Wow, time is going by SO fast now! We leave to move in to Wyview on Tuesday and that should be an adventure. I really am grateful that our branch was chosen to go. The MTC is great but I feel like I have been here for years and also days at the same time. But since we have stopped learning new grammar principles and things I feel like we are starting to get too comfortable and these move and change will be so good for us. Plus its fun to be the first ones to experience this new west campus. From what I know (and I'm not even sure is all right) we will be living in Wyview and our classes will be in Raintree. Our food for now will be catered-not sure where from yet but I'm hoping we get Cafe Rio. I think they are working on building a gym (especially for when it gets to be winter). I'm not sure how mail is going to work so I guess just keep using the same address for now. I think they are still working on having devotionals in the Marriott which will be sweet. But yeah, looks like I'll be packing this week and then 2 weeks later! Should be fun. Its such a crazy feeling to be doing a lot of "for the last time" things but not really. It's weird. I really am excited for this change though. We'll be the first to experience it :)
I feel like I mentioned before how many prayers people say here (definitely more than the BYU testing center). The other day I was sitting just looking at my hands in my lap (I think there was a hang-nail or something) but one of the Motrat turned and started taking to me but stopped really quick and and checked to make sure I hadn't been praying or anything. Which I hadn't been...I was probably just looking at that hang-nail but its a pretty valid concern here. You never know if when someone closing their eyes has fallen asleep or is saying a prayer, both are pretty likely! Sometimes it makes me think of that Julian Smith video "Don't you ever interrupt me when I'm reading a book" but instead "Don't you ever interrupt me when I'm saying a prayer!" Haha, yesterday we were outside and my companion had her head down (really saying a prayer) and some elders called over to her to wake up...haha "don't you ever interrupt me when I'm saying a prayer!". The other thing that comes to mind is that divine comedy sketch when that guy fell asleep and everyone that came up stopped talking because they thought he was praying...do you know which one I'm talking about? I can't remember the name of it... Oh MTC, I'll still miss you.
Some other stuff about this week, Motra Kokol and I taught our district meeting on Sunday. We were told the night before it was about the Holy Ghost and started planning for it, but then in the morning he said he told us wrong and it was actually Book of Mormon. He's a new district leader so its okay, we are both pretty flexible people anyways. But we only had 1 hour to prepare and how we were going to teach it together (it takes a little bit more time to prepare when you're teaching with someone). But it was cool because we were able to explain our time crunch to the Lord and it was neat to see how He directed our thoughts and was pretty involved in the lesson planning. I don't think I've ever experienced "Sunday school" lesson planning quite like that before. Pretty neat.
Sunday devotional Sister Mary Ellen Edmunds came to speak to us. That woman is fantastic! She is so funny but brings the spirit so strong. She has served multiple missions and has just great advice. I love that woman. We heard from her in RS the first week I was hear and I'm so happy I got to hear from her again.
The talk we watched after (they have movies and past devotionals you can watch after) we watched Character of Christ by Elder Bednar and it changed my life. I have not been able to stop thinking about it since. I'm not sure if you have access to it in any way but if you do you should definitely watch it because ahhhh, its just so good. Basically he just encouraged us to study the characteristics of Christ and went through a couple of them with us. One was focusing outward. I love that. I feel like the natural man is definitely selfish but that's why repentance is so great. We can change! I love this gospel!!
I'm running out of time which stinks because I was saving the best stuff for last!
I'll leave you with a cool little realization I had the other day when I was talking with Motra Kokol and her friend sister Pyne. I feel like we sometimes wish we had more time to prepare. More time to study for tests. More time to prepare before lessons. But its when we are actually tested on what we know, when we are put into lessons with investigators...that is when we grow and develop the most, when we are made to act. At times, I wish I had more time to work on lessons but honestly, my lessons probably wouldn't be more prepared if I had more time, at a certain point you just have to go for it. Sometimes I wish I had more time here in the MTC to learn Albanian. But the truth of it is, I'll be in Albanina in 3 weeks whether I am ready or not. But when I am there I know that I'll be able to grow much more and much faster than I would if I got more time here. Strength and development comes from taking action. I can either be scared and feel unprepared or see this as another learning opportunity and embrace it with excitement. I want to be excited, no I will be excited, no, I am excited! Don't be afraid of new challenges that come into your life, but see them as opportunities to grow. I know you'll find strength you didn't know you had and a greater amount of happiness.
One more thing really quick. I was at lunch today and was over in the leftover section getting this casserole thing with cheddar cheese on the top. I was standing near my shoqen (companion) and I was like "I'm really gonna miss cheddar cheese" (because we found out yesterday that Albania doesn't have cheddar cheese) anyways, I hear this soft chuckle that does not sound like Motra Kokol and I turn to my side and Sister Hacking is just standing there. "I like cheese too" she says. Wow. We have so much in common! Hahaha, she is a fun lady.
Well, that's about it this week! Well at least that I can remember at the moment. We'll see what happens this week! Keep the letters coming, you only have a couple weeks left and then letters will take between 3 weeks to a month to get to me and vice verses. I love you all. The church is true. I love being a missionary!
Paqe dhe bekimit,
Motra Kertis
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