13 October 2014
Overview: HIT MY TWO YEAR MARK, found some new investigators, awesome
potentials, did a lot of service and I went to the temple this morning
and woke up at 3:13! Woohoo for tiredness!
Monday:
Lesson with Hermine: Kristina Avagyan came, talked about conference.
Hermine is so solid and she said she felt a special spirit when she
heard the prophet speak.
Pday: Went shopping w/zls; Went golfing - elder cale won; Went to the
church - emailed
Tried by George - rescheduled for Wednesday
Tried by Hayrapet, wasn't home
Tried by Edwin - Verzhik was home, talked to her about work
Tried by Anahid - Pedro wasn't home, studying for tests, gave us water
Contacted Ryan on the street - new world order, referral for zls
Lesson with Maria - hadn't read, new meds, said prayer
Visited Dalar, Devin & Souren: Souren just barely left, Dalar saying
"thanks for understanding" and set a time for us to come back
Lesson with Mike: said no one stops by to see how he is. Shared D&C
6:36. Invited him to read BofM title page. He wanted to say prayer -
super sincere and appreciative.
Visited Eligio - told us of awesome experience during conference, gave
him our ties that he can wear to church, said he is positive he is
going to be baptized.
Tuesday:
Gave Kristina A. a blessing for her upcoming stresses in school.
Called us wizards because we discerned it was for school and I wanted
to reply "thumpin' good ones too".
Awesome day at GCC - went up with other Armenian Elders. Smith
actually talked to people, Tavoian and Cook didn't. Talked to a bunch
of people who gave us their information (facebook, email, phone or
address) and said they'd want to learn more or agreed to watch a video
or something like that. Funny story: I approached this one Armenian
girl in passing and asked if I could give her a card and she said sure
and then said she had seen me before. I was confused and thought it
might have been from facebook or that YouTube video I have floating
around some were but she said that I was the one who spoke Armenian to
some of her friends last week and they SNAPCHATTED ME. So we had a
good conversation and she agreed to meet again to learn more. Also
found a former investigator who lives in LA who said she wanted
missionaries to come again. So one of the more productive days at GCC
for sure! I think it is because we had an awesomely productive Monday.
Had lunch at the institute.
Dropped off the other elders to have lesson with Armen. Then did
language study at the church.
Met up with Nate to talk and he took us to this place at the Americana
mall called Sprinkles which is supposed to be awesome and it totally
lived up to its awesome cupcake expectations. Talked about living in a
way to be humble and feeling the spirit more. Nate is just awesome.
Knocked: Spazier - a lot of good contacts. One man, Harut, tried to
say we were liars and was a bit pesky. He had a book he tried to show
us of our beliefs that his church produced and he was reading it and
it was just a bunch of garbage and he believed it all! It was
pointless trying to tell him he wasn't being very reasonable in
telling us what WE believed according to his Armenian Church. I say he
was pesky because when we went to the next building over to knock he
was yelling up at us and all the people we were talking to that they
shouldn't listen to us, we weren't Christian and to ask us how much
money we and our leaders in the church get paid... Ridiculous.
Dinner with the other Armos at Panda.
Splits with leadership - went with Bradley to go visit Christina
Avoian - taught about General Conference
Wednesday:
GCC Booth - pretty slow day, Elder Judd was on splits with Elder Cale;
one guy Joseph came up smiling and looked like he was asking for
trouble but he was pretty sincere with his questions and listened to
me as I taught him the restoration.
Lunch at GCC
Was an answer to some guys prayer! Pushed some his car out from under
the overpass which had just died on him.
Attempted to go knocking but Elder Tavoian started to get a pretty bad
migraine and so we had to go get some Tylenol for him and by that
point we just stuck around the church and finished language study.
Lesson with Hermine: cancelled unfortunately. She said some emergency
came up and she wasn't able to meet with us.
Knocked western: total dud. No one was really home or interested in
talking to us.
Biked ALLLLLLLLL the way up to the top of cypress by the sunset canyon
bldg in burbank to meet with George who told us to come back... His
son answered and said he wouldn't be home for another hour. So we
tried by some other potentials: Hayrapet wasn't home again, Joseph we
called and he said he wasn't home but to try back some other time.
Tried by Margarita but only her daughter Evelin was home.
Met up with zls for dinner at McDonalds. Noms. They have monopoly
again if anyone didn't know.
