October 20, 2014

So! .... I'm totally in Kosovo right now. We drove up this morning for an exchange. And we had really good indian food for lunch. Food variety? What? This exists? he he, kidding :) It's beautiful up here. I'm looking forward to seeing how the work is up here. I know it's different but I think it's something you have to experience to truly appreciate :)

It shouldn't, but it still throws me off guard how awkwardly blunt Albanians can be... things that were said this last week... to me, "You would be so much more pretty if you didn't have those freckles..." ... uuhhh hahahaa .. and to my companion, "You're too fat." What?! hahahahaha I seriously laugh so hard every single time. It's very... not something I'm used to at all.

This past week was a beautiful and devastating one. 

I was so blessed to be able to attend the baptism of a part member less active family that Sister Zollinger and I had found last transfer. The parents were baptized and hadn't been to church is 13 years. We found them street contacting and started teaching them. The mother immediately came back to church and her two children were baptized this last Saturday. I can't even begin to express the joy I felt, it was unreal. They are so wonderful. I'm so happy I was able to attend such a beautiful ceremony for this miracle family.

Once we got back home that night, we had a lesson with a family that Sister Boettinger and I had found and have been teaching that wanted to get baptized. We had fallen so in love with them, they were truly amazing! They were the light of our missionary work! Long story short, it came out in that lesson that the mother did not believe anything that we had been teaching and after doing everything that we could possibly do, we were almost laughed out of their home.... it was devastating losing them. We walked away sick inside. It cut deep and hurt reeeeaaallll good. The stark contrast in a single night. It was an emotional roller coaster to say the least. I'm still not quite sure what Heavenly Father wants me to learn from this, but I do know that even though devastating moments like this happen... I am so grateful for the gift of agency. It's a tremendous blessing. It's the only way we can grow... And I'm so grateful that even though agency can be used for bad, we still have the opportunity to choose and I know it's only because of the love of our loving Heavenly Father. Oh how much He loves us.

Sorry I don't have pictures! I definitely forgot my card reader. And I also am short on time.

But I love you!

Choose God!

Motra