Wow what a week! I have learned so many things and how grateful I am for all that I have learned. The song plays, "you never know a good thing till it's gone." I don't know how entirely true that is, but I'll be missing Prishtina and all the good things that it contains. Yes, I'm being transferred and have been called to serve in the beautiful city of Vlorë, Albania, the most southern most city in the mission. Yes, I was in the most northern and I will make what is called "the jump"! The call came as a surprise, seeing that we usually have 12 week transfers and we are 5 weeks in. But, the Lord works through his mission president and revelation has spoken! Oh, how I love revelation! It is such a blessing, for it truly shows us God's will for us! I feel like I left all I could in Prishtina, and my only regret is that Hazir and Ismet are both on vacation, so I won't be able to say farewell. But I am so grateful for email that can keep us in touch!
In spite of my transfer call, I had a lot I wanted to email you all today!
First, today is the holiday of Bajram. To describe Kosovo, wonderful Kosovo, is that they are not really super practicing Muslims but they culture is Muslim I say this because walking out today on the street was like trying to buy loaf of bread on Christmas! Every store is closed, no one is on the streets, and we are just thankful it is preparation day! And with Bajram, ends not only my four months in Prishtine, but the month of Ramadan, the month of the Muslim fast. The Elders will be happy that is over! It will make contacting a lot more easier.
The first miracle came when we went over to Shpends Apartment, top floor, great view of Prishtina. We go in, sit at his table (the one at which I felt like I was in the district movie), and he starts to tell us he is super busy, and doesn't really want to be practicing in a religion. E. Watson and I tried to say various things, but to no avail. However, the spirit prompted me to talk about the Temple. So I explained that the Temple was a place to do work for our ancestors so that they can be saved. Mid thought, I thought, "Well, this is making no sense in his head. I should just give up and we have to drop him." But, after my thought E. Watson, in tune with the spirit, proceeded to say, "...and we have a program in the Church where we can look up our family history, we have a large database..." DING! That's what he needed. He is an IT expert and we asked to use his computer. Together, we showed him my family tree and then we made a tree for him! It was awesome see him put his parents information in... beginning his family's tree. He may not understand the Temple, but it led us to find his interest in his family. He even said he had 12 generations of information that he could put in! Imagine, using the most time-consuming activity in the church to solve a busy-man's problems! Only the spirit of Elijah can do that, as Elder Nelson and Elder Cook have said, that it is
"a manifestation of the Holy Ghost bearing witness of the divine nature of the family"
I know that that manifestation is exactly what Shpend felt. Think about it. ANY time you think of how divine the family is, THAT is the spirit of Elijah. And how grateful I am to share his name.
The Second miracle came this week as I studied the topic of Love. President Monson gave a great talk this last conference, "Dashuri--thelbi i Ungjillit" "Love--the Essence of the Gospel". He talks about how we cannot love God unless we love his children...which is something I even studied in the MTC. Anyway, I witnessed great acts of love. For serving is the way to love.
E. Watson and I were contacting on the street when, in the usual place, sat a crippled 14 your old begging-gypsy. It had been a hot day and you could see the sweat dripping down his innocent face. He was obviously physically and mentally handicapped. However, we, unfortunately thought nothing of him, seeing that the beggars are always on the street and asking for money. But how I thank my Heavenly Father that somebody else DID thing something of him. A young girl, dressed in her Muslim attire approached the boy. She bent down, grabbed his hand, and smiled into his eyes. He smiled back. She just sat there, squatting, looking with care into his face. Her two friends behind her also took their turns to grab his hand and just make him feel loved. You could see the joy in the boy's face as he smiled farewell to those three angels. I wanted to follow after them and thank them for the small act of service they showed. I realized, that if the savior was here in Kosovo , those are they that he would serve, the sick and afflicted. I'm so grateful that I could witness this love, by one not of my faith, and see that the light of Christ is evident in all people! I thought I learned my lesson, but Heavenly Father wanted to show me more examples. Because not within 2 minutes a see a man approach this same boy, and drop some coins on his piece of cardboard. He left, and then returned with 2 bottles of water, which the boy immediateness drank. He left, and then nontenured again, this time with a bag of popcorn. This man himself was merely a toy salesman on the boulevard and has no real wealth at all.
This time, I wasn't going to miss my chance. I stopped the man. I thanked him for all he did for that boy, and told him he'd be blessed for his service. His response was interesting. He said it was his duty, someone should take care of them, they have NO money, NO parents. I saw that this man was filled with love. He may say it was just what any normal good person would do, but I say otherwise. This man understood that, "because I have been given (not) much, I too must give". These two acts of charity, teh pure love of Christ, have never left my mind. They have reminded me that, I have MUCH, and so I must give much. I'm so grateful I learned this lesson before I left the Islamic world of Prishtina. I'm grateful for the members that I've grown to love and I pray that someday I'll get the opportunty to return.
But like it says in Doctrine and Covenants 24:
3 Magnify thine office; and after thou hast sowed thy fields and secured them (in Prishtina), go speedily unto the church which is in (Vlorë), and they shall support thee; and I will bless them both spiritually and temporally;
5 And thou shalt continue in calling upon God in my name, and writing the things which shall be given thee by the Comforter, and expounding all scriptures unto the church (in Vlorë).
6 And it shall be given thee in the very moment what thou shalt speak and write, and they shall hear it...
7 For thou shalt devote all thy service in Zion; and in this thou shalt have strength.
8 Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many; but endure them, for, lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days (of your mission).
9 And in temporal (language) labors thou shalt not have strength, for this is not thy calling. Attend to thy calling (spiritual) and thou shalt have wherewith to magnify thine office, and to expound all scriptures, and continue in laying on of the hands and confirming the churches (inVlorë)
I know the church is true. I apologize for the length of this letter, but I know that these things I have written are true. Love others friends, non-friends, and family!
I pray for you all!
Love Elder Bangerter
P.S.-a few more transfer cool tidbits:
The AP for the past few months has been Elder Roberts, who trained Elder Linderman, who trained me. Now, Elder Roberts will come and replace me in Prishtina (He also was trained here too!), and Elder Linderman is the new AP!
Elder Watson will be staying as the district leader and having a great time with a great new companion.
The other cool thing is Elder Watson's trainer is coming up too to be a Zone LEader in the district! So many cool connections
My new companion will be Elder Penrod, whom was in my MTC group, he is from Mesa, Arizona
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