4 May 2015

Dear Family and Friends,

Thank you for the emails you write to me every week! I really appreciate hearing what is going on back at home. Wow, sounds like you had a pretty awesome week. That's super awesome that Brother Magdanz will be getting baptized! That made me really happy to hear that! That's crazy that Josh {Braman} will be home {from his mission} so soon! It just seems like he left not so long ago! Man, time really does fly! Elder Clawson is dying this transfer. He has until the end of June. It'll be really crazy when he leaves. It'll be really weird. It's interesting because some people have their trainer when they're relatively young still in the mission, and some have a trainer that is in his dying transfer. So some missionaries rarely hear from their trainer after that transfer, and some get to spend more time with them. I'm really happy that I got trained by Elder Clawson and that I had a chance to serve around him again in Prishtina. He's super awesome and I'll miss him when he's gone. Wow, yeah, the world is really small when you're at the temple. It seems like every single time that you go, you meet someone that you haven't seen in a long time! That's really awesome that you got another flag pole and you have the Icelandic flag flying now {at home in Isanti}.

Today for P-day we played football. We played American football, which always gets a lot of head turns from passers-by. It was pretty fun, but it was pretty hot today so we didn't play too long. We went and got ice cream afterword and hung out at one of the other elder's houses. It was a pretty good relaxing day today. It's starting to get hotter and hotter here. We've been wearing short-sleeve shirts for about a month and it has been needed. I'm not excited for the summer. Here in Durrës it is better than in other places, because Durrës gets a lot of wind off of the sea during the summer, so it's a little bit nicer. A little... It's kinda' weird because at this time last year, I was here in Durrës being trained by Elder Clawson. It's weird to think that I am here now and was also here a year ago too. The only time period that I haven't experienced in Durrës is July to September. However, I don't think I'll be lucky enough to stay that long. I really love it here in Durrës! I'm glad and happy that I've been able to stay here this long in Durrës. I'm kinda' worried because this next week is the Mini-Transfer, and I think that I'll be leaving. However, with President Weidmann, you can never predict what will happen.

This last week has been pretty awesome. We were blessed with being able to find quite a few new investigators this last week. Quite a few of them were found through our recent converts. It's really awesome when investigators already have a friend in the Church. I've seen that the investigator has a lot more interest, and they have a friend that'll be with them every step that they take. A lot of the time, people think that everyone in the Church is just like missionaries. However, when investigators meet more frequently with other members of the Church, they understand that members of the Church are just normal people that do normal people things. So having a member in the lessons of other individuals is really important. The sooner the better! So whenever you see a new face at Church say, "Hi" to them and get to know them. Let them know that we're friendly normal people. A couple of the people we're working with were at the baptism of a recent convert, and that's kinda' how their interest in the Church began. Getting people to baptismal services has done miracles in my mission! It is a wonderful experience and wonderful first impression to the Church! I would really encourage you to reach out to those new investigators that come to Church. Get to know them, and ask the missionaries how you can help them fellowship new investigators in the Church. If you're able to be involved in the Spiritual progression of someone, it's an amazing experience! I'd highly encourage you to help out the missionaries in your ward with helping their investigators have friends in the Church! I know that the Lord will bless you a ton if you do this!

Thank you for all of your love and support that you give to me! Thank you for your prayers! I couldn't do this without your support. Ju dua shumë! Javë të mbarë! Do shihemi të dielën!

Me dasuri,

Elder Watson