wellp. It looks like my spelling is on the verge of a mental breakdown. Wait. That might just be me.

Jokes, jokes. Shaka, shaka.

 

Hello, People of my Heart,

How are you this week? How does life fare for you these days? Who are you this week? Did you think to pray? hahah just kidding I'm not that weird yet. ... .. .. . I am. Pray. Always.

HEY. Katie. I'm talking to you. I know I sent you a letter. I drew a picture of you on the bottom. Obviously that means you need to write me back, fool!! Just follow the example of your elder sister and write me on DearElder! It's so SimPULL.

 

MOMMMMM. PLEASE. Tell Autumn that She is a HERO OVER HERE. No joke!!! I get her crazy cards and hilarity and read them to everybody. We all love her. She makes our day about 8.92 times less horrid. hahaha. Everybody is like, "Is that a letter from your mom's co-worker?? read it out loud!!!" I also got this thing from her that she and her sister used to do- they're balloon paper things and you write goals, fears, hopes, dreams, whatevers on them and put it away in a safe place only to open them a week, month, year, lifetime later and see if you got any of em. So awesome. I also got a homemade puzzle from her. Why is she so creative and awesome?

So happy. She is my sanctuary. Also. Thanks for telling me not to melt. It gets pretty close some days. :)

 

Anyways. We went to the temple this morning. What a BLESSED PLACE. I swear, every time I come out, I just want to go right back in. Also, we get to escape from the MTC for like 2.68 seconds, so... the temple is a true sanctuary.

 

This week was really harrowing. Again. As usual.

One of our dear and precious friends needed to go home to work things out before he can return again. Since there are only 12 of us Albanians in 2 districts, we have all become like a family away from family. He was such a good friend to me, personally. We had these days where we'd go around and share our life stories. We'd talk about incredible gospel topics and experiences that made them true. We had to be careful to stay away from the topic of music because we'd both just start crying about our favorite bands and concerts we went to in another life. He is my favorite kind of hipster:) He was so kind to everyone around him. He helped everyone blend and feel normal and loved. All of us have struggled and cried together at some point, and to see one of us leave is heart-wrenching. However, the best part about it was that we all got to say our goodbyes. We got to tell him how much we love him, how much he is cherished. We got to tell him how proud of him we were for doing the right thing, for doing the most difficult thing. He went around and told each of us what we meant to him.  Most importantly, we got to hear his testimony. Have you ever heard a testimony from a man who is facing certain difficulty and humility with a faith unshakable? Have you ever heard the testimony of a man who KNOWS the Atonement like the back of his hand? You stand in the presence of greatness because they stand in the true understanding of God. Truly, Christ-like. He knows who he is. He knows Who he follows.

We love him. We cannot wait for his return to the field! It will be a few months and they will be particularly trying, but I already know he will be fine. He will return. With a testimony like that, you can't be contained. Personally, I can't wait for the people he will teach. He will know exactly who they are, what they need, and how to find the forgiveness, love, and change they are looking for. He's incredible. This Gospel is incredible. I hope I rely on the Atonement like that EVERY day. I could go on about this Elder and what he means to us. He gave us an incredible experience of Hope and Faith and where to put it. I know that it has only been a month or so, but like I've said before, The MTC is a time warp, and it feels very much like we've been here for a lifetime. This is a trying time.

 

Onward and upward....

 

Cool thing: Janice Kapp Perry came to speak to us on Mother's Day! YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE HER. She is incredible! Hardly anything in this world brings God closer, stronger, and faster to your soul than does the power of music. Hot dang. She also wrote new lyrics to Sisters in Zion. We were the first ones to sing it!! our mission president will give us the lyrics later... (so she says) and I can't wait to send them to you! slash, I'm pretty sure we'll all hear them soon because... it's Janice and her music sells like funnel cakes on the Fourth of July in Alabama. (what?).

 

Other Cool Things: Our investigators (" ") are progressing. I love them as though they are real. hahah. It's very cool to see that the Spirit will always testify of truth even if we're in a mock setting. He doesn't care what you're doing! As long as it's truthful and has real intent! We have committed one to baptism. and by that, I mean we have helped guide a person to the process of a life-long following of Christ. I'm so happy I could be their with them as they came to the knowledge of their True and Eternal Father. I'm glad I can be a guide for a short year and a half. Selfishly, I get to experience joy in the process. I CAN"T WAIT to get out into the field and actually be a part of this for real!

Also, We met a REAL LIVE Albanian! haha. JK. But he's from Durrës and he grew up in the church there! He's here in the MTC as a missionary! He's going to Salt Lake South! How crazy is that?! He came by the class and talked to our teachers for a bit, (in Shqip) so... we kind of sort of followed along. I got the gist of things. Slash. my Albanian is terrible and it was really hard. ha. His English is great, though. Një pak gjelos. (that's called phonetic Albanian. It only exists in my mind, but I assure you it's very used... mostly by me)

Also, We got the most part of the AF Gang together to take a picture at the coveted Map! haha. I will attach some pictures. Last Sunday, Natalie Cameron, Whitney McLelland, Mikelle Pyne, Jessica Carlson, and I found each other because Nat left on Monday to go to France! So. That was a highlight. I love them so much! It is so amazing that we can all be in a place like this at the same time for the same purposes. We missed our other friends terribly, but we know that everyone in their life is doing what they should (or we hope that) and that we have so much love for each other. More families! I love them. Whitney leaves on Tuesday, I think! AAHH I miss them already. I was so lucky to have friends like that in high school. That's the power of kindness, baby. 

 

Other Cool Thing I Should Have Mentioned Before But I'm A Little Scattered:     Elder Russel M. Nelson came to speak to us on Tuesday! That's two Apostles I've seen, now! Perks of being a Missionary. I love when the Apostles come to speak to us because they are quite literally the closest thing we have to the Savior. Because of the way they've lived their lives and the calling they hold, they have been qualified to act in Christ's stead. They are our teachers, our protectors, our warners, and most importantly, our special witnesses of the Savior Jesus Christ. Their personal mission and calling is to testify of Christ and to testify that He lives and what He says is TRUE!!! They call people unto Repentance, or really, Remembrance. We're all here on earth because we already chose good! We chose the Savior and God's plan once. Let's honor our first commitment and re-choose everyday! That's what' they're saying to us. If you're ever in doubt about the church or its members, look to the 15 men who lead this church, because that's what this church really is. Those men and their blessed, sacred wives are the examples we must look to in order to gain a better understanding of what Christ's Gospel looks like in action! We look to them because they point us to Christ. We follow Christ who leads us back to the way and the life to salvation. He tells us how to return to Heavenly Father. We don't follow the Savior because we go to church. We go to church because we follow the Savior. We uphold and sustain our apostles and prophets because we follow the Savior. We do everything BECAUSE we have already made and remembered a commitment to follow the Savior.

 

I'm loving being a missionary, because we are a little like the Apostles. We're trying a little harder to be like little Christs. We are in the MTC to weed out the useless, build up the good, and be filled with the love of Christ within ourselves! Then can we go out and love our investigators and love our people and love our work. I love this Work because I love this Love. Work is Love. It hurts so good.

 

Okay. Well. It looks like I'm turning into one of those freaks. I've never been more happy to be a freak in my entire life. I am a peculiar person. I come from a peculiar family, though, so... what are you gonna do?

I love you all so much! It's so fun to watch my sincerity in that statement grow as I come to understand what love actually means. I hope I never cease to increase! Depth and Simplicity go very well together.

Mirupafshim, njerëzit e zemrës sime.

 

Me Dashuri,

Nga Motra

 

Motra Kokol!