MTC - March 28, 2012

Բարև ձեզ ընտանիկ: (Hello family!)

Ոնց եք: Ես լավ եմ: Ես սիրում եմ այս ավետարանը: Տերը մեզ շատ է օրհնում:  (How are you? I am excellent! I love this gospel! The Lord blesses us so much!)

It sounds like your week was pretty great! I can't begin to express to you and to everyone how grateful I am for your love, support, and prayers-I find strength from you!  I'm going to apologize ahead of time if this is really scattered-I wrote down stuff I wanted to write about, but there's not really an order-so it'll probably be pretty scattered :)

It sounds like the Mack's did a great job!  They are wonderful! And I love both of the stories that Sis. Mack told-they really do help us understand just a little bit better how great Our Savior's love is for us!  It was good to hear that Zona is recovering-Callee said she had to get hip surgery-How's Shauna holding up?  Will you give both Zona and Shauna hugs next time you see them?  I loved the nights when we would stay up talking about family stories and just family history stuff-I miss that-lucky Beth! I have not been able to watch the YW broadcast-I'm sure it was wonderful-from what you mentioned it sounds like it was-as always! I'll try to at least get to Pres. Monson's talk sometime this week-in all my free time :) (Or lack thereof) 

So a few things from this past week-Wed. night after the TRC-Bro. White told us that it was the first week he had seen a lot of improvement in our language-YAY! I hope we can continue to improve!  It's just so hard when everyone around you speaks English and not Armenian :) It's probably better that way for now-but the day is fast approaching when it will be the opposite.

Our teachers are amazing!  I know I've said that a ton-but I love them! They are the BEST! It is evident that they all love the Lord, us, and the Armenian people.  Last week Bro. White mentioned to us that it would be good to be more creative with our lessons, so we tried something different with Գագո- we were teaching him part of the plan of salvation-so we took a little field trip.  As we walked through the door of the classroom-we said it represented baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost.  Then we walked down the hall and talked about our life here and the things we will continue to do in this life to prepare for eternity.  When we reached the door to go outside we explained it would represent death-he joked with us and asked if we were going to kill him now-then we stepped outside and talked about the spirit world and how it is a time of waiting, learning, teaching-much like here, but without bodies.  Then we talked about resurrection-he was confused about that-so we didn't get a chance to finish the POS-but it was great!  After we were done Bro. Carlson (who acts as Գագո) came out of the class doing his happy dance :) One other thing we learned about Armenians though-Գագո kept saying while we were outside that he was going to get sick-then Bro. Carlson explained that Armenians believe that if you're outside at dusk, even if it's warm, then you'll get sick.  So then yesterday when we taught Գագո, he said he was sick and asked if we were too.  So silly :)

Ընտանիք ես շատ շնորհակալ եմ որ մենք գիտենք որ այս ավետարանը ճշմարիտ է: ես գիտեմ որ մենք կարող ենք լինել միասին հավերժ:

I love you all!  Have a great week! 

Sis. Broadbent

Alma 31:38

Mary's latest - 3/21/12

The latest letter from Mary!  Also attached are some pictures she sent this week.  1st is Mary; 2nd Mary and her companion Sister Bobzien; 3rd & 4th -  her MTC district - all those going to Armenia - Sis Bobzien, Elder Harrington, Elder Park, Elder Chojuacki and Mary; 5th her MTC badge; 6th- all these missionaries are leaving the same day - in 4 weeks!  The ones not going to Armenia are going to Latvia; 7th - 3 roomies -Mary, Sis Bobzien and Sis Gallacher (going to Latvia); 8th Sis Missionaries - Mary, Sis Bobzien, Sis Hill, Sis Dondaldson (Indiana? I am not sure who they are or why they are in her pic!) and Sis Gallacher.

Enjoy!

Բարև ձէզ իմ ընտանիկը:

It is always so good to hear about things going on at home!   And speaking of Steve and Julie-there was an english elder here a couple of weeks ago that has grandparents that are serving in Kenya-I'm sure they know them!  And today in the temple, (we did initiatories and it was WONDERFUL), I was talking with one of the temple workers and she's from Thailand.  I mentioned how grandma and grandpa served there and how they loved it-she was so cute, she said, "Everyone always does." She's been here since 1970 and she still has a beautiful accent. 

