Week 10

{Elder Lunt's P-day is on Mondays for now (they are 11 hours ahead of Utah time)}



Hello everyone from a small hole in the wall/internet parlor in Armenia! I don't even know where to start. It has been a very eventful few days. First off know that I am loving this, every second of it. My companion/trainer is on his last transfer so he is great with the language  and everything else. His name is Elder Wood, first name Micah. He is a stud of a guy and even better missionary. He speaks like a native and everyone is shocked when they see this white boy from Utah speak better than them. Then they see me and think I am Russian and speak Russian and I'm still lost haha. I am doing well with the language and I get by especially with the help of Elder wood, hes awesome, I have never met anyone so loving and non judgmental as he is. 

Well I have some big news. At the mission home, we were told by the Mission President that one of us and our trainers would open up a new area in the northern part of Armenia called Aliverde. It hasn't been opened for 4 years and that one of us would open this area with our trainer. Well...I wouldn't be telling you this if I wasn't the one that will be opening this new area. I am excited and feel honored that my trainer and I were selected for this area. From what I've heard, some of the AP's thought they were going to open Aliverdi  and they were just as surprised as I was when president said that my companion and I would be opening it. So I am grateful and will do my best. We don't have an apartment in Aliverdi yet so we are in Gyumri for a week til we get an apartment there. Gymuri is great. Everyone in my MTC group laughed when they heard I was going to Gyumri because they speak different than the rest of the country here. They call it Gymuri "bar bar" its super sloppy Armenian. But it doesn't make a big difference I am lost half the time anyways. I thought I was understanding one time and my trainer was  like nah Elder Lunt they are speaking Russian. haha dang. Our apartment is kinda rough, I thought it was an abandoned building but boy was I surprised when I heard we were living in it. A.C. is non existent here and most houses are no bigger than a small room, luckily our apartment is a bit bigger than that.

Where to start... I know now why every missionary just simply says that they love their mission and they love the people and they have never been happier. Because as missionaries we can't possibly explain all that we have seen, experienced, and felt. However I will attempt...My eyes have been opened to a whole new style of life and of living. And how different things are here and how different the church is but yet the same doctrine. I cant believe the poverty here and the things that people do to get by. Its things I could have gone a life time with out seeing, but It makes me so grateful for all that I have. words cant explain how grateful I am for our country and all that I have been given. It makes me think less of Americans and how spoiled but yet unhappy most of our country is. These people here are amazing I say this with tears in my eyes. I've never seen anything in my life like this, ever. The members are so devoted and they go through so much just to get to church. Everyone here is poor, everyone! There is Rich, poor and super poor. And very few of these people have enough to put food on the table.or to pay for a taxi to come to church. 

We are teaching an Investigator named R*** and she is so poor that she doesn't have electricity or enough food. But what I am about to tell you is a perfect example that describes all ward members and most Armenians. When we taught her she brought out all this food and a can of Pepsi and she said a few words that I caught in Armenian "I want you to have this" I cant believe that she was feeding us, she barely has enough to feed herself I thought. I didn't really know what to say. I was speechless. This is the love I am talking about. They will give all they have to give even when they have hardly anything to give in the first place. 

We are teaching a few other investigators. One guy we are teaching is progressing and stopped cheating on his wife for 2 months now and he reads the Book of Mormon daily. He and his wife are very interested. We teach our investigators with a blind member named Y*******. This is the devotion I am talking about. He is blind and he has been team teaching lessons with the missionaries for 8 years. He knows the Book of Mormon so well and saved enough money to buy one in brail. He lives with his Mom and she use to read it to him everyday before he had one in brail. He does very well at navigating but we lead him around a lot. He is awesome and his nephew is 5 years old and is so cute. I squatted down to give him a high five as I left and he jumped on me and gave me a hug, It can make a grown man's heart melt. I have taught a couple lessons now or at least attempted to. We taught a member yesterday who is such a strong member but her parents are inactive.  I taught on the gospel blesses families and we taught with our district, 2 other sisters and 2 other elders they are awesome and we get along great. They helped out a lot in the lesson/saved me, and the spirit was there so strong, so so strong. We committed her to pray with her family and I promised the as she did this her family will feel the spirit.

