Monday, July 16, 2012

Mary's Mission Letter July 16 2012

Hello, hello family!
Sounds like this week was pretty good for all of you! Isn't it neat
how there are so many connections-what a small world it is-Sis. Tolman
is from Logan and there are at least a few of the other missionaries I
know that are from Salt Lake and north.  The members are also so funny
when they find out we're from Utah-they always say something about how
there are so many who are from there-now I see how true it is.
We had a new group of missionaries come in from the MTC this week-3
elders and 3 sisters.  With it there was a HUGE transfer.  We found
out the day after transfers that Sis. Tolman and I, and 1 set of
elders were the only ones who didn't have a change! We've decided the
Lord must have some work for us to do together here in Artashat! Sis.
Beal and Sis. Bobzien are still together, but they changed cities and
are now in Vanadzor-a city in northern Armenia, when we last talked to
Sis. Bobzien she said it was COLD-which is such a bizarre thought
because it's been so hot the last week and we've heard that now until
the end of August it will really start ot get hot! 100 and above is
pretty normal-everyone tells us it has to be hot so that the grapes
will hasnel-ripen correctly.
Yesterday was water day-it's a holiday here where everyone goes around
throwing water on each other.  Before church we were waiting for our
taxi so we could go pick up Anik-Sis. Tolman and I decided to play a
bit and we dumped some water on some kids around our apartment, but we
managed to stay dry.  When our taxi got to our apartment, there were
at least 10 kids waiting outside our door for us (oops, what had we
done?), but our taxi driver came and told them to wait until after our
meeting and then they could get us-we were about halfway to the taxi
and the kids were mostly convinced, and then this little kid-maybe 4
or 5 years old threw water on us.  From there all the other kids broke
loose-they all dumped their water on us too.  All three of us were
soaked-the 2 of us and our taxi driver-but we were all laughing.  So
much fun-we've decided we need to start a holiday like that in the
US....
Anik DID come to church! We were so excited and she was SO nervous!
She seemed to enjoy it-I know it was different then she was expecting,
but we're hoping she'll continue to come and still want to meet with
us! Pres. and Sis. Carter came for our sacrament meeting-they had me
translate for them, which was OK until one of the speakers started
reading an entire talk from the Liahona....with no breaks, bah-that
wasn't so good.  I also spoke...about receiving and giving
forgiveness.  It was ok-I can at least say that I am much more
comfortable speaking now than I was 12 weeks ago when I got here and
there are some words that just come to me in Armenian and not
english-I have tons of room for improvement, but I don't feel like I
struggle with it so much.
I don't have time to tell all I learned about the atonement and
repentance, so here's just a few thoughts- As I studied I felt how
precious we all are to our Father, how much He wants each and every
one of us to improve and grow and He has given us the tools to do so,
through Christ.  I feel so blessed to share what we know, and knowing
how sad I feel when others reject this message, I can only imagine the
sorrow that Christ feels, and Our Heavenly Father, because of all
they've done for us-and because of their immense love for us.  I read
this amazing talk given at a BYU devotional last July-Brad Wilcox I
think is his name-it was amazing! You should look it up!
Sis. Tolman is still amazing!  I love her and I feel like I have so
much to learn from her! I'm excited to see what the Lord has in store
for us this next week-He blesses us so much! I truly know this is His
work! We can not do it without Him!

I love you all! Have a good week!

Metz sirov,

Sis. Broadbent

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