Silent Prayers That My Shoes Wouldn't Stink

Cute little boy! (Both of them!)

My dearest family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This last week was fantastic! I love working here in Kosovo!!

So nothing too crazy went on so there's not a ton to write about but nonetheless it was still amazing. Monday was good. Right after P day ended we drove out to a new investigators house. His name is Shemsi and he lives out in a little village.  We went out there and kinda just introduced ourselves to him and got to know him a little bit more. His daughter came out and gave us some juice and then with two cups of this other stuff that I thought was hot chocolate but then we got a whiff of it and we realized that it was coffee. We had to decline and I felt super bad because they looked a little offended by it. But ah well. That's the first time that someone has brought coffee out to my face.  It's usually super strong alcohol that gets offered to me. The lesson went well and he started talking about his past career and how he used to fly planes and how it was super fun and then he started crying. We didn't really know what to do so we just told him that we'd be coming by a little bit later during the week. He stopped his gentle weeping and walked us out. Cool guy but we can't get a read on him yet.

Elder Clawson eating his favorite thing!  Byrek and notice his sweatshirt.  It's called the Shqiponja. (Sh-cheep-own-ua) Its the name for the double headed eagle on the Albanian flag. 

We've been meeting with that awesome guy named Nezir still and he is doing fantastic! We love his guts and he is starting to love ours. We had the Word of Wisdom lesson with him this last week because we smelled a bit of cigarette smoke on him when he came into the church one day. He does have a problem with smoking but he is super willing to start giving it up. He likes coming to church and he likes meeting with us. He still doesn't say a whole lot and he just seems like a really shy guy that needs a friend. He reads and loves telling us about what he read. He had been having a little trouble praying as well. He would kinda just put his head down and pray in his head and then he would say "In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." and we would just assume that it was good. But with this lesson he prayed out loud! It was amazing and we didn't even have to ask him or anything! He's just great.

P-day activity bus to go play some futbol with the youth in the branch.

 Unfortunately we weren't able to meet with Srdan this week because he was in Sremska for a wedding. But we are planning on meeting with him on Tuesday so that'll be good. We are still trying to learn enough Serbian to communicate with him but it'll come. 

On Wednesday I went to Gjakova for an exchange with Elder Schramm and it was really good. I got to meet some good people and it was nice to be around the other missionaries for the day. Elder Gray and Elder Harvey are the other set of elders there and I love both of them to death. And for some reason, whenever I go on an exchange, I always connect with a ton of members or investigators and they always just say "Why don't you just stay here?" and I'm like "Dah!" I really love these Kosovar people and the Albanians as well. They all are so wonderful and fun to be around! The exchange in Gjakova was good. I taught their English Course and met a new member and her family. Good people. The English course kids loved me because I taught them 'Head Shoulders Knees and Toes'. 

Elder Clawson with one of the members in Prishtina, Kosovo.

The next day was pretty busy. We had to drive back from Gjakova and that's pretty long and then we had a few lessons to do. We had a meeting with a new investigator named Ramis and he works for the government. He's Christian though!! Hallelujiah! On our way to the lesson we passed a bunch of dumpsters and sometimes they light the trash on fire so they don't have to empty it and today they were on fire and smoking all over the place. So I decided to go behind it and try to dodge the smoke and as I was walking I slipped in something and fortunately I didn't fall but I looked back and saw that it was a bunch of poo! And to make it better, the wind started to blow and it blew the smoke right into my face and all over my clothes. I came out towards Elder Price, (who had decided to just walk the normal way through the smoke) and he was just laughing his head off. SO there I was with poop on my shoes and smoke all over my body. We found Ramis's office and walked in and I said the opening prayer and Elder Price said a silent prayer in his heart that my shoes wouldn't stink and that we would have a good spiritual lesson with no interuptions. And that's what happened. Everything went great and no smell came until after the lesson. 

Sunday dinner courtesy of Elder Clawson.  His Chicken Pot Pie speciality!

The other night we went and visited the First Counselor's family and had a good time. They have a boy named Rroj (Roy) and he's 14 months old and we totally hit it off.  I got him laughing like none other. Cute kid. 

Yesterday was good and we just went finding basically. Life is treating us great. The zone is doing well and everyone is happy. Elder Foster is going home super soon and I'm super sad because I won't have the chance to talk to him before he leaves. Hopefully I can call him before he goes home.

Well I love you guys so much! Keep having fun! Get ready for skiing!!

Love, Jed

Dearest Mother, 

I suggest that you don't buy a dog until I come back. Why don't you get one like Fred's? His bird dogs are so well trained it blows my mind. I hope you are having a good time with Jane at home. Let everyone know that I love them. Are you gonna start Jane on skis this year? Have fun! I love you Mom!!

Love, Jed