Yesterday was water day. So it was crazy. My companion and I were sneaking around town every where trying not to get drenched. The rule with water day is there is no rules its fair game any where! And two white boys in nice suits are prime targets. We were doing pretty good not getting wet, our taxi driver almost drenched us. But after church we saw a bunch of kids outside our apartment and they were coming for us so I decided to run (big mistake) I was in my suit and I just got it dry cleaned and didn't want it to get wet. Well when I ran they chased me and my companion stood his ground and got destroyed right in front of our apartment door. I ran to the top floor and tried to climb a ladder to the roof but it was too late a bunch of kids with buckets of water were right behind me. They were hesitant when they saw how tall I am and I said in Armenian "no no, no allowed"  They then drenched me in my suit. I was kinda mad and wanted to throw them down the stairs, but I didn't :) They then got more water and tried getting us in our apartment it was a crazy day. We also had a water fight with some of the members it was a good time. 

Church yesterday was great! I felt the love and dedication of all these people. Our ward here in Gyumri has about 60 people in it. They do their best and heavenly father knows that and the spirit is sooo strong. one of our investigators came to church. He is blind and he had a smoke break before sac. meeting. Also during sacrament he stumbled out of the front door (cause hes blind) and had a smoke break during the middle of sacrament. The members love us here and they come to us to ask questions before they go to the bishop. Its really cool. The missionaries are highly respected here in the ward. There is this old man who is legit crazy and he always yells during church and argues during gospel doctrine class, its so funny but sad, because everyone gets mad at him. Hes awesome and he loves the elders. He gave me stones and kept trying learn English words. He wanted to know the word for city so i told him and he kept saying the S-word super loud ha I tried not to laugh. Oh and yesterday in the marshutini (super cramped crowded nasty vans with so many people in them) I saw a lady with a full on black beard. I was scared and kinda impressed at the same time haha.

Honestly though, things are great here. These people never cease to amaze me. I never woke up in the morning feeling like a have so much purpose. Never again in my life will I do anything that has this much divine purpose and eternal significance. I am excited to go to open the new area of Aliverdi next week. And honored that the Lord chose my companion and I. I truly am so glad to be here and am making the most of every second. I love you all and hope you are doing well.

Love Elder Lunt

P.S. where does our family come from? Investigators keep asking and I just say England. 

Week 9

Dear Mom and Dad and anyone else who is reading this. I am doing great and I have arrived here safely in the mission home. The Mission President and his wife seem very cool and so down to earth. I really like them and have been impressed this far. I also meet the Assistant to the president's as well as the sister training leaders. The AP's are very cool and so down to earth and loving, you can tell they really care and would give you the shirt off their back. We will be at the mission home til tomorrow morning around 1100 we then will go with our trainers and depart to our new assigned areas. We meet with the President and his wife for today and tomorrow and they pray about what trainer they should put us with as well as what area we should be in. I pray that I will get a good trainer, I am looking forward to this. Its cool that I am here and the mission has officially started if you know what I mean. Yesterday in Paris INT. shortly after I got off the telephone with you I was standing in line to get checked onto the plane. And I see this Armenian man mid 20's handsome guy, and he waves his hand at me and so I walked up to him and said "whats up man" I realized that he only spoke Armenian and so I did my best to communicate with him. He put his arm around me like I was his brother and I shook his hand with a firm grip,he was  my first impression of a native Armenian besides Zohrab and I hope all of them are like him. His name is Vahe and was he asking me all sorts of questions I told him I was from america and that I was from a place called utah. I asked him about his family and what he does for work. He told me just in the 15 min we spent talking quite a bit, and I kept the questions coming and wanted to know all about him. He had a light in his eyes and a warm smile  that is hard to describe unless you see it. He had a great spirit about him. I felt love for him and was very bold and gave him a picture/pass along card of Jesus Christ and I asked "you know who this is" he said with a big smile "of course that is Jesus Christ" I said "do you believe in him" he said ayo ayo which means yes yes. I said very good. Again I was very bold and said in Armenian ofcourse "can I have your phone number and email address so we can meet and talk"? He didn't even think or hesitate he said YES YES. I was thrilled haha my first referal! He told me what town he was from, its 30 min from Yerevan, called agemeatseen (I think thats how they would write it in english). It was a great experience. We got to the mission home late last night. We saw the strip/ Las Vegas of Yerevan, dang it was big and spacious. There were thousands and I mean thousands of people out at public square. That part of Yerevean, like vegas comes alive at night. Well I have my interview with the president in a few mins. I love you all and will write later. 

Love Elder Lunt

He has ARRIVED!

We received this email from Elder Brian Lunt's mission president:

Your missionary arrived very tired but so excited to finally be here.  We love them already!  They will email sometime today.  We know blessings will be coming your way as they serve.

