Mos Harroni të Buzëqeshni (remember to smile) :) - 21st pday email from Albania

Hello Everyone,

This week was AMAZING! I am so grateful my Lord and Savior and all that He does each of us. I am so grateful for this wonderful opportunity we have each received to come to this life and to gain knowledge and wisdom for ourselves and become more and more like our Father in Heaven. This week I saw my spiritual growth this week with my personal study, my companion study, lessons we had with investigators and members of the church, and all the small things in between.

Something that I have seen time and time again is that the Gospel of Jesus Christ changes and softens hearts to make a mighty change in their lives.

12 And according to his faith there was a mighty change wrought in his heart. Behold I say unto you that this is all true.

13 And behold, he preached the word unto your fathers, and a mighty change was also wrought in their hearts, and they humbled themselves and put their trust in the true and living God. And behold, they were faithful until the end; therefore they were saved.

14 And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts? (Alma 5:12-14)

An example of this is with a girl in our English Class. Sister L and I met her the first time when she and her two friends had heard about English Course and stopped by the church when we were there on a day that it wasn't for English. We were waiting for another lesson (which never ended up showing), and they saw that the door was open and came in. Now I believe that we were never meant to have the other lesson. Well, her two friends never ended up coming but she did.

This amazing person now has been coming since Sister L was here, and the transformation process has been amazing to see. As an example of this, it almost looked like she was going to be our only student in class, and we asked her if it ended up being her by herself, if she wanted to go to the baptism that was being held downstairs. We were so surprised to have her say yes. A long time ago she would have turned that invitation down. Although others came - so we did the class - but a few weeks later, we were closing the class with a prayer, and I looked over and made eye-contact with her and felt to ask her to say it.

As soon as I did she was surprised herself but said, "Yeah, just give me a moment to gather my thoughts." After a moment of silence, she prayed. It was a very meaningful, sincere, simple prayer. Afterward, everyone left and she was the last one to leave. She came up to us with excitement and informed us that was the first time she had ever done that.

She then quickly said goodbye to us and left. Sister C and I looked at each other right away and smiled ear to ear. The spirit filled that room at that moment, and we knew that God had heard her prayer and that He is aware of all that she is going through.

THE SPIRIT IS JUST AMAZING!!!

At our last English class we had together, we gave them an assignment to bring a family photo and talk about their examples in their lives. As we talked as a class, there was a special spirit that filled the room. I know that Families are precious and that they were given as a gift from God - that you are part of the family that you are for a purpose. We have families to get us through times when we get stuck in a rut and to help you get back on track.

With update on another wonderful lady. We followed up on her reading the pamphlet for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She said right off the bat that once we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, we always need to be worthy of it. MAN! SHE IS AMAZING!!! I swear there a moments I feel like I am the one being taught. As we teach her she is really getting the fact that we are, as missionaries, representing Christ as we serve our mission here in Albania.

She said that we are very lucky because we get to work for the boss of all bosses. We couldn't help but chuckle at that sweet and SO true principle. We really are so BLESSED to get to work with our Father in Heaven and we get to work alongside Him in His vineyard here.

We had another lesson later on this week and talked about the Word of Wisdom with her. Something she said as soon as she saw the pamphlet: she said that she had a thought come to mind right before we pulled the word of wisdom pamphlet out that, "I would love to have words of wisdom from Christ". Talk about a desire being answered right then and there.

Well, we taught her, said that she didn't drink alcohol, coffee, tea that has caffeine, drugs, and other illegal substances that are harmful to us physically and spiritually. Our hearts rejoiced at this news as we continued to testify. But as Sister C went into an example of how when we drink alcohol it makes it difficult to feel or receive promptings from the Holy Ghost... well, that is when she finally mentioned how she drinks wine.

Well, as the lesson progressed we felt the spirit was going slowly by how she was reacting. Sister C and I were at a loss of what to do and were trying to feel what the Spirit needed us to say, but nothing was coming. After a bit of trying to fight to keep the Spirit there because Satan was doing all he could to lose the spirit, I got the slightest impression to ask if she had prayed to know yet if Joseph Smith was a prophet called of God. She said she knew the story could happen in these days but no she had not. Well, everything began to click after that and we committed her to know and pray.

The other thing she said was that how this time we will look back on throughout the rest of our lives and take things from it to help with future things that we will face. BY GOODNESS. SHE IS AMAZING!

It has been a spiritual growth for both of us as we testify of our purpose as missionaries is and that we are here from the across the ocean to help people come unto Christ through the waters of baptism now!

Something I have felt over and over again this week is the Love God has for His children here and all over the world. As we went to teach a less active woman, we testified of this and tears began to fill her eyes multiple times. The spirit in that room was SO strong of the love God has for this woman and I know that He feels this for all of His children more than I can fully comprehend.

