Dearest momma,
Skyping on Christmas was so fun. So short. So crazy. But now it just kind of feels like a dream. You all look so beautiful!
Somehow Christmas has come and gone. It was definitely a different Christmas than normal. But it was a good one.
Goals and miracles: So our entire mission had goals for the week of christmas. From the way Charentsavan was looking at the beginning of the week, I knew Mini and I were going to need some miracles. The work was really slow because of the new year and NO ONE wanted to meet. I was praying a lot at the beginning of the week just pleading for some miracles. I'll admit my faith was running out and I was feeling exhausted. So on Wednesday I got an unexpected call from President Carlson asking me if I would be willing to let the Elders take over Char for a bit so that I could come down south to help Sister T in Ajabnyak. Of course I said yes. I can't exactly say no…So for the past week and for the rest of the transfer I'll be in Ajabnyak with Sister T. Mini is in Arabkir with Sister L. Sister T and I have been working really hard this week and WELL exceeded all of our goals (except for our investigator at sacrament meeting goal. We had to come to terms with the fact that our investigators have agency).
God answered my prayers. Not in the way that I thought He would. At all. But He answered my prayers. And the best part of it is, we worked for it. And it feels so good.
Testimony:
It's been a while since I've written out my testimony but I hope you all know that I have one.
I have a testimony that this is right where I am supposed to be. I have a testimony that there is no other work in the world that is more important than sharing this gospel. I know with all of my heart that this is the true church. I know that God is a God of mercy, a God of miracles and a God of love. This gospel has brought me more happiness than I can say and I want nothing more than for everyone else in the world to feel this same happiness. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know that through our Savior we can be saved. We can be clean. Through Him we can do anything. Nothing is EVER too late. It is never too late to turn your life around. There is no limit on the atonement. And I hope that we all use the enabling and cleasing power of it everyday of our lives. And if we don't, I hope that we will start today.
I love you,
Madie
Monday, December 29, 2014
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Family history
Momma,
This week was great! L got baptized on Saturday. It was one of the more spiritual baptisms that I've been to. She came out of the water crying. She bore the sweetest, most sincere testimony afterward. She really is so incredible. I am so blessed to be a part of this work.
We have A and S who will be getting baptized before the year ends. They are also just as incredible. They LOVE reading from the BOM and take notes! They have not once missed a commitment and always go the extra mile. They blow me away.
We just had a group come back from their temple trip and they all bore their testimonies on Sunday. The spirit was unreal. They all kept saying that they didn't know how to find the words but all they could say is that they desired for everyone to go to the temple. I know exactly how they were all feeling. There is no other place in the world like the temple. You cannot get the spirit and the peace that you do in the temple anywhere else. I crave that often and dream of the day when I get to go back. For those of you close to a temple, please take EVERY opportunity you can to go. These people here maybe only get to go once in their entire life.
Sister M and I have had a lot of Family History success here. People eat it up. I suggest you all get addicted to it. It's by far the healthiest addiction there is. And your ancestors will thank you for it. Go do their work! Missionary work on this side of the veil is no different from the other side of the veil.
“I hope to see us dissolve
the artificial boundary line
we so often place between
missionary work and
temple and genealogical
work, because it is the same
great redemptive work!”
– PRESIDENT SPENCER W. KIMBALL
Let's get to work!
LOve you!
Love, SIster Kuykendall
This week was great! L got baptized on Saturday. It was one of the more spiritual baptisms that I've been to. She came out of the water crying. She bore the sweetest, most sincere testimony afterward. She really is so incredible. I am so blessed to be a part of this work.
We have A and S who will be getting baptized before the year ends. They are also just as incredible. They LOVE reading from the BOM and take notes! They have not once missed a commitment and always go the extra mile. They blow me away.
We just had a group come back from their temple trip and they all bore their testimonies on Sunday. The spirit was unreal. They all kept saying that they didn't know how to find the words but all they could say is that they desired for everyone to go to the temple. I know exactly how they were all feeling. There is no other place in the world like the temple. You cannot get the spirit and the peace that you do in the temple anywhere else. I crave that often and dream of the day when I get to go back. For those of you close to a temple, please take EVERY opportunity you can to go. These people here maybe only get to go once in their entire life.
Sister M and I have had a lot of Family History success here. People eat it up. I suggest you all get addicted to it. It's by far the healthiest addiction there is. And your ancestors will thank you for it. Go do their work! Missionary work on this side of the veil is no different from the other side of the veil.