Love,
President and Sister Carlson
Armenia Yerevan Mission

Leaving the MTC

Elder Lunt left the mission training center "MTC" on Tuesday afternoon with a non-stop flight from SLC to Paris, France. He said it was a scheduled 18 hour flight! We all got to talk to him briefly on the phone before he left. It was so wonderful to hear his voice. He sounded like a missionary that was truly filled with the spirit, with a testimony about to burst and so eager to share the gospel. He bore his testimony in what Armenian he knew (which sounded like a lot).  The recording isn't the greatest, but enough to hear a little of the language.

http://youtu.be/ImPnt0gjpcM        (there is no picture, just audio)

We are excited to hear from him!

One last hello

We received one last email and hello from Elder Lunt today as he gets ready to depart the MTC tomorrow. He said he gets to call at the airport and say one last goodbye. He said he is excited, anxious, and can't wait to start sharing the gospel. Here are the pictures he sent.

Week 8

Hello Everyone! Hope all is well and things are going good for you. I am doing great and I am fully recovered and was cleared by the Doc on Tuesday to depart to Armenia as well as run again. So its been nice to do work outs again everyday. Well I don't really know what to say. I wish I had more time. I have so many spiritual experiences I wish I could tell everyone and how much I have grown and learned. I am already so happy I made the decision to be out here. I never knew you could have this much joy by serving the Lord 24/7 and soon the Lord's children. I leave in 5 days now and I am excited and ready for change. Its crazy how much Armenian I know, I had a conversation with my teacher the other day and was just going off and didn't even realize it. Also I can tell you that there has been so many times in my lesson where both my companion and I will bear testimony to an investigator and we just go off and say what they need to hear and we don't even think about the language. Then after wards we look at each other and think wow did i just say that? Its a neat experience that happens time and time again with the gift of the spirit. Its crazy to think how much I know, and how much I don't know if that makes sense. Although I feel like i am doing pretty well right now, we have been told time and time again that it all changes over there. So I am excited for what is about to come but I also know that in 5 days the language is about to rock my world, and I have come to peace that there will be frustration and disappointment associated with that. I am ready though, and excited. We depart to some town in Paris that I cant pronounce from salt lake around 4:50 pm and then from Paris to Armenia. Things are about to get real, and I am ready for it!

Yesterday we were  trying to skype some guy in Armenia and my companion didn't know he was leaving a voice message and turned to me and said "Elder Lunt i have to fart so bad" and i was like "elder don't, our teacher is going to smell it hahah" and then he looked at his computer screen a min. later and realized he had left a voice message to some guy in Armenia that speaks great English. Hahaha I was dying laughing. Elder Gallardo and I get along pretty good. Hes great and very athletic and so goofy/ just doesn't care what others think.We have gotten close this past few weeks serving as zone leaders together and working as a team. We teach in unity and with the spirit and have figured out our chemistry and how we teach and work together as a team along with the spirit. I hope we serve together in the months to come.

As I was in the temple this morning I opened up to a very neat verse in the celestial room Alma 26:22 I think it was. It brought peace to me and reassurance. Through faith and trust in God all is possible. Its something that is easier said than done especially in our times of testing.

Well I I don't have much time but I will send a lot of pics. Pictures are worth a thousand words! I love you all and hope all is well. I hope you are all seeking help and guidance from the Lord everyday and staying close to him. I know that this work is true and that there is no greater work than inviting others to come unto Christ. I know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know all of us personally and will never leave us alone. And through Jesus Christ and his grace and perfect Atonement we can return to live with him again. "Grace is not the absence of God's expectations, but rather the power to make up the difference" I know that through Christ and his Atonement all is possible. I Love him and I know he loves me and each one of us. I hope that we can all look within our own lives and change everyday. Everyday arise to a higher plane of living and and everyday become better until that day we can meet God face to face and say we have done our best to become like him. I love you all and I love this experience. Have a great week. 

Love Elder Lunt

First vision in Armenian 

Found some Ray Bands

Joy riding

 Superman missionary

Zone leader!

Week 7

So good to hear from Brian and his continual progress. Here is his letter from today.

