8-16-10

Thank you for the letters, Mom and Dad. It sounds like it was another exciting week for you. I had a good week as well. Elder Grigoryan and I have been trying to work hard. I also feel like I have progressed a little this week, spiritually and with the language, which is nice. I bought a grammer book about common mistakes and it has been helping me. Also, my studies have been going well. I feel like I was able to undergo some changes this week, which were inspired by our Zone Conference with President Carter that I think will help me do better as well. The focus of the Conference was on Chapter 8: Using time Wisely through goal setting and planning. There are key indicators that we report in order to be accountable for our work, and he wanted us to stop reporting on our street conversations and our member meetings. Our mission is the highest baptizing mission in East Europe, but our numbers in general have been decreasing in the last six months. We will now be focusing on having members present in our meetings and on helping investigators attend Sacrament meeting. It's a simple change, but I already noticed how it has changed my focus and I feel like I will be able to help more people come unto Christ. Something interesting that Pres. Eyring said to Pres. Carter was, "Hurry while they are still humble." This work is so important and I know that now is the time for Armenians to accept the gospel. It is because of the earthquake and how Jon Huntsman was inspired to help Armenia that we are even here. I was thinking about how soon Christ is coming and how it is likely that Armenia will play a big role in Muslims beginning to receive the gospel. There are already a few saints here that are Persians. A lot of them come to our English classes and are interested in Christianity. I don't doubt that God is preparing them to here about Christ's Gospel.

Elder Lusk, who is my new district leader and from my MTC group, wants us to build our relationships with the Branch. Elder Grigoryan and I decided to bake some cookies and give them to some of our investigators and less actives. It was very nice and I think they appreciated it a lot. We are also going to try and write notes to those we can't see very often or just want them to know we care about them. It feels so good, and I'm sad I haven't done this kind of thing more often. Today we also were able to help Elder King and Santo clean out the apartment they moved out of from the Shengavit area. I have been thinking about charity and selflessness lately, and I would really like to gain those traits. I've been reading from the teachings of the Prophets: Joseph Smith Manual and it is so evident from his letters, words, and actions that he genuinely selflessly cared for others and wanted to do all in his power to help them. He is such a hero and example. I hope I can really learn what I need to do to follow and become like the Savior in my mission. I get so excited when I am learning and progressing. I gave the lesson for our big Sunday School class and we reviewed what they had learned from the old Testament so far and we had a really nice discussion on sacrifice and why the Savior had to die for us. I hope it helped them. The church is new here, but it is still progressing. It's only going to get harder for them. I hope they can stay on the narrow path, like on angels landing, and make it to the end without falling.

I love you. I am so grateful for our family. I can't wait to be able to come and spend precious time together and continue to learn together. I really want to be able to always humble myself enough to be taught and to help God teach others. It's not easy. Thank you for all that you do for me. I am a blessed man. I know that God loves us and wants us to make it back to Him. It's been nice. I hope is well.

Love,
Elder Bruce Wainwright