Onto the week. Elder Szabo made a come back and he came back hard. I cannot tell you how much I enjoy being healthy and being able to workout and eat food. Getting sick always reminds me how much I enjoy being healthy. I am fully healthy and ready to go! The way life goes my comp has been sick with a head cold the last couple days. Can't stop the south zone leaders. The beginning of the week was pretty normal but the end got really good. It was a really good week and a good note to end on. Despite being bitter sweet because it's the first time we got some work in 2 months. So on Thursday we had our zone training and it feels like we just gave our last one. We weren't really sure what we were going to give it on but as we planned for it it was really cool to see the revelation flow and all the ideas came together. We gave it on seeking revelation from preach my gospel and becoming a disciple of Christ through the Atonement and not just doing missionary things than going home. We talked about Alma and why he was just an amazing missionary... due to his conversion early on. In our MLC the committment that was thought of was to study the Atonement of Jesus Christ everyday. Speaking of which we just finished reading the book of mormon as a mission in one month and we just got committed to do it again but focus on the power and blessings of the atonement this time around. LETS GOOOOOOOO. I think I mentioned this but finishing it this last time was only the third time in my life I've read it cover to cover and 2 have been on my mission. The last time before that was when I was 12 and I read it with my mother because of Pres Hincklys challenge. I remember kneeling down and asking to know if it was true and getting a good feeling but I guess one testimony doesn't equal lasting conversion. Truly am converted now and know why I do these things. So much wasted time before my mission. This mission has truly changed my life. I know who I am and where I want to go. The training was good. It wasn't as good as the last one but I don't know if we can ever top Real Rabbits... It went really well though and the spirit was definitely there. I don't know if I shared this story last week but President Kearon shared it with us. He told us about touring Europe with Elder Ballard (not just for fun for church business...) and he worked non stop the entire time. They would schedule breaks and he would fill them with meetings and never rested... This man is in his late 80s just went and went and went and he was so impressed and one day he asked how to do you find the strength to always work so hard... Elder Ballard pulled a picture of the Savior out of his pocket and looked at it and said I look at him... then put it back in his pocket and they continued on. When I shared that story in the training the spirit was there very strongly and it really hit me.
Then after the training I had an exchange with my very own MTC comp Elder Keck. It's the first time i've served around him since the MTC and it was good to catch up and work together. We've come a long ways you could say... ha. Nothing too special about the exchange just two old missionaries working. Really weird that most of my group will be going home without me. Found out only Elder Eddings and I will be extending. The only two in our group that have co seniored and we're going to the end. It's too bad we won't get to go home together but we all live close so of course they have already planned a camping trip for when they get back haha.
Saturday and Sunday we had some really good first lessons. It's been almost a month since we've had one. Saturday was a really cool hand of the Lord moment. We were tracting and got into a house with a couple and their two kids and had the lesson and it went pretty well but we found out that we caught them at home together which only happens about once or twice a year because of their work schedules. He works from 2 pm to 11 pm and she is a teacher and gets back about 2 pm. They even said God must have sent you here tonight. It was a pretty good lesson and because of their work and life and such we wouldn't be able to meet again but we invited them to church and they said they would come next week. Even though they won't get baptized or keep learning it was really cool that they got a touch with the church and we were able to bring the spirit into their house.
Ok I'm sorry to interrupt my own letter but i just found out that Alyssa is getting married and i'm pretty sure that it's to Elder Bangeters cousin. My head literally just exploded. I might have to recover for a couple minutes... Whew. I guess that's what happens when you move to Albania and don't talk to someone for 2 years... WOW. wow wow wow wow wow. wow. OK sorry.
So that was the really good lesson on Saturday and then on Sunday we were saying goodbye to Skerdi and Juxhin a less active and we were waiting for a lesson. A man that I had contacted the day before and had set a lesson up with him. He walked into the sacrament hall while we were there talking and we had a lesson with him with both the members and it went really really well. Skerdi got to sit in on his first lesson and it was a really relaxed environment and he told us about a story of when he prayed and knew that God existed and after we asked what he thought and he said that he believed it was true. We told him good but read and get an answer from God. He took a book of mormon and said he would read and pray. We didn't have a specific date set but we asked him if he'd be baptized and he said yes. It was a really good lesson and after so long of not getting any it was even better. The sweet is a lot sweeter when you have had a lot of sour. It was the first number i've got contacting in 6 weeks. I guess I only hit home runs or strike out... I'll take it. We are going to set up a lesson and the other elders can go and teach him. Ironic we got success the week before we leave but it just goes to show God has a sense of humor. :) Everything happens for a reason right?
It was a really good week and a lot of good things happened and i'm ready to go and tackle Fier and be Zone Leader for 3 more months. Speaking of which the start of this transfer officially starts me having 6 months left. If that doesn't blow your mind I don't know what will. I am ready to run until I die and give it everything I have. I guess the sickness was a good spring to get me back into action. I am also extremely grateful that Skerdi was baptized even though we did absolutely nothing. He will be a great member and I'm glad I can stay in touch with him. Looks like my mission and Sam's have been pretty similar. Up to know we both have one convert that is still strong. Numbers don't always mean success. I still think my mission was a lot more for me than for others. I have changed and become a better person despite not helping many others to. I love you all. Have a great week and smile for goodness sake. The sun is shining somewhere.
Elder Szabo
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