Oh and yes-we are singing in conference for sure, we just started practicing today-I think we sing Saturday

Just one exciting with Հովո-Sat. when we taught him, we taught about fasting and how that can help us when we are seeking answers, and how it shows the extra effort to the Lord-we talked about all the things we fast for.  At the end of the lesson he was just really frustrated, he said "I'm doing everything you ask me to do-I'm reading, praying, etc. And I'm just not feeling what you say I'll feel" We talked about it with him and Sis. Bobzien (she's so inspired) asked him if he was reading and praying because he REALLY wanted to know, or just because we asked him to.  It got him thinking. So Monday, when we taught him, we had prepared to teach him all about doing things with real intent and what that means.  We were just chatting and asked if he had any questions about what he read in the BOM.  He said no, but then he proceeded to tell us what happened after we left on Sat.  He expressed that he was just frustrated with not receiving an answer and he opened the BOM to where he had left off in 2 Nephi 31:13.  He read that verse and felt the Holy Ghost-he said he knew that's what he needed to do and that he was willing to do whatever God asked him to do.  We had already committed him to baptism, but he said "I really want to be baptized" It was SO NEAT!  Afterwards, we were talking about how little we have to do with conversion, and how much the spirit does to convert people.  It's not us by any means, not anything we say or do, but we are so blessed to be witnesses of those special experiences and to share with the people in their joy of knowing.

Yesterday for the devotional Elder Oaks and his wife came-they are amazing!  Sis. Oaks talked about a few things, but one thing she said that I loved was "Jesus Christ stands by us in all that we do and we can be sure that He expects us to stand by one another"

Elder Oaks spoke a lot about how we can have the spirit with us always-he focused on the Sacrament and how often we forget that that is where we gain our power.  If we take the sacrament worthily, regularly, and appropriately then we can be sure that the promise that we can always have His spirit with us is true.  Yes, we have to live in accordance, but it starts with taking the Sacrament appropraitely.  He also compared us to the Savior (WOW)-that we are doing something for others that they can not do for themselves.  We are SO blessed! 

Also, we talked a bit about the difference between feeling the Holy Ghost before baptism and having it after.  How is is different?  Why is it so important that we receive the Holy Ghost?

I am completely out of time-no Armenian today :( But I just want you to know how grateful I am for you and for all you do!  I know this gospel is the gospel of Jesus Christ in its fullness!  We are blessed beyond all measure to be apart of it!  As I sat in the temple today I realized even more how much the gospel does for us.  It's not that we just want people to be baptized, but that we want them to have all the blessings that come with the temple and that come from being apart of the gospel!  I know Jesus Christ is our Savior-He loves us so much!  He is our friend and we are His! 

ձեզ շատ եմ սիրում

սերով

քույր Բրադբենթ

March 14, 2012 letter from Mary

Բարև ծեզ ընտանիկ:

Ես մտացում էի գրելու մասին բոլոր սա հայրենով բայց չեմ գրի-I thought about writing all of this in Armenian, but I won't.  It takes a bit to long for me to find all the right keys, it would be really short, and I might not be able to say all that I would want to.  I'm sure I could find a way-and it would be fun for you.  Maybe one of these times I will  :)  I know I've told you at least the last 3 times that I am sending pictures-and I really am-as soon as the printing machines will cooperate.  I reprinted them, so hopefully by next week you'll have them-as long as I actually get them back :)

This week has been so GRAND! The weather has been գեղետցի (beautiful)! Last Tuesday we asked one of our teachers if we could do our lessons outside-he responded promptly with "no", but then Thursday, he took us outside to practice street contacting.  It was amazing to watch him do it, because he had a bunch of things he would say that would easily get us to ask why he was in Armenia, or as some question that allowed him to talk about the Church-I'm sure I will be a pro by the time my mission is done. 

We've learned some interesting things about the Armenian culture this last week.  After teaching Գագո a couple times in a row, our teacher explained that in Armenia when you say that something is true-like the Book of Mormon is true-they will often agree because to them, if it exists then it is "true" so we have to explain what we mean by true.  They believe that a remission of sins is going to their church and lighting a candle.  And that resurrection is when our spirit ascends into heaven.  We're learning that we have to define every word so that they understand. 

