We left Tirana, Albania at 5:00 am on March 22, 2010 heading home through Vienna, Washington D.C. and San Francisco. We arrived San Francisco 9:30 pm and spent the night there. Early in the afternoon of March 23, 2010 we left San Francisco for San Diego. Welcoming us at the San Diego Airport were 6 of our children, spouses and 7 or our nine grandchildren. Only Alyssa and her family, living in Shanghai, China were missing. It was pretty close to being in heaven.
The newest member of the family came to the airport. It was our first meeting with Adelaide Lucy Borgquist, 4 months old. Grammy was very happy to see her newest granddaughter.
When we got home I pulled out the Albanian soccer jerseys which had been given us by the Osmëni family before we left Tirana. As you can see the grandchildren just loved them. (From left to right: Cannon, Harry, Paisley, Beatrix, Margaux and Dresden). Oh, what a reunion it was!

GO ALBANIA!

Sunday evening, March 22, 2010, our last night in Albania we had one more baptism. Julia, our dear friend was baptized. What a way to end our mission.
Saturday, while Mom prepared for and then presented a workshop on "How to Give a Sacrament Meeting Talk", I took some of our young adults to the SOS Orphanage located just outside of Tirana. This is group picture of some of the young adults with their new friends.
The young adults played soccer, read stories, played volleyball and just generally had a fun afternoon with the residents of the orphanage. They didn't want us to leave and kept asking when we would come back.
This past week we've seen lots of our friends. Its been a little sad, because everyone knows we are leaving. This is mom at the French Cafe with some of her friends, (left to right: Juli, Ani, Mira, Ani's mom Ani, Liz Nield, Alida Çuçi and Mom.)

On Sunday March 14, 2010 we had a wonderful little baptism. Anila Komoni, mother of Ani our seminary teacher in the 2nd and 4th Branch, was baptised. She is a very well known fashion designer here in Tirana. She and Mom have become very good friends.
Also on Sunday we held our last small group dinner with young adults from the 2nd branch. We had 16 present and had to use all our dishes, plates, knives and forks. Photograph shows some of those present. In red is Julia who will be baptized this coming Sunday. Alma Osmëni, on the right with her hand on Eldorado's back, has gotten her US visa and will be leaving for her mission to Temple Square Salt Lake City, Utah the first week of April.
Some of the 2nd branch young adults who came for dinner. Front row starting on left: Sparti, Besmir, Albi, Eldorado, Alma and Elsa. Back row: Ergina, Izarra, Juli, Mom, Julia, Almira, Mira, Blerina, Nervila and Brisi. These are all great young people.
Roan, Ergina, Juli, Izarra, and Sparti. Roan and Ergina will marry this summer. We're hoping that Sparti and Izarra will follow them also this summer. Juli is our YSA Council President.
Sunday morning, March 14, 2010 was the Albania District Conference. It was held in Durres. This is picture of some of the members of the Tirana 4th Branch who attended the conference. Vera, Mom, Me, President Apostoli (just released branch president), Pavlina, President Beleshi (the new branch president), Fatbardhë, and Majlinda.

On Sunday, February 28, 2010, we drove to Shkoder to attend Church and speak in Sacrament meeting. There are 4 missionaries in Shkoder. This is photograph of the chapel in Shkoder. Its located on the bottom floor of a 2 story building. Only one member came to Church on Sunday.
Shkoder is a pretty important city in Albania. It was the capital of the Illyrian state from the 3rd century B.C. until the Roman conquest. There is a lot of Italian influence in Shkoder. It was part of the Venetian Republic from 1396 until it was conquered by the Ottomans in 1479 after a very long siege. There are a couple of universities in the town and many consider Shkoder to be the cultural capital of Albania.
Just outside of town is the 18th century Mesi Bridge. I had been here before in the summer, but there was no water running in the river then.
Shkoder is the center of Catholicism in Albania. The above photograph shows, on the left, the bell tower of the Catholic Church. In the center is the Greek Orthodox Church and on the extreme right are the minarets of the Ebu Bakr Mosque.
Photograph of Shkoder, Albania taken from the Rozafa Castle. You can see some of the flooding that has taken place here because of all the rain. The photograph is taken looking north and off in the distance is the country of Montenegro (formerly part of Yugoslavia).

