. As soon as day-light saving time came, attendance dropped off dramatically. We get very few girls now. The boys love to come and play ping pong and eat, but we need to get the girls back. They want to do our next Friday night activity at the lake,, so we will see how that goes. Lately the teacher for family night has not showed up, so Glen now has a lesson prepared. The YA's love him to teach and even in English without translators. We are still searching for answers, praying a lot, and relying on the Spirit for inspiration. We went through lists the other night with the District President of YA's in the four branches. So, so many are inactive, it just broke our hearts. Satan is so real and working over time here also.
Yesterday we went to lunch with our District and had a real Albanian lunch. We had tasqebab, sallat Greke (Greek salad), Qofte and pillif (rice and sausage). Some I liked, some I didn't. Glen liked everything. They were just preparing a lamb to roast, and held it up so we could see. Then walked right by our table with that poor dead lamb. I don't even like lamb. But to the Albanians, it is great. They always put bread on the table but no butter, they use oil and vinegar if needed. Also this week, we painted our living room and kitchen (all one room). And I mean "we". Glen didn't like the dark color of the walls and said he would help. After 10 hours, it is now much lighter and looks great. Little miracles.
This is the second time I have typed this. I was proofreading the other when the power went out, of course. Lately the water has also been turning off. Always something, but we are doing good and the gospel is true.
I want to tell you about Andy. Andy is the Branch Pres. of the 2nd Branch. When he was a young teenager, he had a few missionary lessons. Then he went to America as an exchange student. He ended up in a Northern California town, where he played basketball for the high school. In an English class one day he wrote a paper where he used an LDS phrase. Well his teacher happened to belong to the Church and showed his paper to the missionaries. One thing led to another and Andy was baptized, served a mission in San Diego, went to BYU, married a girl from Virginia in the San Diego Temple, and after graduation and an internship in Washington DC, came back to Albania with his family to help build up the Church. His family has a successful business which he was able to step into, which didn't hurt. After district conference a few weeks ago, we saw a Sequoia driving down the street with Utah license plates. After a double take, we learned about Andy. Andy has been helping us find properties to have a Center and we have really learned to love him. He took Glen and I to a great hamburger place on Glen's birthday. His mother took me to her hair stylist to have my hair cut and stayed with me the whole time. (She is a very busy and successful business woman). Just kindness itself.
The first three weeks with the YA's were wonderful, good attendance. As soon as day-light saving time came, attendance dropped off dramatically. We get very few girls now. The boys love to come and play ping pong and eat, but we need to get the girls back. They want to do our next Friday night activity at the lake,, so we will see how that goes. Lately the teacher for family night has not showed up, so Glen now has a lesson prepared. The YA's love him to teach and even in English without translators. We are still searching for answers, praying a lot, and relying on the Spirit for inspiration. We went through lists the other night with the District President of YA's in the four branches. So, so many are inactive, it just broke our hearts. Satan is so real and working over time here also.
Yesterday we went to lunch with our District and had a real Albanian lunch. We had tasqebab, sallat Greke (Greek salad), Qofte and pillif (rice and sausage). Some I liked, some I didn't. Glen liked everything. They were just preparing a lamb to roast, and held it up so we could see. Then walked right by our table with that poor dead lamb. I don't even like lamb. But to the Albanians, it is great. They always put bread on the table but no butter, they use oil and vinegar if needed. Also this week, we painted our living room and kitchen (all one room). And I mean "we". Glen didn't like the dark color of the walls and said he would help. After 10 hours, it is now much lighter and looks great. Little miracles.
This is the second time I have typed this. I was proofreading the other when the power went out, of course. Lately the water has also been turning off. Always something, but we are doing good and the gospel is true.
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