VLORA HAS GIVEN ME PERMISSION TO POST HER BAPTISM PICTURES

 AUGUST 10, 2012

ELDER WEB & ELDER CORBRIDGE TAUGHT HER

VLORA & HER BOYFRIEND,FATMIR.

 HE WILL BE BAPTIZED ON OCTOBER10TH  !

PRESIDENT JONES CONDUCTED THE BAPTISM !!

BURIM BAPTIZED HER

BESIM'S BAPTISM

  ELDER WEB BAPTIZED HIM AND ELDER CORBRIDGE WILL CONFIRM HIM TOMORROW.  THEY HAVE BOTH TAUGHT HIM EVERY LESSON, AND HELPED HIM TO STOP SMOKING!!!

AT THE LAST MINUTE THE HOTEL PRISTINA BOOKED THEIR POOL BECAUSE OF AMBASSADORS COMING !!   BESIM KNEW OF A LAKE 1/2 HOUR AWAY.  

IT TURNED OUT SO GREAT....PRESIDENT & SISTER FORD CAME UP TO THE BAPTISM.   WE HAD A LITTLE SERVICE RIGHT THERE ON THE LAKE SIDE.    THERE WAS A WONDERFUL SPIRIT.  

   VALMIRA GAVE A GREAT TALK BOTH IN ENGLISH AND ALBANIAN ON BAPTISM.  PRES. FORD GAVE A TALK ON THE HOLY GHOST, WITH VALMIRA  TRANSLATING.  BESIM SHARED HIS TESTIMONY, VALMIRE TRANSLATED. 

WE CAME BACK TO THE CHURCH FOR COOKIES AND PUNCH!!!

THE DISTRICT LEADERS WERE THERE AND OUR EMBASSY FAMILY, THE BODELLS AND ULLI, OUR FRIEND FROM THE COUNTRY.

WHAT A WONDERFUL DAY !!!

COUPLES CONFERENCE  !!!

                                     SEPTEMBER 27-28, 2012...DAJTI  TOWER HOTEL

 TIRANA ,ALBANIA

WE TOOK A CABLE CAR UP TO THE HOTEL 1420 M UP THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN IN TIRANA

 THE VIEW WAS SPECTACULAR !!!

THE HOTEL WAS WONDERFUL..

EVEN A TUB !!!!!  (first one!)

THE VIEW FROM OUR ROOM WAS GREAT !!

A BEAUTIFUL HOTEL

BREAKFAST ON THE TOP OF THE TOWER...

GREAT VIEW OF TIRANA..WITH ITS MILLIONS OF PEOPLE !!!

VERY NICE RESTAURANT...PRESIDENT FORD'S DAUGHTER, HER HUSBAND AND TWO CHILDREN WERE VISITING FROM ENGLAND.....

THE SALAD........

WAS SO, SO GOOD (WE DON'T HAVE MUCH LETTUCE IN KOSOVO)  UNTIL  ONE UNLUCKY BITE..I HIT AN OLIVE..WELL...THEY ARE NOT PITTED...IT BROKE OFF MY TOOTH !!! ( THE OUTSIDE 1/3 OF THE TOOTH  ON THE SIDE)..

IT EXPOSED THE NERVE AND WAS VERY SENSITIVE...I WORRIED ALL NIGHT WHAT I WOULD DO..WHERE I WOULD GO TO GET IT FIXED.  I WASN'T IN AMERICA !!! THEN I REMEMBERED, TWO OF THE MISSIONARIES IN OUR GROUP WERE DENTISTS !!!!!!

ELDER & SISTER ELIASON 

THEY RUN THE OFFICE (AND THE WHOLE MISSION..THEY ARE INCREDIBLE)  AND A COUNCILOR TO PRESIDENT FORD.

      THEY ARE FROM ALIMEDA, CALIFORNIA WHERE HE HAS BEEN A DENTIST AND TAUGHT DENTAL SCHOOL FOR 40 YEARS (HIS WIFE WAS A DENTAL HYGIENIST)

ELDER & SISTER CASSIDY ARE FROM APPLE VALLEY, CALIFORNIA,   A RETIRED DENTIST!

