The weather is finally consistently nice! So the gardens are coming out! People here garden enough food and things to make it through the whole winter! So we've been helping everyone prepare their gardens. I dug and planted sooooo many potatoes this week, I could do it in my sleep! So I'm thinking of starting a potato fam when I get home. It's a work in progress, but after this week, I think I've got the skillset.
This weekend was Stake Conference so we were in Yerevan almost the whole weekend. Saturday morning we had a meeting with all the missionaries and Elder Bennett (from our area presidency) and Elder Halstrum (from the Quorom of the Seventy). It was my first time seeing everyone together! It was so cool! We learned a lot about how the Lord's success is not neccessarily our idea of success. We were told to have hope and not get discouraged when we don't see immediate success. I've been trying to ask myself every night if I gave everything I could to the Lord that day. And if I did, it is now in His loving hands and I need not worry. I have also been trying to learn how to be better led by the Spirit. Elder Halstrum said that if we have our minds set to act upon what we learn, we are automatically elevated and able to be directed moreclearly by the Spirit. It comes down to our desire. Do I want to change and improve and be a better instrument in his hands?
After our meeting I went on a split in Yerevan for the day with another sister! So fun! The city is crazy hectic. I should have taken more pictures ahh.
On Sunday we traveled to Yerevan from Hrazdan with our branch. We had a bus and a van to make it there. And of course, we were sooooo late. My companion and I were like running around the city trying to gather everyone up and get them ready! People here don't wake up in the mornings... And then our bus drove so slow. It was like a walking pace. I could've pushed the bus faster! We made it about halfway through. But it was great seeing the whole stake together! There were maybe 300 people there! Our leaders made many promises about a temple coming to Armenia sometime in the future!!! I'm so blessed to be here at this time of great growth in the church!
I don't have much time now, but remember God loves you and you are GOOD!
Till next week,
Sister Blanchard
Thursday, May 28, 2015
May 18, 2015
Sorry I wasn't on last week everyone, I was too busy talking to MY FAMILY! So, I guess I'm not too sorry!! I hope you all had a lovely Mother's Day.
I'm officially halfway through my first transfer!! Ahh crazy! This week we had our Zone Conference with President and his wife. 6 hours long.... But it was so good! We talked about building our faith and how we can do that. Faith is a gift of the Spirit, so we must seek after it through prayer. Being humble and obedient are key to growing faith. Beyond that, I'm focusing on remembering the Savior more throughout every day. I've learned that merely thinking of Him has so much power. And can really help us change our lives through His Atonement! His example is one of perfect obedience, humility and love. Those are all the qualities we need to build faith and grow closer to God. When we remember Him, even the hard days are good days.
Earlier this week I had a day of bad luck I would call it. I have a pictures to sum up the day. But in the span of about two hours I broke my umbrella, split tea ata member's home, then stepped on her cat, and then kinda dropped one of her puppies. And then fell in the mud! Learn to laugh at yourself and pick up and keep going. When we think of the Savior, we forget about our little problems and help others as He would. ( And don't worry, the animals are fine.)
We've been focusing a lot on service this week as a companionship. Armenians are very good at service. We have members that are always giving us flowers and food and anything they can do. We are trying to show them that we are here for them as well. We are cleaning a inactive member's home and she is finally opening up to us and coming back to church! Service works miracles. It helps you love others and yourself. We organized a Relief Society activity this week too. We met at the church and had a great turn out! One of our investigators is a cake maker and she made us a cake for the activity with the Church's name on it, minus the "saints" part haha. It was delicious though. We played Pin the Tail on the Bunny and danced the night away! It was so great. I hope we can all take the time to think of Christ more throughout our lives and serve our fellow brothers and sisters!
I know that we will seethe blessings of simple acts and our faith will be strengthened!! Have a great week everyone!
I'm officially halfway through my first transfer!! Ahh crazy! This week we had our Zone Conference with President and his wife. 6 hours long.... But it was so good! We talked about building our faith and how we can do that. Faith is a gift of the Spirit, so we must seek after it through prayer. Being humble and obedient are key to growing faith. Beyond that, I'm focusing on remembering the Savior more throughout every day. I've learned that merely thinking of Him has so much power. And can really help us change our lives through His Atonement! His example is one of perfect obedience, humility and love. Those are all the qualities we need to build faith and grow closer to God. When we remember Him, even the hard days are good days.
Earlier this week I had a day of bad luck I would call it. I have a pictures to sum up the day. But in the span of about two hours I broke my umbrella, split tea ata member's home, then stepped on her cat, and then kinda dropped one of her puppies. And then fell in the mud! Learn to laugh at yourself and pick up and keep going. When we think of the Savior, we forget about our little problems and help others as He would. ( And don't worry, the animals are fine.)
We've been focusing a lot on service this week as a companionship. Armenians are very good at service. We have members that are always giving us flowers and food and anything they can do. We are trying to show them that we are here for them as well. We are cleaning a inactive member's home and she is finally opening up to us and coming back to church! Service works miracles. It helps you love others and yourself. We organized a Relief Society activity this week too. We met at the church and had a great turn out! One of our investigators is a cake maker and she made us a cake for the activity with the Church's name on it, minus the "saints" part haha. It was delicious though. We played Pin the Tail on the Bunny and danced the night away! It was so great. I hope we can all take the time to think of Christ more throughout our lives and serve our fellow brothers and sisters!
I know that we will seethe blessings of simple acts and our faith will be strengthened!! Have a great week everyone!
Monday, May 4, 2015
1 Month in Armenia!!!
Armenia is great!! It's warming up, we've still got the best bread in the world and even better people! We've got some great investigators right now!!! We've been meeting a lot of really awesome people on the streets! We have an investigator right now that is 15 and she is sooo great! She reads like crzy in the Book of Mormon and even came to church last week. She hasn't always been super religious, so she has some great questions when we meet! We love teaching her. It's amazing how teaching someone about their relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ can really change their life. I know that Christ is our Savior, and that every day we can rely on Him and become stronger! There is hope in life and I've seen it here amongst these humble people.
I don't have a ton to share this week! But everything is good! Thank you all for your emails, letters and love!
Sister Blanchard
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