July 29, 2014

Hey Mom,

 

So, yesterday we couldn't email because there's a four-day-long holiday that celebrates the end of Ramadan and the places we usually go for internet were closed. I was so bummed! But I guess the upside is, no more grumpy Muslims. 

ON SATURDAY WE HAD A TRIPLE BAPTISM!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH IT WAS SO EXCITING. Mom, I was so happy. President Weidmann came down with his APs to get to know us (interview us) on Wednesday morning, and then came back for the baptism, since it would be a historical day for Macedonia. We greeted Metia and Negat (I think I incorrectly wrote his name as Nigel before) in front of the church the morning of and Metia was SO NERVOUS. She kept talking about how excited she was and kept taking steadying breaths. We milled around for a bit and then took her upstairs to help her change. Several times she almost cried and she asked me if I remembered my baptismal day. "Well, you were a kid then. You don't really remember. I'm just so excited/nervous, and there's all these people here...." I mostly just patted her back and let her know we would go back down with her in her baptismal clothes and I would give a talk, and then she would be baptized. I told her, "It'll be peaceful," mostly because I don't know that many other adjectives in Macedonian to help her calm down. She listened attentively to my talk on baptism once we were downstairs and cried at the end when I said, "Congratulations and welcome to our new members as brothers and sisters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I promise that God knows what you're doing today and is pleased with you." Metia was the first to be baptized, and she and her husband both asked Elmaz to baptize them. Apparently the elders had practiced and explained to him multiple times where to put your hands when you baptize someone, but it took probably a good five minutes to get it right. I felt so bad because I knew the water was cold. Elder Krajnc tried to explain in Macedonian, then the APs from Tirana called out instructions in Albanian, while Elder Barber and President Weidmann acted it out for him in the corner. I stood on the edge of the pool with a towel for when she got out, so I had a pretty good view of everything. Two women who had just been standing outside of Hotel Arca when we all met up had come in to see the baptism, so that was pretty cool. Also, Natasha came and it was the first baptism she'd ever been to. Once Elmaz finally figured out how to do the ordinance, Elder Krajnc held up paper with the words written on it that he should say. It was kind of funny. After Metia, Negat was baptized. Once he got out of the pool they gave each other the sweetest hug. I was so happy for them and their family. Zoki, the elders' investigator, was also baptized by Elder Prince. 

In our interviews with President Weidmann though, we really emphasized to him our lack of language skills and our inability to find a solution. He agreed that we needed to figure something out and said he'd be in touch with us about it. That is the most sympathetic response we have gotten so far to our language needs, so I'm happy. I also felt special that he took the time to get to know each of us on a personal level. He seems like a really nice guy.

I don't remember if I told you that two elders have been called, one comes in October and one in November. Two sisters have been called but one doesn't get here until January and we don't know about the other one. 

Last Friday one of the elders' landlords invited all of the missionaries out to lunch. We put our lunch and dinner hour together to be able to make it happen and drove a ways to a fancy Macedonian restaurant. I ate so much I thought my eyes would pop out. 

I copied and pasted the part about dress and appearance from For the Strength of Youth into Google translate and printed it out for Metia because 1) she had asked about modesty and 2) to see if it was a good Macedonian translation. She said it was! Hooray Google Translate and it's fabulous wonders! This means I can give her more material once she's done with her Gospel Fundamentals book. I printed out a picture of the Salt Lake Temple and one of just a regular chapel for her to see since she'd asked about that too, and she asked for a picture of the Frankfurt temple next time since she knows that's the one she'll go to to be sealed to her family. I love her excitement and enthusiasm for the gospel. Her story is even more incredible because she comes from a strong Muslim family but said she never really liked the Quran, and somehow or another started reading the Bible (about 15 years ago) and loved it. She said she's been wanting to become Christian for a long time but had no one to help her, and her father told her if she was baptized that she wouldn't be his daughter anymore. On Sunday after receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, she bore her testimony and said that it didn't matter that things were bad with her family now, because the church was her new family and she had a new life. After giving her the page about modesty, the next time I saw her I noticed she only had one pair of earrings in. She's great. 

I forgot to tell you something funny that happened a few weeks ago. We were street contacting and I was taking a break, sitting on a bench with my head between my hands, feeling tired. Someone physically lifted up my head and I saw that it was one of the little kids who we've befriended who sells handwipes and chocolate bananas on the street everyday. She gave me a hug. It was so cute and I heard Elder Prince laugh. Then she stole my glasses and Book of Mormon.

 

Matthew 25:34-40, "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

Love, 

Sister Riddle