We decided to sing in the choir for the devotional this week-and we plan on continuing because there is going to be a choir from the MTC for conference :) We're hoping we get to do it :) It is always great to be able to bear testimony through song.  This week Elder Steve Cardon and his wife spoke-she touched on how no matter what we go through or how hard it is, the Lord can help us make it a blessing.  And he spoke a lot about how we are children of God-and how that knowledge provides us so much strength-to withstand tempation, to testify and teach better, and to stay strong through challenges.  It was just great. 

We've been talking about sanctification and being sanctified.  What does it mean to be sanctified and how do we become sanctified? 

Just a couple of funny things from this past week-after we taught at the TRC last week, Bro White was talking about pictures and he said "When we get home, I'll show you some."  He realized what he said and we all laughed-but truly-our classroom is our home-we spend so much of our waking time there!  Then, Bro Carlson always drops things-usually chalk and books and such-but yesterday he fixed a stack of flash cards that one of the Elders knocked off their desk, he went to put it back on the desk and he barely missed the edge-which sent them flying all over the floor.  He was SO embarassed, but it was HILARIOUS!  I wish you could meet our teachers!  They are AMAZING! I'll try and get a picture to send home so you can at least know who they are.

Լավ: Ես պետկ է գնամ: Բայց արաժին ես շնորհակալ եմ բոլոր բաների համար դու անում ես ինզ համար: ծեզ շատ եմ սիրում:

սիրով

Քույր Բրադբենթ

MTC - March 7, 2012

March 7, 2012

Բարև ծեզ իմ ընտանիկը-Hello my family!

It sounds like you had a good week!  Thank you so much for sharing what you discussed during family home evening and Josh-thanks for your little note.  I can't begin to express how grateful I am for all of you and all of your support! Ծեզ շատ եմ սիրում-I love you all so much! 

How exciting for Aubin and Candice-I remember that Aubin was engaged, but I had no idea Candice was-make sure you tell her congrats for me-and tell Trudy and Tim hi, of course.  That reminds me-do Story and Oscar get sealed tomorrow? If I'm remembering right?  Make sure you give them a huge squeeze for me!  We did sealing today at the temple-I LOVE seeing and feeling how perfect our Heavenly Father's plan is for us!  We are SO blessed!

I have to apologize and tell you thank you for the camera-there is a reason for the delay.  When I opened my package, I saw the box of camera equipment and I thought "oh, that'll be nice to have" but I didn't explore.  Then last week, I decided to get it out and actually look through it.  When I pulled out the camera bag-I realized it was heavier than just a camera bag, opened it, and there was the new camera you bought.  Silly me! THANK YOU SO MUCH!  The other sisters in my room had a pretty good laugh about it-as did I-I can't believe I didn't even think about it before! 

Our second full English group left this week-they came in the week that the english missionaries we started with left.  Sister Bobzien and I keep talking about how hard it is to imagine ourselves outside of the MTC-it feels like we have been here forever and like we will be here forever.  But, we've been here exactly 5 weeks today-starting our 6th week-which means we are half way :) Its hard to imagine that we'll actually be in Armenia.

Saturday, one of our teachers felt like we needed to watch a talk given by Elder Holland in 2000-it was great! I think it is called the Miracle of the Mission.  There's just a couple of things I wanted to share from it.  He talked about how since we are desciples of Christ, we agree to go through the suffering that comes with it.  There is a prices we pay for saying we stand with Christ, but we should stand tall in our sorrows and suffering because Christ gives us that power.  He suffered so much for us, so we must suffer, however little in comparison, for Him.

Then for our Sunday Fireside, Alex Boye sang and spoke.  He basically told his conversion story.  He is phenomenal (sp?)  And all of us felt SO uplifted from his message!  There's just a few little quotes he said that have stuck with me. "We become what we think about and talk about." So if we think our missions or our life is going to be fantastic, then it will be.  Attitude is everything.  "We go on missions to THRIVE, not just SURVIVE" and "Complain less, compliment more."  He closed by singing How Great Thou Art-չարմանալի-amazing!  Then we sang the MTC version of Called to Serve for him-it is SO powerful! 

