Merry Christmas!

Dear Precious Gems,

This week has been a week of stretching and growth and such wonderful blessings we have we received this week.

A small cool miracle that happened this week with a new investigator. As a little background story, there is a big TV in the big city here in Tirana that shows a small segment of A Savior Is Born on the screen. At the end has our number. Well, this week a girl saw it and contacted the number. So through the process of figuring out where she lived we ended up receiving her number and being able to get in contact with her. She said she wanted to get an appointment right away with us. We ended up finding the time-window to fitting her in and meeting with her at the church.

I testify that the Lord is so grateful when we give the time and attention to him through prayer. The moment that we begin our prayers with sincere and humble hearts, we can feel his presence right at the very beginning  of them. I know that I felt him with me as I commune with him everyday. I am so blessed to have the relationship that I do with my father in heaven and I know that it is only the beginning to a beautiful and eternal friendship.

I know that with the lesson with this woman was the first time she truly knew how to pray with her father in heaven. And that she knew of how much she mattered to him.

I testify that I know that we EACH MATTER TO HIM!!!

I know that He gave his son for us. I know that he is very mindful of us and all that we have to face every single day. The Lord is in all the details of our lives. I know that He LIVES!

I know that each of you matter to him. Like it says in Abraham 3:22-23:

22 Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones;

 23 And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born.

I know that our names can be in the place of Abraham and have it still be of the same value.

BECAUSE YOU MATTER!!!

YOU MATTER TO HIM!

YOU ARE HIS CHILD!!

AND HE HAS SENT YOU HERE AT THIS TIME FOR THOSE THAT YOU COME IN CONTACT WITH. "BECAUSE YOU WERE CHOSEN BEFORE THOU WAST BORN."

I am so grateful for all of your examples and all that you do everyday. I can testify and say that it is of great value. KEEP GOING!

Love, Motra Bezas

Some more awesome Albanians!

No pday on December 21st...

(We did not receive a p-day email on December 21st because we soon would be Skyping with Motra Bezas on Christmas Day! Woot for modern-day technology!)

There Is a God in the Heavens

Dec 14

Dear Precious Gems,

I just want to testify right away that I know that there is a God in the Heavens. I know that he is our Father in Heaven. I testify that we are his children. I know that he was and is and always will be mindful of us.

I felt witness of it over and over again, that our Father in Heaven LOVES US!! I know it with all my heart. I have felt it over and over again as I pray, I feel His presence there. I know He listens to our every single prayer. Even when we believe he is not listening. He is ESPECIALLY listening then. Satan wants us to believe otherwise, but our Father in Heaven is listening. I know that he is constantly wanting to hear from us but most importantly speak to us. 

That is why we give him time in our prayers to let him communicate with us. Sometimes it comes in that moment. Sometimes it comes when we are reading a verse or speaking with someone or an impression or a thought. No matter how it comes. IT COMES. That is a promise we have received. When we communicate with him all that we are going through, we are able to receive the blessings.

This week I saw so many miracles and today I wished I had more time to express them all. But I will share one...

We were in a lesson with two wonderful people. They are recent converts and we were talking about the Plan more in depth about The Millennium. I remember that as Sister D was testifying at one point the spirit came in super strongly and testified of what she said to be true. It was at that moment the one person looked to me and said:

"That is so interesting! As she has been saying these things, I felt that I already knew all of this and I know what she has said to be true."

I looked at him and told him with great joy. "What you have felt right now is the spirit confirming what you have heard to be true personally."

He looked at me with great happiness and said the sweetest answer. "That's COOL!"

I know that we can constantly receive answers; if we are listening with our minds and our hearts, we can feel the spirit baring witness to us that we know it to be true.

I love this gospel. I love it with all my heart. It really hit me today the thought that how could I not have served a mission? I have been so blessed and am blessed everyday to gain a deeper relationship with my Father in Heaven and Savior.

I testify that it can be this way for everyone. If they give the time to him to speak with us.

