We had our Zone Training the next day and it went alright but not as well as we wanted it to. It was our first one together and we were still working out the kinks I guess. It's interesting to have to capture peoples attention and keep 20 of them engaged for an hour and half. We are really seeing some companionships get the fire about finding families and we are already seeing blessings and people are finding them. Like I said in MLC if you're not looking for them you can never find them so we just need to shift our focus and we can find them. Our next one is going to be a lot better. Can't believe I've already been here for a month. The time is just flying by and it feels like we are busy most of the time with stuff that isn't our area but it's really good and we are doing really well. We had a really good discussion for about an hour one night about what our responsibility is as zone leaders and how we need to help people and the areas. The main idea that was talked about is how we need to help missionaries become converted and then they can help the areas. A Joseph Smith quote I read says something like I teach them correct principles and then they govern themselves so we thought a lot about how we need to help them become converted and teach the missionaries correct principles and then they will be able to do better work in their areas. We've had a lot of good talks this week and not to burst anyones bubble that thinks I'm a perfect missionary but we have stayed up a couple nights talking into the late hours of the night.... Ahhhhh i know. We kneel down to say comp prayers every night and then we end up talking for about an hour or two and it's happened the last couple nights. Don't think less of me! I hope you can all still love me. I'm not a perfect missionary...
Investigators we have. We are teaching the Xhaka family. The husband is the main one we teach but his wife sits in on the lessons and he just hasn't been progressing over the last couple weeks and he just doesn't understand but this week we saw a little progress and we can see his desire is really there he just doesn't understand the why behind what he's doing. He's come to church for the last 3 weeks and we had a really good lesson with him last night. His son was there from school on a little break. He lives in another village close to Elbasan with his grandparents because its cheaper. We taught the Word of Wisdom and Agron didn't really commit to it he just said I'll think about it and then his son went off about how he could just get a lemonade and his wife said he should pray for help. So.... The whole family together is super solid ha we just need to get them all a testimony and a desire. They all have pieces of the puzzle. Funny story with them. The lesson before the last one we were talking about them getting baptized and the wife told us that she couldn't get baptized because she had a baby and we didn't understand why that mattered because she didn't have to hold the baby but then we figured out she wasn't talking about the baby getting baptized but the fact that she had to breast feed it and we told her babies don't get baptized so she thought it would be bad for the baby if she got baptized and then continued with that.... Face palm moment. We have interesting lessons sometimes. :) Fshatars aka people from villages are very interesting. Another good note is we have a recent convert family who is a dad mom and daughter and son all of which are baptized except for the son and he sits in our lessons but just plays on his phone and acts like he's not paying attention but at the end of our last lesson on Friday he just whispered to Elder Crandall what would you say if I came to church and then we showed him the initiative video and he loved it. Who knew teenagers like watching videos on their phones... and then Christmas miracle he actually showed up to church with his dad. The sister is studying in Tirana right now. So we are hoping we can continue to work with him an that he can get baptized here soon so they can start preparing for the temple together as a family. They live about 20 minutes out of Lushnje by Makine and every Sunday they get a bus into town and then just hitch a ride back with whoever will take them.
Speaking of church... We have had a lot more people coming to church lately we've been getting about 50 on average and it was about 20 6 months ago so that is really good but we are learning that it's not about quantity but quality. Our testimony meetings are interesting to say the least but they are usually really good and then second hour this week was... Terrible. I usually go to the youth class because i'm really sick of sitting in Elders quorum and listening to a bunch of old men argue for an hour but this week all the youth left after sacrament meeting so I had to sit in on Elders Quorum and it was an interesting experience. The teacher started and asked some questions and then this one member started taking over the lesson and talked for about 20 minutes and then accusing people of stuff and then they started getting in an argument and I just wanted to walk out the whole time because we weren't learning anything and the spirit wasn't there. At the end the 1st councilor in the branch shared a scripture and said that there is a teacher appointed and the spirit is the real teacher and then they just kept arguing so I couldn't hold it in anymore and raised my voice a little bit and told them they could discuss it afterwards because we hadn't learned anything and no one felt the spirit and that they were done so end with a prayer and they tried to keep going but I just kept telling them to end... Interesting to say the least. The 1st councilor called us later and thanked us for how we handled it and what I said. It's just hard to have solid members and investigators sitting in a lesson like that when no one is feeling the spirit and you don't want people to be there. It's a big problem in our zone right now that missionaries are scared to bring people to church because arguments break out and there is no love and the wards and branches have some problems. We're working on it but Albanians have some pride and like to argue.
Overall it was a super good week. Busy crazy and felt like we didn't do much and I can't believe I've been here for a month already. My last Christmas is approaching. This week is going to be just as crazy because we have another super exchange tomorrow in Vlorë and then an exchange with the APs at the end of the week so it'll be lots of running around and driving again but it's always good. Super tiring. In the last month we have driven to Tirana twice, Fier Twice, Vlore and Berat 4 times.... Yay!!! but i'm getting along really well with my comp and we are both learning a lot along the way. We are both in it for the long haul.
www.mormon.org/christmas Remember The reason why we celebrate Christmas and find out what it really means to you. A Savior was born and he saved all of us an still lives that we can all follow his example and return to our Father in Heaven. As you listen to your music, drink your eggnog, do your caroling, and make your gingerbread houses remember why we celebrate and the where the amazing spirit of Christmas comes from. Jesus Christ a Savoir was born and he saved all of you but it's up to you to use his birth his life his teachings and his example. I testify of his divinity and that he is the Son of God. I have found out who my Savoir is and I have gained a relationship with him. I council you to do the same and find out the true meaning of Christmas. I love all of you have a great week and enjoy the holidays. Elder Szabo
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