Smiling is Really the best kind of communication!  We smile and the Pogradec People want to know why you are smiling.  And "you have the whitest teeth!"  

We sent off our elder Tare  who is headed to the Birmingham England Mission this week and drove into Tirana to pick up chairs and see him off.  Went to the TEG and bought our wonderful bed sheets and blankets!!!! I worked everyday with Tare and he was my partner and interpreter and friend.   The last day with Elder Tare I pulled him aside and felt impressed to quizzed him about the temple.  He will be taking his endowments soon after he arrives in England.  With a beautiful wool powdered blue coat his mother made for him--absolutely stunning handmanship (he is the only member in his family and this has to be so hard for her to understand it all)  he basically told me he knew nothing about the temple except he has been waiting to go since he was baptized .   We spent an hour going over symbolism and the Pearl of Great Price.  I am so glad that I asked and then immediately let the mission President know to counsel him and discuss this.  The President thought he had gone through Temple Prep but... NO  .   In our final walk the night before he left, we talked about life on the other side of the veil --symbolism.  In tongue and cheek I said... So Tare are you ever going to tell me your first name  now that you are leaving us... He replied, :  KLODIAN--or in our language  Claudia.  

It took me back and then I realized.  Of course.... I was prompted to help this young 19 year old Klodi  by another Claudia.  It was as clear as I can tell you.  Marlin... let's just hope that Claudia hangs out in the Preston England Temple this next two weeks.  She is here often and  Smiling down on Albania! 

Can I just say that our Elders and Sisters are just wonderful! Obedient and beyond faithful.  I am completely impressed with our Elder Jake Anderson who NEVER forgets his nest of members even when he travels, he is on the phone making sure they are all taken care of. He thinks ahead and plans well and is a very good listener to his investigators.  He worries about NOTHING and puts everything in the LORDS hands .  He minds his own business and involves himself with ONLY that which will bring his crew to Christ.  He is young but I have so appreciated him and his integrity .  Good Man.  

 This week Lorin and I  have given English classes SOLO without the Elders.  The greatest thing is we had enough chairs for EVERYONE to sit down!  -Our new Elder , Elder Sufaj  is an Albanian Singer and went to Tirana to record EFY songs for three days for the Albanians! He   is now here to replace Elder Tare.  So Everything I Pray for the Lord gives me.  I prayed for another Albanian to come and he did.  I Prayed for Musical People to be brought here- Three arrived.  I prayed for a piano--- NO JOKE PIANOS HAVE BEEN LOST AT SEA FOR 3/4 OF A YEAR  and they arrived 4 days after my prayers.  I GOT TWO OF THEM one for Pogradec and one for Korce!  The new sister in Korce came with tons of music and a violin and also plays the piano and her companion Sings beautifully and also plays the piano.  Yep!  Im already planning a musical soiree for both Pogradec and Korce!  We may even find a way to go to OHRID in Macedonia and have a musical soiree there.   I can now teach piano lessons to the members and have them learn hymns for church!   

I prayed for chairs.  Got them within a week.  Prayed for pictures for the  church and  Got them --well sort of took them and repented later. Prayed for heat and a washing machine in one week I got that an MUCH MUCH MORE!  Pictures below!  Watch out people--I am starting to think that I am going to pray for the perfect replacement for Pogradec.  It starts a year in advance to prepare to leave so start praying with me!  

This week we also traveled to Korce and met with our Zone Missionaries there.  Played  riveted games of Volley ball for a couple of hours--Motra Olsen, Willie, a little primary aged girl and about 18 Albanian men with Elder Birkkovie "the German" and Elder Holding.  I haven't had so much fun since college volley ball!  It was a blast and so great to wear levis!!!!!!!!!  We got permission to play at the Greek Orthodox church indoor facility and the guard after watching us for an hour and seeing how much fun we were having took off his uniform jacket and jumped into the game!  It was a riot!  I have never played so well for YEARS!!!  I was a key player on the team go figure!  Energy comes when you get out of those nylons!!!!  At the end, we joined in a circle for a spiritual thought and pray--joining maybe 4-5 different religions all unified in prayer and shook hands Mirepafshime and good night!  The ride home was beautiful and Lorin had a great smile of ---"this is the Life" on his face and that makes me so happy!  Oh and we found a great store on the way home that had FROZEN MEAT that the sisters said was okay to eat.  We wandered our car down the Mountain to home and could see the lights off the Lake shining our way homeward.  I am truly starting to love it here and it's still winter!  What greatness is coming when spring and summer arrive!  Can I just say that the groceries here are FRESH!  Hand picked off the tree and are so good to eat!  The Leeks here are beautiful and taste so fresh.    I make a fresh big pot of soup every other day and we are eating so healthy now!  We have our cookie treat here and there but really fresh from the market everyday is LOVELY!

The house is really coming along and Lorin has fixed EVERYRTHING!

Cute 

Tile don’t you think!

See the plank under the rug.  

Lorin rigged it the water to drain under the plank and in to a drain from the shower.  I got everything sparkling clean but the shower door.  See that cabinet next to the sink.  Lorin had a guy make it for something like $30-40 because he was extra generous with the guy!  We are getting an extra plank and rug tomorrow in Tirana!  Yep!  that is a bidet—which last week was my washing machine!  but LOOK!  A washing machine that Lorin had fixed for $20.00   It’s great!  Takes all day to go through a cycle and can only hold one bed sheet at a time but hey A WASHING MACHINE!!!

We also have the world HOTTEST WATER whenever we want it!