Fier, a new companion, and we're living like Kings - yes that's right - we have a microwave AND a toaster!

Oh man this week was awesome! I just wanna express to you the deep gratitude I have towards the Lord.. I'm finally set up in Fier. I live on the 8th floor of the most beautiful apartment. I am living like a king!  My apartment is GLORIOUS! It's soooooo so sweet. In comparison to my old apartment, I have my own bathroom, my shower is like a water blaster, we've got 2 aircons that make life a dream, we have a toaster and microwave (Life is rough without 'em, so I've learnt to appreciate their presence!) and it's just so pretty! I'm seriously living in a palace, hehe.

Elder Matson is the one taking the photo

My new companion Elder Matson is awesome.  I have a tonne of respect for him. He's from (sweet home) Alabama, USA, and he's the oldest missionary in the field right now, 6 weeks and he's off home! He's awesome, he has a solid desire to be obedient and he works hard. Love it. He loves music, often times we both just break out into singing and it's great! He loves the guitar too. I also showed him a video of a haka and a maori song, long story short we are learning "kia tau" and he's almost got it all down! In a week! Legend. The pronunciation for maori is really super similar to Albanian so it helps a tonne. Sometimes I'll be in the other room getting changed and I'll hear him singing it, hahaha it's great. We are gonna have an awesome time together! My new district is awesome as well.

The members are awesome. They're crazy and I love them! I don't really know them all but you know I'm working on it! I had a goal to bear my testimony every fast sunday of my mission but I literally couldn't this sunday! This small branch (there was some 40 members in church on sunday) had no silent moment! Everyone was really keen to bear there testimony. They were pretty much fighting for the stand! Hahahaha it was hilarious actually. The Elders Quorum President behind me, stood up and started walking to the stand but then one of the little boys in the front stood up and beat him there, and he was mad! He was muttering under his breath "ugh I'm gonna kill him! Who does he think he is I'm gonna kill him!" Hahaha, and then at the very end the branch president fully cut off his wife, who was walking up to the stand, and told her to sit back down because we ran out of time! hahaha, oh it was great. So I'm not sad I didn't get to bear testimony, seeing the members burning desire to share their testimonies and feeling the spirit was an incredibly rewarding experience in itself. It was great! I loved it.

President Gjika (the branch president) invited us missionaries over to their house and they feasted us! It was great. They have such an awesome family - President Gjika is probably one of the most happy optimistic people I've met over here - He's missing one of his arms (factory accident I think), but he is just blooming happiness! Always joking around and has a mad love for biking and running. He wakes up at some ridiculous hour of the morning (before 3am) and runs! And he owns over 5 bikes himself and actively uses them... He's just so happy! Man and then Sister Gjika is awesome too... Such a happy, blessed family. They're seriously awesome. You can really see the difference the gospel makes to a family! It is a beautiful sight.

I hope you can feel the love that I have for my new area. Sad to see the old one go of course, but no use dwindling on the past! The present is here and there's plenty to do. One thing I really admire about Elder Matson is his testimony of the Atonement. I can feel his undying confidence in the Atonement when he testifies. It's awesome! He's so sincere about the healing grace and power that we can receive through it. The word healing always sounds like its only applicable to those that are smitten or stricken with some sort of disease or condition, but the truth is, we all stand in need of healing, no matter who we are or where we are on our spiritual journey. We all fall short of perfection, thus we all stand in need of the Atonement. Of course it requires courage on our part, but our Saviors arms are open to us whenever we are ready - "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." John 16:33.

I'll be happy if he keeps this up when he gets home!

I truly hope you are as happy as I am right now. If not, center your lives in Him and you will find it. Promise!

With Love

Elder Waters