Monday, January 9, 2017

Week 48: The 21st Time is the Charm

Ç'kemi!

For P-day today we played zone soccer... so much fun! My team crushed it :).

First, I just gotta say... Gezuar Vitin e Ri, or, Happy New Years! On Saturday we were given a much needed break to celebrate. A list of approved movies was released and Motra Suckow and I decided to watch The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Elf, Star Wars 7, and Anastasia - we were given from 4pm - 12:30am to watch! At midnight we went onto our porch to see the fireworks and it was awesome, literally everyone, our neighbors included, were shooting off huge fireworks. It was a good idea that we were in by 4pm... we were told that if we were to stay out past dark here we would need to carry an umbrella because if not, firecrackers would be thrown on us from the buildings above!

New Years is the biggest holiday celebrated in Albania. It's interesting, they kinda mush Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years into one big day of celebration and I say that because on Dec 31st they eat a big dinner with turkey, they say that Santa comes that night, and they finish it off with the fireworks.

As work goes, highlight from the week!

Motra Suckow and I have been trying to meet with a less active in Berat. There's actually only one less active in our whole area and apparently missionaries have been trying her door for months but with no luck; she's either not home and the lights are off OR she is home, the lights are on, but she doesn't answer. Motra Suckow said last transfer they probably knocked on her door twenty separate occasions with no answer. Then Friday night and Motra Suckow and I decide to try her; we figured maybe she would have off from work for the holiday. Amazingly she answered! She was one of the nicest ladies EVER! She loaded us down with fruit and candy and cookies, we said a prayer together, and she gave us four months worth of tithing she'd held on to. I couldn't believe her faith as she handed us the envelope!  We really hope to see her in church soon!

It was really nice to make some New Years resolutions this week; I was able to make some mission-related as well as some back-at-home related goals :), I love this feeling of hope and goal-setting that always accompanies this time of the year. But I was thinking about it yesterday in sacrament and I shouldn't feel this way only at the beginning of January, I should be feeling this way every time I take the sacrament! I'm grateful for the opportunity that I have to take the sacrament, to repent, and to try to be better week after week!

Have a great week, ju dua!

Motra Fulop


This is E! I drew the beautiful background :)
This is baklava, a traditional Turkish dessert that ALL of the Albanians make for New Years. Our landlord gave us some!​
Happy New Yearssss. Hair was gross because our water was out for a couple days. No shower for me.
Nene socks on. Burrito in hand. Elf showing. It was a good New Years.
A, S, comp, and I
 

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