Elder Fairclough: August 15, 2011

Hey everyone!

How is everyone doing this week? Thank you all for your emails. Mom and dad, sounds like you had a great trip out to Utah. I hope you both had a great birthday, Rach and Dad! Hopefully you had some good cake as well, cause after all, it's not a birthday without cake haha.

Well, it's been another amazing week here in Charentsavan! Tadevos, Lusine, and Tigran were all baptized on Saturday!!!! It was such an amazing day. Elder Steglich baptized Tadevos and Lusine and I baptized Tigran. It was so amazing to see them all dressed in white. So cool! All three of them were so happy! The Spirit was so strong during the entire service. Honestly, it was one of the most spiritual experiences I have ever had. After they were baptized and we had all changed back into our clothing, the three of them had the opportunity to bear their testimonies. WOW. I'm not sure I can say much else. It was incredible how strong each of their testimonies were. Tigran, who is 14, just bore an amazing testimony about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. Then Tadevos and Lusine both shared an experience that we had with them the first time we taught them. In the first actual lesson we had with them, we talked a little bit about the priesthood and how it was restored to the earth during the Restoration. They asked a little bit more about the priesthood and somehow priesthood blessings came up in the conversation. Immediately after we explained what a priesthood blessing was, Lusine asked if we'd give Tadevos a blessing. Tadevos was sick and was having really bad chest pains. So we explained that these blessings work according to faith and they just kept saying we believe, we have the faith. So I anointed him and Elder Steglich gave him a blessing. Then the next time we went back the chest pains and everything had gone away. It really strengthened my testimony of the power of the priesthood. Well, Tadevos shared how this experiences strengthened his faith and got him to the point where he could be taught and how now he has a new determination to keep every commandment! It was so cool to hear him say all of this. Then Lusine shared the same experience and she just cried the whole time. She talked about how she knows this is Christ's church because we were able to help Tadevos by giving him a priesthood blessing. It was so amazing to hear there testimonies and just how powerful they already were! I know that they are going to be great members of this church. I don't worry about them. It was so easy to see how prepared they were. The Lord truly prepared them for this. They are going to be great leaders here in Armenia. That is somethig that Elder Steglich and I have felt since the first meeting we had with them. I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to help be a part of their conversion. Elder Steglich and I can't wait to start meeting with them and getting them pointed towards the temple. They've already told us they are going in a year! haha. We can't wait to keep working with them and make sure it happens! Yesterday, they all received the Holy Ghost. It was so good. I confirmed Tigran and I was SO nervous. Its pretty nervewracking giving an actual blessing in Armenian. I was really worried that I wouldn't be able to say the things that came to me during the blessing. It worked out well though. I'm sure I didn't speak correctly by any means but it still went well. And then during priesthood Tadevos and Tigran received the priesthood! It was so great! First, Tadevos received the priesthood and then he helped participate in giving Tigran the priesthood. After he received the priesthood and Branch President said he could step in he was like "Already" and then he just had a huge smile on his face haha. I feel like that is going to be exactly how things are going to be with Tadevos in this church. He is going to get put right to work I'm sure haha. But they are both going to pass the sacrament next week! I can't wait. I'll let you all know how it goes! Overall, it was an amazing weekend. I don't think I've ever been as happy as I was Saturday. It truly was one of the best days of my life. I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for this family!

Funny story for this week. The other day we went to a lesson with this older lady in our branch and she had a friend there visiting her who was a guy. So, we start talking to him and try to see if he is interested in learning about our message and we found out really fast that he was not. haha. Elder Steglich started off by testifying that the same church that Jesus Christ organized is on the earth again, restored by a living prophet. And that this is that true church on the earth. And the guy immediately was just like, you're wrong the Armenian Apostolic Church is the most true church on the earth. He then went on to say how they (Armenia) excepted Christianity first and all this other stuff and then he started talking about how America wasn't even founded until 100s and 1000s of years after they accepted Christianity. Then he asked us when America was even founded. And we just looked at each other. I was trying so hard to sing that little phrase but all I could remember was "Colombus sailed across the blue, in the year _ _ _2" It was horrible. He went on to basically tell us we are a disgrace for not knowing our own history. I was just like alrighty then. I had no idea we were going to have a history pop quiz. But it turned less hostile as we went on, he still didn't want to listen, but we were just having a nice little chat. And then I got asked to say the closing prayer, and I forgot his name! I was like you have got to be kidding me. So I went with what I thought it was, and I was close, but at the same time way off. I said Gohar, which is a girls name, and his name was actually, Garan. After I said that, in the middle of the prayer, he just yells out "What did you call me?!" haha. I just kept going, but I could not think straight at all haha. I was hoping he would just let it go but afterwards, he asked me again. Haha it was horrible. Oh well. I get a good laugh out of it now.

Everything else is going really great here. The dolphin last week was way sweet! I had no idea dolphins were so cool. I attached some pictures from it that were pretty cool. I can only imagine what Sea World is like haha. It was pretty funny though, we were probably the only ones there without a little kid hanging on their arm haha. Felt just a little out of place but it was still way fun! Also, other exciting news, the new missionaries got her this week! Pretty crazy huh?! I'm no longer being trained. I feel like I should be though haha. Its so weird having new missionaries here. That went by way too fast. Its been cool looking back over the last three months and seeing how much I've grown, with my testimony and with the language. I love being a missionary. I have had some of the best experiences of my life these past three months and I know that it will just keep getting better and better. I'm so glad to have the opportunity to serve here in Armenia. I've been so blessed! I'm so thankful that I have the opportunity to serve the Lord and these great people. There is nothing better than missionary work. I hope you are all able to help with the missionaries in your own ward. Whether it be going to a visit with them or giving them a referral. It means the world to them when you do that. I hope you all will pray to know who you can share the gospel with. Pray for missionary experiences and opportunities to share the gospel with those around you. I promise they will come if you do and you will be blessed!

I love you all so very much! I hope all is going well back home and that you all have a great week! I can't wait to hear from you all next Monday!

Love,

Elder Fairclough