16th pday email from Albania!

Hello Everyone,

I must express that this last week was one I will never forget. Not because something huge happened. But small things that drew the conclusion for me that God is real. That He LOVES each individually. We are His. And He wants to help us.

Two Weekly Planning Sessions ago and this last one as well, we both had personal goals of a lot of things but two specifically we both had were being more Positive and Patient. This last planning session especially we emphasized that not because we were negative, but it is something since the beginning my mission in the field that I always want to keep at being better because we are never perfect at anything. Even with things we are better at. There is always room for improvement in everything. That is what this life is for. To become like Him every single day.

So being Positive and being more Patient with myself and situation was my goal, along with Sister C's. Well, this week hit and may I just say the Lord really wanted to help us gain these attributes. This week we had 5 planned lessons everyday with investigators and potentials and members, but most of them all either canceled last minute or didn't show up. This whole week we tried so hard to do all that we could to have lessons. So when they did cancel last minute or they didn't show up, we went and visited less actives. (Which I must say that I LOVE WORKING WITH LESS ACTIVES. There is such a rewarding feeling as we serve and teach those that have gone astray. That is one of the many blessings for serving a mission.)

But as I was saying before, when we went to visit them, they either weren't home, or had family in town, or it was bad timing. We tried really hard not being discouraged. We knew as this kept happening all week, that the Lord was trying to teach us something.

I learned more than just one though. That is something that the Lord does for us. Always giving. I learned though that He was with us. He wanted to help us gain those qualities of Positive and Patience. He loves us. And He knows our true potential of the people we can become.

We had a lesson with a wonderful woman. She is just amazing. We showed Because of Him. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_S3TI4bYerU) This video I have seen so much, but no matter how many times, the video brings this wonderful and hard to describe. But what I do know that is it brings the spirit in. It softens hearts. It recharges you. It brings a new light and hope to life. As we showed this for her, she was teary eyed and said that she didn't truly understand why, but every time she had seen this video, it gave her all these thoughts.

We watched this with another woman as well and had the Senior couple in our lesson with her. Something that Sister Smith said with her testimony after the film was that the Gospel of Jesus Christ, can solve any problem that the world has suffered and is going through today. I found that to be SO true. HE IS THE ANSWER to everything!

Something interesting that happened last night was that I was talking with the Sister Training Leaders. Which by the way, ARE AMAZING. Sister F and Sister D are such a gift and blessing to this zone. I am so blessed to receive their words and guidance. An example of this: last night I was talking to them and how I was feeling a little bit of a failure as a missionary since our numbers for lesson this last week were not high. Well, they read this amazing quote and gave me a commitment to pray and ask Heavenly Father if I am a good missionary that He needs.

Well, I didn't get a answer right away, but this morning I did. President Weidmann sent out his normal morning text, which I LOVE, and in today's, it had a quote that said basically we need to enjoy the journey and not just focus on the finish line. Well after that, we got a call from him an hour later and he talked with me and was asking how things were going with Speak Your Language. (That is a goal we had as a zone. When we are outside of the house to speak full Albanian with your companion). Well after awhile he said something that I realized afterward was my answer to my prayer. He said that I am great missionary and that "God is very proud of the work and service you are putting forth." That really touched me.

Something that I also learned is that Love Unfeigned is Love that Is Not Fake. That is the kind of love the Savior has for each of us. We took one of our investigators to an English Institute class that Elder Smith taught. I learned that there, along with the fact how God is a God of Balance.

I know that God lives. He loves us. He has given this life to learn and grow and to have experiences to shape us into the people we need to become to become more like Him. I am so blessed to have this gospel. I know I wouldn't be the same with out it. I know that I was saved for this time to do a mighty work and a wonder in the vineyard here in Albania. I am honestly so blessed to be serving with my Companion Sister C. I am inspired everyday as we work together. I know that she was placed in my life at this time to become the missionary He needs me to be for the people here in this area.

I know that even though that we faced a lot of adversity this week, I have felt a deeper connection to the Spirit as it has been poured out this week. I know that in the end, if we each put forth all that we can, that is all that matters to our Father in Heaven and our Savior.

This is His work and we are His. That will NEVER change. I am so blessed to be able to go out and teach others of the love the Savior has for them. To have them realize what of great worth they are to them and what a marvelous purpose they have at this time.

Thank you for all that you do. Know that even the smallest acts of love and kindness don't go unnoticed.

I love you all and hope that if you don't know already the love the Savior has for you, then to pray and ask. I promise the answer will come. In God's timing. All we have to do is look and up and live.

Motra Bezas

Having a light-hearted moment.

 It looks like Motra D helped with another haircut!