11.2.15

This was such an amazing week! We have worked so hard and ended up getting 22 lessons this week! They were truly amazing, and I feel like we are doing great! This week, we have really focused on getting Iva and Serxhi ready for baptism. We have met with them many times this week, and by the end of the week, they had progressed so much! They were praying every day, reading the scriptures, and understanding the importance of it all. It was so great. 

   On Wednesday, the missionaries from Macedonia and Kosovo came down to Tirana! We met Sister Fuller and Sister Cheshire and went on splits with them. Sister Fuller and I visited people in Third ward that she had taught and Sister Qosja and Cheshire went to First ward. It was really fun! At around 7, we got a call from Sister Hassel and her companion. They are the Macedonian sisters. They were going to stay at our house tonight, and said they would meet us at our church building. We went there, but they never showed up! We tried calling them, but the call wouldn't go through, because they were from Macedonia. At about 8:30, they called and asked if we were coming to the church. After talking for a little bit, we figured out that they went to the wrong church building! So Sister Fuller and I took the 25 minute walk to save the sisters. We didn't get home until 9:30, and ended up taking having to take a taxi so we weren't later. But it was a fun time to have 6 sisters in our apartment! The next morning, we had mission conference! It was super good! Afterwards, we ran to say hi to the Keqja's. They are doing good! Still don't have much of a desire to learn, but Skender has a job now, so the family is a lot happier and better off. I'm really happy for them! 

   On saturday, we had the baptism for Iva and Serxhi! We went that morning to fill up the font, and the water wasn't warming up! One of the elders walked in, and I told him the problem. He ran around trying to fix everything, and came back without a solution. He said we were out of gas so the font wouldn't heat up. So the water was ice cold. It started at 11, and our baptismal candidates didn't show up until 11! That was pretty scary! But they got baptized, and it all turned out ok! The next day, I was sitting in church, and they weren't there yet for the confirmation, and I was so nervous! Bishop announced that we had a baptism, and then looked at me, asking if they were here. I had to say no, and they continued on with the sacrament. During the sacrament, Denisa, our 11 year old recent convert that I was sitting with, turned and told me that they showed up! Bishop let us do the confirmations before people shared their testimonies. I was so relieved that they showed up, even if it was late. It's nice that everything is done with now, and they are now members of the church! 

   That's all I have for this week. I love you and miss you a bunch! Have a fantastic week! 

Love, 

Motra Bennett