Elder Bangerter and Elder Watson here from Prishtina!
Wow what a week! Our district just returned from a P-day excursion that we made to Podujeve, a city 35 km north of Prishtina and a couple from Serbia. It was a small town but quite pleasant. Being the Bangerter that I am, I just started walking down the road and everyone started following me. I looked down an alley way to my right and saw an open field with a better view of the nearby hills. I turned, and everyone followed me, not questioning. I guess confidence is key and no one will ever question your moves! Well I led them to a dead end and explained that I just wanted to look at the hills! This simple turn down this alleyway in Podujeve was done with no thought beforehand, but what resulted was unexpected. After gazing at the hills, partially blocked by the nearby houses, a man(Syliman Becktesi) house next to us asked us who we were. Well, we explained we were just visiting for the day and wanted to know where is a good place. He explained a nice park's location and then asked if we wanted to come in to his courtyard! Well, we never deny that privilege and went in. We sat down on his patio and talked with him, his wife, his daughter and his cute 3 yearold granddaughter (who sang a fun Albanian nursery rhyme to us). They offered us water and biscuits, and we just talked. They were muslim--actually all of Podujeve is muslim--and were actually fasting for the month of Ramadan. I am always amazed at the hospitality of the people here. Imagine serving people food on fast Sunday, and then having fast Sunday everyday for a month! Well, welcome to the people of Kosovo. It was so neat to talk to this man about the war, and his family who all live in this little community. We then simply thanked him and left to continue on our way. At the end we told him that we were missionaries and to look us up in Prishtina.
And so, this experience, and many like it, have shaped what I have learned about missionary work. Although we may not be constantly in a shirt and tie and teaching lessons, we can always be missionaries. Simply accpeting invitations to talk, extending invitations to converse, and never suppressing generous thoughts are all ways that the Spirit can work through us. Just never have any 'turp' to speak up (In Albanian it means shy, afraid, apprehensive).
I know I say this every week. But I gain so much more respect for all you returned missionaries and the things that you did on your mission. I can often picture all of you and how you contact or teach; or how you treat the people you serve. This week, just be open to every person you meet, member or nonmember.
Mom and Dad, I know that you've worked so hard on the Trek, and I know it was a great experience, or will be...whenever you get this. I know that as you teach the kids about their ancestors they'll grow so much in their testimonies. For example, last week, I looked up a history about Frederich Bangerter's trek to Utah. I gained so much more perspective about Grandpa Bangerters origin in Granger, UT. I know now the sacrifice that was made in order for us to be where we are now--and even me, back in Europe! We truly are receiving the blessings that were sought for the posterity of these faith-filled progenitors. Imagine, virtually in every prayer that they said, they asked for a blessing to be upon their family and posterity. We are now the recipients of the results of those prayers. For this reason I believe we are continuously blessed. There are many who truly do care about the work that we do now.
The final blessing that I saw this week. Yesterday, Sunday, was Ismet's son's birthday. Elder Watson and I made some cookies to take over to his family. When we arrived at his house we were surprised that neither Ismet nor his son were at home. However, they invited us in and we had a great talk together. At the end, we had a simple lesson about family prayer and committed them to pray as a family. In the lesson was Ismet's wife and 2 sons and a cousin. After walking out of the lesson, I asked Elder Watson, "Do you know how long we've been trying to get a lesson with his family!?" That lesson really will help that entire family come into the gospel. Ismet was a little 'turp' about his family interacting with the church; but now, they know us, they accepted us, and love us. I loved talking with his wife-an Albanian that is just like mom: Oldest of 3 girls and 2 boys, and makes great cake (but I like mom's pies better). She was so nice and I even called her 'Sister Berisha'. We were very pleased to hear from her that Ismet has been sharing what he's learned with her, and that she herself has started reading the Book of Mormon a little!
That lesson came as the final one of the week. A week that was long and hard, but worth it because of that ONE lesson! I still can't get the golf analogy out of my head--one good shot makes it worth it! I have a testimony that faith works, that prayer works, and that families will live together forever!
I love you all and pray for you.
Love,
Elder Bangerter
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