Yo what's up family, and Gehrig, Casey, Lauren, Ammon, and Claire?
This week was better than last week! I'm getting a little bit better at talking to people and a little bit better with the small talk and stuff! Last week I was scared out of my pants, kind of, to talk to people and contact. For a few reasons. Obviously, I'm still learning Shqip, so I don't know completely if something I say makes sense, because not everything translates exactly, and still I understand maybe like 15%-20% of what some people say. Sometimes it's less, sometimes it's more! Haha but I'm getting a little better at talking to people, and street contacting and finding people. One morning, I talked to this lady by myself that was selling tortillas, and it was sweet! Because Elder Jaunay is great at talking to people, and usually if I want to talk, I kind of just have to jump in, which isn't a problem, because that's how Shqiptar are. They like to talk a lot, which sometimes is ok! And then on Tuesday, I got this guys number all by myself! Haha, it kind of feels like I'm a kid again, because I get so excited when I do things "all by myself!" (Brian Regan) Also on Tuesday, we got like 4 referrals from people on the street, which rocked. Also, I'm getting a little better at understanding people on the phone! I had a full phone call all by myself this week also! Woot! Way fun. Haha, Dad, I konw you in particular will like this. I was talking to this one guy on the sidewalk, and I was trying real hard to understand him, and it wasn't going so well, but he said something and that started laughing, and so I just started laughing too, and I remember kind of making this Fletch-face that he makes when he's impersonating someone. My eyes just got all big, and I just laughed and smiled kinda cheesily, but I had, and still have no idea what he said! Haha, but ya know what? S'ka problem! I find that when I laugh off my mistakes, and smile more, the work is way more fun, and I don't get down on myself.
So remember Familja Dalipaj from last week? Well Renato, the 20-year old son came to conference on Sunday! It was way cool to see him on Sunday! We are hoping to start teaching just him and his brother, because their parents really like talking about politics and about how hard life is. I don't mean to sound insensitive at all, but they probably would literally talk for an entire hour if we let them, and we are there to teach about Christ. We have tried to tell them that the gospel can bless us temporally and eternally, but they don't seem to understand that. My point is that we are going to start teaching their two sons who are reading the book of mormon and making some progress! I'm excited for them. Also, we have an English course here that we teach! That's pretty cool! It's a super great way of finding people too!
So this week, it rained pretty hard a couple days! It was awesome. I love it when it rains! It's so nice. We had one lesson with Sindi and Çeleste and one of their friends name Xhesi (pronounced Jessie) and I told her that my sister is named Jessie! But yeah, we were teaching, and they are pretty poor. They have a house that they sleep in and live in most of the time (I'm actually not sure how nice it is), but we teach them in this little room with a tin roof, and it started raining, and we were like candle-lit, and it was like dripping water, and we were teaching the Restoration, and I was saying the First Vision, and AUGH! It was just so cool. This sounds like a classic missionary story, and that's exactly what it is! And it was so much fun! Xhesi was actually invited by Sindi and Çeleste, and Elder Jaunay and I invited her to be baptized in the first lesson. Right now she's pretty quiet, and it's a little bit difficult to tell if she has a sincere desire to follow these things, but we are definitely hoping for that. Anyways, though, it was way fun! Also, we had like 5 dinners at members houses this week! It was stinkin' awesome!! Haha so in Albania, or at least in Durres, they have like 2-3 course dinners, but they aren't exactly like a 3-course meal you'd think of from a fancy restaurant. First they'll have the entree, and I usually ate that up pretty quick, because I was hungry, but then if you finish, they offer you more, and you may or may not want some, and you may or may not tell them that, but for me, I would usually get more. But this is where they trick you, because you think, oh yeah, I got room in my stomach! Bring it on, and so you have seconds, but then round 2 comes on! Fruit! I think like every family this week after we had entree brought out various fruits that we would eat after we had the entree! It was sweet! But often, you just don't have room. That's why you gotta eat strategically. Haha and occasionally they'll have some kind of dessert also! I'm getting fed like a king here :) And also, it's super stinkin cheap for groceries and everything. You can buy an entire loaf of good bread that is similar to GH bread for like less than a dollar. Groceries are super cheep too. And there is this sweets place here called the Pelican, and they have like gourmet ice cream and little cakes and stuff, and it's cheap, and delicious. But anyways, back to the members, I had an idea earlier this week. I'm in Albania, and right now there are around 600 active members in the entire country. Therefore, if the members and missionaries were both on the same page and had the same vision to work together, we should be getting member referrals like nothing. We've kind of made it a goal to turn that around here, because member referral lessons with the members are the best way to teach investigators. That's also the reason we've been doing a little bit more contacting and that kind of thing this week. We actually don't go door-to-door tracting. I've heard it's because that's what Jehovah's Witness do and the people don't have a great relationship with them, but I'm not sure if that's the only reason. But that is ok! I am in fact enjoying contacting a lot more than last week! This week was awesome with me for that, and I was actually excited this week to go contacting!
I made a goal this week to be more friendly with people. I don't want to be exactly like Elder Jaunay, but I love his example of how friendly he is with so many people, and I want to develop that in the way i interact with people. I had a really cool personal revelation come to me this week. We were listening to a talk Dieter F. Uchtdorf gave in the General Women's session, and he said this, "Faith is not to change God's will, but to empower us to act on God's will." I loved that, because occasionally I'll just pray straight up that I can be happy and have success, but I don't always consider that it is through and because of my trials that I am able to really find eternal happiness. Everything in this work is with God's timing. Including the amount of success we have in a day. Maybe it is not God's will for us to get a thousand referrals, but maybe that is because in this trial, we are able to learn something that will prepare us later in our missions, or lives to be able to serve Him more effectively. Maybe if I pray for happiness and strength, and I don't feel happy or strong that day, Heavenly Father may be withholding blessings for a time, because it is preparation for me to receive eternal blessings, or eternal happiness, and eternal strength. It was incredible. I've changed the way I pray now. Instead of asking straight up for me to be happy and to have strength, I pray for those things if it be His will. Incredibly powerful for me this week.
Fam, I'm gonna each email you individually because you all sent very helpful emails, and I want to address you directly. Well... Almost everyone... (*cough, cough* Daniel) But s'ka gjë! I know Dan is busy gettin' swoll, and building chicken coops, so I understand! :) But seriously, I love you Dan :)
I love you all! I'll probably send a package home, so let me know if you want anything from here! Love you!
-Elder Shnajder
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