July 20, 2015- WA-DA-MALON

So we have this member whos an old grandma, probably in her 60's, and we taught her how to say watermelon this week. Armenians speaking english is probably one of my greatest joys. This same member gave one of our elders a head massage before church this week. He gets really bad migraines and she was rubbing his eyes and squeezing the heck out of his head. It was so funny. But sad to say, we haven't found the cure to migraines. Sorry folks.

Armenians have all these great little quirks and as missionaries, we are pretty stoked when we can consider ourselves like the armenians, լրիվ հայ, if you will. For one, they have revelation through dreams a lot. We have an investigator who has a lot of potential, but she is SO busy. We've been meeting with her forever and she hasn't been reading the Book of Mormon at all. So I had a dream one night. In which, she read the Book of Mormon. We called her that morning. Guess who read the Book of Mormon? Yup. And guess who had a dance party during companion study? Yup.

Armenians also have all these sayings. So one day, we're at another members house and a little fuzzy thing flies around my head, and our member tells us that means I'm going to get mail. The elders just happened to be in Yerevan that day and picked up mail for both me and Sister K! Yeah, it was my bday package... already. Props to postal services for that quick delivery. And yes... I already opened it. Whoops! It was so amazing though!! I loved everyone. Thanks to all my friends for the letters you gave me. Love you all so much. Everything is all hung up by my bed :) and ps to everyone reading this, I have the coolest family. EVER

One day we met this lady n the street. She didn't seem very interested but we set up an appointment to see her the next day. So on our way to her house we stopped to say hi to a member and this lady comes up and says basically "do you have any business here?" We're like uhh yeah we're just saying hi to a friend. And we're like super confused and so we just ask her name. Turns out it was the lady we were about to go meet... Totally forgot. So awkward.

So that's about all my fun stories. I wish I had some more time. But I just gotta say. I learned this week how bad Satan is trying to destroy our families! Everything he does is to attack our families and if we aren't careful, he could do it. However, in God's mercy, He has provided a perfect plan for us to protect and strengthen our families now and throughout eternity. It is called the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If we rely on His teachings and His infinite grace, we will be safe from all the bad in the world. That is a promise from our loving Father in Heaven.

I love you all! Sister Blanchard

July 7, 2015- Happy America Month

We changed it to America month so we could celebrate longer. And poke fun at an elder in our area from Wales. We celebrated hard with burgers, fries, watermelon, brownies and sh'mores. There were even fireworks! Which isn't really that cool since there's fireworks about every night here. But still. AMERICA!!! I just want to talk about a few of the amazing miracles we've seen this week! Answers to prayers!!!!! It's just little things, but we have noticed as a companionship that when we ask for specific things, God gives them to us. Last week at the start of our Preparation Day, I prayed that we would have time to accomplish everything to be prepared for the week. We almost went on this hike, but decided not to go. That night, the elders called us and said they had been gone all day and didn't have any water. Since we stayed home that day, we had plenty of water at our house and were able to help them out. Also, that same day, Sister K prayed that one of our investigators would accept a baptismal date. And when we went over to her house that night, SHE brought up baptism with us! It was so cool to see how Heavenly Father softened her heart. Later this week, another miracle happened. We have a 14 yr old less active member who will not let us meet with her. We tried all last tranfer and took her notes, and flowers and cookies and she always just said she was busy. We had prayed so much all transfer that we could just get into her house and get to know her. And one day this week, it happened! We finally got to go in and talk to her and we picked up her mom as an investigator! I know that God answers our prayers, whether it be that day, or not in this lifetime! If we ask in faith, we will receive. I have felt an increase in hope all around since serving with my new companion. She has a lot of faith in other people and in our goals we set and in Heavenly Father. I feel like that is strengthening my faith a ton. And because of that, soo many people this week have recognized a difference in us. We have found so many new investigators this week, and it's because people recognize that faith in us, and recognize us as servants of Jesus Christ. Yesterday, I fasted to better recognize the Spirit. And I got a very interesting answer from Heavenly Father. During sacrament meeting, I was pondering it some. And the thought just came to me that if I was just more willing to say the things that come to my mind, I would be able to recognize the promptings of the Spirit. God didn't flat out tell me how I recognize the Spirit, but He gave me the direction I need to find out. I don't know if that even makes sense... But it was cool. We were teaching a family this week that we LOVED. But their father, who's in Russia, apparently said we can't go over anymore. We were so upset. But studying this morning, we understood a little bit better about the disappointments we feel as a missionary. We experience disappointments, because of the love we have for people, but we don't need to get discouraged. God has a perfect plan for each of His children and I know that he loves them all and will watch over them. Their opportunity will come. I have learned so much and grown so much this week. I love these wonderful people and I love my Heavenly Father. On a last, and super important note, I heard an Armenian rendition of Candy Shop by 50 Cent this week. I hope all is well back home! I love you all so much! Sister Blanchard

Giant Cotton Candy!

