November 30, 2015- It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. We had a normal day. But we did have food at our ward mission leader's house to say we are so grateful for him. He's the beeesst. About 27 ish, served a mission in Ukraine and he just gets it, you know? We (Sister Frank and I) made baked chicken and peach cobler. And the Elders made mashed potatoes and gravy! So America! Be proud of me!!! It was really fun. This week was so good! We've done a looot of trying to find inactives this week. And we will keep on trying! It's been really cool to see how the Lord really multiplies our efforts. We had a meeting with our Relief Society president this week and talked to her about a few of the people we are/are trying to work with. She gave us some good direction and a few people of her own to meet with. All but one of the sisters that we have been working with came to church yesterday!!! I felt like I didn't even get the chance to do that much for them, but the Lord saw those efforts and softened hearts! So cool. We also had a relief society activity this week that was really great. Not a lot of people came, but we all went around and shared favorite scripture or spiritual experiences. I didn't expect it so be very great, honestly, but the Spirit was very strong. I think the sisters felt a stronger bond between them. We had a very inactive sister come with us and she was very well fellowshipped by the sisters. They are already talking about when we are going to do it again. YAY! Another less active miracle. We have a tatik that's been inactive for around a year maybe and she can't hear very well and she's scared to open her door. So we've been trying to see her for MONTHS. And everytime it doesn't work out. This week we had gotten some flowers for someone and we really felt like we should take them to this tatik. It was already dark out and we thought there was no way she would answer, but we could just leave them for her. We are heading up the stairs in her shenk and there's a couple in front of us. They turn around a minute later,,, it's Bishop and his wife!! They were on their way home from Yerevan and decided to see this Tatik! With their help, we were finally able to get her to open the door!!! God put us all in the right place at the exact right time to finally meet with this woman. She also came to church on sunday! ANOTHER miracle. We were walking to an appointment one night around 5 or 6. and the sunset was beautiful. So we walked down this random road to get a better view of it. The sunset by itself was a miracle, but then this awesome lady walks by and just wants to meet with us really bad! God just gave me a freaking sunset AND an awesome new contact! So many miracles. I've been seeing more and more of them everyday. And I think it's because my faith is being strengthened and my vision broadened. I've been thinking about what makes a successful missionary a lot. And I've realized again just how personal it is. It is between the missionary and the Lord. He is where my focus needs to be always. On Him and His great work in Artashat. I love Alma chapter five when I feel like I need to do a little personal evaluation. Verse 26 says, "And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?" If I have witnessed great miracles and felt the true joy of missionary work, do I still feel that way? A successful missionary should alwayts be getting better. I'm reflecting on my previous transfers and sometimes I feel like I was a better missionary in some ways my first transfer. I should NOT feel that way! I need to keep on improving and continuing to feel that same joy and satisfaction that comes from the work. Jesus Christ has truly strengthened me and continues to do so. And as long as I continue to let Him, even when it's hard, I feel like that is success. I feel like I just ramble lately in my emails. I hope they aren't too long and boring. It's hard to relay truly how much I love my mission in an email each week. But I really do love it. And I love you all and I love my Savior. Mets Sirov Sister Blanchard