She's in Albania!

Hello Family! 

Okay, so this has been the freaking craziest week of my entire life. What is even crazier is that it hasn't even been a full week.. Ah! So, last Tuesday we woke up and left the MTC at 4:35 in the morning. We had a little while in the SLC airport. It was pretty fun we were all just hanging around and I got to talk to Steph and Grandma, so that was cool. But when we were returning to our gate, we found out that Elder Waters (the awesome kiwi) had a seizure and was not doing all that well. Ugh, it was the worst. We all ran down the stairs and saw him lying there and had a bunch of paramedics around him. It was so sad. I cried. It was so hard to see someone who has become like a brother to me lying there like that. Elder Waters is such a great missionary, and the people of Albania need someone like him. We've been told that he will be coming out next transfer, so I hope that's true. He's awesome. 

The flight to Vienna was long, but we finally made it. I didn't sleep like at all. So that was ridiculous. This is my first time ever being to Europe.. and as soon as we got off the plane, I was like.. What have I gotten myself into.. I started to be super nervous. We waited for a little while and then off we went to Tirana. I sat next to an Albanian and could talk with him a little, but it was definitely a wake up call.. They talk so fast. I was like, um.. can someone give me the number of the brethren? They gave me the wrong mission call. 

So, we go over to the mission home and there was a sister missionary there waiting for me to take me to a lesson. YEAH, they trusted me to go to a lesson in my first few hours. Ugh, it was so scary. Haha, and I had to share the first vision (I needed a little help) haha, but it was cool. Albanian's are VERY kind. Everyone is like "SA MIRE!" When I talk.. which is like, oh how good! They are also very touchy. Hahaha, I love it. I get kissed on the cheeks at least 30 times a day. It's so cool. They really are wonderful and humble people. Oh, yeah.. and traffic laws.. no. They're not a thing. They're more like.. maybe suggestions. Or don't exist. I don't even know. It's crazy.. But so funny. 

The food here,  really healthy!

Then we went back and I thought I was going to die, I was so tired. Oh my gosh. Unreal. I thought I was gonna fall over. Haha, but I finally got to go back and go to bed. The next day I was placed with my companion, her name is Motra Smith and she's lovely! She's been in the country from 7 months. She speaks well.. Which is really good because, yeah.. I catch very little and speak little. So frustrating. Haha, but it's great. I was assigned to Vlore! I was really excited because Vlore is down in the south.. where the language is clear and clean. But they do speak so very fast. Haha, I have to listen SO carefully. Elder Myers was sent up to Kosovo, so pac fat (good luck) to him. Up north they speak a different dialect, and Elder Temple went up to Shkoder. His companion is Albanian and like.. doesn't speak English. So, basically Elder Temple is gonna be the best speaker ever by the end of this transfer. I'll miss them! But Elder Simons is in my zone, so that's sweet. He's in Fier. 

Vlore is amazing! I think it's so beautiful. It's so cool to see all of the buildings that are colorful and different. Truly, being here makes me so grateful to live in America. We are so blessed. I realize how much I have taken it for granted. But, I really enjoy it here. It's beautiful. It's been kinda cold up until today actually. Our apartment is like 5 floors up.. So we had to carry our bags up that. That was real fun. Haha. We had a lesson with an investigator our first day. His name is Mark. He's like 19 or 20, he's really nice.. But kinda shy. We taught him about the Word of Wisdom. He understood it pretty good, he was like "I only smoke 5 cigarettes a day." Haha, so that's good. We'll have another lesson with him soon. I'm really excited to do work here in Vlore. The ward is growing a lot. There's a ton of youth, which is so exciting. I'm excited to see what is in store. So, seriously.. People look at me like I'm an ALIEN. They truly do love Americans here. People just stop and look at us while we walk down the street. It's crazy. Sometimes guys try and speak english to us. It's pretty funny. It's gonna take some getting used too. 

My teacher, Brother Carver. He's awesome . I'll miss him

I'm really looking forward to feeling more in routine and comfortable here. The beginning of things is always so hard. You're just so out of your element and you're like.. what.. I'm convinced that all things will be well once I know this language well. So, we'll see. Haha, I'll have to work really hard. I listened to general conference on Sunday in Albanian.. didn't really catch much. So, I hope it was good for y'all. 

I'm so excited to be able to bring the gospel to these people. They are so deserving of the understanding and happiness that it brings. This is such a great opportunity that I've been given to show love and kindness to these people, and to try to help them to come to know that their Heavenly Father knows them, and loves them too. This really is the true gospel of Jesus Christ and I can't wait to find those people that I can help.  

I hope everything is well at home. I miss you all. It's kinda crazy to think that I'm on the other side of the world! 

Ju dua! 

Motra Vermunt

Last Temple Walk