39th Pday Email from Albania!

Dear Lovely People,

This week the Lord has blessed me with new insight of our purpose of who we are and why we are here. To use our Agency to follow our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.

Something that was said at one dear family's baptism - it was their special day of starting on their path through the waters of baptism. It was from a councilor from the Bishop: "Without the Holy Ghost, we would not be able to know that Jesus is the Christ!" That really resonated with me. I knew that without a doubt that that was true and how important it is for us to STRIVE every single day to be WORTHY of the SPIRIT of the LORD! That is part of the endurance process while we are here. Once we receive the gift of His spirit to be with us we need to become like him every day by keeping ALL the commandments of God and to stand firm in the faith.

This week Sister H and I saw so many amazing things this week. I know that she was called here to find those who need her witness and light in their lives. An example of this we saw this week was while we did a big street contacting, there were these people that she was talking to that were from actually Macedonia (where she just got transferred from)!!! Talk about the Hand of the Lord or what?! It was such an example of the Lord for me to see how he is wanting all that want his gospel in their lives, to have the chance or even multiple chances to accept the gospel in their lives.

Another example of the Hand of the Lord this week was taking a member out to our investigator who lives pretty far on foot. Well come to find out that this member knew one of our investigators. Their families grew up together! It was so cool to see how they connected right away and how there is no such thing as coincidences with the Lord.

I simply want to testify that the Lord blesses us in our journey. At the beginning, the middle, the end, and sprinkled throughout out them. Well, I have come to see how the Lord blessed us with two new investigators that daughters of a father who is a member of the church. They are just amazing daughters of God that are looking for the great truth.

I know that if they take this gospel into their lives with real intent and follow the commitments, they will come to know for themselves that this has the fullness of the gospel for them to come to know the Savior more than they have ever have before. Their examples are just amazing to me of diligent in studying the Bible. It gives me a drive to understand even more the words of the apostles that witnessed the miracles and light and messages he taught.

An amazing experience happened with another investigator while we visited her with the member. We were teaching her the Priesthood and half way through she was feeling really sick and I felt impressed strongly to ask if she wanted a Priesthood Blessing for Health. She said she would love that. So we brought Elder D and Elder W with us and went to her home. Before they did the blessing we went more into a lesson with her about the Authority and Purpose and Importance the Priesthood is and the great power there is with giving and receiving blessings.

Well, she listened intently and even gave greater depth. She is seriously Golden! So she went and grabbed a chair. (Motra Bezas then shared some really tough things that had happened to the investigator.)

I can just remember the moment she sat down in the chair, she looked at me. And for a moment, it was as if our spirits connected and that I felt just an ounce of what she had gone through and with the trials she was facing right now. The words of a hymn I had sang a million came into my mind, never had made a greater connection than it had at this moment.

Come, come ye saints

No toil nor labor fear

But with joy, wend your way

Though hard to you,

This journey may appear,

Grace shall be as your day,

Tis better far for us to strive

Our useless cares from us to drive

Do this and joy, your hearts will swell

All is well! All is well!

Why should we mourn?

Or think our lot is hard?

Tis not so, all is bright

Why we think to earn a great reward?

If we now shun the fight

Gird up your loins

Fresh courage take

Our god will never us forsake

And soon we’ll have this tale to tell

All is well! All is well!

We’ll find the place

Which God for us prepared

Far away, in the West

Where none shall come

To hurt of make afraid

There the saints, will be blessed

We’ll make the air, with music ring,

Shout praises to, our god and king,

Above the rest these words we’ll tell

All is well! All is well!

And should we die

Before our journey's through,

Happy day! All is Well

We then are free from toil and sorrow, too;

With the just we shall dwell!

But if our lives are spared again

To see the Saint's their rest obtain,

Oh how we'll make this chorus swell-

All is well! All is well!

I began to understand that this song is applicable today as it was for the saints crossing the plains. I remember that after the blessing, the elders left and we did a lesson with her. I remember holding her hand throughout the whole lesson and felt how fragile her trials are making her. But I knew that deep inside, that her spirit was strong and that she needs this gospel to help gain her full strength back.

As we began to leave she asked if she could walk us back onto the main road. We tried to have her stay and rest, but she insisted because she wanted to get out of the house, since she was cooped up all day inside. So as we walked, she hooked onto my arm and I just remember asking a question. Her answer brought tears to my eyes. "Oh Motra, I have done my search. I was Muslim, Jehovah's Witness, and you name it, I've done it. I know that this is the only TRUE church in all the world."

Her simple straight forward answer was so inspiring to me and gave me such a great example to me: THAT WE CAN DO HARD THINGS THROUGH CHRIST!

I know that this is the time the Lord has given us. To help others to come unto Christ and by help each other to become more converted to the Lord. Sister H is just so inspiring to me and all that she teaches me every day while we have been serving together. I know the Lord called us together to help lift each other up.

An experience of this was a few nights ago. We had finished everything and went out to the porch of our house and talked about our existence and the Pre-Earth Life and our Agency and the coming of our Savior and so many small details, I began to gain a bigger understanding of all that we do here is by our use of our Agency and the actions that come from it.

I know that the Lord has given us this life to do one of two things: Following the Liar of all Flatterers, Satan, or to Come unto Christ and stand in his perfect grace and Atonement that shines down for all to experience. I know that there are times in our lives there are days we don't want to face or we don't think we can go much longer, But this I know. He has been there. JESUS CHRIST OUR SAVIOR HAS BEEN THERE.

No matter what a person has gone through or is going through He is there, ready to catch you.

"Pray always, that ye may not faint, until I come. Behold, and lo, I will come quickly, and receive you unto myself. Amen."

- Doctrine and Covenants 88:126

I know that He is there. All we have to do is come unto him, by becoming like him, and we will begin to understand who he truly is! The Son of the Living God who has suffered for the Sins of the World so one day we can return to live with him again!

Me Dashuri, Motra Bezas

http://www.mormontabernaclechoir.org/videos/come-come-ye-saints-mormon-tabernacle-choir.html?lang=eng

One of the rustic rural areas in Albania