33rd pday email from Albania!

Dear Precious Daughters and Sons of God,

This week miracles came right and left. I know that the Lord is watching out for us here with all the people we come in contact with. They are placed there by our Loving Heavenly Father to help each other learn and grow. That is why are even here in the first place. It is not a competition. It is a journey we embark. And as we go through our different parts of our journey, we slip and fall, but that is where others come in and help each other up. We are literally all in this together.

I know that we are each needed to help one another. It is why we have the families that we do. We are a team and as we work through our trials together, we gain a deeper love and connection to one another, which brings the blessing of peace of the Holy Ghost. And as we feel the spirit of God, we are becoming closer to our Father In Heaven. My favorite thing to tell others about why we are here as missionaries, is to help others coming unto Christ and gaining a deep loving relationship with their Father in Heaven. It is a great way to remind people of who they are and that Our Father in Heaven Desires greatly to hear from us and updates on our journey.

I know that His whole focus is on His children. We matter so much to Him. I felt His overwhelming love at moments this week when I was getting down on myself and it would be a reminder and a comfort, that everything is going to be okay and that it is just a day of growth that will add to the whole picture. Every single step we take is NEEDED in our journey through life.

Every step we take is a step forward to Christ and to our Father in Heaven. So we must never think we have not made any progress. EVERY SINGLE STEP IS PROGRESSION!!!!! Either towards Christ or towards Satan. I know that this life is FULL of experiences that we can receive and God knows what we can and cannot handle.

I actually have a story with this concept. It was with one of our newer investigators. She is a single woman with her 7 year old son. He has some mental problems that make him one of the most sweet innocent boys his age here. I know that he is a without a doubt a BLESSING to her with all the trials she has faced. She lives with her Father and her sister. We were teaching her and her sister the first part of the Plan of Happiness (I say happiness because  the knowledge we gain in this plan God has created for us, brings a joy and happiness that this life is a blessing) when I was testifying about how God loves us so much and that we matter to him.

She then asked the question to me, "Okay, I know you say God loves us, but then why have I suffered so much?" By this point she is in tears and I just remember looking into her eyes and just smiled at her. After a moment of silence, the spirit filled the room as she wiped away her tears. I grabbed her hand and just smiled deeply at her as if the Savior would have and said that we go through this life to experience many things. All that she was going through was to help her grow and giving her opportunities to use her agency to bring herself closer to Christ. 

I told her that the Lord is fully aware of her and all that she is going through, she is fully capable. I then told her that from personal experience that the times that I faced things with my Father in Heaven, I still faced my trials, but not alone. I was never alone. In fact, I had more joy and more strength when I opened the door for Him to walk in and be by my side as I walk  forward with my journey. 

I just remember the amazing Spirit that was there as I looked into her eyes. This woman has been through many hardships, but I know the Lord has been and is fully aware of what she needs. She just needs to continue down this path that she has started to her Savior, Jesus Christ.

I know that the Spirit was the teacher in this lesson with her. It was in those Still and Quiet Moments that I was able to know as to what to teach her.

This song really struck me with that experience.

Still and quiet moments -  Mckenna Thomas

It's in the still and quiet moments

It's in the words of a prayer

It's every time, I listen closely

That I can feel it near

In the earning of my soul

When I need love the most 

I cry out for a comfort and I'm filled with hope

That's lead me on 

It's in the peace of the promise

To our heart that it's pure

It's in the love that surrounds me

When I'm learning for more 

Is the true that I feel

When I start to see

I know that is the answer that's meant just for me 

That's lead me on

And I feel it deep in my soul 

And it speaks the truth that I know 

And He guides my life 

So I'll go...

Leading my heart 

Leading me home 

Leading me on

It's in the still and quiet moments
It's in the words of a prayer 
It's every time I listen closely 
That I can feel It near.

I know this is true. That this life is all about the still and quiet moments of listening and being in tune with the spirit. 

An amazing experience I learned also about the spirit was through Sister O. I was feeling super sick one day this week of food we ate, and so while I was suffering, waiting for it to end, I had fallen asleep in pain. But Sister O went into the other room to pray over the lessons that we had that day (little did I know until later) and asked in specifics as what we should teach those we would be meeting that day. 

