July Zone Conferences

We held two terrific zone conferences this week. The groups seemed small, as we now have 38 missionaries and only two couples. The topic was "Attributes of Christ," Chapter 6 of Preach My Gospel. My talk was about pioneers and the attributes they exhibited in making their incredible sacrifices, and I showed clips from "Trail of Hope," and a You Tube clip of President Hinckley speaking about the three men who lifted and carried the weakened handcart saints across the freezing Sweetwater River. I also spoke about my pioneer ancestors. Marty's subjects were "Obedience" and a clarification of mission rules, and in the second half, "How to Develop Attributes of Christ." We had previously visited Brother Vogli's workshop and obtained a small block of marble. Marty used our sculpture of Christ and told how Brother Vogli works it into the finished product, softening it first with water. He likened that to the Spirit working on our hearts, softening them so we are open to change.

I cooked for the inside zone--taco salad, with Rudi's ice cream and homemade hot fudge for dessert. The outside zone ate pizza, but did get my cinnamon rolls for snack, and Sister Snow's handcart brownie dessert. That consisted of a square brownie, with mini round cookies for wheels, a thin breadstick for a handle, topped with a scoop of ice cream and fudge sauce. Creative!

Aftermath of a Lunch

Mission Council lunch.  It was fajitas for 13.

Goings and Comings

This last week we said goodbye to 11 missionaries (Elders Wilde and Whittier left a week earlier). Pictured are Sisters Fronk, Langford, and Slack; and (back) Elders Hanson, Sewell, Mattox, Smith; and (front) Elders Humphries, Flora, Leonard, and Hunt. This picture is taken at the Monument to the Martyrs overlooking Tirana.

At their goodbye dinner in our apartment, I told the elders they could take off their ties, and they lined them up on the sofa, which made a great picture. Albania imports a lot of ties from Italy, and the elders take great pride in their tie collections. They refuse to pay more than $10 for one. Even the President (Marty) is getting interested after receiving three new ties for Father's Day--chosen by Elder Turley and Elder Mattox, our two office elders. The orange striped tie on the left is his.
The new missionaries are Sister Bentley from Sandy, UT., and Elder Swenson from Alpine, UT. We're very excited to have them. We currently have only 38 missionaries, as missions are being "balanced" around the world and most European missions are losing missionaries.

We had just finished up training the new missionaries when Marty had to fly off to Cypress (via Vienna) to attend meetings with Elder Wondra and the new mission president of Greece. While he was gone I caught up on some mending and ironing, and spent Saturday morning with the Young Adults and missionaries at a retirement home in Tirana. I took my guitar and we sang a few fun songs as well as "I Am a Child of God" and "Count Your Many Blessings" in Shqip (Albanian). "Count Your Many Blessings" is a favorite with the Albanian saints, and we sing it often! Sister Bentley is pictured here with Jeffrey, an investigator, and two men of the retirement home. These two gentlemen were really getting into the music, clapping and singing along (the man in the blue shirt has no teeth), and the other was a musician (accordian) and singer. He sang for us and still has a terrific voice!

Also, for the first time in the year since we've been here, I braved the traffic and drove the van to a shopping center that is just outside Tirana. I think I can do this. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can... I went to the shopping center for my first trip because it has a large underground parking lot. Parking on the streets of Tirana is very difficult and is what has kept me from behind the wheel--that and the crazy drivers in this country. I also deliberately went out at 3:00 when many people are off the streets for lunch and naps. My return trip was at 5:00 and the traffic was busier and the traffic circles were jammed with cars and trucks all trying to muscle their way into position for the desired exit. Scary!