NOTE: new snail mail
address is given above!
This week we had our mission conference, my first one, even
though I've almost been a missionary for a whole year! We went down to Elbasan
in Albania, passing by Lake Ohrid, which is so beautiful! We heard the testimonies
of many missionaries, focusing on how the Gospel has changed so many people
they have worked with. Then we had training on conversion since apparently,
we've had over 200 baptisms in the mission each year, the past 2 years, but
church attendance hasn't gone up at all. It was all about teaching daily things
new members should do to keep strong in the faith. We got some lunch after, and
it was pretty cool to see other missionaries in the mission instead of just
Macedonia and Kosovo. Something way cool was that they have an actual church
building in Elbasan, which made me feel like I was back in America!
I don't know what it is, but I've been enjoying the holidays
and birthday a lot more than usual being on my mission! My birthday was great,
Sister Riddle left on that day with the Nelsons and her companions to fly out
of Albania, so we just had a little party with the 4 of us elders. Elder Prince
made me a super beast cake that was very delicious. I got some new ties and
some candy from the family, and a basketball from Elder Chingas and Gierisch. The
sisters got Elder Gierisch and I shirts that say, "1 Baptized, 0
Confirmed" – since Sasho got called into work the day after his baptism so
he could not go to church, and when he got confirmed, it was the next month. It
was pretty clever.
The financial account for the church finally got some things
cleared, thanks to the Nelsons, so we can make some more purchases for the
branch, including a PING PONG TABLE! We played with it today, and it was super
sweet. I'm going to have to try hard to not abuse using that opportunity.
I'm getting transferred out of Macedonia? This week is
transfers, which usually consists of us just switching companions, but I'm
getting moved to Durres, Albania for four weeks! They all speak Albanian over
there, so I'm not going to be extremely useful. I studied Albanian a tiny bit,
and that language is CRAZY. My companion is going to be a guy called Elder
Simons, who from what a hear is a great guy! They have got a real building over
there too, and that's where the stake president lives for Albania and Kosovo!
Elder Lessi will be coming in here to replace me. I'm going to miss being with
Elder Gierisch, he's been a great companion! Farewell for now Macedonia
Elder Rigby
Note from Elder Rigby’s
dad: see map above, Durres is on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, right
across from Italy. Both Macedonia and Greece share a border with Greece, currently having
all the economic problems. Elder Rigby
has a living Albanian relative, Ella Rigby. Elder Richard’s grandfather,
Bert Rigby, has a brother Sterling who married an Albanian. Eleni (Ella) Chacho
Rigby was born (1934) in the southern mountainous region of Albania in Ogren, Permet
(see map below). She was blessed and baptized in the Eastern Orthodox Church,
but came to the U.S. and was baptized LDS in 1961. The first LDS meetinghouse
in an eastern European country was the one in Durres, Albania where Richard
will now serve. Most people in Albania are Muslims.