So, this week, I had gained an experience to help me become more positive and patient. We were playing Futbol as a district with the youth to bring their non member friends to play. Well I was playing goalie and as I blocked the ball, my knee turned in the wrong direction. All is well. No bruising or swelling. But... I can't fully straighten it out. I received a blessing for it from Elder W and Elder S. They are such examples to Sister C and me. We are so grateful for all they do for us and for the ward.

I've learned though that with every experience we receive, we become stronger (literally or spiritually speaking). They are times we get to become closer to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

He is the one that has paid for all that we have done and all that we will do.

This is a talk given by Brad Wilcox called "His Grace Is Sufficient." I love this talk! Listen to it if you have not yet. It is one for the books.

I love this gospel with all my heart and I know that it helps each of us individually and as whole families. The Gospel of Jesus Christ blesses families. I testify of this with all my heart and conviction I can muster. I know that as we rely on our Father in Heaven, He will be by our side as we do all we can to be worthy to listen to the divine guidance of the Holy Ghost. God lives and as we do all we can, we too will live again with our Father in Heaven.

Mos Harroni të Buzëqeshni (remember to smile) :)

Motra Bezas

With her awesome companion, Motra C

(not sure why the photo won't flip correctly)

Having Albanian ice cream!

One of Motra Bezas's favorite Albanian doors!

She loves the color! 

Motra C's favorite Albanian cereal!

Motra C modeling Motra Bezas's scarves

Having a golden sunny day

(again, the photo won't flip properly - sorry!) 

One of the beautiful Albanian parks

In some pain after her knee injury

Our prayers are with you for your speedy recovery, Motra Bezas!

Perëndia Jeton (Guess what.... GOD LIVES!) :) - 20th pday email from Albania

Dear Everyone,

This week was a week of seeing promised blessings for Sister C and I. But I don't want to get ahead of myself. :) First, Halfway Training was such a Spirit filled event. I learned so much. I am honestly so grateful for this opportunity to train a new sister missionary. I have learned so much along side Sister C. She is such a GIFT to this mission. I am so privileged that I get to see her grow. God has saved her now at this time for these people for a purpose. She is a tool in the Lord's hands.

Something that I learned while we were at Halfway Training was the question of, "Do we use prayer enough?" I took this question to heart and pondered on it. I realized that every category there is always room for improvement and so I personally committed to pray even more for even the smallest of things. I know that as I do this, I will become even closer to my Heavenly Father and be more in tune to the spirit. I receive more and more witnesses that the Spirit is the TRUE teacher.

We are just the tools to testify so that the Spirit can come in right away and teach what we have taught is true. This week I've noticed that as I have this mind set in lessons, the lessons are the lessons that they needed at that moment. Teach people NOT lessons. I find this principle to be so true. I am so grateful for this. I am grateful for this wonderful opportunity to bring others to our Savior, Jesus Christ, and see how the gospel changes their life.

As we do this, our testimony grows along side with their's and gain a further witness. That is what Endure to the End is all about. We are always progressing and gaining a deeper depth to our testimonies and relying on the Savior more fervently.

Something amazing that happen this week that I just really wanted to share was there was one night we kept having lessons not work out and so we kept trying to go by the spirit as to who we should visit. Because Sister C and I have agreed after having many experiences that when something doesn't go through as planned, the Lord needs us elsewhere.

"And ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of mine elect; for mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts;" (Doctrine and Covenants 29:7)

I testify that I know of this scripture to be of so much truth. Sister C shared this scripture during a Companion Study we had that she had read. Well, an example of this was Friday night. Like I was saying before, things kept not going through and so we would follow the spirit as to who we should visit and then followed the prompting. After 5 or 6 times, we then realized that the Lord needed us to go street contacting, well as we were about 2 minutes away from the place we felt to go, we received a call from one of our investigators.

We began to talk with her and how her life right now how her life is just going up in smoke. We asked her if she had been reading her scriptures lately? She said that she hadn't and didn't know why that it is always so hard to just pick up the book and read it. She says she can't figure out why it is so hard. Sister C and I looked straight at each other and mouthed the word SATAN.

This was not the first time we had heard one of our investigators say this. Satan knows the power of the Book of Mormon and does everything he can to get us to not pick up the word of God translated by a prophet called of God to give to the people of the world to use as a guide to live their lives and to find that pure joy and pure love of Christ in their life.

Well, we then felt impressed that we should teach her lesson right then and there on the phone. We asked if we could and she said alright. We then asked her if she could say the opening prayer. She at first didn't want to, but the spirit worked on her and she finally agreed. (Satan was really working on her that night).

