Jesus is the Christ! Week 49

Motra Zollinger got her birthday package!!!!!  Thank You McGrath's!!

Hello Hello!!! :) 

Holy cow. This past week was quite a busy week and I feel like it lasted for a really long time as well, but it was a great week too! Lots of highlights, lots of highlights (that is if i can remember anything... haha). 

Goodbyes. They are cruel things. It was the hardest thing ever having to say goodbye to some of the members up in Prishtina. I bawled. I hate crying too, so i was in a weird mood that night. I was super sad from having to say bye and then I was crying really hard..but then i got a stupid headache from crying so i was annoyed that I was crying and I kept groaning because I hate crying but then I just kept crying. It was rather annoying. Honestly though, some of the hardest goodbyes that I have ever said. It just rips your heart out and twists your heart and then it throws it on the ground. But it's okay, because Christ can pick that heart up, untwist it and put it back into place fuller than it was before. 

Transfers. Those are always crazy days, haha but I love them so much! It was so fun to see all the missionaries! I was so happy to see some of the missionaries that I have served around and absolutely loved being around! It really was so awesome! The worst part about transfers was having to say goodbye to some of my sisters. Especially Sister Russell and Boettinger. Gosh. I hated it...BUT I didn't cry (that's because there was a drought in my tear ducts that night from saying bye to the Prishtina members). Then I headed up to Shkoder for a couple days as I waited for my trainee. 

Shkoder. That is an incredible place. The drive was super nice. The food up there was quite yummy. But that is a biking city! It is crazy cool. There are old grandpas riding their bikes and then with one hand they are holding an umbrella. Skilled Albanians. Honestly, I was trying to get some pictures but they didn't turn out super well. I also got some of the members in kosovo convinced that my parents couldn't think of a first name for me so I don't have a first name...haha, boy did I get them. 

Motra Z and her new companion Motra Johansen

My trainee. She is absolutely amazing!! She is Sister Johansen from Alta area. She is adorable and amazing and she reminds me so much of Delaney. haha, that is the first thing I said to her: "you are remind me so much of my best friend delaney. This is gonna be entertaining!" She is super super sweet though! We have a lot of good conversations because a) she likes StudioC 2) she likes Disney and c) she is absolutely amazing. I totally lucked out and got blessed so much this transfer. 

Happy 30th annivesary to my wonderful parents!!! I love you both so much!!!  (Mom insert.. it is our 29th  :-)  )

I absolutely love being back in T2!!!! No scorpions so far. 

I KILLED A SPIDER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! haha, i know, you don't believe me. But i did. And its guts are still on the wall, i ain't touching those. I was blowdrying my hair and a spot on the wall started to move, but then I realized that that was a spider. So I went and asked my companion if she could kill spiders...but then edna's voice from The Incredibles came into my mind and said "what are you doing? Put yourself together!" so, i went and got someone's shoe (left over shoe from past missionaries) I walked up to where the spider was and I just stared at it and then I SMASHED it. and said 'Pofshim (goodbye in albanian) as i did it. but then I started to gag as I saw the dead body everywhere...but what do ya do? 

Elder Stuart wearing "girls' socks, Motra Z says that is awkward for him....

I turned 20 on Saturday. That was weird. I woke up and I had a tooth missing (haha...) but so far being twenty isn't that old or bad. I still don't have a grey hair and I still am walking and talking and all of that. haha, so i guess it's not that bad. It was such a super great day though! So many missionaries told me happy birthday, it was humbling! I got a hug from Sister Weidmann too! It made my day! My sweet Prishtina district and some of the members made me a card and I got it from them. I absolutely loved it! It made me so happy! Really though, being 20 is pretty awesome! Thank you so much for all of the birthday wishes and for the package!!! I absolutely loved it! 

Church yesterday went really well. I am the ward pianist...so i think the apocalypse (ha. i spelled that right...the red line didn't show up) is going to be starting soon. ;) It's not that bad though, it is sorta fun! Except I'm not good at hiding it when I make a mistake because my face just morphs into panic when I make a weird note because the ward chorister directing lady is sorta intimidating a little... haha. but it is going well. :) 

My new district is amazing! There is an Albanian elder in our district! Which means that hopefully my albanian is going to get a lot better! But, honestly. My district is amazing! Today for p-day we went to Kruje as almost a district (except for the T2 elders). It was a lot of fun but it was freezing cold! We didn't think it was going to rain...but we were so high up that it was snowing! It was freezing. Like really freezing. But it was super super nice up there! and SO PRETTY!!!! Gosh. I love this land. It was such a great p-day today! 

We get to watch General Conference this weekend! I am super super excited! I hope everyone enjoyed General Conference, I am pretty sure that it was amazing as usual! I just love general conference!! 

It has been really neat being a missionary during the Easter season. I feel like I was able to connect on the Easter season on a whole different level, on a personal level. Especially as President Weidmann in his daily morning texts would really explain what had happened on that specific day. It was neat to say my nightly prayers and to think about what Christ was doing that same night thousands of years ago. I honestly cannot comprehend how much love it would take for someone to be able to do what Christ did, but to do that willingly because of His love. I know the Jesus is the Christ. and that doctrine is an eternal doctrine, a doctrine that will and does change lives. That is my purpose as a missionary. To introduce people to Christ, to their Savoir, to Him who died for them. He died for me. For You. For your enemies. For your loved ones. For the strangers you see everyday. He did what He did for you for them as well. The world doesn't need for money, or more technology, or more gadgets or gizmos or whatchamacalits. The world needs Christ. That is how you go from having a normal life to having a wonderful life full of adventure, trials, and purpose. It is when you come unto Christ. I testify in the name of Jesus Christ that He truly is our Savoir and our Redeemer. His atonement isn't just for sinners it is for the saints. I am so grateful for His love and for His selfless life that He lived. Come unto Him. It is only by coming unto Christ that we stop merely existing and that we truly start living. 

Have a wonderful week!! Smile lots serve lots and treasure trials! 

Love,

Motra Zollinger