We are free to choose

Dear Family,

   I'll start with a bit of advice. Never leave your house without an umbrella. Today, we casually strolled out in our white shirts for P-day. After shopping and lunch we found ourselves in quite the predicament: it was raining cats and dogs and we had to get to the internet cafe so that I could right this email. Obviously we survived the Mississippi and Missouri that we crossed to get here. You should embrace this moment, this is probably the most you'll ever feel like the early pioneers who didn't know if they would receive mail from their loved ones on missions because of mother nature's best efforts. Just imagine that this email is on wet parchment and you can barely make out the words because the ink is bleeding.

   It may sound dramatic, but it is just really fun. I'm having a blast over here. I've jokingly told my companion that I want to be a weatherman when I get home because I love seeing the clouds roll in, sunsets etc. 

   This week I've fell in love...with the book of mormon. Not the book of mormon but the BOOK of mormon. The little one. Only 9 chapters. I would say it is some of the most underrated and underread scripture in the Book of Mormon. I've imagined in my minds eye Mormon, a man who sees no hope in his people. Yet he leads them because they look to him. They plead with him to guide their armies. He leaves them, but goes back to help even though he knows it will probably be in vain. He realizes that even though he may not bring them to Christ, he can still help them. This Apostasy contained in these 9 chapters is sobering. No longer do the battles have inserts of how the leader "spiritually" prepared the people. No longer to generals council with prophets. No longer does the Lord deliver his people. No, each battle is decided according to the strength of the men. To me, I just pictured the NFL: Survival of the fittest, no drive, just money, except for the rookie QB (Mormon) who has that fire in his throw and has a desire to win. I hope it was alright to compare football to the Book of Mormon. Then consider the final testimony of this "Hall of Famer". It is humbling and beautiful as he describes his purpose in writing. For me, I found the most power in Moroni's conclusion of his fathers record. I imagine that he didn't know if what he was writing was the end of the record. Reading it like it IS the last chapter of the whole book really puts it into perspective. Thankfully, we have the books of Ether and Moroni to round it out.

   We often wonder why people don't except the gospel. I wonder why the people of the Book of Mormon reject the prophets. Why does apostasy happen? I find it everywhere: national and personal. It is because of one thing, not recognizing God's hand in your life. When one becomes too self-centered, their reliance on God diminishes. I've seen too many people here recognize the truth of the gospel, but aren't willing to give to God, in the words of President Packer, "the only thing that he can't take away", our agency. We are the deciding factor for anything in our life.  Gods for us, satans against us: we choose. It is a gift from God, but we must give it back. The way to give it back is to do what he wants us to do. The way to do what he wants us to do is to recognize what he's done for us, what he's done for our ancestors, and what he will do for the children of God in the future. Then after we recognize, we'll WANT MORE and start to live more righteously. The gosple becomes a part of us and a constant adventure. I really want to keep up this studying even after my mission (I guess I should focus on the 2 years at hand now!)

    I see miracles every day. some are big and some are small. Some are manifest in numbers but most are not. I just love the little light that we can be in someone else's life. My favorite miracle is seeing myself stop someone randomly and we end up teaching them a lesson. This is a miracle because I think of what they're life would be like if we didn't stop them. 

    I love my district. The Zone Leaders and the Sisters are also in our city so we see them all the time. All of us just want to work so hard. The Zone Leaders have a baptism next week, so that's super exciting for all of us! The Senior couple (Jones) is just amazing. I love talking with Elder Jones. He was a dairy man in Cache Valley and was drafted into the Vietnam War. He reminds me of Grandpa, Uncle Steven, David, and all the Hicken Uncles in one. He's great. He serves as the Branch President and does a tremendous job. We'll miss him when they leave in a few weeks, as well as sister jones's cooking (I need to run a little more now!)

   Sounds like life is HAPPENING back home. I love the updates. I think about you all the time. Keep the members and non-members of Kosovo in your prayers!