Stopped by Helga's and they were home and let us in! We interrupted
one of Christine's online class/meeting/discussion ban but Helga let
us in and fed us more food... They said they had been mad at us
because Christine had called Elder Tavoian a while back and he never
called back about a question she had. Also she kept bringing up stuff
about what she had been studying in one of her classes about gender
roles and how prophets have said in the past that women should just
stay home. She was kind of peeved at that but oh well. There is always
something, but had a lesson with them. Christine gave us a tennis
racket of theirs,
Thursday:
Lunch with other Armenians at Islands
Weekly planning - Rita going through a rough time, Hambarsoom not
wanting to meet
Knocking Allen - taught lesson Edmond: had met missionaries before,
goes to church for the free food, never married. Liked the lesson of
the restoration. Said closing prayer.
Picked up other Armos from Armen's - they are recording a record.
Dinner at Bradley's
Visited some potentials up the Glenoaks corridor - not home/wrong
address; Dalar & Devin said their dad was working again and to come
tomorrow.
Got Tavoian's stuff to exchange with Brough & Ward
Friday: MY TWO YEAR MARK
On exchanges with Elder Brough
Lesson with Edmond: accepted Book of Mormon, unsure of baptism because
he is shy, said he had read the restoration pamphlet and believed it
was true.
Zone meeting: talked about our vision as a zone - converted
missionaries and converted members, goal is to feel the spirit, love
the people and be exactly obedient and our plan is to work with less
active members. Really strong testimonied and spirited meeting.
Watched MEET THE MORMONS! It was so awesome and I highly recommend
seeing it and invite everyone to bring a friend who isn't a member of
the church.
Lesson with Hermine & Elin: followed up on praying and reading,
reviewed the Ten Commandments (she did AWESOME on remembering them all
and re teaching them to us!), the taught being obedient, following the
prophet and the word of wisdom. "Everyone drinks coffee!" Asked if we
could come over every day. Hermine and Elin tag teamed the closing
prayer.
Dinner with: Armenians and Judd/Lim.
Went back to the pad decided to walk up to knock and visit less active
members (which I've decided to do because I don't know any of them
other than the notes passed down from previous elders. While walking
up we were stopped by a man who turned out to be a referral that we
had received that day from the Spanish sisters and we were walking to
see him but he stopped us first.
Lesson with Henrik: stopped us, drove us to a park, walked around the
block, didn't want to sit down, taught a walking lesson of the gospel
of Jesus Christ, went back to the car and talked about baptism,
dropped us off at Office Depot and set return appointment.
Called Spanish hermanas to ask them about Henrik and ran into Anna who
is an Armenian from London but visiting her grandmother for a few
weeks. Loved that I spoke Armenian. Wanted her daughter to come and
get married in our Church. Wants us to go visit her in London. Gave us
address. Super nice.
Lesson with Hellen Petrosyan: said was a member 20 years or so ago,
was baptized and went for two or three years then realized that she
only needed Christ. Told us how well she knows the Bible, told us we
needed to believe in the trinity, was very bold with her in saying she
needed to be humble and willing to follow Christ and she was a bit
taken aback. Said she loved us and respected our work but didn't agree
with Prophets/Joseph Smith. Said closing prayer in Armenain and she
was surprised. Sent us off with a hug and some cake.
Asked Ashot for a ride home. Talked to us why he hadn't been coming.
Has to do with leadership and Hambarsoom.
Biked to go see Aghakhanyan family - Dalar said Monday night.
Dropped off Brough and picked up Tavoian.
Saturday:
Morning workout on the field again! Woohoo!
Service for Bridget @ Mike's parents home - cleaned out the chicken
coops and built new shelves for them, had to kill lots of spider; Lida
made breakfast for us, Melissa was happy to have us over.
Rushed home and got ready and walked up to Henrik's, zls saw us
walking and gave us a ride.
Lesson with Henrik: We stopped by at the time we told him we would and
he was waiting for us on the porch. He said his dad was home and so we
couldn't meet in the house but he wanted to go on a walk so we decided
to walk to the church. We talk to him about his family on the way and
told him a little more about our purpose as missionaries and what our
church can do for him. We got to the church and started to get him a
church tour. When we were explaining the sacrament he got a call from
his brother who was borrowing his car and informed him that he just
got in an accident. So we quickly finished up by showing him the
Sunday school room and he committed to come tomorrow. He said he felt
the spirit in the chapel and he seemed sincere about coming tomorrow.
We are still not quite sure about what situation he is with his wife
but we learned that his two children are 17 and 10, one boy and girl.
