This week I've been thinking a lot about the importance of eternal perspective, and just how blessed we are that the gospel gives us that. Yesterday after church we were teaching a woman that is a neighbor of 2 of our recent converts about the Restoration. We've met her a couple times when we've been out in that village, and she ended up coming to Yerevan with them today when they came to church. As we were teaching her about the Restoration, she pointed out the fact that all of these "American churches" had come into Armenia after the earthquake and their independence from the Soviet Union, and how to her that seemed as though there were a bunch of churches or businesses that were trying to take advantage of the Armenian people that were in need. In reality, God was preparing this people and this land to receive the restored gospel, and he opened the door to do that here in Armenia at that time. The same goes for the restoration of the church and the movement of religious excitement in America at that time. I'm just grateful for the perspective and insight that the gospel gives us into the happenings in history and in the world so that we really can have peace and assurance in the world that seems to be going.. well, just a tad bit crazy.
Church this week - again - was another tender mercy for me. We had a little branch choir for the first time this week and it was so great. Haha I couldn't stop grinning from the our little conductor lady stamping her foot at people when they needed to step forward and sing. I wish I could just record some Armenian hymn singing for you. It's the best. Another tender mercy at church this week was when we were having a lesson about the plan of salvation and our recent convert just pulls the piece of paper out that we had drawn the plan of salvation on a couple of days previous when we were reviewing it with her. I was sitting on the back row with her because I was translating for Elder and Sister Larson, and it was really cute to watch her wait until no one knew the answer for something, and then she'd pipe up from the back row. She's terrific.
This week has definitely had its fair share of disappointments as well, but they truly are all swallowed up in the joy of the big picture and knowing that we're a part of the Lord's work.
After reading both Bennett's and Mom's letters that both mentioned the need to be positive and keep things simple in this life, I just wanted to add my testimony to that. Sometimes it can be a little bit overwhleming when it feels like there are so many things to do, especially when all those things are good things. That's definitely felt by me here sometimes. I told Sister Bekmezian yesterday that sometimes I wish that there were 6 pairs of us so that we could do all the things that would be good to do. But- I have to just trust in the fact that God called two of us here and has things that He wants us to accomplish. The same is true in all of our lives. God has things for us to accomplish, to learn, and to do, and has guided us to this point in our lives for us to accomplish them.
I love you all and hope you have the best week!
Love,
Sister Kieffer
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