Love,

    Elder Bangerter

P.S. Mom, do you know how much my money card started with, and the history of withdrawrals? Thanks

P.P.S. Mom and Dad, I love you so much. One thing I've realized this week has to do with you. In the MTC someone gave a talk about reasons for serving a mission: (in order) Everybody else is/ They want me to, for yourself, for others home and abroad, for the lord. I immediatly thought, "oh I want to be the last and greatest serving for the lord" which I've learned is the wrong attitude. Last night for example, I was washing the dishes and I thought, "why am I doing this? why do I wash dishes?" And I realized that it was becuase If I saw you, mom, walk into my apartment, thats what you'd want me to do. I did it because you, dad, always did it with me and that it was comfortable. I wasn't "doing it for the Lord", but for you. Sometimes I just do what I do becuase I know that if I did anything different YOU would be disappointed in me. We don't have to jump to the "last and greatest" of talks like I did. I realized that I needed to evaluate where I was at and then work from there. Thank you so much for everything! I love you.... a lot! Ti amo! Ich liebe dich! Ju dua!

   

Pictures: Bell tower in Prishtina...notice the different wrong times

Continues On

Well, last week I said "Springtime in Prishtina", but lets be real. If it is springtime in the rockies, how often does it snow! Yep, that was this week, and what a dramatic change it was.

   Tuesday, my companion/district leader had a DL meeting down in Tirana, about 4 hours away. We awoke about 3 to get to the OTHER capital city on time. Honestly, I don't complain because it is always so beautiful, but not really at 3 am. Por, (but) when I awoke again aound 7 I was amazed at the scene before me. From heaven to earth the landscape was breathtaking: rainclouds, green mountains, lowerclouds, green city. All bathed in splatters of early morning sunshine. I'd call it my sunrise, because only me and maybe the bus driver saw it.

    We spent the day in tirana, he at his meeting and I street contacting...in a short sleeve shirt! (first time ever) But that choice almost proved to be fatal! As we came back we entered a half mile tunnel with a drizzel of rain. When we exited about 1 minute later, 4 inches of snow covered the ground! Yep, Kosovo is very similiar to springtime (summer even) in the Rockies!

    Well for the rest of this week, all hail broke loose! Snow, Hail, and finally rain have covered the ground until well Sunday! And what a fitting time it was. Easter. A time for rebirth, a refocus on the new Life of Christ. I felt a personal conection obviously....proud to share a day with the whole Christian world. But everything about the day was new. A new year for me, the meaning of easter, a renewal of my baptismal coventants, a new chapter of my life, a new country, a new companion, everything new! But, good new. I've learned alot this week about opening your mouth. The lord counsels, "For some I am not well pleased for they will not open their mouth!" I figure he is pleased if we serve him, but if we want him to be WELL pleased, we better act.

    Being the younger companion I am, I've gotten used to stopping someone, attempting to understand, and handing it over to my companion. But, that is not the way it works. I know heavenly father has blessed me a bit by putting english speakers in my path...but that wont last for long. After a companionship inventory and a personal reevaluation, I've found the comfort that the lord gives when he says "I will use the weak things of the world to confound the wise...""I give unto men weakness that they may be HUMBLE, and MY grace is sufficient enought for those that humble themselves before me...I will make weak things STRONG unto them." Oh how this is true! We can rejoice in our weaknesses! For we know that is when we recieve strength, like my fellow eastern european missionary paul said, "When I weak, then I am strong" Our companionship has gotten a lot better at just talking to the normal joe on the street...so often the last person we plan on stopping is the one the lord has put in our path. Like my friend Austin Fullmer said in a letter to me, from advice he learned from Seth, "Sometimes our plan B is God's plan A" very true. Everything happens for a reason.

   And so, why the rain?

   Obviously, we have asked this question a lot this week, but in a negative sort of way. But I purpose the "Plan A of God"

Rain forces those who are comfortable street contacting where? INdoors. Therefore, tracting became the missionaries tool in Prishina this week...and for good reason.

   As we came up to our first door one day, we said a prayer, really trying to have faith that this week would be successfull and not seem long. Well, first knock? An answer, an admittance, a shoe removal, a lesson, and a return appointment. As we left the lesson, I coudn't help but smile as we both recognized God's plan in our life. Whether that return appointment happens or not, it does not matter to me, becuase I know that from that experience God taught me that he is always there, even when things are tough, he is there for his missionaries. I thought in my head, "huh, that was one of those experiances that missionaries type home in their letters. that's cool. It really happens. wow!"