The other Armenian Elders came and picked us up from the church and we
had lunch at home really quick and then headed up to Crescenta Valley
High school where there was a Armenian-Korean Community festival that
was free so we thought we'd check it out. It was pretty lame and not
much of an opportunity for us to proselyte. The ideal thing would have
been to have a booth set up but we didn't quite think of that in time.
So we went back to the Church and studied. We were interrupted mid way
by the other a elders bringing in Armen Avakian to do something with
him computer. So we left and finished studies and putting in
potentials into the iPad and then got asked by the other Elders and
Armen to have dinner with them and wanted us to stop by Little Ceasars
for some pizza. Then brought it back to Armen's where Cook was still
working on the recording that he and Armen are doing of some of the
hymns. It was funny, Armen said he'd pay us back for the pizza he
requested then pulls out of his wallet a five and a one and he said
which bill will cover it? Oh Armen...
We left and dropped the other Armenians to a referral that Elder
Brough gave to us for some service and then we went and saw/taught
Mike.
Lesson with Mike: he was hesitant to let us in at first because he
said his girlfriend was just about to come over. But he called and
asked if we could talk for a bit and she said that we could. We
followed up on how his reading had been and he said he didn't have the
chance to read. We taught again why we were having him read and he
seemed to understand. He brought up the fact again that he kept
hearing paranormal things in his kitchen and so we were able to teach
him how the light that he keeps on we can have in our own lives to
drive the darkness out. He committed to pray and read. We told him
that a greater power would come from those things. We also brought up
that as we continue to meet with him we'll help him be more physically
in line with God's will and morally to help him feel the spirit. He
told us he'd come to church tomorrow as well so hopefully he does! He
said the closing prayer and it made a different feel in his room. He
wants us to meet with his girlfriend this next week so hopefully that
happens!
Got called again by the other Armo Elders to come help them transport
all the rest of the yard sale they helped clean up. So we piled it all
up in the car and then went to the church to unload it. We pillaged
some good stuff too!
Final visits for the night were to some inactive members that we are
trying to visit. The first was a Masis Zograbyan who lives right
across the street from Natalie and Trea. He wasn't home but his family
was. Funny thing is I have talked to that family before but didn't
know they were members. Next we were going to go to Margarita's but
felt like we shouldn't so we went to Milford to visit a name of Vrezh
Fakhoorian. We pulled up and I recognized that we had knocked that
street and building so we turned the corner and low and behold are the
zone leaders Cale and Adamsom going to visit the same person on
account of their Ward council requesting them to visit. Seriously was
inspired! We split up and Cale and I knocked one level and found out
that the man hadn't lived there in 7 years... So we left the building
and walked up the street to another potential that I remembered,
Armineh, who was impressed with our Armenian. We walked passed and
some youth are doing some work on the driveway and we offer to help
and they were weirded out and asked why so we got to explaining what
we as missionaries do and the one oldest son was interested in coming
to church tomorrow so the zls gave him a car for the singles ward.
Then the Mom, Armineh, and another daughter come out and she said she
remembered me and told her kids I spoke Armenian and she was happy to
see us and gave me a hug** never quite sure what to do in those
situations... But anyways we explained again how we learned and
whatnot but then Armineh wanted to know what our church was. So we
told her !ormons and she said she hadn't heard much good about
Mormons. She asked what we believed so I explained the restoration and
how we have a prophet today and we showed her a picture and she
thought he looked like a old man. But the spirit was there while we
were teaching and testifying and there was a sincerity of her wanting
to listen which was awesome. She said she worked as a hair dresser but
that we needed to come back again and talk more so we got her number
again and left.
It was an awesome, inspired evening. It is just awesome to see how we
are carefully lead by the spirit to those who are prepared. I mean
Tavoian and I had knocked that street but wanted to go back again
tonight instead of following the scheduled plans, ran into the zls who
were doing the same, go by a potential who is outside with her kids
and she turns out to be really, really awesome and sweet. This is the
Lord's work! I mean Armineh tonight, Henrik yesterday finding us as we
were going to visit him in his home and so many other things. It has
just been awesome.
Sunday:
Church: Elin & Hermine came, no show on Henrik and Mike... Had a good
group council, talked about my visit with Ashot the other night while
he was driving us home, Smaller attendance today, I taught the lesson
in Priesthood - the lesson was supposed to be out of the manual about
preaching the gospel but I made it more honed in on what was
missionary work and how we can measure out success. I'd say it went
pretty well and we had some good participation and I think Armen
Gevorgyan is going to reach out to the man, Edgar, who came to church
after the flyer activity. Sacrament was good. Still so awesome to see
Hermine & Elin sitting and singing together. Debra and Bro Bradley
gave the talks and there was a good spirit there. Didn't get a lesson
in with Hermine afterwards but set up a lesson for tomorrow morning.