Fourth of July Celebration!

We found how to get up on the roof of our building. 

June 29, 2015-Transfers

Ok, well not for me I guess. i'm staying in Hrazdan and I could not be more happy!! My new companion is Sister K. She is so great! She's 20 and from Utah. She's been out nearly a year now and she was just the Sister Training Leader last transfer. She knows the language and the work SO well. I have already learned so much! We are having a great transfer so far and things are just going to get better and better! Before transfer day, we have a member appreciation activity at Sevan. We had bbq and played frisbee and cards and danced and it was so much fun. People here are amazing. I have some pictures, but I'm not sure if they're with me or not... We are teaching our branch president's daughter right now. We've been teaching her for a lng time, but she's in a manicure class so she can't come to church right now. In fact, she did my nails yesterday and like made them bleed... It's a good thing she has a month left of the class. haha But she is awesome. She has a husband and young son too and she really wants them to be involved in the church. Teaching families is the best! They live a little far away, but hopefully we can visit them all soon. One thing Sister K has really helped me with already is strengthening my faith! My faith in our goals, my faith in the people, my faith in myself and most importantly, my faith in Christ. We have been doing absolutely all we can, and its STILL isn't enough. But the miracles are happening. Jesus Christ has done everything for us. But you know what? He still is doing everything for us!! He is an active part of our lives. Because of Him, we are able to do anything and everything in this life. I've learned that if we plan well, work hard, and strive to follow the spirit, He will always bless us with miracles. Every day, no matter what. Սիրում եմ ձեզ: Sister Blanchard

This is on a bridge by our Branch President's house. 

We hiked a mountain and found this cool yellow building and had a photo shoot. 

Lake Sevan

June 22, 2015- No Time

Ah I have no time to write this week!! So I'll just give you a quick little update and send some pictures! We had a baptism this week woohooooo!!! And we went to a cool little ski resort last prep day and rode the ski lift. Super pretty. That's honestly about it! And we get our transfer calls tomorrow! I hope everyone so doing well and Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there!

Our little font/hot tub!

Ski Lift!

The elders set my passport picture as the background of the church computer...

June 16, 2015

I have a lot of random things to say right now and I hope I get to everything. First thing's first, you should all be jealous of me. I am living in one of the most beautiful places in the world!! Transfers are next week and I am praying with all my might that I stay here! My Armenian is coming along well so I've decided to pick up some Aarabic. My companion majored in Aarabic so she's been teaching me some sick phrases. I'm coming home fluent in two languages so you better watch out! We've been making cookies for everyone and just dropping them off at people's houses if they can't meet. The other day we took some cookies to a member's house. The next day, we ran into that member's sister and she asked us why we put soap in the cookies! She said they smelled like soap! What the heck! She probably thinks we tried to kill her! I mean, I know baking is different here, and everything is in Russian, but I'm pretty positive we didn't just try to poison our member! Awkward. On more important news, we have a baptism this Saturday! I'm not sure if I've mentioned this investigator really or not, so I'll give you the down low. She's 24 and we met her about a month ago. From the beginning, we felt like she just wanted to get together with us and try to speak english. But she has been surprising us every day! We ask her to read things, and she does. She comes to church and even participates! She got a job and still wants to meet with us every day! She gone to YSA and institute activities and now has great friends in the church. And I know that her dilligence has been a huge blessing in her conversion. We are so excited for her!!! I read a great talk from General Conference this week that everyone should read. It's Elder Oaks' "Parable of the Sower". There is one part I really liked. Spiritual food is necessary for spiritual survival, especially in a world that is moving away from belief in God and the absolutes of right and wrong. In an age dominated by the Internet, which magnifies messages that menace faith, we must increase our exposure to spiritual truth in order to strengthen our faith and stay rooted in the gospel. Increase our exposure to spiritual truth. That's how easy it is! I failed to recognize this before my mission. If we want a sureway to sta strong we must turn to the source. We have a constant source of daily bread in our Savior, Jesus Christ. We turn to Him by humbling ourselves in prayer, reading His word and acting how He would act. The spiritual truth which I believe needs a greater attention in this world is our divine and eternal potential. By our Heavenly Father's love and infinite wisdom, we were created and live each day. We have His constant care and guidance in our lives. And we CAN succeed in this life. He made it so! Have hope and remember that we are all so good. And we are on this eternal journey together! I love you all! And so does your Father in Heaven! Sister Blanchard

So Much To Say!