Love you all!

Motra Bezas

Another beautiful city in Albania

On an exchange with Sister F, yet one more terrific sister serving in that mission

61st pday email from Albania!

Dear Precious Gems,

This week was FULL of Miracles and just as FULL of opposition. I know this is the Lord's work. We are his children. And Satan knows this. He is doing all he can every day to tear us down because he knows of the Goodness we can accomplish and the potential that we each have. I know that before this life, we all knew each other so well. Because we were all brothers and sisters before this life. So because of this, Satan knows us so well. Like our Savior, Jesus Christ. He knows us inside and out and so when we face adversity, we can know without a doubt we are being tested and tried to the very last doubt and weakness we have within us.

This week, I saw this. I was a full witness of it. All the lies of feeling not good enough and making me believe that I couldn't accomplish the things the Lord needed me to do. But I remember that day when I was being stretched, I was given the eyes to see that this was Satan and that I was called of God to do his work here In Albania and right now in my area with Sister D as STLs.

Once I was able to see that, I was able to begin to see that the Savior was with me. That everything I was going through at this time was part of his plan for me in his work to become the best child of God I can become.

The whole experience reminded me of the song, When Faith Endures:

I will not doubt, I will not fear;

God's love and strength are always near.

His promised gift helps me to find

An inner strength and peace of mind.

I give the Father willingly

My trust, my prayers, humility.

His Spirit guides; his love assures

That fear departs when faith endures.

I testify that all our fears and doubts we have, will depart as we have faith in our Lord and Savior.

This week one of our lovely investigators was able to be baptized. She has faced a lot of adversity in getting baptized, but the Lord opened the way for her to be baptized this weekend. Her testimony that she gave was one of the most sweetest testimonies I have heard. Something that truly touched me at her baptism was her relationship with her best friend. She as a member was there with her all along the way as she was being taught and even gave a talk about baptism on her special day at her Baptism. 

Her testimony was so powerful and the most touching thing was her closing remark. "We will able to live in the Celestial Kingdom for all eternity after this life together."

I testify that this is His work. We are the broken vessels that He brings forth His miracles so that we can all live with our Father in Heaven again! I testify that I know this to be true. I know that He loves us. I know that he sent his Son to the earth, so that the way could be open for us to returning to him. 

It is through Our Savior, Jesus Christ. He is the light, The Life, and the Way to returning to our Father. 

I know this Christmas season, we can truly gain a deeper testimony of our Savior that he Lives, as we study more about his life in the scriptures and in all that he did for us. Something that Sister D and I said in our Zone Training was that the Savior continually gives and that this Christmas season it can be a gift we can give to others through service and looking outward.

I know that as we strive to become more like the Savior every day, we will begin to truly see as He sees. 

Thank you so much for all that you do!! Remember, You MATTER to HIM!

Motra Bezas

Some pictures from her beloved Albania!

60th pday email from Albania!

Dear Precious Gems,

This week has been a week of blessings belong belief. I can't fully even express my appreciation for all that the Lord gives us every day to each of us individually. I testify that the Lord is full of miracles and that every day as we follow in his example, we begin to see as he sees and that is when the work begins to take on a deeper meaning not just to the people we teach but to  us as well and how we fit in the work and what role do we have to play.

This last week we had received two amazing investigators. THEY ARE AMAZING!!! We actually had two other new people set up for that day but they didn't work and these two girls showed up to the church before English course wanting to take the lessons because they saw what we practiced what we teach and they feel something good about the church. 

We got to meet with N this week a ton and talk about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She asked how baptism worked and we looked at each other, sister D and me, and said "There is one that we actually having tonight if you would like to see it." She was so stoked! And the best part was SHE CAME! Along with two other investigators to A's Baptism that evening.

