# 23

Dear Family, 

I'm sorry last week\s email was short and not very substantial. It was a very busy Monday last week! I promise that this one will be better.

Last Monday after preparing for the week, Sister McDonald and I went and visited Sveta (40 y.o. lady) in Qanaqer. There are seven members in her family that live with her (all women) and we taught them about the Restoration. We left them with Books of Mormon and challenged them to read. We brought them some treats and in return they insisted that we stay for dinner. We had dolma...it was delicious (and yes Mom, I got the recipe).

                                                                            At the market (shuka)

On Tuesday, we had district meeting. There are 4 companionships the Ajapnyak District now (instead of 6 like last transfer). We discussed making goals. Last transfer, we had 20 baptisms as a branch (9 from our district - Arabkir - and 11 from the Assistants and Sister Training Leaders - Ajapnyak). This transfer we set a goal for 38. It's a high goal, but we're putting our faith and trust in the Lord. After the meeting, Sister McDonald and I along with the Nork Elders met with Grigor, our Ward Mission Leader. We shared our goals for the transfer with him and discussed our investigators. He is the first ward mission leader this new ward has had so we are also working with him to establish his role and guide him along the way. A lot of our work here is helping ward and stake leaders fulfill their callings since this is a newly formed stake, so I have been learning a lot of how to work with and help guide the leaders here. After that meeting, we met with Melanya and Sona, investigators who can only meet a few times a month. We reviewed the Restoration and Plan of Salvation and encouraged them to continue reading the Book of Mormon. Then we met with one of our contacts, Anahit and gave her a tour of the church and established our expectations with her. Next meeting we will teach the Restoration and extend an invitation to be baptized.

On Wednesday, we met with Ruzan and gave her a Book of Mormon and challenged her to read. Then we met with Julia, a member, and had a testimony with her, the Nork elders and Hayk. She has such a strong testimony and has been a great example for her son who is inactive. So we are going to try and work with her to reactive him. We then visited Sveta and followed up her commitment to read the Book of Mormon. She read! We are going to keep encouraging her to read and work on getting her to church. 

                                                                                  With Ruzan

Thursday morning three people stopped and asked us about the church when we were running in the morning! They were people that we always barevel (say hello to) and so they were curious about us. It was great to talk to them and bear testimony that early in the morning. Later after planning for the week, we met with Lala (newly baptized) and taught her about the priesthood and callings in the church. We invited her to ask the Bishop for a calling and to speak in church and we told her we will work with the Bishop to get her home teachers. After meeting with Lala, we took Mehrujan and Alvina to the Reeses apartment so that they could skype with the Eyres (previous office couple). We helped translate, so that was good practice for me! Lately, I've felt very humbled because of the language. It has been really hard for me lately to speak. I am learning a lot, but I feel like I am not applying the things that I learn as much as I could be. I know it takes time for it to happen, so I will continue to keep working on it (but we all know how patient I am...)

On Friday, we met with Ruzan again and taught her daughters the Adam and Eve story since she asked us to in our last lesson. We then explained that because of Adam's transgression (and the fall of mankind) there was a need for the atonement. We then taught her the Gospel of Christ (faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end). We extended the invitation for her to be baptized and she accepted. We then met with Marine (new member) and reviewed tithing and fast offerings with her. She asked if she could donate more to the other auxiliaries as well! And she is planning on asking the Bishop to give a talk in church and receive a calling. She even asked if she could come to lessons with us to help teach our investigators. Every time we visit her I am impressed by how much of a desire she has to serve the Lord! After meeting with her, we when to Qanaqer and OYMed a lot since we had no other plans for the day. We OYMed 43 people that night...that is a new record for me. (Not that I am keeping track...it was just a lot!)

On Saturday we met with, Karine, a referral from the Ajapnyak Sisters at the church. We established expectations with her and invited her to begin meeting with us. Then we met with Sveta, who brought her sister-in-law, Guyane, to the meeting because she really wanted to meet with us. We taught both of them about families and the Plan of Salvation. We then met with Elder and Sister Redlin (Humanitarian couple) here and helped put on an activity for the members and investigators. We watched a newly produced video on church humanitarian aid for people in Armenia. Did you know we have brought water to 150 villages in Armenia? I know everything we researched before I came here said that Armenia was somewhat like a 2nd world country...and it is, in the city, but I would say like 95% of the country is more like 3rd world. So it was pretty great that we could share how the church has been helping Armenia with the Armenian people through a video. I think it should be online soon, but it will be in Armenian so good luck trying to understand :)

At church on Sunday, Sister McDonald and I helped translate for the English speakers. The English branch has gotten smaller since all of the Filipinos moved back to the Philippines (we miss them all so much!!), and so the English branch comes to the Armenian ward for Relief Society and Priesthood. After church, we went walking for a little bit and OYMed people. We met three men from Russia who are world champion professional boxers...they knew all about the church from back in Russia and so we invited them to come to our ward while they were here and left them with contact info for when they go back to Russia. After walking, we went to Helen's house and helped her fill out her mission papers for a mission. She is awesome! We take her to lessons sometimes because she relates well to our investigators and bears powerful testimony. I am excited for her to be able to serve soon!

So how was the Virginia trip? It sounds like everyone had a fun time. It's a bummer that BYU lost though. But I'm sure the historical sites and shopping was fun! Dad, I forgot to tell you that I withdrew 20,000 dram (calm down....it's about $50) last week. could you check and see what my balance is at now and let me know. Thanks! Asia, I was just wondering have you thought about getting your Patriarchal Blessing yet? I love reading mine...it has been a big help to me here on my mission. Trev...get your license bro! Also, I want to challenge you and Asia to read from Preach My Gospel everyday and also from the Bible...I wish I had done more of that before I came on my mission. I think it will really prepare you both!

I sure miss and love you all. It was great to email back and forth with you for a bit, Mom.

Have a great week!

Love,

Misa :)

Random/cool things:

I saw a lamb get sacrificed this week...

Armenians put matsun (it's like plain yogurt...but more...ripened...) on their face to cool them down. They say it also helps with keeping their skin healthy.