The Big Travel to the Adriatic South Mission!

The big day finally arrived! Tuesday, September 30, 2014! The day Motra Bezas leaves to serve the Lord until the end of January 2016 or the beginning of February 2016.

Here are a series of photos Motra Bezas sent back of her travel experience. She traveled with ten other missionaries. They got up at 2 a.m. Tuesday, September 30th in order to be ready to leave the MTC in the wee hours of the morning. 

Motra Bezas with her two missionary companions.

They arrived at the SLC airport and then took their flight for the first leg of the journey around 8 a.m. or so.

They had a layover in the Chicago, Illinois airport for a few hours from noon to 4 p.m. approximately (11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Chicago time). There they made phone calls to family members...the last time to speak with their families until Christmas day. It's the sacrifice they make to go teach others about the Savior and His gift of the Atonement. (Talking with her at the airport was a beautiful experience to hear her voice!)

Next they flew to Vienna, Austria, arriving there at 8 a.m. Vienna time on Wednesday, October 1, 2014 (midnight Utah time). There they had a four hour layover. I wonder how tough it was to try to stay awake. They had been awake for nearly 24 hours by this time!

One of her terrific companions, Motra D, probably saying something like, "We've made it to Vienna!"

 Another of her amazing companions, Motra K. The nearly matching clothes are truly a coincidence. :)

 From the Vienna, Austria airport - now traveling for about 26 hours - they get on yet another plane to fly to the capital of Albania - Tirana. They end up being awake for about 36 hours. Wooh!

Here Motra Bezas and Motra D are now on the tarmac at the Tirana, Albania airport! They made it!

(again, not sure why the photo will only upload sideways...:P)

Here Motra Bezas's travel group meets the group of missionaries who have served for 24 months (the elders) or 18 months (the sisters). It's amazing to think about that time will fly, and soon it will be time for Motra Bezas to meet the incoming as she becomes the outgoing!

 And so her travel saga ended with her safely arrived in Albania. Stay tuned to find out where she is assigned! While it is a tremendous sacrifice to have her away from us until the end of Jan/beginning of Feb 2016, it is so worth it to think of the personal service she will give a people far, far away from where she lives. It is a blessing indeed to teach others of the Savior of the world!