“I hope to see us dissolve
the artificial boundary line
we so often place between
missionary work and
temple and genealogical
work, because it is the same
great redemptive work!”
– PRESIDENT SPENCER W. KIMBALL
Let's get to work!
LOve you!
Love, SIster Kuykendall
Monday, December 8, 2014
"There's a dog in every village"
գյուղ չկա որ շուն չլինի:
This is a saying that means: There's a dog in every village. People ask us a lot if America or Armenia is better. We usually respond with this saying. It pretty much just means that every place has their problems/they're both good, that kind of thing.
This week was very uneventful. But it was good. Transfers are next week and I'm actually feeling really sick about it. I'm not ready to leave Char and it's guaranteed that I will. I don't really know how to cope right now.
love, mads
This is a saying that means: There's a dog in every village. People ask us a lot if America or Armenia is better. We usually respond with this saying. It pretty much just means that every place has their problems/they're both good, that kind of thing.
This week was very uneventful. But it was good. Transfers are next week and I'm actually feeling really sick about it. I'm not ready to leave Char and it's guaranteed that I will. I don't really know how to cope right now.
love, mads
Little handout spot in Char where all the papik's go to play hardy (backgammon).
Super cool stadium in Yerevan
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Miracles!
Happy Thanksgiving Momma!
Miracles!
This week has been full of miracles. I feel like I say that almost every week but this week especially. Sister and I have been trying really hard to visit every single one of our members once a month. Most the time they're not home or the don't answer but it has resulted in a lot of other miracles. One of the people we were looking for wasn't home but her daughter was and invited us in and was just so happy to see us. She sat us down and fed us and then insisted on taking pictures with us. Well, by us I mean sister M. She didn't want any pictures with me but kept having me take lots of pictures of the two of them as if they had been friends for years. But I'm not offended....:( Anyway, she said she really wants to be baptized but her husband won't let her. It's a really sad situation because she is super great. But I know one day she will get the chance.
Sister and I were searching for a contact who gave us a very vague address. She told us she lived on the second floor of a certain building. Which would be fine if the building didn't have 6 different entrances. We knocked on doors hoping to find her.(Our district leader accused us of tracting. But we really weren't! I hope President Carlson doesn't read this!) But one of the doors we knocked on belonged to a woman named K. She said she was sorry she couldn't help us find the person we were looking for and that she would invite us in if her mother wasn't sleeping. She asked us what we were doing and asked for our number. We then went on our way wishing tracting was allowed in Armenia. We knocked on a few more doors but never did find the woman we were looking for. As we started walking back, K leaned out of her window and ushered us to come in! We went and talked to her for about an hour. We're still not sure if she was real. She fed us chocolate cake and told us we were pretty and that we spoke great armenian. We talked about why we were here and left her with a pamphlet.
That day we went looking for a contact but the Lord had other things in mind. He really does lead the way.
I love you!!!
Love, Sister K
Miracles!
This week has been full of miracles. I feel like I say that almost every week but this week especially. Sister and I have been trying really hard to visit every single one of our members once a month. Most the time they're not home or the don't answer but it has resulted in a lot of other miracles. One of the people we were looking for wasn't home but her daughter was and invited us in and was just so happy to see us. She sat us down and fed us and then insisted on taking pictures with us. Well, by us I mean sister M. She didn't want any pictures with me but kept having me take lots of pictures of the two of them as if they had been friends for years. But I'm not offended....:( Anyway, she said she really wants to be baptized but her husband won't let her. It's a really sad situation because she is super great. But I know one day she will get the chance.
Sister and I were searching for a contact who gave us a very vague address. She told us she lived on the second floor of a certain building. Which would be fine if the building didn't have 6 different entrances. We knocked on doors hoping to find her.(Our district leader accused us of tracting. But we really weren't! I hope President Carlson doesn't read this!) But one of the doors we knocked on belonged to a woman named K. She said she was sorry she couldn't help us find the person we were looking for and that she would invite us in if her mother wasn't sleeping. She asked us what we were doing and asked for our number. We then went on our way wishing tracting was allowed in Armenia. We knocked on a few more doors but never did find the woman we were looking for. As we started walking back, K leaned out of her window and ushered us to come in! We went and talked to her for about an hour. We're still not sure if she was real. She fed us chocolate cake and told us we were pretty and that we spoke great armenian. We talked about why we were here and left her with a pamphlet.
That day we went looking for a contact but the Lord had other things in mind. He really does lead the way.
I love you!!!
Love, Sister K
Winter is here!
Drowned rat after rain
View from an investigator's house
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