Well, what a great week.
It has been quite a blessing to have Elder Watson back with me. We know each other, we understand each other. It was nice to just slow down and embrace this companionship. Already, I've seen how our faith, combined has brought blessings.
So, one of the hard things that we've had to overcome is how to teach our lessons together. Since we were both trained last transfer, now we are together and trying to combine our knowledge. We were blessed this week to have lessons where the gift of tongues really helped me and where the investigator felt the spirit in spite of our language barrier. Truly the gift of the interpretation of (our) tongues is real!
I've really enjoyed showing E. Watson around the city. I was shocked about how much I knew about all the little things, and all the people that are now "friends" with the missionaries: the taxi drivers, sunglasses salesmen, ice cream scoopers, hotel security guards, old couples on benches, and a nice drunk guy!
This week I've simplified my schedule. My studies, my thoughts, my approaches, and even my appetite (though I should probably keep that mixed up a bit). Simpler is better. When we are simple we can have the spirit. For example; we had a lesson this week with a young man that wanted to learn English. We taught him the restoration of the gospel through Joseph Smith. He was studying history so I talked about how the need for authority was so...needed! Corruption never was one of the fruits of the spirit, be it in the early christian church or the government of Kosovo! Anyway, this lesson was really full of the spirit. After teaching the first vision and bearing testimony of the Book of Mormon, he, our investigator said, "I can feel that its true, because you feel it's true. If it wasn't true, and if you didn't believe it, you wouldn't be here in Kosovo." He said he would be baptized if he knew the book was true. I know that he CAN know its true because I know it is true.
That is another thing that I have simplified:The book of Mormon.
No, I haven't created a New International version or something, but I'm studying it simply. Taking verses that are appropriate to share with investigators and organizing them in a notebook according to PMG topic. This way of "going through" the Book of Mormon has really made it become a missionary tool and a very effective one at that!
On Sunday, I was happy to perform for the first time a piano solo in sacrament meeting (I couldn't escape Sister VanderBeek here!). It was nice to play a bit again. As in the MTC, I feel the spirit through music better than I think any other way.
This week we are hoping for Baptismal Dates and Progressing Investigators. Kosovo has a direction to go, and if I have anything to say about it, it will be UP! We were able to go to the dedication site again, and that rejuvenated my energy for the work here in Kosovo. I am so grateful for a Living Prophet who has living Apostles who dedicate foreign lands to bless inadequate, young boys teach grown-ups about Christ. By small and simple things.
I love you all and I pray for all of you all the time!
Love, Elder Bangerter
P.S. what is andrew's email address. I alwasy send it to Caitlyn, but I want andrews too...
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