Message for Friends Newsletter

What’s Up Everybody?!

Things here in Albania are pretty good. I just got word that I’m going to be leaving Tirana for Durrës which is a city right on the beach. I’ll be white-washing my area because one of the zone leaders that was there had to go home for health reasons and the other finishes his mission in two days. So that should be interesting. Something that I’m sure some of you will find funny is that I will be driving a stick-shift. Good times.

Oh man how was conference for you guys? Do you all get to see it? I love getting to see conference. We only get to see the two morning sessions, but they were really good. I loved the emphasis on family this time around. I know I’ve definitely come to appreciate my family a lot more as I’ve been away and realized how much they did for me and how much better I could have been. I’ve also noticed what kind of effect families have on obedience to the principles of the gospel. Those people here that have good, supportive families behind them are the ones that really develop their testimonies and excel in the gospel. That doesn’t mean that those whose families oppose are out of luck, but having a family united in the gospel is a huge blessing. I’m glad I’ve been able to be a part of a great family during my time on earth and I hope to start an awesome family of my own in the next few years. The gospel really puts into perspective the importance of families for me. How happy we can be and what our future really holds for us. I’ve also been blessed to have an AMAZING circle of friends. You guys have been like a second family to me and your example has helped me so much. I love hearing about all your missions and your testimonies.

Well this transfer has been a pretty slow one, but we had a good time. I don’t know if you guys have the same problem, but we have to set up like 10 appointments for one to actually go through. It’s pretty lame and it’s been especially bad these last couple of transfers. But that’s where the faith comes in, I guess. The area presidency here gave us some direction and re-emphasized some stuff in Preach My Gospel like meeting investigators three times a week for short lessons and following up by making daily contact. We really tried to do that this transfer and it’s really narrowed our sights, but we have faith that by doing this we will find those who are really going to turn into good, productive members of the church with strong testimonies of the restored gospel. It’s also really helpful in that you can focus your lessons on just one or two key things which I am a fan of.

Geez, can you tell that I have no idea what to write for these things anymore? =) Well I guess I will leave you with my simple testimony that I know Jesus Christ is our Savior. He has suffered it all and then some more. He descended below every condition. That is a very comforting phrase. One of my favorite pieces of scripture has always been Matthew 11:28-30. If we come unto Christ and love him and try our best to keep his commandments, he will help us carry our burdens. I was reading in Alma 31 and 32 this morning and in chapter 31 verse 31 Alma prays for help to suffer his burdens with patience. He doesn’t ask God to take his burdens away because God rarely does that, but he asks for help to bear those burdens. God loves us and he wants to help us. We’ve just got to ask. I love my Savior. I love this Gospel. I love my family. Can’t wait to see you guys again.

“Forward into battle, see our banners go! Onward Christian Soldiers!”

Elder Swenson

April Pics

A university in Sheshi Nënë Tëreza.

The Branch at the Easter activity!

Me and Elder Hagen with Afërdita and the Korita's.

Just a good landscape at the park.

A really good future couple finding easter eggs. ;)

The cutest little dog ever that is always in the same place. We see him everyday.

The Last of March Pics

Mason's Birthday

The path up to the Shkodër castle.

My amazing photography skills.

Up at the Shkodër castle.

The other xhami with some road construction that I didn’t mean to include in the picture.

Motra Bentley ruining my picture.

A really cool xhami in Shkodër.

Me going through the taxi protest. =)

A taxi protest in the middle of Tirana.

Me and Elder Hagen just after haircuts.

A family can help you so much in life.

Cool shoes!

Hey Mom!

Ha ha yes those are bowling shoes. And really sweet ones too. Yeah sorry I sent you some pictures without captions today. I don’t really have time to go through all of them today so just ask me what they are in the e-mail. Oh! Before I forget, will you e-mail me that potato soup recipe that you always used to make. The one that was white-ish with potates and carrots and other delicious stuff. I’ve gotta see if I can make that.