Mom is always a missionary. Monday is normally a day we use to prepare for the rest of the week and sometimes do some sight-seeing. On Monday, March 1, 2010 we were in Skoder a town in north-western Albania. We spoke in Church the Sunday before and then spent the night in order to spend some time with the missionaries there. This is photograph of Mom with Elder Fahey. Look closely and you can see his missionary tag. He's from Manchester, England; he and Mom are speaking with some young people we met while touring Rozafa Castle. The wonderful thing about this chance meeting is the girl directly to Mom's left brought her family to the Shoker Branch the next Sunday.
Photograph looking east from Rozafa Castle. This castle stands above the confluence of 3 rivers and is a great place for a castle. It was twice besieged by the Ottomans and finally fell in 1479. There is a strange Albania story that everyone knows about this castle. Rozafa Castle was built by 3 brothers. They would build the walls in the day, but in the night the walls were being destroyed. One day an old man happened by and being aware of their problem told them what they should do after swearing them to secrecy. He said that the next day when whichever of their wives brought them their lunch, they should take her and wall her up alive in the wall of the castle. The two older brothers, against their oaths of secrecy, warned their respective wives not to come the next day, but the younger brother kept his word and it was his wife who brought the lunches. She was taken and walled up in the foundation of the castle and true to the old man's word the walls stayed up, but the stones at the base of Rozafa Castle are damp and mossy because of the young wife's tears.
You don't have to go far to be reminded that Albania is really a third world country. His fellow is taking a cement mixer home on his cart.
We had heard that it was in Skoder that the wonderful Venetian masks are made. We asked around and sure enough we found this factory off an old dirt road. This is photograph of Edward the owner with some of the masks in the background.
One of the amazing hand-made masks.

This is photograph of brothers Erlind and Bësmir Dishnica taken after we had had lunch together at the Taiwani restaurant. Erlind served his mission in London, England. Our friend Clayton Foulger was his mission president. Bësmir is presently on his mission now to central Russia. The Russian government has made it very difficult for the Church to have missionaries in its country. Every 90 days any foreign (non-Russian) missionary must leave Russia and get a new Visa for another 90 days. American missionaries usually go to Vienna or Seoul to get their new visas. Bësmir gets to come home every 90 days. He usually stays in Tirana and works with the missionaries here for about 3 days and then returns to Russia. Bësmir isn't wearing a coat because he says its a lot colder in Russian than Albania.
Last week we had a little party for Alma Osmëni. She is leaving on her mission to Temple Square, Salt Lake City in the next couple of weeks. She is awaiting her US visa. This photograph is of Alma and her mother.
We had some great Albanian food for the party.
Alma's friends at her party. In background, Endrit, Elvis, Ergina, Alma and just a part of Marli Taco.

Saturday, February 13, 2010 we held the YSA Valentine Dance. And what would a good Albanian dance be without a good Albanian folkloric line dance? Yona and Juli leading the line.
We held the dance this year in Tirana. Last year the dance was held in Durres. As you can see, everybody likes to dance. Mom even got me out on the dance floor, but most of the time we were too busy serving pizza, cookies and drinks.
Well, I knew it was cold, but when it started to snow Saturday morning I was still surprised. The snow came down in huge snowflakes but nothing stayed on the ground very long. It was fun while it lasted. Picture is taken from our balcony and that is snow on my cactus.
Sunday evening, February 14, 2010, I baptized Mario Kapinova. There was a huge turnout for this baptism. Mario has dated Fatjona Priska for a couple of years. He has lots of friends in the Church and they all wanted to be there. This is a very special young man and I felt very privileged to baptize him.
This photograph taken at Mario's baptism maybe one of my favorites. Next to me is Alma Osmëni (in 2 weeks she leaves on her mission to Temple Square, Salt Lake City, Utah), her boyfriend, Eldorado Lubonja (who I baptized just over a year ago), Mario, Fatjona and Mom. Its a favorite photograph because I was blessed to be here in Albania and see these two great young men enter the waters of baptism. I believe we will see wonderful things happen in the future of Albania because of the faith of these 4 young people.