So much random stuff to say this week, and not much time. So I apologize in advance for this scattered email!!!

We went to Lake Sevan last P Day with our district! It was sooo much fun. It's a beautiful area and there's an old church up on a hill (just like everywhere else in this country). We visited the church and ate and skipped rocks and it was so fun! Weird food for the week... Matsoon. i dont even know. It's some disgusting dairy product straight from the cow. Kinda like greek yogurt, but like worse!

We've been eating/drinking that a lot lately. Bleh. Oh! Also, no one freak out, but we almost got struck by lightning the other day! We were out and the storm was coming in fast! We didn't even see it coming! But lightning striked... stroke?.. no, striked right above our heads! It hit all the power lines and everyone's lights went out! It was the loudest thing ever. We were luckily just leaving an investigator's appartment and she called back to us to wait it out inside. And we met her friend who we're going to go visit! God works in mysterious ways! Another funny story. We were sitting at this picnic table outside waiting for our investigator and these four young girls (maybe 11 to 14 yrs) came up and started talking to us. They were super sweet! And so our investigator shows up and we get up to leave. We're walking away but still kind of talking to the girls, so I obviously wasn't watching where I was walking, and I stepped right into this hole that was like 2 feet deep where people throw their trash.... I really haven't changed all that much I guess!

We've also just had a lot of old cranky people yell at us this week. The Adversary is real. There are times when I walk away almost in tears. But I've realized that we, as missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints, truly are representatives of Jesus Christ. I think about all He went through on this earth to bring people His gospel. It is a priviledge to do what He would do if He were here, especially when it's hard. Now, a little update on investigators. We have met some solid people lately who are really starting to progress. One day, we were out and all of our plans fell through. Literally, we had nowhere to go. We got a call from our elders and they said that one of our members had a friend at the church who needed a friend. We went and met her. She's been through a lot in her life. She is sick and smokes a lot and feels like Satan is out to get her right now. But she told us that she had a dream and she saw the golden plates! We are all ready to teach her. For a while she said she just wants a friend, but she called us a few days ago and asked for the Book of Mormon. She is so ready and we are so excited!!

I'm out of time dang it!!! So much is happening here! But I love you all and I love my Heavenly Father! Have a great week Sister Blanchard

Did This Week Even Happen?

Like, honestly I can't even remember this week! And it's already JUNE! Happy summer everybody! Time is flying!

We have met a lot of awesome people this week! We met a young mother on the street one day that has two young boys and they are super interested in the gospel! The dad is in Russia for work and I dont think he's been back much. But the little boys come in excited to learn and read and pray and it's so great! I have seen how the gospel has helped their family become stronger already! One of our other investigators just got a job at this weird little shooting range for kids. So we won't be able to see her much for a while, but she is still progressing and we just visit her at work now. We didn't hav any investigators at church this week... but it worked out for the best becuase we basically cancelled the third hour for no reason.... That's Armenia!

We've still been doing a lot of gardening this week. So one day we were out and my companion was joking around and accidentally hit one of the elders in the face with the shovel! He triedto play it off like nothing happened, but it started bleeded and it was just not fun. So my companion felt hrorrible! We decided to make him feel better and we wrote him a rendition to Brittney's greatest hit: DONT Hit Me Baby One More Time. Much better than the original if you ask me. And he accepted that form of embarrassment as an apology. All's well!

But one of our favorite members (this old lady that is kinda blind and calls me Barbie) is spreading the rumor that the elder tried to kiss my companion so she punched him. Good stuff. We're proud of that rumor. Something I've been working on theis week is listening with love. I am truly trying to love people as they are talking to me. And you know what? It's helped me understand better! I have felt even more love towards people. I used this trick to help break down the language barrier, but I know it can work for much more than that! If you want to love and understand someone, just try! And Heavenly Father will bless you with love for everyone! I have felt such a strong bond of love with these people, which is something I am truly grateful for. We are all brothers and sisters in this life. And we are all capable of loving each other if we love our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Keep being great, everyone!
I love you all! Sister Blanchard