Well as she prayed, the spirit came into the area where we were at and there was no denying that this is why every other lesson went through, because the Spirit knew where we needed to be. To teach her at that moment in a parking lot. As we taught, we followed the commitment we were given at the Halfway Training of Teaching, Testifying, Testifying, Teaching. As we did this, the spirit guided us throughout that whole lesson.

I have grown a personal love for the spirit to guide the lesson than ever before. Not like the spirit wasn't there before in lessons. I just have now seen the difference when the lesson is fully relying on the Spirit. I see a HUGE difference now when the spirit is teaching the lesson and how lesson goes in a completely different direction of where these people need to go.

So you must be asking, "What is the latest update with one of our other investigators?" Well no need to wait any longer. :) SHE IS GROWING SO QUICKLY AND IS PROGRESSING! We taught her about the three main commandments you need to live before and after baptism. Prayer, Scripture Study, and Going to Church. As we taught this lesson, the spirit. MAN! It was there. You could tell by how she was willing to follow the commitments we gave her. She is on her way to following the Savior's example by being baptized. We then had a follow up lesson two days later and she was doing so good with them and we even asked if she was planning on going to church this Sunday. She said she would. LIFE MADE. Coming to church was something that was hard for her to understand at the beginning but now understands that the Sacrament is of importance to take every Sunday.

A cool experience we had about Sacrament we had with her about that was she said her first time she went to church with us awhile back, she said as she took the Sacrament, she said that she FELT the importance of it she just didn't fully understand why. HOW COOL IS THAT. She has been prepared all her life and with moments like this to come into Christ's Church.

Well, this Sunday... SHE CAME TO CHURCH! It was the best feeling ever! :) I am so happy for her! Another example of her willingness to change was we were about to pray and asked her to pray. She agreed and then we asked if we could do a kneeling prayer (which btw are the BEST kinds) and she at first was surprised but agreed and told us she never had done one before. Her heart is so open to growth. It is so inspiring to sister C and I.

Something I learned more this week is that as missionaries we only have so much time and that as we teach we need to be straightforward as we teach that we are disciples of Jesus Christ sharing that Christ's full church has been restored back onto the earth! What an exciting time we are living in!

I am so grateful of all the knowledge I receive hear from people we talk with on the road or lessons we teach to learning from other missionaries. For Example, Sister C (a different Sister C) and I were on a split for a big street contacting activity. SHE IS A GIFT TO THIS MISSION. I learned SO much from her in 4 hours. I know that examples are set so that way we can set a model and foundation of who we can become.

I think the biggest thing this week that Sister C and I learned is that we have a motto: THERE ARE NO SUCH THINGS AS COINCIDENCES!

We have seen this in EVERYTHING in our lives recently.

I know that God LIVES. He KNOWS us each individually. We are HIS. I know that we gain this knowledge for ourselves as we study the scriptures, pray to him, and going to church and partaking of the precious sacrament and remember of the wonderful covenants we have made through baptism. I love my Savior and for the Atonement. Because of Him, I can become better. I can start again every single day.

I just want to testify that as you do all that you can to live the Gospel Of Jesus Christ, you will find the joy that cannot be found anywhere else. And as you do this, look for opportunities to share that joy that you have felt. Of the Love of God.

"And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit." (1 Nephi 8:12).

As you do this, the Lord will bring those to mind that you know of who is ready NOW to come unto Christ and to come into the waters of baptism. As you do this you will find a greater joy that will come into your life.

"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!

"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!" (Doctrine and Covenants 18:15-16).

I love this Gospel and the opportunity and privilege I have to serve alongside my Savior in Albania.

I love you ALL, but know if nothing else, your Heavenly Father LOVES you and will always will.

Motra Bezas

The whole reason for a mission...

to help others realize Jesus stands ready to help them have 

faith and hope in an ever-darkening world. 

Motra Bezas's Albanian Bible

Motra C is reunited during a training with her MTC companion, Motra R!

These are wonderful young ladies! 

New pass-along cards that teach about the Savior's amazing grace and gift of redemption

The Valentine's card made by Motra Bezas's awesome companion

The sweet messages Motra Bezas gave as a "wall" Valentine's card 

for her missionary companion

Albanian candies traditionally given when a visitor comes to the house

Some of the missionaries in Motra Bezas's district on a pday playing a friendly game of 

dominoes in the park with friendly Albanians

On the same pday, having a picnic in the park with the district missionaries. Pday's are their "rest" days; the other six days of the week they spend teaching about the Savior.

19th pday email from Albania

Hello Everyone,

This week I learned a lot. About myself and about the Lord's hand in each person's life and how much He LOVES US. I am so grateful the opportunities that Father in Heaven has given while I've been here on my mission everyday. This last week I went on two exchanges.