Last Sunday, Feb. 7, 2010 we invited the young adults from the Tirana 3rd Branch over for dinner. From right to left in photograph is Endrit Muka, Elvis Lulo, Mario Kapinova (he'll be baptized this coming Sunday the 14th) Mom, Elona Sulollari, Fatjona Priska, Argjir Muzaka, Olsi Pane and Erlind Diushnica. These are great young adults and we love them. Everyone loved Mom's lasagne. Well, almost everyone. You all remember, I don't like tomatoes.
February 9, 2010 was Almira Beleshi's birthday. We had a short visit with the family and brought her a small plant.
On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings Mom and I are teaching English classes. Mom teaches the beginning class at 5:00 pm and I teach the advance class at 6:00 pm. This is a photograph of my advance class. This week we discussed Emily Dickinson. Next week we'll do some Robert Frost.

Mom and I taking Elder Klein (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA) and Elder Castro-Guzman (France) to the local French cafe to meet Marie, the owner, who is French. Elder Castro-Guzman used his native language skills and Marie is starting the missionary lessons Saturday. Photograph shows the elders with Brother Veliu a 1st Branch member who me met on the way.
Recently there has been some very serious flooding in northern Albania. The city of Shkoder was hit hardest with 500 families having to evacuate their homes. The Church donated $22,000 of basic food commodities to their relief. This is picture of article which appeared in local Tirana newspaper. The headline reads, "Church of Jesus Christ and Saints donates aid for Shkoder". The photograph shows the missionary Elders and Sisters loading the food.
Last Sunday, January 31, 2010, Mom and I were in Vlore to speak in Sacrament meeting and to give a lesson for their Institute aged young adults. Monday it was rainy and overcast but we walked along the shoreline near town before heading back to Tirana. The above photo shows beach side statue with fisherman in background. We stayed Sunday night at the New York Hotel which is located very near the point of land on left.
This is photograph of the Vlore young adults who were in our Institute class on Sunday.

This past week we visited Durrës with Nardi and Elida Çuçi for her birthday. We had lunch at the beach and then went for a walk. Their son Edison is now a missionary in the London, England Mission. The hill at the top of the photograph is the palace of the last King of Albania, King Zog. The palace is now a military installation.
Mobile selling on the streets of Tirana.
Its not much of a soccer field, but there's not a lot of grass in this country. These teams were part of a boys' league which plays every Saturday.
Mom at Saturday's Institute class. Young man next to her is Elvis Lulo. He has just returned from his 2 year mission to Milan, Italy.
Mario Kapinova and Fatjona Priska. You may remember Fatjona from Mom's interview on Albanian television. Mario is her boyfriend. He's to be baptized on February 14th and he has asked me to baptize him. These are exciting times in Albania for the young adults. Literally 50% of the Church membership in Albania is between the ages of 18 and 30.

We've got winter's snow on Mt. Dajti and the level of water in the Lana has started to rise. January has started out cold and wet. Just like I remember last year.
Walking around Tirana on January 9, 2010 we came upon some muslim men getting ready for their afternoon prayers. Because the 18th Century Mosque of Et'hem Bey is so small many will pray on the side walks around the mosque. When the call to prayers is made this part of the Qëndor is very difficult to get around. Some days are more crowded than others.
Probably the most crowded day is the last day of Ramadan. The above photograph is of a portion of the Qëndor next to the Et'hem Bey Mosque. If you look closely, you'll see that the sidewalks and roads around the mosque are completely shut down. As I've mentioned before, 70% of all Albanians will claim they are muslim. I would call it "Islim-light". You don't see too many beards on men or burkas on women. Nevertheless, they are not very willing to listen to the Mormon missionaries.
We've made lots of friends in Albania. This past week we shared a copy of the Book of Mormon with Anisa Dygjeri who we met on the plane coming back from Frankfurt, Germany. She is a student here in Tirana.

A wonderful sunset on the last day of the year. Tirana, Albania December 31, 2009.
Everyone was getting ready for the big New Year's celebrations. As I've mentioned before, turkey is the meat of choice this time of year. Here two nënë are heading home with their birds still alive and kicking.
It was a bit chaotic at the market. The birds were just flying off the shelves.
Pedestrians have no rights in Albania so you want to stay on the sidewalks. That is if you can find a good sidewalk and you can keep the cars off it. The tall white building on the right in the background is the mission office, 1st Branch chapel and residence of the mission president.
With some of the young adults we also visited a childrens' hospital during the Christmas holidays. From right to left is Ergina, Elsa, Izara, Mom and Marsida. We handed out balloons, candies and sang some Christmas carols.