2 Stories - Hasmik and Lia

True Story #1 - Hasmik

On Saturday, March 12th, Hasmik was baptized. She walked into the office a few months ago and told Elder Jones,“I want to be baptized into your church” He was instantly suspicious, because people don’t really do that, do they? Well being the inexperienced missionaries that we are, we fumbled around, found her some pamphlets and a Book of Mormon, found out where she lived and called the Sister missionaries that serve in her area. They met with her later that day, and over the past few months have taught her the principles she needed to know to join our Church.

Sisters Crawford, Cornwell, Hasmik and Ferguson

She brought her mother, niece and nephew to Primary and we sang and I taught them a little. They actually loved it and now the kids mom, the kids and Hasmik’s mom are all being taught.
So despite me actually giving her what I thought was the Plan of Salvation pamphlet, (it was the chastity pamphlet), and Elder Jones initial doubts. She progressed and we all got to enjoy her baptism.

(Side Note: she read the pamphlets we gave her and had started the Book of Mormon by the time the Sisters even got to her apartment, so no damage done.) Whew!

True Story #2 - Lia
After many many hours of preparing, many prayers, fasting and with heaven’s help Lia got her Visa to go to the Temple Square Mission in Salt Lake City. 

Lia & her Dad
She is probably the sweetest, happiest person I have met in all of Armenia. She is a strong and valiant member and the only member of the Church in her family. Many obstacles were placed in her way as she prepared to make this happen. 

 We all got to be there when President set her apart as a missionary.  It was awesome.

  Questions to ponder:  Would I have the strength to do what is right with absolutely no support from family?

Do we realize how blessed we all are?

Women's Day!

Tuesday the 8th of March was Women’s Day. But of course, Monday the 7th was “Pre-Women’s Day”. (Banks, the government and schools were closed) Actually the holiday is celebrated again in April, but they don't take the April day off from work.…. It is all so confusing. They honor women on these days and many of the branches had activities honoring the women. The good news is, it meant I got flowers! Some from Elder Jones.

Some to deliver to others.

On my way to deliver flowers, George the taxi driver pulls over at a flower shop and bought me these snow flowers. So interesting, that in the Spring they pop through the last snow and then they are picked.
They are tiny, all that you can see fit in this small plastic cup.

There are flowers shops everywhere in Yerevan. Actually I pass five ½ (long story) on my short walk to the office each day. They are all very close together. Two stinky fish stores are in between four of them.

The fresh flowers are beautiful and rather inexpensive.

Here's what Wikipedia says:

In Armenia, after the collapse of the Soviet Union celebrations of IWD were abandoned. Instead, April 7 was introduced as state holiday of ‘Beauty and Motherhood’. The new holiday immediately became popular among Armenians, as it commemorates one of the main holidays of the Armenian Church, the Annunciation. However, people still kept celebrating IWD on March 8 as well. Public discussion held on the topic of two ‘Women’s Days’ in Armenia resulted in the recognition of the so called ‘Women’s Month’ which is the period between March 8 and April 7.

FACES - Joy and Sorrow

We heard lots of foot traffic outside our apartment the other day. Then large ash trays appeared. Then this appeared at the entrance to our stairwell.

Apparently our neighbor died. We had never seen him until we saw him in his casket.  I feel sad that they don't have the Gospel in their lives.

Here, you can hear the music that musicians that were standing by his casket played.  It sounds kind of mournful, yet I liked it.  They had flute type wind instruments.  I was on the fourth floor in our apartment trying to discretely take pictures.  So ignore the picture and listen...

A Blul and a Duduk


While I was riding on a bus Saturday, I started taking pictures out the dirty windows.  I didn't know if they would work, but maybe you can get an idea of some of the people I encountered.
Not many blonds in Armenia

Policemen



This is Narek, Sahak & Lia.  Narek is a young branch President, who just got engaged, Lia is waiting for her Visa to serve a mission to Temple Square

This little face made me the happiest!  Rennlie was blessed on Sunday.

Happy Birthday to me #3 (I Think)

It was a great day yesterday.  Two packages from home.  Raegan and Brooke sent a Grandmother's necklace.

  

(Hans, Knox, Kate, Rennlie)

AND  pictures from Hans & Knox (interpretation - Happy Birthday Meema)

A beautiful wall hanging from Pauline and Gerald Lund's new book.

So many ooooo's & ahhhh's over the goodies.

Thanks Everyone!

What I Have Been Doing Lately....

Valentine's Day Dinner!  We went to a French Restaurant, the food was mediocre but the company was fantastic!

Birthday Party #1
Last Sunday we invited Elders J and G and Sisters C and C for a birthday dinner. Elder G and I share the 17th and Sis. C was on the 6th. We had taco soup, fruit salad, homemade chips made from lavash, salsa, bread, cake. It was fun and tasty.



On my birthday I received seven phone calls from Elders, Sisters and even a Branch President.  All singing "Happy Birthday" to me.  Sandy even sent an email where she was singing, sort of!  I got tons of presents.  Some of them were: Skype with family, Flowers, letters, emails, cards, cookies, scarf, more cookies, hot chocolate mix, Idaho Candy Bar, home made fudge, taco seasoning, Ranch Dressing Mix, and Dinner at the Cactus Restaurant!  AND I'm told there is a package in the mail!

It snowed again.  Then it melted.



We had Senior Council with a record number attending.  Elder Jones and I walked to the Mission Home and took a short cut that turned into a long cut, almost a "I'm lost cut!"

Reeses, Pincocks, Richs, Petersons, Carters, Jones, VanDykes Bluncks

This is what it is like playing the electric piano in Relief Society. Wish I had a picture.

Several keys stick.  The pedal doesn't work very good and it moves around while I am trying to press it.  Sooooo  I'm trying to play, unstick the keys, chase the pedal around with my feet, occasionally sing along trying to translate the words into Armenia, watch the chorister and not make mistakes.  Sometimes it is hilarious.

Everyone likes to hang out at Sister Jones Office - Because I have the transfer board hanging on the wall.  Of course I love all the attention.

Another bread truck experience.  It just makes me smile everytime. The bread is all lined up beautifully, BUT none is wrapped, Yikes!

AT LAST - The November Conference Issue of the Liahona has arrived. 
I have been asked for weeks as to when will they be here? Here's the story.  I have been emaling the Order Department in Germany for months for an answer to that question. No answers, then FINALLY last Monday I receive word that they hadn't been printed yet.  OK, wellllll.  Five days later I receive 600 Armenian, 50 Russian and 30 English copies.  That means they were printed in the US, mailed to Germany, then mailed to Armenia in five days!  It's a miracle OR a I think we had a communication, translation problem on that.  Then to make the story more exciting.  They all came US Mail in BIG BLUE sacks.  All of the boxes had "burst" opened or someone opened them at the post office.  So I had magazines everywhere.  Thank goodness Missionaries with Muscles arrived in the nick of time to help me and Elder Jones put them away.

This has been a VERY busy week.  12 Missionaries arriving, 6 went home.  Elder Poulsen from just down the street (Alamo) arrived on Friday.  His sister lives in Raegan's Ward.

"WELCOME To ARMENIA"

The end of a great week.