29 September 2014

Dear Family and Friends,

Thank you so much for your emails! I always look forward to reading them every week. I'm glad to hear that you had a good week! I'm doing good. Wow! That's crazy!! I mean I knew that Colby {Baker, a returned missionary from the Sauk Rapids Ward} would get married someday, but it's really weird hearing about people in your youth group that are getting married now. That's awesome, though. Give him my regards when you see him, or President Baker {Colby's dad and our Stake President}. Rael {Parks, a returned missionary, also from the Sauk Rapids Ward} is back? Wow, that's so crazy! The weather here is getting cold. Normally, we would be wearing short sleeved shirts as long as we possible could. We can wear short sleeves until General Conference, however, we have been wearing long sleeves for a couple weeks now. It gets pretty cold in the evenings when we contact. It's been about 15 degrees C whatever that is in F {about 59° F}. Either way, it's been chilly. However, I won't be here for the winter...

Yup. Transfer calls were last night, and I'll be leaving Prishtina. In fact, everyone that's been in Kosovo for 90 days has to leave. So only Elder Clawson will remain in Prishtina from our district, everyone else is being transferred out of Prishtina. The mission just found out about a visa requirement, so I'll have to be out of Kosovo for 6 months before I can return. But because I'm so young in the mission, I have a pretty good chance to return, kismet. However, I'll be returning to Durrës! In my old area! As the district leader! ...With my son! And we'll have a car! Yeah, this was a HUGE transfer call. So once again, I'll be serving in my old area in Durrës as well as training a new missionary. Yes, that's right, I just killed a missionary, and now I'll have a newborn. Talk about extremes! No, I don't know who he is yet. The new missionaries will be arriving on Wednesday afternoon, and on Tuesday morning all the trainers and trainees will be meeting at the mission home and we will be assigned companions there. I'm excited! Elder Clawson will have a Durrësak grandson. It's interesting because for the past year, excepting three months, there has been someone from my family line in Durrës. I'm excited to keep it going. Also, I've been called to be the district leader there, and one of the perks is having a car, which I'm excited about too!

I'm kinda' stressed out a little bit about this call, but I know that the Lord will help me out. Like Nephi said, "unë do të shkoj dhe do të bëj gjërat që Zoti ka urdhëruar, pasi e di se Zoti nuk u jep urdhërime fëmijëve të njerëzve pa përgatitur një udhë për ta, që ata të mund të plotësojnë gjënë, që ai i urdhëron" -Nephi 3:7 (Sorry I couldn't remember it in English.) I know that the Lord will prepare a way that I will be able to accomplish all of the things that He has in store for me. At first it looks like it could be stressful, and it may appear like it may be very difficult, but as we rely on the Lord, we will have the strength to do all the things that he commands. I know that this call was inspired by the Lord, and I know that He will strengthen me to accomplish these things. I'm excited to return to Durrës, but I'll miss Prishtina a lot! 

The members here in Prishtina are amazing! They have to go through so much to be members of the Church. It's difficult to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints anywhere in the world, but it's especially difficult for them here in Prishtina. For example, here in Prishtina we had the opportunity to see another person be baptized and follow the example of Jesus Christ. She had to sacrifice a lot to make it to the church for her baptism. It was a wonderful experience for her, us as members, and for the investigators that were there. Ismet attended her baptism, and he was so excited he told the branch president, President Bodell, that watching the baptism was one of the best experiences of his life and he's looking forward to his own baptism. Ismet should be getting baptized in the middle of October, so I'm sad that I won't be here for that. However, I know that the missionaries that will come here will take good care of him. The people here are amazing! They all have changed who I am in many ways. We have awesome members here in Prishtina and I hope one day that I can come back! I'm really going to miss the members here. One of the benefits of having such a small branch is you get to know the members so well! I'll be very sad to leave them. I know that the Lord will help them continue on the path of the Gospel. I know that the Lord will watch over these people and bless them as they continue to sacrifice to come to church. The members here have touched my life in many ways, and I won't ever be the same because of them. I hope I've had the same effect on them as well. I'll miss them a lot, but I know that the Lord has called me to serve in another area. I'm very excited to see those whom I've served before and will yet serve. I know that the Lord is in control and all I need to do is find out what His plans are and then do them. I know that the Lord will help me in this call, just as the Lord helps all of us that are willing to accept His help. I know that Heavenly Help comes to those that are humble and willing to accept His help.

Thank you for your love and support! Zoti ju bekoftë dhe shpërblejftë. Dhe më pëlqen shumë që google translate nuk kupton gjuhën shqipe Prandaj ju nuk më kuptoni, por ju e dini se këto gjëra janë të vërteta. Ju dua shumë she kalofshit bukur!

Love, Elder Uacën

Photos this week courtesy of Sister White and Sister Curtis.

Looks like Sister White and Sister Curtis ran into Harry Potter!

Sister White cleaning the baptismal font.

Prishtina Missionaries no more :(  Elder Watson headed to Durrës, Albania;
Elder Roberts going home; Sister White headed to Tirana, Albania;
Sister Curtis going home; Elder Price headed to Lushnjë, Albania;
Elder Clawson is the lone hold-out in Prishtina.

I am going to miss Elder Roberts and his beaming smile!