Nothing Better Than A Cute Little Mom And Her 4 Kids Coming To Church!

July 21, 2014 Letter

My dear family!

Well I am alive and happy! Shkoder is doing well and I'm still out looking for people to teach. 

Elder Clawson overlooking Shkoder, Albania.

Last week I talked about that couple that Elder Dahl and I had found tracting and how stoked we were to start teaching them. We called them on Monday night last week to see if we could set up a meeting with them and teach them about the Restoration. We called them and they told us that they would be in Tirana all week! So we are going to be calling them later this week. It was kind of a bummer but oh well. 

Nothing super crazy happened this week but we did find a new investigator. I was actually on an exchange with Elder Temple this last Wednesday and Elder Jorgensen went into my area with Elder Dahl and they were street contacting all day and were able to get a bench lesson with this one guy named Olsi. He was a pretty interesting guy I guess. He was really tattooed up and had actually just been released from prison or something to that effect. 

Elder Clawson and Elder Dahl.

They taught him a bit about The Book of Mormon and asked him what his thoughts were on Christ. He told a story about how he realized that he was really good at art and so on the ceiling of his jail cell he drew this incredibly detailed picture of Jesus and the news station came in and did a story on it and stuff. He really has the desire to follow the example of Christ but he just doesn't know where to start. We can definitely help him with that. 

They invited him to church and he said that he would meet us on Sunday morning at 9:30 at a certain place. Unfortunately he didn't show up. 

We still have hope for him though. Another cool thing happened though. We got a call from some random number and it was an older investigator that asked if we were going to have church still on Sundays and we said "OF COURSE!" and then they told us that they were going to be trying their very hardest to see if they could make it and attend sacrament meeting. Sunday morning rolls around and this cute mother, her mother,  (a nënë), and her 4 kids are all waiting for us outside of the church. We talked with them and we all really clicked pretty fast. They stayed for all of sacrament meeting though and then for the Sunday School class! Which I taught. They shared some good insights and had good questions. At the end of church they asked me if I could say a prayer with them for their son who was really sick. I told them that I would love to and so we got in a circle with the mom, the grandma, Elder Dahl, myself, and Besara. I said a prayer for them all and it was a really powerful spiritual experience for me. I didn't know what I was supposed to say that would comfort them and help them. But everything worked out alright and then after we ended the prayer I saw that Besara and the mother were bawling like a bunch of little girls. Then the grandma looked at me and said "Qofshi me jetë" which means "may you be with life" and I was just like "Well thanks." Older ladies always say that to us and it just makes my day. They left with the kids which were all super cute and fun. And they told us that they hoped to be back the coming week. 

The view of Shkoder from the Rosafa Castle.

Rozafa Castle overlooking Shkoder, Albania. Click here to learn some interesting legends of the castle.

Right after that, President Kraja asked me to come and talk with him for a second. I got into his office and he told me that he was super impressed with the way that I had taught the Sunday School lesson earlier and he asked me if I would be the Sunday School Teacher from now on. I said "Alright." And then he continued and paid me one of the best compliments of my mission. He told me that my Albania was exquisite and that he is astounded that I've learned so much in 10 months and that he needs a person that speak good Albania to be his 2nd counselor. So yeah he asked me to be his 2nd counselor as well. Pretty interesting Sabbath. 

All of the Elders gave talks in sacrament meeting and it was really spiritual. They all did a really good job. I talked on Prophets, Elder Dahl spoke on Cleanliness, Elder Jorgensen talked about Faith, and Elder Temple spoke on Prayer. They all went really well.

 

My exchange was really good too. I met with Arsen and some investigators that the other Elders had. Everything went really well and hearts were touched. 

Besara told us that she is leaving for Sweden on the 1st of August. So that kinda sucks.She is one of the three active members that we have and we need some more. 

Nothing else has really happened. Even though all I do is finding, I am still loving being on a mission. These people are awesome even if they think I don't know anything. I love Shkoder especially because of the undeveloped state of the Church here. It would be great if it was a full branch or stake, but it's so fun to be working with it when it's in it's little stages.

Elder Clawson and Elder Jorgensen

I know that this Church is the true church of God restored on the earth. I know that the work I am doing is the Work and the Glory of Christ. The Gospel can change lives and if you give it a chance, it will.

I hope you all have a wonderful week full of candy and Jackson Lake water skiing pics. I love you guys!!

Love, Jedediah

Mudda Dearest, 

Tell Jake and Seth way to go on their man pins! That's awesome! I hope you had a great time with Grandma Great and the girls in Salt Lake. That sounds like it was super fun. Thank you so much for taking the time to email me every week. I love you so much and I totally appreciate the support that you give me! I LOVE YOU AND YOU ARE THE BEST MOM EVER!

 Love, Jed