looks photo-shopped but it's not
this cute member is comin' back (had unfortunate work schedules-Sunday mornings) and is eager to help with lessons yayy
eci keci (they named him eriku)
operation disinfect (good thing I've experienced Florida cockroaches so I wasn't as grossed out when the mattresses were infested with bugs)
this is after, idk if you can tell but it was wayy cleaner after taking everything outside and scrubbing everything down (including the past 3 layers of paint on the walls)
I'll tell you the story behind this cake.. powerful lesson with it
This past week was great. We've been getting a little more creative with contacting, now that the weather's nicer for the most part and everybody's outside. We've also been aligning some street contacting time with the elders because strength in numbers (&strength in a roll-up poster of Christ), we seem to draw more attention and make more of an impact when it's all half of our district (the other half's in Berat). The other night we sang hymns (and played some on Irish tin whistle/recorders lol.. I have one that someone left behind and one of the elders has one so we brought those out and played hymns). We tried the singing approach again last night-in pouring rain, for two straight hours. We were drenched and I have to say I felt like a "true" missionary :) Also the other night we set up a table, advertising a challenge.. who can fit 6 ping-pong balls and a small bucket of sand inside a jar? It's only when you place the bigger balls in first and then pour on the sand that it works, so we related that to priorities and explained that we need to reflect on what we're filling our lives with- who comes first; God/faith/family etc?
Cectpa Maxfield got to experience Adriatic South tracting (illegal në Maqëdoni) for her first time, where we met sweet and lonely nënës/ xhaxhis.
A month ago we started a weekly "Kursi i Librit të Mormonit", basically a Book of Mormon study group, with the idea of providing a more causal setting for members to bring their friends to find out what the Book's even about. The other day we read 1 Nephi 5 and talked about genealogy as well as keeping our own records aka writing a journal.
We had a zone training in Fier with some good discussion regarding sincerity and just getting to know these people we're trying to teach, which I agree is very important, as my comp. says "they don't care how much you know until they know how much you care".
We had a very satisfying service project (part 1, we'll be going back this week for the other back room) deep-cleaning the J Family's little house. Whew it sure needed it, it was nice to look back and compare the before to the after.
The cake lesson! Bought a pretty little cake from a nearby pastiçeri, put a plastic bowl covering it, then frosted the bowl with chocolate frosting and decorated with sprinkles etc. Our friends were so excited when we brought it over for our lesson, but were disgusted (and a little angry!) when we squirted hot sauce, balsamic vinegar, garlic etc. all over it. Our point was that something beautiful-our faith, our testimonies- gets ruined pretty quickly when we sin, esp. when we rationalize that it's just a little/ not enough to make a difference. We got just the reaction we were hoping for, which really drove the point home.
I'd like to end with the words to a hymn I came across the other day, because the words to the 2nd verse are always gonna make me think of Lushnjë, this wonderful little place that's become my home.
"The flowers around me may be fairer than those that bloom upon thy hills;
the streams, great, mighty treasure bearers, more noted may be than thy rills.
No world renown my humble village like these great towns may proudly claim;
yet my fond heart doth thrill with rapture whenever I hear thy humble name. "
(here's the tune of the hymn: https://www.lds.org/music/library/hymns/o-home-beloved-mens-choir?lang=eng)
So grateful to be a missionary here, for the opportunity to talk to everyone about the gospel of Jesus Christ, all day everyday (yes, even p-day;) ).
Ju puth!
<3 Motra Rajlli
they are amaazing (and insist on feeding us delicious, gourmet dinners when we go over for a lesson)
J is soo awesome, and L grew up in Kosovo so she knows Serbian so her and Sis. Maxfield use their Slavic languages to communicate
her camera got a virus her 1st p-day here :( but no worries I usually manage to snap a few pics
Sunday afternoon, some missionaries left behind "settlers of Zarahemla" (like Catan haha)
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