On April 18 and 19, we went to Budva, Montenegro for a couples conference. Budva is beautiful. It is right on the Adriatic Sea and it is hard to believe it is the same sea as in Albania. It is amazing how much cleaner things get when you get out of Albania. All the couples from the Adriatic South Mission were there except the Willis'. It was fun to get to know the couples better and exchange ideas. Pres. Ford talked about the goals of the mission and making Albania a stake by the end of the year 2013. When you are with a group like that you know it is going to happen. Then when you get back to reality you hope it will happen. Conferences like this are good for couples because it unites and helps us to be more supportive of each other. We all have our different responsibilities, so we work independently just doing our callings. But we are here as missionaries and we want to see the Lord's work move ahead in this part of His vineyard, and we can help each other when the need arises.
We had seven new missionaries come two weeks ago, and major transfers within the mission. Our 2/4 branches went from 12 missionaries down to four. They are spread so thin, it is going to take a lot of effort to take care of all they need to do. Missionaries were sent to Montenegro and Macedonia, as well as two more to Kosovo. More missionaries were sent to cities outside of Tirana, which has left Tirana with a skeleton force. Two missionaries have been assigned strictly for interviewing and advancing members to the Melchizedek Priesthood so we can become a stake. Two of our favorite missionaries were sent to other cities. One, Elder McBride from Idaho, had been with us for 10 months. Elder Anderson, from Logan area, for seven months. They were hard to lose. But we got two new ones that are here ready to work and excited to be in the mission field. They are going to be wonderful.
The Center is doing great. Our Institute class on Wednesday night is now divided with new teachers. One on mission prep. and the other on Preparing for the Celestial Kingdom. We still have Saturday night together, and our averages are great. We try and leave the Center by 9:00 p.m. at night, and sometimes we have to send the YA's home. They love to be there. We are preparing for the YA Conference this summer and trying to find a place that will be good. With the money situation here, most of the funds have to come from Germany and they are very particular about how they are spent. Now if it was for EFY, money would be no object, but the YA's are different. We have to work around their rules and they aren't always workable. But things will work out, they always do.
Our time is going fast, and we feel we have, in part, accomplished what the Lord wanted us to do by getting the Center. It was a group effort, and we are so thankful it is now a reality. We are still trying to help the YA's understand the gospel and to put Heavenly Father first. We are so sick of hearing, "I am so busy". We just hope someday Heavenly Father doesn't say that to them. We have a wonderful Council President in Ani, and he has great vision. We are thankful for his leadership. They have a word in Albania "avash, avash", which means "slowly, slowly". We see little improvements all the time and it gives us hope. We love the gospel and are so grateful for the bounteous blessings we have been given. It is wonderful to be able to serve the Lord full time.