BOTH DENTISTS TOOK A LOOK!!!!!   THEY KNEW OF A DENTIST IN TIRANA THAT THEY HAD SENT THE ELDERS TO, BUT NEITHER HAD MET HER.  SO AFTER THE CONFERENCE, ELDER ELIASON TOOK US TO SEE HER.  I MADE HIM COME IN WITH ME TO SEE IF HE APPROVED..  HE LIKED HER EVALUATION AND SAID SHE WAS GOING TO DO EXACTLY WHAT HE WOULD HAVE DONE. HE SAID HER EQUIPMENT WAS GREAT..AN UPGRADE FROM HIS OFFICE.  SO, SHE DEADENED ME UP AND 1/2 HOUR LATER I HAD A NEW TOOTH...SUCH A MIRACLE..THEN WE HEADED THE 4 HOURS BACK TO 'OUR PRISTINA'

ELDER & SISTER WILLIS

 HUMANITARIAN MISSIONARIES IN ALBANIA

ARE FROM CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND

ELDER & SISTER BROWN ARE HUMANITARIAN MISSIONARIES IN MONTENEGRO

 FROM RICHLAND, WASHINGTON(TRI-CITIES)

ELDER & SISTER BODELL ARE MLS MISSIONARIES FROM LONDON, ENGLAND

THEY ARE GOOD FRIENDS OF PRES. FORD AND A COUNCILOR IN THE MISSION PRESIDENCY.

THE DENTIST..  DR. MARSELA  DODBIBA

 SHE WENT TO DENTAL SCHOOL IN TIRANA AND PRACTICED IN CANADA FOR SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE RETURNING TO TIRANA.   IT SEEMS MOST OF THE DOCTORS AND DENTISTS ARE WOMEN !!

IT COST 3500 LEK ($35.00)  ELDER ELIASON SAID IN THE STATES IT WOULD HAVE BEEN $130.00 !!

IT WAS ALL A MIRACLE FOR SURE !!!!

TRANSFERS  COMING

THE ELDERS ARE EXPECTING TRANSFERS NEXT WEEK..SO THEY HAD US DO AN APARTMENT INSPECTION...BOTH SETS OF ELDERS PASSED WITH FLYING COLORS!!!!

THEY HAVE THEIR  EMERGENCY FOOD STORAGE AND A GOOD SUPPLY OF WATER, WHICH, OF COURSE WILL STAY IN THE APARTMENT .

ELDER PETERSON & ELDER RACINE

                             

                            

ELDER CORBRIDGE & ELDER WEB

DISTRICT ELDERS !!! 

 BEST ELDERS IN THE MISSION !!

CHURCH 

SHARRI WAS CONFIRMED  TODAY...AND TO OUR SURPRISE  WE HAD 8 SERVICEMEN FROM BONDSTEEL SHOW UP TO CHURCH!!!

THIS IS OUR LITTLE BRANCH..WE ARE MISSING 2 GIRLS AND THREE FROM GJAKOVE, THEIR DRIVER GOT SICK THIS MORNING  !!

WE HAD LUNCH AFTER......

                                                           WE WERE THRILLED TO HAVE THEM AND THEY WERE SO HAPPY TO BE HERE...THEIR TOUR OF DUTY IS 9 MONTHS.  THEY WILL BE HERE UNTIL MAY. AND THEY PLAN ON COMING EACH WEEK..  THEIR UNITS ARE FROM HAWAII AND CALIFORNIA.  THEY HAVE HELICOPTER DETAIL.

                                  THIS SOLDIER IS FROM HYRUM, HE SAID HE KNEW DARLA.....

LEAVING OUR CHURCH HEADED DOWN 'OUR STREET'

BACK TO MUSHTIST

DONIKA'S PARENTS INVITED US BACK FOR A SPECIAL DINNER....

DONIKA'S SISTER, MARIGONA,HER COUSIN, HER SISTER-IN-LAW & PARENTS DONIKA & A NEIGHBOR BOY !!

THE MOST WONDERFUL PEOPLE IN ALL THE WORLD.....ALL OF THE FOOD THEY SERVED US WAS COOKED, GROWN &  PRESERVED BY THEM......
                                                                              

                                                                    

DONIKA'S MOTHER SENT US HOME WITH DELICIOUS  SPICY YELLOW PEPPERS AND MILD RED PEPPERS..THIS SEEMS TO BE THE MAIN 'STAY' FOR EVERYONE...THEY  GROW THEM OR BUY THEM IN THE MARKET IN BIG BAGS, PRESERVE THEM AND EAT THEM ALL WINTER...they make TURSHI..putting the peppers in a brine that last forever &  AJVAR..ususally red peppers with other vegtables, they grind them and bottle them and eat it with bread.   

 

                      ALL THE NEIGHBOR KIDS CAME OVER TO SEE THE AMERICANS !!!

beautiful countryside in the village

Beautiful homes rebuilt after the war !!!!

                                                           BEAUTIFUL KOSOVO GIRLS !!!!

A PEACEFUL WALK IN THE VILLAGE  !!!!

 JUST LIKE WALKING IN YOUNGWARD....

WELL..... ALMOST.