That's a pretty red car!

C'kemi!

 

Food:

Okay, I gotta start with food this week. Not that it’s the most important...but kinda... haha. Elder Knight is getting transferred this week and so one of the couples had the elders over for dinner and invited us too. It was so good! We had probably the best byrek that I have ever eaten. The soup was "super" delicious as well. (get it, soup, super...haha). It was a fun time. Also, Iliriana gave us byrek at one lesson and we talked about making byrek together sometime. Although we couldn't go when she made byrek next she brought us a whole pan of it (and the elders too). We are also given lots of mandarins, all the time. We are trying to keep up with eating them before they go bad (we each eat about 6-7 a day). The elders made a cake for transfers last night and gave us some (they borrowed butter from us because they ran out). It was one of the most intense cakes I've ever eaten. They weren't joking when they said it's pretty much just butter and sugar. But it tasted way good.

Investigators:

They continue to progress, slowly but surely. Some new people we found haven't really gone anywhere, but sometimes it is through them that we find other people. You just gotta talk to everyone. We also found a less active member. We had a map that gave us the general direction and a picture of the house. It took a little bit but we found it! We kept getting calls during the lesson but usually we just reject them and call back later. But it was this number and the elders. Finally, I excused myself to talk to them. One of Motra Guri's aunts was in distress and wanted to talk to Motra Guri. It was a rough situation and Motra Guri was worried after. So here we are trying to meet this girl and help her come back to church and instead she is helping me comfort my companion. It was an interesting situation but I feel like it pulled us closer. She really opened up about why she hadn't been coming to church and we were able to help resolve some of her concerns. Hopefully she will be at church on Sunday. 

 

Motra Guri:

 

I forgot to tell you, Motra Guri loves cars. But not just any kind of car, specifically red cars. She always points them out. Not in a "that’s a sweet 1940 Mercedes Benz" way (I obviously don't know car talk either) but more in a "that's a pretty, red car". It makes me laugh. There is this red car that we pass all the time that we're gonna get a picture with one of these days...haha. She also gets hiccups all the time! They say here that you get hiccups whenever someone is thinking about you. Every time we try to guess if it’s her family or a special boy. Either way, I never get hiccups! What is this? Do you people never think of me??! Hahaha. Just kidding. What other fun things to know about her...she’s a joker and loves to laugh but often assumes the most serious faces for pictures. She’s a fun companion.

 

Fun things that make my life happy:

 

Motra Guri's aunt's mother made us these sweet matching orange socks that may or may not be the coolest thing ever. I'm converted to the way of the knitted socks and will learn the art someday so that all my socks will be such. Sometimes I bring them with me to wear in peoples houses. (We always take our shoes off at the door.) They are legit! I seriously love them.

 

Sometimes we take pictures with the toys we find in the house's of those we teach. We found Tigger! Also, the woman gathered all the toys together so we could pose with them. It was hilariously fun. 

 

We went back to one of the houses of members who we promised to take pictures with but we had a couple other members with us. I wasn't sure if they still wanted to take pictures so I waited to see if they would bring it up. They didn't until at the end I was saying goodbye to one of them and she was like we'll see you again sometime and then whispered in my ear, "and bring the camera". They are a hoot!

 

We had an all time high church attendance this week since I have been in Lushnjë! I think we had 42-45 people! It was fantastic! We also had an all-time high number of people show up to play soccer this week. It’s neat to watch the friendships that are happening. I love being friends with these great people, but even more I love them making friends with each other. 

 

Life is good and the work is going forward. I love being a missionary. I look talking and thinking about Jesus Christ everyday. I promise that if you will think of Christ everyday you will feel the spirit stronger in your life. I know it’s true. A mission is such a unique opportunity to have a Christ focused day, everyday. But I also know you don't have to be a missionary to make that happen. So I invite you to make that happen in your life. Right now. Just do it. Paqja dhe bekimet!

 

Ju dua shumë! Zoti ju bekoftë!

Motra Curtis