Hello everyone! I ammmmm backkkk!!!! Its nice to have my energy and personality back for the most part, that you lose when you are sick. Mono took me to my knees that is for sure. I am doing well now, which makes me so grateful to back into the swing of things. There is always something to learn from everything. And as I was sick I thought about so many things. I really like what my friend Elder Obiama said to me before he left and I was in bed, he said in times of adversity just remember "this too shall pass". My faith and strength were wavering and I thought how do I stay positive in this? But I was reminded by Elder Obiama that it is not always about staying positive but rather than staying focused. The savior probably was not to happy about suffering the sins for all who have ever lived and will live. However, he was focused with faith and knew of the greatness that it would bring. I heard a quote by Elder Holland, it hit me hard. It talks about how "we must all sit for a very FEW moments in Gethsemane and sometimes as disciples of Christ we must take a few steps towards the summit of Calvary". 

Even though it is nothing close to what the savior went through, in our times of adversity we must think of this. We must endure it well, stay focused and keep our eye on the savior who is not the light at the end of the tunnel but rather the light in the tunnel; with us every step of the way, even though at times it may not feel like it and we may be sitting in our own Gethsemane, he will give us the power to over come whatever trials he has given us. As much as it flat out SUCKS sometimes and its so much easier said then done. It is important to "endure these things well; for all things shall give the experience". We are only guaranteed two things in this life, adversity and death. Everything else is based upon our actions, reactions and what you make of yourself and others. So when its your turn to sit in Gethsemane, keep this is mind and remember the "Son of God hath descended below all"

Its pretty crazy to think that I am here just as long as a stateside missionary now, I leave in 12 days now..Whats weird is that I have already been here for about 2 months, I fell like time is slipping away from me. Life is such a weird thing. I heard a talk today that mentioned we all receive 86,400 seconds in a day...how will we spend it. Our time is more valuable than money or anything else given to us because it is given to us by the lord. Each breath and heartbeat, every second is a gift; treat it like one. I enjoyed this. I think of my time in the MTC and think how I made use of my time and how I have done well but there is always better, always room for change and improvement. I was kind of taken back last night as new Zone Leaders my companion and I and some of the sister training leaders (sis Kieffer and her comp.) were giving a orientation/tour to 16 new missionaries going to Madagascar that are  in our zone. I though of how fast time goes by and I remembered when I was sitting where they were at and I felt many of the same thoughts and emotions of that night it was interesting to think how fast it goes by and life is no exception. It made me think that life will pass you by before you know it. Its so important to soak up the moment, and to be happy with what it is your are doing now and who you are.

Well I love you all and hope everyone is doing good. Thank you for all the letters, packages, etc. I am good on everything and have all I need. Love you all. 

Love Elder Lunt

Week 6

Hello everyone! I am doing well. Its crazy how fast time is going. I leave to Armenia in 2 weeks from Tuesday (the 8th). Sometimes the days go by slow but it seems the weeks fly by. I got to skype a 20 year old man in Armenia yesterday it was a neat experience and he was tired of me and my companion not understanding him so he started speaking English it was so nice haha. I wish I had time to talk about all the experiences I am having but just know I am doing well. Mom and Dad I wrote you some letters yesterday and due to my health I apologize if this email isn't the longest. 

They finally found out whats going on with my health. I have had Mono for the last 2 weeks and it is very up and down. Its tough but I will be good. I hope you are all doing well. I love you so much. I have everything I need and just appreciate your letters. It's crazy how much I pray here. I am getting calluses on my knees from praying so much haha. 

Dad I do have a question for you from 2 weeks ago. How did you learn to recognize how the spirit speaks to you personally?

My friend Obioma leaves on the 7th of July, I will miss him and his friendship, but he will do great things in Madagascar. I am growing and learning so much despite my health. Like I said in the letter I wrote you that will be coming soon, some days I feel like I mature in such a short amount of time. It was a neat experience, the other day my teacher, brother Wahl asked me and my companion for a priesthood blessing of healing for his stomach pains. We did so and it was cool to see how our teacher was humble enough to ask 2 of his students for a blessing of healing. The next day he came to class and was feeling better and thanked us.

On a less spiritual note, the other day I saw this girl from junior high, (back then...she slapped David for something, from what I remember) she was shocked to see me. haha if looks could kill I would be dead. Her face said it all..what are you doing here haha. Then I started talking to her. And she started telling my whole district that in junior high I sprayed her hair green. She spoke of it like it happened yesterday. I honestly said I don't remember, but that doesn't mean I didn't do it, and apologized. She was just another one of the many casualties of my immaturity and rowdiness. Ha I thought it was kinda funny, funny enough to share with everyone. Well I really don't know what to say other than I love you and appreciate you all so much. I can feel the prayers of everyone and your love and support throughout the day and as I give my lessons. Love you all and miss you. Love Elder Lunt