Week 21: Call Us Street Rats

Përshëndetjaaaa how is everyone?!

Sorry I don't have much time to email today! We had a lot of random stuff we needed to get done. 

It's bee rough recently because of Ramadan. We barely get any lessons. We'll plan for a couple each day but they always no-show. So Motra Henderson and I have been street contacting a lot. We used to always stay together as a pair, pull people aside, and talk to the people on the street together. But now that I'm almost finished my training transfer we split off, meaning we stand on opposite sides of the sidewalk so we can get double the work done (but no worries mom we're still within sight/hearing of each other). This is a big hurtle I'm trying to overcome. I'm not the most outgoing person ever and now I have to try to pull people aside on the road and carry out a meaningful, spiritual conversation with them. I had a really bad attitude about it the first two days this week. I just wanted to go back and stand with Motra Henderson again, where it was much easier. But then I read this scripture.... "And at all times, and in all places, he shall open his mouth and declare my gospel with the voice of a trump,both day and night. And I will give him strength such as is not known among men." - D&C 24:12. This scripture inspired me. I felt like it was talking directly to me. I felt empowered after reading it and I've had more success on the street since.

This is my last week as a greenie! This weekend we'll get transfer calls and I'll see if I'm staying in Prishtina or heading somewhere else. 'Till next week. I'll keep you updated!

Dashuri nga Kosova,

Motra Fulop

 

Went to mission conference in Tirana and got to spend a night with MOTRA LYNGGGG

Traditional food. All this only cost me 4 Euro!

Our friend S moved back to Colorado last week :(

 

Week 20: Work Hard Play Hard

Mirë dita! Qysh jeni?

Another week here & gone in Prishtina. Where to start... we played volleyball on Saturday night at the park which is always one of the highlights of my week :). We tie the net between two trees so there are roots and branches all over the place but it still works. It has proven to be a great finding opportunity because people are always interested when they see a bunch of foreigners playing volleyball so we get a nice crowd of spectators, but more importantly, we've been finding people to teach from it! 

Something cultural: The soccer games have been insanity. Last night Albania beat Romania in the Euro Cup. It was 11pm (which is after the 10:30 mandatory missionary bedtime) and I couldn't sleep if I tried haha everyone was out partying on the streets going nuts. We got some pretty cool views of fireworks.

Something marvelous: Friday we had a really neat experience. We went to a company called HandiKos where we were greeted by some service missionaries that flew in from America. We helped them distribute about thirty wheelchairs to people that couldn't afford to buy them on their own. It was so cool to be apart of this. Many of the people were scooped out of their cars and put into one of the wheelchairs. Then Motra Henderson and I wrote down all of their information while they waited to be fitted for it. There was one girl I talked to named A and she was beaming the whole time. She was 26 and her whole life she'd had to use crutches because of severe scoliosis. So getting a wheelchair made her life so much easier. There was also a guy in his 30's that came who had to be carried piggy-back by his father his whole life. His father was getting too old to be able to do it anymore. Getting a wheelchair changed their lives.

This was a really eye opening experience for me. I've never first-hand seen people in need of something seemingly so basic. But what's neat to note is that the donated wheelchairs were provided by the our church's tithing money. When I pay my tithing I'll never think of it the same way!

Tribute to dad: Happy belated FATHER'S DAY! I watched this video in the MTC a couple months ago and I've been waiting to send it to you for a long time. I'm sharing it with all because it is worth watching!

 https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2013-01-002-earthly-father-heavenly-father?category=topics/fathers&lang=eng

Ju dua!

Motra Fulop

 

​Orthodox church in the center of the city. It serves as a landmark for their history with the Serbs.

We got TACO BELL for Elder Farnworth's birthday

Motra Henderson & I found these cute shoes today - 1 Euro each. Mom they remind me of my jelly sandals when I was little. I'm pretty happy with this find.

This is the library of Prishtina. Fun fact it's ranked among the top 10 ugliest libraries in the world.

 

Week 19: Ramadan & Exchanges & A Baptism

Përshendetja!

Holy cow this has been the. craziest. week. Our friend S has been in the hospital because she had to get wrist surgery so Motra Henderson and I have been frequenting the hospital to keep her company. Then Wednesday I went on my first exchange which was a lot of fun. I went to Gjakova for the day and it was nice to get out of the city. We went knocking on doors and the first five doors no one answered... but then the sixth a lady answered and she was the nicest ever! We asked if she had time for a message and she quickly let us in. Her and her daughter were the sweetest and really receptive to the gospel! I saw true potential in them. I was pretty happy about that because we rarely are let into people's homes. 

Also we got new neighbors, the Larsons! They're a senior missionary couple and they moved in above our apartment so we've been helping them get settled in. I'm so excited to have them here. They came Friday evening after a 7 hour drive from southern Albania and Elder Larson hopped right into a volleyball game we were having with some investigators. Mind you he's in his 60's but he was killin it. They're going to be a huge help to the church here.

Kosovar things... Ramadan started last Sunday. Everyone fasts from around 2am to 8pm every day and they'll keep it up for the next month. The streets are a lot emptier now and It's pretty tough for us as missionaries because a lot of people aren't as receptive to the gospel now. Like Motra Henderson and I had a few pretty solid investigators but now they say they can't meet with us again until Ramadan is over. Also Albania is in the Euro Cup for the first time so everyone is freaking out about that. We have to avoid the streets because people go nuts over soccer. 

Highlight of the week/my life: B got baptized on Saturday!!! It was amazing. I feel so lucky to have been able to teach her and witness her conversion. Yesterday in sacrament meeting she kept teasing me to go up to bear my testimony. When I told her she should do it she hopped up without hesitation and bore hers. I'm just so proud of her and more importantly I know her Heavenly Father is proud of her. This whole experience has strengthened my testimony so much. If B is the only person I see baptized on my mission, I'll be leaving my mission a happy camper.

I'd like to bear my witness along with Nephi that "this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God." (2 Nephi 31:21) 

Dashuri nga Kosovë,

Motra Fulop <3333

 

My people <333

We have the cutest students in English course

View from the apartment in Gjakova

Baptism!!

 

Week 18: Patience & Healing & CASTLE.

Përshëndetja!

This one's going to be short! Today we went to Prizren and explored a cool, old castle that overlooked the city. But yeah since we did a lot of adventure-ing today I had to sacrifice some emailing time!

Something Kosovar: Motra Henderson were outside for a few hours, and it was pretty hot outside. Then we walked up 6 flights of stairs to our friend's apartment for a lesson. We were sweating pretty good but our friend S greeted us with fruit tea!  Apparently they drink tea year round here, even on the hottest day of the summer. I think it's pretty bizarre.

On Friday we got a call from one of our member friends, S, saying that she slipped and fell in her kitchen. She landed on her wrist pretty good. So we went over to her apartment and she was sitting on the sidewalk. Her wrist was super messed up and deformed looking. So we spent most of the day Friday in the ER with her. She'll need to get surgery for it and everything. We've been spending a good amount of time with her the past couple days as she sorts everything out for her surgery.

Last night we had a really good discussion with S about God's will. Many times we think, "Why me? Why would God let this happen to me?" But sometimes we need to be humbled in order to grow stronger. "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." - Ether 12:27 

Ju dua!

Motra Fulop xoxo

<333

Just Do It. Nike.

THANK YOU Abby and Lizzy for sending me these! I'm never taking them off

Exploring the ruins

PRIZREN