American Base! (4/18/16)

I teach a lot of the Albanians "Gucci" ;) 

Me and my comp, Elder Eddings! 

So this week was really fast. I had a lot of embarrassing moments ha one time I thought it was Tuesday but it was Friday.. and I have been putting that it is March on everything! Time is just moving way to fast for me. But this week it was sooooo hot here is Kosovo. The sun was just beating every day but it isn't humid so that is nice. But I also forgot to bring short sleeve shirts! So I took all of my shirts to be shortened so I am good now. I will try to be able to bare the heat from now on!

The highlight of this week was definitely going to Bond Steel, the US American base. So it was like a 45 minute drive and it was in the middle of no where! Pretty crazy but really cool. I got there and everyone was American, speaking English! I actually felt pretty weird. But the people were all so nice and so cool! We went to dinner with some soldiers at this like Cafeteria place. It wasn't like too good but it was still American food so I wasn't complaining. (I saw a Taco Bell on the base, so I will definitely be going there in the future) 

Me and a Bill Clinton statue!

This is what the City looks like for the most part

Then we were able to teach some one the soldiers. It was such a cool experience to be able to talk to them and stuff. They are like all RM's and we just talked about their missions and stuff. But it was a really cool experience! We also met with an investigator there. She is really really cool and we taught her a pretty good lesson! So after all that we went shopping at an American store and I loaded up on American food! I will attach a picture below, please no judgment. 

All of my American Candy :) 

The other one is a way pretty train ride to Peja!

Oh yeah, and for all of you who are wondering, I weighed myself this week and have lost 20 pounds since being out in the field. 20! I feel so little ha ha but don't worry because I am eating a lot I just don't know why I am losing so much weight! I just miss my Mom's cooking that must be it. 

Love you all!
Elder Farnworth

Kosovo is just an amazing place (4/11/16)

This was a good week! It was nice and sunny, holy cow! I was on fire. But I am glad I am not in Albania for the summer because there it is hot and humid like Florida.. But Kosovo is closer to Utah climate than it is to Florida climate so that will be nice. But it has been nice weather here. I have already gotten like tan lines on my neck and stuff it is crazy! The heat just came out of no where. But it is so pretty here! 

The work here is really hard because a lot of the people are very set on their religion and aren't open to change. But on the other hand I meet a lot of people that are prepared for us to teach them and it is so amazing to see that! God truly has a plan for all of his children. 

So there was a day where me and my comp went outside in the morning to get some breakfast and there was like no one outside and no cars and stuff it was pretty weird. So after we get our breakfast we go outside to find a ton of police officers with big guns and riot shields and stuff. So we run back to our apartment as fast as we can because we thought there was going to be a protest or something. So we call a member to ask what is going on and he just says that it is the inauguration of the President of Kosovo so they were just taking as much precautions as they need in Kosovo. So crazy!

Then on Sunday we had an amazing church meeting. I just love seeing the church in different places. It is so amazing to see after all these people have been through, they just have such incredible faith in Christ and his plan for us. All of the members testimony's just strengthen mine so much. There are also a lot of US soldiers that are in my ward. They are in few military bases around Kosovo. I get to visit one once every 2 weeks to teach people there so I am excited for that this week! But then after church we did not do a lot because my comp is the ward clerk so he had a lot of work. He thinks that I am going to take over as clerk after he leaves so that would be interesting for sure!

Well I sure do love this place. Kosovo is just an amazing place, the people are all so great. I love this mission so much.. I have been blessed with the best mission in the world!! 

Love you all :)
Elder Farnworth

Week 1 in Kosovo! (4/4/16)

Elder Lesi and his new companion

Saying goodbye to the senior couple
in Shkoder!

I made it to Kosovo! What an amazing trip it was here though. We drove through like all these mountains and stuff it was so gorgeous holy cow! It put Utah's scenery to shame! I loved it so much. Then when I arrived to Prishtina I was just so excited! It is such a beautiful city! And at the entrance of the city there is a big statue of Bill Clinton and a big sign that says "Bill Clinton Welcomes You" ha its so great, I felt really welcome. ;) 

Super rad library!!

I was able to meet a lot of the members my second day here. There are a lot of awesome members! The branch is bigger than my old branch in Shkoder, there are about 30 members here. But they are all so great! The branch president just welcomed me with a big hug and he talked to me for a long time he is really nice. Then there are a ton of way cool members. I talked to this one member about music for like an hour! He is way nice he is preparing to be the first missionary every from Kosovo so that will be way cool!

Catholic Church in the middle of a very Muslim Country

Then we were able to watch some of Conference this week it was so great! There was this one guy who was asking me a ton of questions about the church and stuff and I was trying to answer them and then we were like watching conference and he had to leave and right when he left Monson spoke and literally answered all of his questions! I was like dang it! Bummer he couldn't see it. Hopefully we can meet with him later and show him it. 

I am just so blessed to be able to work in this amazing area for the next while I can already tell that I am going to like it so much. 

It was true inspiration for me to be here because it is just perfect for me! 

Headed to Kosovo!

I love this mission so much. 

Elder Farnworth

Last week in Shkodër..I'm going to be serving in Kosovo! (3/28/16)

 

Members in Shkoder!

Mimoza and Pavlo (the owners of poopy)

So first of all this is my last week in Shkoder because we got transfer calls! I am going to be serving in the capital of Kosovo, a town called Pershtina! I am so excited for that. It is kind of crazy that I will be going to a different country though. But it is such a blessing to be in Pershtina! It is such a gorgeous area so I will send you all some great pictures. They speak Albanian there but it is like a different dialect there so it will take me a little bit to learn that, but I am really excited for it!

Mark

Anyway this week was a pretty good one. I had to drive to Tirana twice this week to get a lot of stuff figured out for my Visa. I think that we are all good now so that is good! Then later in the week I went to an Old Folks home with this member and we sang to them and stuff it was really nice! My cheeks were sore from all of the old ladies pinching them. But it was so sweet to see there smiles as we sung to them and showed them the Church's Easter video! I love missionary work. 

Ceremeli Family! 

Then this weekend in Shkoder there were a lot of tourists! I met a lot of people from England and Germany and other places in Europe but yeah it was cool to be able to talk to them here! We did a lot of contacting this week. A lot of people were on vacation and stuff because it was Easter. But it was a really nice Easter Sunday! I gave a talk on Sunday it was really nice! I gave a talk in sacrament meeting it was kind of like my "Farewell from Shkoder talk" It was really hard to say goodbye to the members of Shkoder. But I am so excited for my new adventure in Kosovo!  

Love you all, Elder Farnworth

Going to miss my Shkoder Family!

Last lunch with Elder Lesi!

Last District Lunch!