One with Sister M and one with Sister F. Both of these sisters are amazing daughters of God and I was SO tremendously privileged to serve them and what they bring to this mission and the people they come in contact and testify to.

While I was with Motra M, I really saw with more of an open eye of how the gift of tongues has been working in my life. Since she is Albanian and doesn't know much English, we went full Speak Your Language. I saw how much the Lord has helped me. More than 6 months ago I wouldn't have been able to converse, plan, and teach in Albanian.

Sure I am not perfect, and I made plenty of mistakes while talking with her. But she helped me through them and helped me to become better as a missionary. With Sister F, I learned so much with her. She is everything that a missionary should be. She tries so hard. I look up to her in every way. She is a great model to build upon.

A couple of amazing things happened this week. One, one of our investigators again prayed in a lesson we had with her this week. She had started to pray with saying, "Our Father in Heaven, we are so blessed to be aware of your existence. While so many don't..." After that, she went silent. We waited for a long time in silence, eyes closed, for her to continue.

A few moments went by until she finally asked one of us to finish the prayer because she couldn't finish it. We both opened our eyes, Sister C and I. She gave me the go ahead to say it.

As I finished the prayer, I really felt the love He has for this woman who is learning so much about Jesus. This was just a witness that Prayer is a power and brings us closer to our Father in Heaven. That is why Satan tries so hard with each of us to not pray. It was this case with this wonderful woman.

Well, the next lesson we ended up having with her we were following up with her on baptism. She said that she wants this for herself. We then started to discuss a date, so her date is for the 28th of March. Sister C couldn't believe what just happened. This woman is just one of many examples that there are those that are moving in the direction of their Savior. I am so grateful I get to be a witness of this at work with so many.

I had another experience I had with God's love for His children. When I was on my exchange with Sister F, we visited a less active. We planned on a lesson with her on the small section of Faith in Jesus Christ from the lesson The Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I hadn't realized that Faith in Jesus Christ could be something that might not come so easily to others. As missionaries we are always exercising Faith in Jesus Christ and seeing the fruit of it come into our lives. Well, as we taught her, she expressed that she felt that God was not in her life at this moment. It was so heartbreaking because at that moment, the spirit came in so strongly than I have ever felt before. I received a witness that He loves this woman.

I have to express love and gratitude for my WONDERFUL companion, Sister C. She is SO golden. Every lesson that we have, she puts her full effort into and tries her best to learn and progress in the language. I have already seen multiple witnesses that her role in this mission is of great importance. That there are specific people she needs to teach and to touch.

I've seen her down the road the leadership positions she will have. She has been prepared and is constantly preparing for what Heavenly Father has in store for her. I feel that it is this way with everyone. It is just up to us to do all that we can with each experience that we have and learn from them and take that knowledge and use it in our lives how Heavenly Father would have us use it.

This week was Sister C's first two exchanges: one in another person's area and one here in our area by herself with an Albanian. OH. MY. GOODNESS. SHE ROCKED IT!!!! I am so blessed to learn from her example. I know she is in my life for this reason and for many others that I don't fully comprehend at this time.

Okay, I am realizing how big this letter is becoming and so I will wrap this up with a few last things. We had a lesson with another woman..... IN HER NEW HOUSE! The hand of the Lord was throughout it. While we were there and as she showed us the house, there was such a peace. It felt right. It was another witness that He is aware of what is going on with her.

Another fast story. We went to another individual's home for a lesson and her youngest son was in the lesson. Normally he has not been that friendly to us as missionaries. But that day, he served us a small treat. Even after he served us our sliced apples he cut up for us, he came back a few minutes later with ANOTHER sliced apple. He had such excitement as he put in on the table.

That was so sweet and kind of him. I think that with us teaching the lessons to his mom, his heart is softening to us. He even stayed in the lesson and even thought he wasn't participating, you could tell he was actually listening to what we were teaching her.

I love this gospel. It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Without Him and what He has done for us, we would have no beacon of hope to follow in the world full of darkness. Jesus Christ is EVERYTHING and we are HIS. No matter what lies that Satan tries to get us to believe, we are THE LORD'S and we are of GREAT WORTH!

Until next time, keep pressing forward and DON'T GIVE UP!

Motra Bezas

Really bad raining and flooding in eastern Europe - 

and in Motra Bezas's case, the strong storm broke her missionary companion's umbrella!

Motra Bezas's hair after being in the storm

Some of the beautiful countryside during one of the moody-weather days 

 Going to a zoo in Albania

 With some of the other sister missionaries at the zoo

Several of God's sweet animals at the zoo

A fun picture for Valentine's Week email!