  But God is a loving God and always will contintue to bless us. Naturally, that lesson took up a good amount of time and we were done tracting for the day. So we finished and planned to finish the building the next day.

  Next day arrived and we were back on the landing. To our right, the door of first opening was situated, to our left, the first door of this NEW day. After another prayer, we knocked, he answered, he admitted, we removed our shoes, we taught a lesson, and set up a return appointment. Words cannot express the feelings that were felt as we left that special

landing. A landing where God showed his love to 2 missionaries by giving them something to do, and giving it to them in His way, a way that required precipitation from heaven, which precipitation is, when conversing with the locals, a rare 20 year occurance in April in Kosovo. Wow. Now I really hope the return appointments work! I know that God lives, and loves me too, his spirit whispers this to me and tells me it is true. It is true. We are the ONLY true church on the earth. We have një profet i gjallë, a living prophet, who has POWER and AUTHORITY. Wow that is amazing.

   One last thing, today we went to an old Serbian monestary which had beautiful 1200s paintings. I stood in the cathedral alone as I saw an old nun do her sacred routine, kissing various pictures and crossing herself. It was very beautiful and peaceful. I knew she had faith in Christ, but my heart pained as I knew what WE had. I know she has dedicated her whole life to this, but I know what blessings come from elderly women in my life. This nun could've been a teacher to primary children, or a grandmother to many, a lady of love in a church thats true. But that was not Gods plan for her. I know she'll be blessed for her service, but oh how glad I am to have the true and living church today.

Love you all,

Elder Bangerter

Pictures from the week

1. The signs in Kosovo they believe should be only in albanian....not serbian, that's why they cross them all out

2. 1 of 5 waterfalls we went to

♫ It's Springtime in Prishtina ♪

Oh it is springtime in Kosovo!

Today we had a great opportunity of going to a waterfall. I felt like I was back at scoutcamp in Snow Canyon, and had a strong urge to go find some horses and start riding. Kosovo is like the foothills in Alpine...but everywhere, and a lot greener. And then in the background you have majestic white capped mountains. It really is beautiful.

But, we don't teach in the villages, fshats, but in the city, qytet. I've adjusted to city life pretty well. One funny thing about Albanians. They walk up and down the boulevard all day, back and forth all the time. Honestly, street contacting feels like fishing; standing in a new spot everyday, casting out a "line" or two...haha I know I'm so clever. However, there aren't a ton of bites...but everytime we get one, like fishing, you forget about all those that got away and rejoice in the one you found. It really is so interesting to teach so many muslims. I really love it. Honestly, I can't think of any other type of missionary work. I'm afraid that if I am contacted by a christian, I won't know what to say...because I've literally contacted 3 christians, they just take you off guard!  

   And so the work moves on. Since the amount of success we are having is not as much as we would physically like to see, I've seen how God is shaping us to become better missionaries. We've been forced to change our tactics...showing more love. I've found myself pleased with my efforts the past few days. No, the numbers don't show it. But, the spirit does. We find someone and we sit with them. Talk with them. Love them. They may smoke or have a tea, but we love them all the same :) Each time I find myself in one of those situations, I think, "If Christ or President Monson were here, what would they be doing? How would they be treating these people?" And so, I try to do likewise, applying the principles I've learned at the MTC...not the one in Provo, but in American Fork. When I apply these, I become more optimistic and happy! I find myself thinking of  "Enjoy it" all the time! And so, whether it be at the Barbershop or the bukestore (buke means bread, so I guess its an Albanglish word I made up), you can be a beacon of light. I'm so glad I was taught how to smile, cause I KNOW it brightens up the days of those that see it. I know that as missionaries we have to smile, because we are ordained ministers of Christ, and so his light has to be THAT close to the veil for everyone else to see. 

I love the book of mormon, in both languages, and also the simplistic view of our religion put forth by Elder Ballard in "Our Search for Happiness" A very good read! 

   I'm grateful for knowledge that we have of God and his true nature. It makes me sad to see people so confused about their own beleifs. Please pray for them. Pray for them to have a desire to change their "traditions of their fathers" to the "tradition of their heavenly father". I find much peace in the fact that we are ALL children of God and that he loves ALL of us.

