Albania in the Rain and Elder and Sister Bednar

 Have you noticed that it is not longer mission president and their wives but mission leaders?

I think that is awesome.  However, it is still Elder Bednar and his very wonderful wife. 

Elder Bednar and General Authorities Visit to Albania

It was quite exciting when we got the news that we would get to go to Albania with all of the missionaries from our mission ( Albania, Macedonia, Kosovo, Greece and Cyprus) when Elder Bednar came to visit the members and missionaries.  We were told it has never happened in years and probably won't happen again for a long time at least.  Think of the logistics.  Just to get our missionaries in Athens to the airport on the metro was beaucoup bucks.  Then they all needed housing and transportation once they got there.  We were met at the airport by our beloved Elder Rich who stayed at our apartment when the Athen's missionaries had Covid, on his way to Albania from Cyprus. There is a lot of flying back and forth in this mission. The young missionaries stayed in the apartments of the Albanian missionaries. 

We stayed in a hotel.  It was a very small room.  However, the breakfasts were gynormous. 

I didn't get all of it in these two pictures but you get the idea.  It was a wonderful experience.  It was thrilling to be at the Convention Center and see the missionaries pour in ( while pouring outside) to be instructed by an Apostle.  

It was funny to me that Elder Bednar instructed us not to take notes verbatim but impressions that we receive.  So I tried to do that but then when I went back to my notes, I couldn't remember a lot of what he said. I think one thing that I most appreciated was the reminder to not make statements but to ask questions to understand better the situation.  I have found asking someone questions is a great way to communicate in a good way.  

Then the members of Albania came in buses.  I stood out in the foyer and had the best time greeting and hugging them as they saw my missionary tag and made a beeline to me.  They were so happy and joyous. 

Adriatic South Mission

Senior missionaries

We left the convention center to eat dinner and these missionaries stayed at the Convention Center and got to visit with Elder Bednar.  Thus the absence of our faces here. 

This is looking out over Tirana from the Convention Center.  It is a mix of old, modern and Mosques. It also poured rain the entire time.  It was a wonderful opportunity to be with our beloved missionaries, our mission president and General Authorities from the church. You can read about it in Church News.