We actually just had branch conference a few weeks ago as well! I’m glad they talked about family at yours. I’ve definitely realized how much I took my family for granted when I was back home. A family can help you so much in life, especially when it’s made up of people like you. Bishop Pearson and President Owen are both really good speakers as well. I miss hearing those Alpiners speak. I think those stake goals are awesome. I’m really glad you got us to do family prayer when I was still at home. It was really simple, but really hard sometimes, but it was a great way for us to show our love for God. We were willing to give up something for him and I know he really blessed us and he will continue to bless you if you continue to sacrifice for him. Oh man I’m looking forward to General Conference, too. We get to go to President’s house and just chill and listen to the general authorities. Good times. I remember last general conference – which seemed like about 3 weeks ago by the way – and it was awesome. I definitely need it this time around. That’s such a cool thing we get to do. Listen to the living prophet and apostles! It’s basically the same thing as if we were listening to King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon. We are hearing scripture. Live. Awesome.

Well this week, we had pretty pathetic numbers, but we were able to set a baptismal date with an 11 year old boy named Kevi. He’s kind of. . . . .well he’s just an 11 year old boy. It’s kinda hard to teach him, but he is a really smart kid and I guess I can’t really say anything cause I’ve only met with him twice. I’m hoping for the best with him. We’re going to have to start getting creative with the lessons though cause he gets distracted pretty easily so we are going to come up with some good object lessons.

Things are going pretty well despite the low numbers. Me and Elder Hagen are having a blast and working hard. Ha ha yesterday we had an interesting day. Not that lots of interesting things happened, but that we were both just really tired because we couldn’t get to sleep for a while and it was daylight savings as well. So by the end of the night, things were pretty funny. We did some tracting towards the end of the day and I had one of the most ungraceful falls I have ever had in my lifetime down like half a flight of stairs. Oh yeah. I’m awesome. It was seriously hilarious. I was the one falling and I could tell it was just an awkward fall so it would have been just hysterical for anyone watching. We also saw a taxi protest this week which was pretty cool.

I love you, mom. I’m really grateful to you and dad for supporting me so much. You guys are awesome. Love you.

-Elder Swenson

More Pics from March

One of our District Meetings.

Up close and personal with my double chin.

Seriously we were trapped here yesterday.

The Elevator

Too Legit to Quit (Tazz's Birthday)

St. Patrick's Day tracting

There basically is no “wrong side” of the road in Albania

Hey Mom!

Well first of all you can tell Gretchen that there basically is no “wrong side” of the road in Albania. But no seriously it’s the same directions as in America just about nine thousand times crazier. And congrats to Tim! Tell him good luck! That sounds like a pretty sweet language to learn.

Actually I don’t know what that creature on my pasta was. . . .I just kinda left it. And for haircuts we basically just go someplace close to our house. In 3^rd branch we went to this really girly salon ha ha. But I got a really good haircut there so that was cool. I should be getting a haircut this week so I’ll let you know how that goes. My clothes are doing pretty well. I think my shoes are gonna be fine until it starts raining a lot again, but I’ll let you know if anything changes.

Well I’ll tell you something hilarious that happened this week. We had planned a Stop Smoking seminar for Tuesday and we had handed out a bunch of fliers to advertise for it and we were getting a lot of good interest in it. Pretty much everybody in Albania smokes and just like anywhere else, most of them want to quit. A whole lot more people stopped and talked to us about the seminar than the gospel ha ha. So Tuesday rolls around and I’m freaking out cause I’m worried we’re gonna have a completely full seminar and we honestly weren’t that well prepared. I had to learn a lot of different vocabulary for the seminar and I wasn’t very good with it yet. And the day just seemed to fly by to get to 5:00 so I could humiliate myself in front of a ton of people. Well the seminar rolled around and we had a whopping attendance of ZERO people. This has actually become like a joke for me and Elder Hagen. We still will just turn to each other and say, “Guess what. Not one person came to the seminar.” And then we’ll laugh for a little bit. And the funny thing is we don’t know if it was a trial or a blessing from God. =)

So are you guys planning anything cool for Easter? When is Spring Break? But I guess you already went to San Diego so you can’t have too much more fun. ;)

Mom, I love you. Thanks for writing!

-Elder Swenson

March Pics

Braden's birthday

An awesome old member, Vëllai Çopani. He pretty much has to stay in his house now, but he is so funny.