Sis. Bobzien and I have been really trying to teach better in our lessons-instead of just talking at our investigators.  We've been trying for weeks, but Monday and yesterday were the first days we actually felt like it worked.  Monday, in our lesson with Հովո (Ho-vo)(Bro. White) we had asked if he had any questions-he has been "attending church" regularly since we started meeting with him, so he asked about why this Sunday was different than the others.  The Spirit guided our questions and Հովո was thinking so deeply about why people would stand up and testify about our Savior and Heavenly Father.  Describing it that way sounds so ridiculous, but it was so հրաշալի-wonderful!  Then yesterday in our lesson with Գագո (Gah-go)(Bro. Carlson) we were teaching about our purpose on earth-then towards the end his phone went off and he said he had to leave.  We weren't quite done so both of us were a little frustrated, but Sis. Bobzien testified-so strongly-she almost started to cry-and Գագո seemed to understand for the first time.  I love teaching!  But I love teaching the gospel even more!  It is SO GREAT!!

I'm running out of time-it always takes me so long to write :) We tried to print pictures to send, but the printer thing isn't working, so I'll try again-hopefully you'll have them by next week.  I don't need anything, but I was thinking-for when I leave so I can call from the airports outside of the US I'll need an international calling card-the bookstore doesn't carry those.

I love you!  I know this is Christ's church- and it is true!

Սիրում եմ քեզ  Քուիր Բրադբենթ-I love you!  Sister Broadbent

2 Nephi 31:20-21 & Moroni 7:48

News about Mary

We received a great surprise today! A letter from Mary came in the mail and Sis Gabrielson gave us a copy of an email her nephew’s wife sent her (they are serving at the MTC) - wanted to share both of them with you! It is good to see Mary’s enthusiasm and someone else’s perspective on Mary while she is there at the MTC.
From Sis Mickelsen-
Feb 27, 2012
I just wanted to give you and update on Sister Broadbent.  She is everything you described and we are truly enjoying having her in our branch!  She is currently serving as ouar coordinating sister (leader of the sisters in the branch- helps with orientation of new missionaries etc.) and she also plays the piano for Sacrament Meetings.  
From Sis Broadbent
Feb 28, 2012

Barev dzez eem untaneek - Hello my family!
I know I sent an email, but there is so much more I want to tell you - that I just didn’t get to write!
So Pres Brown talked about how we can  be successful missionaries or 100-watt missionaries by working hard and by practicing - he gave us this “pyramid of success” to show how to build to the 100-watt.
(I can’t make the pyramid like she drew it, so just pretend)
Christ’s divine attributes
Spirituality
Hard Work
Preparation
Obedience
Desire to serve - D&C 4

He talked to some missionaries about desire, practice and hard work and how so many of our hero’s are the hardest wokers we know-we all have to have that hard work ethic to really be successful.
   Then at the end - this was my favorite part-we made and “MTC” choir - all 2000+ of us - we sang Called To Serve, but in a special way - it was SO powerful - and awesome! (hra shal ee - wonderful!)
   Then - I just have to tell you about 1 of our “investigators” (It’s really just Bro. Carlson pretending to be him, but still) His name is Gah Gol? he is 16 - works to support himself because his dad was killed in an accident, his mom is crazy-she has mental issues, he lives with his Grandma,but she is too old to care for him.  He has very little education-but he is such a sweetheart!  He is having a hard time understanding that God loves hi, when there is so much bad going on in his life-and we are having a hard time explaining and showing him the blessings Heavenly Father has given him-because of our lack of vocabulary.  But we love him so much! And want him to feel our Heavenly Fathers love so badly-if only so he will have faith enough to pray-so he can have the strength he needs!  It’ll come though-our language is getting better-inspite of all the extra grammer stuff that we don’t have.
It is the neatest thing to feel the constant power and spirit that is here!  I love it!
(she then writes some amazing looking Armenian and phonics for it but I will just share her testimony that she wrote at the end)
I testify that this is Jesus Christ’s Gospel and I know it is true!  I know that the Book of Mormon is true.  I love you very much and I am grateful for you!  You are wonderful!
With love,
Sister Broadbent