Brother Bradley brought us some lunch
Elder Smith and I went to Forest Lawn with Armen.
Studied at the Church
Attempted to go out and knock but we ran into Eligio on our way biking
up to the border of the mission and he talked to us for quite a while
about his experience with general conference and how everyone no
matter what religious background should have a chance to go there
because as he described it there is a "power there" that can't be
described. It is awesome to hear of the workings of the spirit with
him and to see the change in him.
Biked up to see some potentials on Spazier, namely Joseph but he wasn't home.
Lesson with Margarita: we stopped by and she was excited to see us.
She told us that her daughter Evalina had just told her that we
stopped by earlier in the week and that she forgot to tell her. She
told us of some personal problems that she is going through at the
time with her work, tests for a board exam, her clients/students and
some of her family going through some stuff. We prayer with her and
she asked what she could do about the situation she is in. We read
with her from 1 Nephi 16 about Nephi and his bow breaking. We taught
her that just as Nephi is strickened with hunger for the lack of food
and turns to the prophet and Lord for guidance that she can do the
same. Not only that but God had provided them and her tools before we
even face our trials that we can use for direction according to our
faithfulness and diligence. She seemed to think her prayers were
enough but felt the spirit from what we had to say. She got pretty off
topic and started talking about how much she enjoyed having us over
and how she could see that we were going to be successful in life. But
we invited her and her family to the picnic next Saturday but she said
she wouldn't be able to come.
Monday:
Had a lesson set up with her meanie in the morning. She called during
studies and canceled it because one of her friends got into an
accident and she couldn't make it.
Went to GCC and did the booth with the zone leaders. It was even
slower than a typical Wednesday which was a bummer.
Had lunch at GCC Institute.
Lesson with Mike: He had texted us earlier in the day and told us that
his girlfriend broke up with him and that he was in an "extreme
depression". We went over and let him vent some of his feelings and we
went really sure what to tell him. We told him that he had a purpose
in this life and these things were part of gods plan. We told him that
if you wanted to make a change in his life we would help him and it
would start through baptism. He committed to be baptized on November
2. He asked what he needed to do and we set the expectations that we
would visit him throughout the week, he would come to church read and
pray. We also brought up the word of wisdom and taught him that. He
told us that he was a heroin addict's but that he hadn't used in over
three months. He still has a problem with smoking including marijuana
but he said that he would be able to overcome them. We gave him the
option of what congregation he would like to go to and he said he
would like to try out the student congregation. He got kind of mad at
us because he said that he needed to go to the doctors to get some of
his anxiety medication and we couldn't give him a ride. It turned out
well though because we gave him a ride with Nate later on that day.
Even though he still wanted more and was trying to get us to drive him
other places as well. Hopefully he can start to make those changes and
turned out to be pretty solid. He has a sincere desire which is good.
Went knocking on Raymond.
We drove back to Mike's and met Nate there and that is when we drove
him to his doctors appointment. They dropped us off at the church
because he had to go after we went quickly shopping with him and then
we had to walk home unfortunately.
Lesson with Edmond: he wasn't expecting us to stop by but he let us in
anyways. He talked about his weekends including the churches that he
went to and all the free lunch that he gets there. We followed up with
how his book of Mormon reading had been and he said because he had
been so busy he didn't have time. We followed up with his praying to
know if our message was true and he said that he didn't need to pray
but knew that what we were saying was true. But for some reason he
just couldn't connect the fact that if these things were true that
meant that we had the restored authority of God and he would need to
be baptized again. We had a long discussion about baptism including
why Jesus Christ was baptized, his belief that we don't necessarily
need to be baptized and overall how no matter what way you believe we
will all end up with God if we do more good than bad in this life. We
tried to teach him from the Scriptures mostly from the Bible but he
didn't know his scriptures very well and didn't seem to have much
effect on him. We basically dropped him and said when he wants to
learn more and when he finally read from the book of Mormon he can
give us a call. He just doesn't seem to understand the need to be
baptized and so we will push him to the side for now.
Tried by dollar and her family but doll I was not feeling great and
already in bed and Devon said that his dad was busy doing schoolwork.
Drove down to try by roast him but he wasn't home either. Ended the
night by picking up the other elders at Armand's house and praying
with him.
Had probably the fastest planning session ever and was in bed and
probably asleep before 930 because we got up at 3:45 this morning to
head to the temple and catch the 530 session.
Elder Tanner DeBry
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