Y.S.A. CONFERENCE
ON THE ADRIATIC SEA IN VLORE, ALBANIA
WE STAYED SUNDAY NIGHT IN AN APARTMENT IN DOWN TOWN TIRANA..7TH FLOOR..GREAT VIEW !!!!!
THERE WERE 8 OF OUR KOSOVO YOUNG ADULTS THAT WENT...5 MEMBERS AND 3 INVESTIGATORS. ON SUNDAY EVE THEY STAYED AT MEMBERS HOMES.
TIRANA
VLORE
VLORE
THE CONFERENCE STARTED WITH A SERVICE PROJECT OF CLEANING THE BEACH IN VLORE.
ABOUT 70 YOUTH AND 4 MISSIONARY COUPLES.
FUTURE LEADERS OF THE CHURCH IN ALBANIA AND KOSOVO !!!
GREAT HOTEL
REGINA HOTEL...
VERY CLEAN & NICE WITH EVERY ACCOMMADATION!!!
VALMIRA
SISTER WILLIS FROM CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND (ACTUALLY BORN IN IRELAND) SISTER VOLZ FROM KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN, SISTER CASADY FROM APPLE VALLEY, CALIFORNIA...SO MUCH FUN !!!!
GREAT FOOD !!!!
THE CASTADY'S FROM APPLE VALLEY CALIFORNIA
HUMANITARIAN MISSIONARIES
VOLLEY BALL ON THE BEACH..
SOME OF OUR KOSOVO KIDS...BURIM, FATMIR, VALMIRA, BESIM
THE HOTEL HAD ITS OWN PRIVATE BEACH !!!!
SAM SWIMMING IN THE ADRIATIC SEA !!!!
GJON & BESIM.... BESIM HAS A BAPTISM DATE THE END OF SEPTEMBER......HE BECAME A PROTESTANT AFTER THE WAR...HIS HOME WAS DESTROYED AND HIS BROTHER WAS KILLED AND HE SUFFERED HEALTH PROBLEMS AS A RESULT.....HE LOVES THE SCRIPTURES.....SO EXCITED ABOUT THE GOSPEL !!!
PRESIDENT AND SISTER FORD WERE THE SPEAKERS BEFORE THE DANCE ..
BEAUTIFUL SUNSET !!!
GREAT COUPLE FROM GJAKOVE....HE IS TAKING THE LESSONS..SHE GRADUATED FROM BYUI AND IS TEACHING MATH IN THE HIGH SCHOOL..8 CLASSES WITH 50 IN EACH CLASS !!! HE TEACHES CLARINET AND MUSIC IN THE SCHOOLS.....SHE IS STUDYING TO TAKE THE G.R.E. !!!
(THANKS MIRIAM FOR THE COLLAGES..THEY LOVE THEM...)
ONE OF THE CLASSES WAS ON MARRIAGE....AND THE TEACHER TOLD THEM THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN THEIR MARRIAGE IS THE SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST. HE IS AT THE TOP OF THE TRIANGLE AND THE HUSBAND AND WIFE ARE ON THE CORNERS. THE CLOSER YOU ARE TO CHRIST. THE CLOSER YOU ARE TO EACH OTHER. (CHRIST IS THE REFEREE...BUT HE BEACONS WITH LOVE )
ANOTHER GREAT COUPLE FROM GJAKOVE...SHE WAS JUST BAPTIZED IN AUGUST AND HE IS HAVING THE LESSONS !!!!! THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME VLORA HAD BEEN OUT OF KOSOVO !!!!!
OUR GROUP FROM GJAKOVE..THEY HAD TO LEAVE EARLY TO CATCH A BUS IN TIRANA BACK TO KOSOVO !!!!
GIRLS FROM TIRANA.....
BESIM, VALMIRA, GJON..... THEY RODE DOWN FROM PRISTINE WITH US ..... SUCH GREAT SOULS !! THEY WERE SO EXCITED ......SO FUN TO HEAR THEM LAUGH AND ENJOY THE RIDE...THEY WERE ABSOLUTELY AMAZED AT THE WONDERS OF THE CONFERENCE..THEY HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT !!
SHE AND HER HUSBAND ARE GOOD FRIENDS WITH RICHARD AND JENNY THOMAS, DIANE'S BROTHER..I WENT TO SCHOOL WITH RICHARD ) THEY WERE IN CHARGE...DID AN AMAZING JOB...SO GREAT TO WORK WITH THEM....
BESMIR GJONI...
24 YRS. OLD, ONLY MEMBER OF HIS FAMILY..HE JOINED THE CHURCH 1 1/2 YEARS AGO FROM A MISSIONARY IN TIRANA WHO TAUGHT HIM ENGLISH. HE WENT THROUGH THE TEMPLE IN GERMANY TO RECEIVE HIS TEMPLE BLESSINGS. HE COULDN'T FIND A JOB IN ALBANIA ..HE FOUND ONE IN IRAQ AT A RESORT..IT PAINED HIM NOT TO BE ABLE TO GO TO CHURCH. HE MET A U.S. SERVICEMAN AND THE TWO OF THEM PREPARE THE SACRAMENT AND GET ON SKYPE WITH OTHER MEMBERS FROM THE MIDDLE EAST ..BAGDAD AND HAVE SACRAMENT MEETING TOGETHER. HE HAD NOT BEEN HOME FOR 10 MONTHS AND MISSED HIS FAMILY..SO TOOK A HOLIDAY..IT COST HIM 2 MONTHS SALARY TO COME HOME TO ALBANIA..HE WAS LOVING THE CONFERENCE TO BE WITH MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH !!!!! HIS COUNTENANCE WAS SO GLOWING..A PURE SOUL.....
THREE FINE YOUNG MEN.....BESMIR MARKU IS 23 AND WANTED TO SERVE A MISSION BUT HIS FATHER DIDN'T HAVE A JOB AND HIS SISTERS ARE SICK SO HE SUPPORTS THE FAMILY. HE WENT THROUGH THE TEMPLE IN GERMANY AND MET A GIRL THERE HE WANTS TO MARRY. IT COSTS $400.00 TO GO TO THE TEMPLE IN GERMANY. (I THINK THE CHURCH PAYS FOR THEM THE FIRST TIME..(TEMPLE FUND ??).IT WILL ONLY COST $50.00 TO GO TO THE ROME ITALY TEMPLE WHEN IT IS FINISHED....
NEDI HAS RECEIVED HIS MISSION CALL TO LONDON, ENGLAND...BUT..HAS BEEN WAITING MONTHS FOR A VISA...
THE DISTRICT PRESIDENT IN TIRANA WITH HIS FIANCE....HE SERVED A MISSION IN ITALY...WONDERFUL COUPLE !!!!
TESTIMONY MEETING ON THE OCEAN !!!!!
SUCH A MIRACLE FOR OUR KOSOVO ALBANIANS TO EXPERIENCE THIS CONFERENCE AND SEE OTHER YOUTH THEIR AGE ACTIVE IN THE CHURCH AND SINGING THE HYMNS OF THE GOSPEL SO STRENGTHENING....
