Elder Kurth is doing great. We're starting to be able to teach better together, and there are a lot of people here that we might be able to start working with. We just had our District Conference (like stake conference) and I was able to see the World Wide Training. It was very interesting. I hope I can better support our branch president here. Elder Kurth and I should be the counselors for the Branch President and I hope we can start helping him fulfill his responsibilities for the branch. I also got to see Sako, who I baptized, from Gyumri. Since I left, his Mom has been baptized, he got married, and his wife is now baptized. I'm so happy for him and I hope he can continue to prepare to be a leader in the church.
A cool verse that I found was in 2 Ne 9: 13-14.
O how great the plan of our God! For on the other hand, the paradise of God must deliver up the spirits of the righteous, and the grave deliver up the body of the righteous; and the spirit and the body is restored to itself again, and all men become incorruptible, and immortal, and they are living souls, having a perfect knowledge like unto us in the flesh, save it be that our knowledge shall be perfect.
14 Wherefore, we shall have a perfect knowledge of all our guilt, and our uncleanness, and our nakedness; and the righteous shall have a perfect knowledge of their enjoyment, and their righteousness, being clothed with purity, yea, even with the robe of righteousness
I like the word enjoyment that is used in verse 14. We really get to choose what state we are in. If we make bad choices, we are imprisoned by our guilt and it is very unpleasant, but making good choices fills our lives with peace and joy. I know that those feelings of guilt can also be cleaned away as we are spiritually healed of our wounds through Christ's atonement and His doctrine.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Friday, December 17, 2010
12-12-10
My companion, Elder Kurth, is doing great. He's very smart and will know more words than me in not too long. We're working on helping him communicate his thoughts and feelings. He has a clean heart and wants to be an obedient, good missionary. I think we are going to have a great time together. I love having companions that I feel comfortable with and so far it has seldom been different. The members love him as well. They love him even more that he is struggling to understand them. I'm afraid his struggling is going to be a lot less than mine was.
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I felt like the Lord really led us to Vahe and Suzie this week. This week, our leaders clarified to us the rule that we need to have an adult of the opposite sex present at every meeting. I knew we were going to need some special help to be obedient to that rule and still be able to visit everyone we needed to. We decided to have a special fast in order to get some help to find males to meet with at every meeting. That same Sunday, Aleks came to visit Ofik from Gyumri and wanted to come to church. Also, he invited Vahe to come with him. They both participated well in church and both seem interested in learning more. Since they both live ouside of the area, I don't know if we'll see any imediate results, but I know God blessed us and will continue to do so as we strive to be obedient, especially because he knows how bad it is needed here.
That was probably my highlight of the week. Melan and Gago came to church after not coming for two weeks, which is good. I hope they don't give up. We hope to help them strengthen their faith so they can overcome their obstacles.
District meeting went well, I thought. We learned about faith from one of the sisters and then talked about some of the culture and beliefs of Armenians for the new elders. The new elders all three bore testimonies about missionary work, the restoration, and the atonement. It was nice. This week we'll focus on obedience and do some language training. I hope it goes well. The Brethren also want us to incorporate role playing into our studies and training, so I'll be trying to incorporate some of that as well. I think I'll enjoy being district leader.
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Well, we have to go get haircuts, bye a shower part, sing with some kids, and hopefully eat out, so I'll talk to you later. Love you so much.
Love,
Elder Bruce Allen Wainwright
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I felt like the Lord really led us to Vahe and Suzie this week. This week, our leaders clarified to us the rule that we need to have an adult of the opposite sex present at every meeting. I knew we were going to need some special help to be obedient to that rule and still be able to visit everyone we needed to. We decided to have a special fast in order to get some help to find males to meet with at every meeting. That same Sunday, Aleks came to visit Ofik from Gyumri and wanted to come to church. Also, he invited Vahe to come with him. They both participated well in church and both seem interested in learning more. Since they both live ouside of the area, I don't know if we'll see any imediate results, but I know God blessed us and will continue to do so as we strive to be obedient, especially because he knows how bad it is needed here.
That was probably my highlight of the week. Melan and Gago came to church after not coming for two weeks, which is good. I hope they don't give up. We hope to help them strengthen their faith so they can overcome their obstacles.
District meeting went well, I thought. We learned about faith from one of the sisters and then talked about some of the culture and beliefs of Armenians for the new elders. The new elders all three bore testimonies about missionary work, the restoration, and the atonement. It was nice. This week we'll focus on obedience and do some language training. I hope it goes well. The Brethren also want us to incorporate role playing into our studies and training, so I'll be trying to incorporate some of that as well. I think I'll enjoy being district leader.
---
Well, we have to go get haircuts, bye a shower part, sing with some kids, and hopefully eat out, so I'll talk to you later. Love you so much.
Love,
Elder Bruce Allen Wainwright
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