Monday, August 4, 2014

Armenian butter may or may not look like cheese

We've had so many miracles this week. So many. For the sake of not having to write it again, here's some of what I wrote to President Carlson:


This week has definitely been a week of miracles. Just a few of those experiences:

We've been trying our very best to "teach when we find and find when we teach," and try to talk to every single person we come in contact with on our way to meetings, so that we can find those who have been prepared. Everyone just seemed to shut us down. But we just kept trying. It was a little bit discouraging because we were trying our very hardest, and no one was really interested. We had prayed for 2 new investigators this week and just kept trying with the hopes of achieving that goal. When we were at a meeting with 2 of our investigators, some of their friends showed up right as we were about to start. We invited them to sit with us, and explained what we were doing. They ended up wanting to learn about it, and accepted a baptism date. It was a testimony builder to me that the Lord is with us, and if we show our faith in Him, miracles will happen, even if they're not in the way that we expect.

This Saturday, we had two meetings planned with investigators, and both of them fell through. Our back up plans and our back up plan's back up plan also fell through. We decided to start walking back toward our apartment and find someone to teach. I don't think I've ever talked to so many people in my life. One little family in particular was really special to me. It was a mom and her four children, two of which were mentally handicapped. When we started talking to her, she was jus so happy that someone was speaking with her. Her little boy, probably about 4 years old, just ran up to me and hugged me. Little children really do recognize truth. Regardless of what ends up happening with that little family, I was just so grateful that we were able to talk with them. It was probably the most I've ever felt like I've been able to show people God's love for them.

Sister Thueson and I are learning so much, and it amazes us everyday that we're able to actually carry out missionary work. I'm so thankful for this opportunity I've had to grow closer to the Lord the past few weeks by relying on His strength more than I have my entire life.


Also, with the title of this letter. We tried to make pizza this week. Sister Thueson grated the cheese for it, and it was really weird because it was all melty. That's when we realized it was butter, not cheese. Grocery shopping is hard because everything's half in Russian and half in Armenian and then we don't even really know Armenian grocery words yet.. The funniest part is that we ate that same "cheese" on our lavash with cucmbers and tomatoes a few days before and didn't think twice about it. 

One last little experience I wanted to write about: 
Last night we had a lesson with our investigators who are all good friends (the ones I mentioned earlier). It started out really well and we were talking to them about their church experience earlier that day. People just kept coming in and out and then some random man showed up and started "bearing his testimony" about some crazy dream he had, half in Russina and half in Armenian (we found out afterwards that no one really knew who this man was), meanwhile Sister Thueson and I are trying to bear our testimonies about the Book of Mormon, and it's just kind of chaos. Picture Kieffer FHE. Admist all of this, I looked over at one of our investiagors, and had the weirdest feeling like I should just go put my arm around her. When I did that, I just started crying. It was the most bizarre thing. I could just feel a little glimpse of how much God loved her. It was a tender mercy for me, and an answer to prayers for charity that I've said. God really does love all HIs children so much. So much. And I'm so thankful to have this opportunity to help people find that out for themselves.

Love,

Sister Kieffer

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