Anything you've seen of prishine in pictures is what I go by everyday! Keep looking at them....and because I don't know when I'll ever have an opportunity to send my own!

    I love you all,

        Elder Bejngëdër

Lincoln writes from Kosova

Dear Family,

Well, I don't know if you've heard but I'm now serving in Prishtinë, Kosova. It is the most northern part of the Adriatic South Mission. My trainer is called Elder Linderman from Visalia, California; he's been here about 6 months and came in with Elder Gunthers group. Speaking of Elder Gunther, this was where he was trained as well, so I'm excited to follow in his footsteps.

   I've learned a lot this week and I have a whole bunch more to learn. Up here in the north they speak a dialect called Geg, different and thicker than the traditinal Tosk. So I'm definately praying for the gift of tongues! While street contacting, I ask a question and then just hope my trainer will answer it. But there have been a few times where he has stayed silent and I felt like Elder Faust on his first day of his mission when Grandpa made him do it by himself. I know what he feels like now....In fact, I think now I realize what work you all did on your missions. By being here, your missions are coming to life!

   A lot has happened since I last wrote (that feels like a line straight out of my journal). We had a great time concluding the MTC with a devotional by Richard Elliot and David Archuleta and other awesome devotionals. WE had in field oreintation which was really good, but the scenarios they do there are completly different than what we do here in Kosovo!

  The flights were good. I gave the first vision a couple times, bore a strong testimony against a lady who couldn't get over the fact that we are a cult or something and Joseph Smith, and recieved the contact information for a Bulgarian man who wanted to know=what is truth? Then we arrived in Albania. Oh it was gorgeous.

The mountains remind me of the wasatch except it is a lot more green and all the rooftops are the beautiful european orange. I love it.

Kosovo is a little more wildernessy. The mountains are more like foothillls, but the forests are beautiful. Each grove looks like it is straight from the first vision or the nature video dad and I watched before I left (choose which you will!) The dedication spot for Kosovo is a humble little place in the hills, it was done by president Nelson in 2008.

   Also, konference was awsome. I loved Elder Bednars talk and the one talk about obedience. I just love how Elder Bednar really dives into the atonement of Christ and comes out of the water after his dive with a gold nugget that he found at the bottom of the raging river of knowledge. He does it every time. I guess he is a sort of pearl sea diver always delivering the most profound thoughts.

   One thing I've started to apply here in Prishtine is the importance of Fatih. Every person we've stopped...litterally everyone...is Muslim. I've had tests of faith, wondering whether my message would really get through to them. But, in the time that i've gotten here, we went from 0 investigators (we're whitewashing), to teaching a few men who are promising...one even came to Konference. I know that even though I don't understand everything, that they are feeling the spirit. I love how the gospel is the same no matter where you are at. I love the opportunity to teach it over and over.

And so, I start my jouney in the Land of the kosovars. Doors have been slammed. words have been yelled (though not too much, they are pretty nice rejectors). The spirit has been felt. I'm excited to be preaching the gospel in a country that is on the brink of expanding churchwise. The buzz is that this is the -Kosovo Blitz- by our presidnet (who is so great and is coming up for our Zone conference tomorrow). I'm excited to be part of it! Give my best to everyone who you talk to...because we should be talking to everyone! I'm grateful for a prophet of God who recieves revelation today for us. That is a definate foreign concept for these people. I'm grateful for the atonement and baptism. This week we observed the baptism of our zone leaders here in Prishtine. It was simple and beautiful. I played the piano. I love the change that comes upon people when they find the truth!

I love you all and I love the Lord.

Elder Bangerter

P.S. our mail is delivered to the mission home and we only get it when we go to the mission home and pick it up, so about once a month. Also, packages are cheaper in Kosovo because of the Military Base here.

P.P.S. Kosovo looks like this this transfer.

    Prishtine

       2 sets of elders (3 of us are new to the city)

       1 set of sisters (just opened this transfer)

   Gjakova

       2 sets of elders (both training)

   Peja

     1 set of elders (just opened this transfer)

   Prisren

     1 set of elders (also opened this transfer)

And thats our Zone!

Off He Goes