Well, later after my sickness subsided, we came together to do companion study and plan our lessons. She then begins to explain that she felt really strongly impressed that there were certain lessons  that we needed to do today that were not what we had planned. One lesson we had was with one particular woman, and Sister O  had a amazing experience - that after she asked God, she flipped open Preach My Gospel and it opened to "Effective Study". Sister O looked confused at the section and flipped a few pages away but felt that she needed to go back.

She flipped back and as she looked at the contents of the section, she realized that this was what the  woman needed. She is a investigator that has read the Book of Mormon a couple times now but can't get baptized until March next year due to her mother, so she is doing all to follow Christ while waiting. Sister O then realized that this could be good with her and her approach with scripture study.

The next part that was amazing with this was as she shared this with me, a thought came to mind of a bookmark a received in a package from my family at Christmas that said, "50 Different Ways to Study the Scriptures". As I grabbed it, I starred at it and Sister O asked, "What is it?" I then handed it to her. I watched her face as she studied what I handed to her.

I just remember her face looking up at me and said, "You had this this whole time?" I just nodded and as I did so, the Spirit filled the room. She then said, "We are SO teaching her this!" 

Another miracle that happen this week is not something that just happened just this last week, but the whole transfer but it has made huge progress this week with one of our investigators. Well, SHE IS GETTING BAPTIZED THIS NEXT WEEK!!!!!!!!!!! 

Believe me when I say she has been one of the biggest miracles I have seen this transfer. I never thought that her family - one - would allow her to be baptized and two, that she would be baptized this transfer. She seriously has a sweet desire to follow her Lord and Savior every time she comes to our lessons and church. She feels that recharge. I know the Lord is pleased with her.

Another blossoming miracle that happen this week was with another investigator and her family. Before in the beginning, her family was nice, but their hearts have really opened to us and even this last week, I saw this family being a solid active family. She is seriously so ELECT!!! The thing that Sister O and I came to the conclusion was that the spirit really softened their hearts along with seeing that we actually do what we actually teach. By living by example. 

I honestly think that it is this way in every aspect of life. We even had an experience even today with this. We went to this little shop that we passed every day to go to the church from our house and this lady made a commented on how we dressed. We both couldn't help but smile that this woman gave it away that she had noticed us enough on the roads that she knew what we wore as a standard. She was such a sweet lady as we talked with her as we shopped in her shop. God loves His Children. I cannot say it enough. :)

Another cool experience was we were eating lunch and as we were at the window of this fast food place, the two ladies working knew us from the couple times we were on that side of town and this last time asked if they could get a copy to read while they had their breaks at work. It brought such great joy to us to realize that even though they are not ready to be baptized right now, it is okay. :) The fact they are acting in following the Lord by wanting to hear His word, is a sign they have the makings of greatness in their lives.

The last story is with another member. He called us and told us that one of his close girl friends was going to be coming to the church soon and wanted us to meet with her. We ran over and asked some background on her and he looked at us and asked back, "Can we please watch, 'Finding Faith in Christ.'" We looked at each other and just looked back to him and said, "Sure."

WOW! The spirit that filled that lesson was amazing  as we watched the acts that the Savior did for God's children and how finding faith is just the first step to our journey towards him!!!

I know that as we are here, we have hardships and wonder why are we facing the things that we are facing, but in the end we need to remember that the only way to grow is through trials and challenges. I know without a doubt that if I had not faced what I have faced thus far, I would not be where I am at today. As hard as it is at times to say, hardships are good for us. :) But it is so true! To return to our Father, we need to do all we can now to prepare to meet God. Like it says in Alma 34:32:

 "... For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors...."

This life is precious time God has given us to be put to the test, will we follow Jesus Christ, who has suffered it all for us, or follow the Liar of all lies? I know that as we rely on the Lord through the Holy Ghost, we will never go astray. NEVER! It is a promise we receive as we follow Him. He loves us and He is willing to do all He can to help us on our journey to returning to Him!

I love you all so much. Remember that Christ understands all the trials and challenges we face through the price He paid in the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He knows you and loves you and will always be with you. So keep relying on Him because He will never leave you!

Me Dashuri,

Motra Bezas