I testify that the Lord loves his children. He gave his only begotten Son. This Thanksgiving the spirit was so fulfilling and exactly what I was needing. The testimonies that were shared from the missionaries going home in the next few weeks taught me some amazing principles that I will keep with me for the rest of my life:

"Our smile changes and radiates by the end of our missions as we are becoming more like him. The light of Christ is shinning forth." Elder Andersen

"The greatest miracle that has occurred was the atonement." Sister Davis

"He honestly Cares so much about us!" Elder Schramm

"Behind every principle is a promise." Elder Outsen

"Trials and Hardships are necessary for us... throughout the rest of our lives we are meant to serve God and do his work." Elder Simons

"Anytime that you are having a hard or a bad day, just think of all those that would die to be in your spot, but can't due to illness... He takes a broken vessel and works miracles through you in his work... When there are people that you do not like, see them through God's eyes..." Elder Temple

The Lord's work is coming more and more in full force. You've got to see this new video, A SAVIOR IS BORN (https://www.mormon.org/christmas).

The spirit testifies of our Lord and Savior that He is the only begotten Son and that He loves us with all of His heart!!

Thank you for all you do!!

Motra Bezas

Some pictures from her beloved Albania 

(not sure why the one won't turn right-side-up!)

59th pday email from Albania

Dear Precious Gems Of God,

This week I can honestly testify that The Lord was with us this week in the vineyard. We worked honestly super hard and I don't even feel tired. Because the joy and the love I feel for this Gospel and the passion I have for this work, has filled my soul and has given me the energy to keep going every day. 

I know that the Lord loves his Children and they are all VERY precious to him. And I am honestly so grateful that I have been a first hand witness of it in all the all that we do and the people we come in contact with. 

The work is going forth and the work we do everyday is preparing for Christ's return. That is why it is SO important that  we strive to do all that we can to be EXACTLY obedient to all that God has asked us to do. So that way we can be worthy of the Spirit as we go throughout everyday.

I never want to live my life without his guidance in my life. I know that my Father in heaven and I made a plan for my life, as he did with all of us, as to what we were needing to accomplish to help to create the big picture he has created for us.

This Gospel is so DELICIOUS to me and I can't imagine my life without it. I know that I want my whole life to be a Christ Centered one. The joy I feel here is like how it says in Doctrine and Covenants 18: 10,15-16:

 10 Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;

15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!

 16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!

I know the Joy that is expressed in these passage. And as I have been here on my mission and as of recently while I have been in this area, that is the biggest message I have received, that this Gospel is not meant for just us to have and receive the blessings of. In fact, it is meant to be shared. That is one reason why we receive blessings in abundance, so we can share and share it will great excitement to others that The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the thing that will bring us the greatest happiness that we can receive. Not to mention the fulfillment that we matter.

That was a lesson I also learned this week as we met with one of our investigators again. That if we try to fill our life with people and things, they will not bring us happiness if they are of the world. But it is only through our Savior, that true happiness can begin to fill our lives and eventually be enveloped in the Love he has for us and has given everything possible for us. BECAUSE HE LOVES US.

 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. *John 15:13

I know the Savior is ultimate example for everything. And so when we strive to become better, that is when we look to him and study about his life and what he taught through his actions and not his words. That is why we have chapter 6 in Preach My Gospel for Christlike Attributes. So can become like him. Because as we become like him, We are becoming like our Father In Heaven. And that is the ultimate goal why we are here. To become like our Father, who has given all to us to make us to have eternal happiness.

I know this Gospel is True. That Jesus the Christ. The Son of the Living God. And I pledge to Live my life to him. I love him with all my heart and the Love I have for him I know will grow stronger as I continue to do all that he asks of me. I know that the Savior suffered pains and afflictions of every kind so He could understand all that we go through every day. So when we face hardship, we then have a source to go to every single time to lift us from our sorrows and raise us to exaltation.

I know that He lives and because he lives, we too can live again with our Father in Heaven. WITH GREAT JOY!

I love you all and am so grateful for all that you do every day. Keep up the good work and remember He is always there. All you have to do is just go unto him and he will take care of the rest.

Love, Motra Bezas

Pictures from her beloved Albania!