So last Monday during P-day we all Armenain Elders went over to Vegas Buffet to celebrate again my return. It was quite scrumptious and Nate Philips wanted to come so he tagged along too! Seems like even though I have left South Pasadena, a little bit of South Pas still hasn't left me! I love that place so much. Also update, Jacqueline is getting baptized on Thursday. Hector is getting baptized on the 15. And Todd will be baptized in the month of February as well! How is exciting is that? I love this work so much. Anyways, back to last p-day. We hung out mostly at the church and didn't really do much. We just stayed at the church basically until we had Armenian Family Home evening that night right as p-day ended. We had a really good family night though! Mike and Bridget came. Our recent convert Rita were there. Hambarsoom was there. We had the typical FHE Armenian food, KFC, Pizza and icecream brought by Hratch and Armen. After we ate we had some 'minute to win it' games which included: boll tossing, oreos sliding down our face into our mouth, pulling tissues out of the box, etc,. It was quite fun. And that was the rest of the evening basically!
Tuesday was a sovorakan day (typical). We did some internet proselying (which has its ups and downs, slow days and days of many lessons) and then went back to our pad and had some lunch i think... Oh yes Taco bell! I remember because we went with Arman Avagyan... but we had a referral for our next door neighbor so we went over there and met Samvel! Who the sisters had met his father who said he might be interested. So he let us three in and we sat down and talked with him for a bit. Couldn't really understand him that well but that just added to the humor of the lesson. So we asked if we could say an opening prayer and he said "oh yes of course! I'll open the door so the spirit can come in.." and then no joke he went over to the door and opened it. Just kind of had to be there. But anyways we taught the first lesson and we weren't sure how much he really understood. Especially when we had him read. His comprehension wasn't very high. But at the end we invited him to meet with us again and pray to know if it was true and he said he would be baptized if he did come to that point. Which was awesome! After that lesson we walked down to a park nearby and had a lesson with this girl, Tagouhi, who we had met on the street a week previous. We had a short discussion about her non belief in God and how she came to have a belief that their wasn't a God. And so she wasn't really interested in learning more about God but what got her attention the day that we met her was our speaking of being happy because of what we do as missionaries. We kept it really short as to not lose her attention and set another day that we could meet and continue talking about what made us happy as missionaries. Which was awesome to just tell people because at least for me, I can't just stop smiling when I tell people how much I love being a missionary. After that lesson we had Arman drop us off and meet up with the Armenian elders so we could go up to Rita's house to have dinner and a lesson! She made this delicious speghetti (persian style) and she even made some home made tawn! (not sure how to spell that in english) which is this yogurt drink that is usually nasty but it was pretty good. Rita is seriously so awesome. it is ridiculous. Anyways, so after dinner we reviewed the Plan of Salvation with her and it is so awesome to see someone who has newly received the gift of the holy ghost ask more inspired questions to better their understanding. So cool. After dinner we headed over to the Church and met Brother Bradley there to teach Christina. Elder Tyler and I taught her with Brother Bradley and gave her the Book of Mormon on CD's. She loved it and we reviewed the first chapter with her. We finished the lesson and then had Brother Bradley drive us back over to the Wilson Building to meet Elder Mabey so we could bring him and pass off Ragned and Raymond. Which was really funny because at first they didn't know that he didn't speak Armenian, but then when we pointed it out we got to hear Ragned speak in English. Which was weird especially because she spoke it so well. But anyways! it was a good day.
Wednesday I was just on a roll. not to toot my own horn or anything but lets just say in the first 30 min we got 4 people's information for other missionaries! It was awesome. One guy, Louis, called us over and started crying, asking us to help him change. So we got his info and sent him on his way! But anyways Nate gave us another call to meet up and go out to lunch so he took us out to CPK which was delicious. Reminded me of home. And he also gave me an update with all the investigators who are getting baptized soon in south pas! Namely Jackie, Hector and hopefully Vicki and her family. So excited for them. The rest of the afternoon was pretty slow. We went back to try and see Samvel but his Dad answered the door and told us that Samvel wasn't all there and that he wasn't interested.. which was super sad. But he'll come around. We went back to the pad and Elder Cook made me some of his favorite soup! All the while I was playing the guitar. Which I have had Elder Cook give me some lessons and teach me some basics. The rest of the night we didn't have anything going on.. we walked.. and walked.. and walked.. and finally Ashot saw us on the street and took us out for some ice cream at McDonalds before we had to head home.
Thursday was district meeting!! Elder Cook taught this one though since we are co district leaders and we switch off every other week. He done good! After DM the senior couple in our district, the wertz family, brought us some lunch! Which was great. The afternoon was slow again... not much to report. Before we went to dinner with Arman and Christina with the Bradley's, we stopped by a former, Souren, and his family. Seriously. Love that family. We stopped by and it was only the Dad, souren and his daughter Dallar. Who is 9 and adorable. We were just catching up with them and then Dallar asked "Do you guys have a lesson for us??" I love that question! So anyways, we taught them the Restoration and it was just so awesome. She asked when we could come back and told us to come back Monday night so we'll be coming back tonight! I'll let you know how it goes!! But after that lesson, Arman drove us up to Bradleys and we had our weekly dinner. Arman is Samvel Avagyan's son, who is the first counselor of the group, and he is awesome. He is thinking of going on a mission but just doesn't want to go to Armenia. I dont know why! But after dinner, we went back and saw Bella and Antonia's sister was there and so we taught her! I guess she had met with some sister missionaries but she didn't understand well enough in English but they did give her a Farsi copy of the Book of Mormon and she had read half of it! And we invited her to be baptized and she said yes as she comes to know it is true! She is so awesome.
Friday was the mobile device training!! I got picked up by the zone leaders and brought into Arcadia to meet with Brother Donaldson and got training from him! It was just so awesome. I don't even know how to describe it but it is going to hasten the work. But the rest of the day was pretty slow. We had weekly planning which was awesome on the iPad but it was very long process trying to figure out how to work the things! But after our planning session we had dinner with the Davtian family who is awesome. They are the family that I found before I left to Pasadena. But anyways that was about the evening!
Saturday! This email is taking too long to write so I'm just going to do this rapid fire! So Saturday we went up to Verdugo hills to try by some referrals but most of them fell through.. and not much happened that day either.
Sunday was pretty rough. I translated and it was so hard! I felt like I fell on my face. i could understand what they were saying... Church was good though. Mike came. Sourik came. We finished weekly planning. Elder Twelves and I taught Helga which was really good. She made us broccli cheese soup. and we stopped by another Samvel and met his daughter who has a family and they are going to come to our Armenian class!
Well i gotta get off. this email took way too long. i love you all and hope you have a wonderful day :)
Elder Tanner DeBry
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