# 47

Dear President, 

We went to Alaverdi this week with our Bishop and met with a lot of members. We also introduced the Bishop to our investigators and picked up many new investigators as well, who are completing families. We were able to teach many lessons and will be trading them off with the elders when then visit Alaverdi, so that our investigators will get a double dose of lessons a week, because there is nothing wrong with a little more gospel happiness every week :)

Well this week was very...dramatic. Is that the right word? I think it is. We found out that our 12 year old investigator and her grandmother and not allowed to attended church anymore or be baptized, because of family matters. Our 12 year old's father (who is divorced from her mother) is a new convert here. So our investigator is under instruction from her mother to not associate with him or the same church as him. It's hard...especially watching her cry because she wanted to be baptized so bad. But the brightside is that we are still allowed to come visit and meet with her, so we plan on teaching her the rest of the lessons and just focus on strengthening her and her grandmother's testimony of the gospel. One day, whether it is in the near future or when she is 18, she'll be able to be baptized and we want to her to have a strong foundation. 

We also met with the taxi driver and his family and there was a bit of drama there as well. He came and picked us up from the church and we thought we smelled alcohol, but weren't entirely sure, but when we got to his house, he said he had other work to do and left us to talk with his wife. We couldn't tell entirely if he had been drinking or not, but we began our lesson and halfway through he came in, and was obviously drunk. After, his kids came in from playing and one of them was crying and he began to hit his son. So we decided to leave and as we were walking out, he wanted to drive us home, but Sister H (who was with us for the lesson) found another taxi and we took that home. But our investigator got in his car anyway, and cut in front of us started driving wrecklessly. He also started smoking in his car and slowed up in front of us so we could see. We later got separated from him, but found out that he went to the church and told our Bishop that he did not want to learn from us anymore. Anyway, our Bishop talked to us and Sister H talked with us and it was clear that he was drunk. We are not sure why all of a sudden he chose to start drinking, but we are unforunately going to hold off on meeting with him and his family for a bit. This concludes the soap opera for the week :)

On a brighter note, we've been meeting with the single mother and her family members and they are an absolute joy! She came to church again for all three hours this week and we have taught her all of the lessons, except for baptism and confirmation. She still has a date in March and we are praying that she will make it with no problems. 

This week during studies, I read the last chapter of 2 Nephi and I can honestly say that I relate to Nephi when he says he "pray continually for them by day, and mine eyes water my pillow by night, because of them; and I cry unto my God in faith, and I know that he will hear my cry." I have to remind myself often that I am not a perfect missionary, but that I'm doing the best that I can and I have to let others use their agengy. I admire Nephi's boldness in his temimony at the end of the chapter. He says "and you and I shall stand face to face before his bar; and ye shall know that I have been commanded of him to write these things, notwithstanding my weakness." The Lord uses the weak things of the earth to testify of Him and share his gospel. I am a weak thing. But I have felt the Spirit testify through me, and I can't deny this gospel. I know it to be true. I just wish others would strengthen their testimonies and act accordingly as well!

I hope you have a wonderful week.

Love,

Sister Morreall

Dear Family,

I love and miss you all and hope you are enjoying your week!!!!

Love,

Misa :)

Fun/cool facts: 

Women's month begins March 8-until April 7. Women get gifts or treats and everyone is nice to them for a whole month. Yay!! I hope this applies to crazy foreigner girls who want to share the gospel and convert them all!!

Also, last month the day before Valentines Day they have a holiday (salty cracker day) where an old widowed woman makes salty crackers and young single women eat the cracker and don't drink any water right before bed. Apparently, in their dreams that night if they see a boy and he hands them a glass of water in their sleep, that is the boy they are going to marry. So natuarally, I tested out this legend. Don't worry dad, no one handed me a glass of water.