Week 96 - Divine councils

Dear family and friends,

Happy Easter! Easter Sunday couldn't have been better spent as more than a dozen investigators came to Sacrament meeting and felt of the spirit of love, peace and belonging. I wish I could describe every miracle to the fullest, but because of the Spirit lead experiences in your life I don't need to. 

Hearts have been softened, potential recongnized and effectuated. The work is hastening in every form. Because of the Father, through the Holy Ghost, the foundation for the pinnacle of success is being laid by those nail driven hands of Him our brother Jesus Christ through us.

Elder Peterson is doing great. I love him and respect his peace and maturity. He has been sick this last week and seems to be tired a lot. I have been trying to help him communicate more so he feels my love and we attain that fullness of divinty. I am learning many things from him that will be of great benefit now and later in life.

I am doing great and the investigators are progressing rapidly and the sphere of our influence broadens daily. We were blessed to baptize a 13 kid (Stiopa; future missionary) and his Mom (stella) will be baptized on the 9th of April, with his sister already baptized, this family will be complete and ready for the temple in due time. 

The miracle family is going strong and they are all on board. Many others will be baptized this month and the work is at an all time high in the history of Artashat according to our bishop..He is funny. We have been privledged to work with a lot of the youth. Almost 20 youth came to an activity this last week in which we had a major part in and we had a great time throwing the football and walking to a famous old church (Khor vi rap). All of them want to come to meetings with us and be missionaries. The love is strong between the youth and us.

(The following is a continuation of conversation between president and I,sharing revelation concearing establishing the church through the ward council that has blessed our area and companionship and is shared for the benefit of the mission)

Divine Councils---In my humble oppinon establishing the church means establishing the ward council. However, preliminary to establishing the church we must "work out our own salvation" and "cleanse the inner vessel" of our companionshps. I believe that to have a dinive council we need to first be divine individuals and second have divine companionships. As each prefaces the other and can't surpass the one without the other then we can move to a higher plane of influence---divine councils.

Continual counciling persists in changing the way we do missionary work. Many immediate blessings surface as we are diligent about communicating, reporting, and collaborating our efforts daily with the respective auxiliary. I have come to the realization that the most successful principles applied in continual counciling are communication, accountabilitly and unity. These are the basis for divinity. 

These three principles are needed in any scenario where divinity is the goal especially something as intricate and vast as establishing the Chruch of Jesus Christ, divinity is the only successful option. Communication as we council, accountability as both parties do and report, and the spirit of unity as we work together. With all of these simulatneously exercised we become one as Christ commanded...We become a divine council.

D&C 104

12 That every man may give an account unto me [and each other] of the stewardship which is appointed unto him.

13 For it is expedient that I, the Lord, should make every man accountable, as a steward over earthly blessings

Chapter 13 in PMG states "retaining and reactivating are the Ward council's first responsiblity". Although, we assist in retention and reactivating frankly put---and I feel comfortable saying I speak for the majority---we do not do these two as frequent as finding teaching and baptizing and rightfully so, as long as the ward council is established. I agree that Finding, teaching, baptizing, reataining and reactivating is all one work but we are not one labourer. 

D&C 104:11 "Ye shall organize yourselves and appoint every man his stewardship". Members and specifically those of the ward council are mavens in the field of retaining and reacitvating as they know much more about the areas, people and past than we do. We know how to find teach and baptize as that is our area of expertise and they know whom to find teach baptize retain and reactivate. 

My observation is that only in the realm of unision does missionary work--finding, teaching, baptizing, retaining and reactivating---become one and the labourers many and we establish the Church by establishing the ward council. Divine councils have been the keystone of success.

Thank you,

Love Elder Lunt

Week 95 - Fullness of Joy

Dear family and friends,

What a week! This last week the work went viral in every facet of the work. I would attribute a major portion of it to the unity and compatibility of our ward. We are of one mind and one heart as the scriptures portray. The leaders in our ward have embraced the mindset of continually counciling and the trust, love and correspondance has plorifirated.

 Ward council has become a mindset rather than a once a week event. Something so simple as communication---as Moroni would say---has "altered the management of affairs among [us]". It makes since as we think about how important companionship unity is and this principle of continual counciling takes unity to the next step in our ward councils to establishing the church through auxilaries, while simultaneously promoting self sufficiency and unity in our ward.

 After planning at night we call the auxillaries corresponding to those with whom we met that day and report to them the specific needs and progress of those we visited under their stewardship and specify that we are reporting, then empowering them by asking what they think needs to be done. 

This does many things that when implimented will be discovered and magnified. However, if I had to choose the three major assets of this I would say first member missionary correspondance, second, activates agency of the leadership by outlining specific ways to help those they serve and take part in missionary work, the last, and in my oppinion the most diverse, the communication and compatiblity of the members and missionaries merges finding, teaching, baptizing, retaining and reactiviating into all one work.

"You reap what you sow" , when all is said and if "this" works or not in any given ward, it will because of a missionary's and the ward council's diligence and willingness to experiment. I see time and time again that if we do the bare minimum or just what we think is good, The lord will give us the bare minimum or what He thinks is good. It is not until we do our all and give our all in a consentrated effort that we recieve all He has to give.

More often than not in missionary work we exert so much effort on trying to solve the "how" of accomplish a certain task or implimenting revelation-----understanding our purpose, christlike attributes, and lately establishing the church---- that we end up on a detour of extraneous solutions with almost little or not benefit. No wonder there is frustration with leadership at times. Simplicity...The idea of continual counciling is simple--- daily communication. I hope we can keep it that way. It doesn't answer all the questions or solve all the problems, nothing all at once ever will. However, it has done much good in our ward, and seems to be a very simple,clear, and specific way of establishing the church through auxilaires.

I can not explain the hundreth part of the tender mercies witnessed this last week. It has finally all come together. The area is on fire. The ward is firing on all cylinders and I am pleased to say would be just fine if missionaries had to leave Armenia. Our bishop along with most members is a great leader and understands the importance of personal ministy. The people we are teaching I feel in reality are teaching us and we learn so much from them. Elder Peterson and I couldn't be happier.

The miracle family...2 weeks ago Mher and I were on a bus going to a near by village. As always we talked to as many as would listen to us. We talked to a young single mother with her daughter and shared with them briefly about what we do and the blessings of forever families. We gave them a restoration pamphlet with our number and information on the back and like most people do, she said she would call. 

This past Tuesday we got a call from this lady and she said that she read "our book" and wanted to know more. Anxiously suprised we set up a time and visited her the next day. I didn't make the connection over the phone that it was this lady who we had talked to on the bus 2 weeks ago until we went to her home and met her and her children of 4. We started the lesson and she and all 4 of her kids (between ages 9-18) said they had read the book we had given them as a family. 

Elder Peterson and I at this point thought we would wake up from our dream at any moment, then the next words they said brought the spirit and confirmed the reality of this unique message to the world. "When we read as a family, we felt something so powerful and peaceful, we just had to call, what did we feel?

I wish I could fully portray through words of just how that meeting went with the miracle family and how every meeting since has gone. I testify of the divinity of this work and the results of faith in Jesus Christ through consistent effort. I know without a doubt what we share everyday is true. This family and 2 other families made up of 2 people are progressing so beautifullly. These 3 families all came to church and will be entering the waters of baptism these next several weeks.

I have been on my knees this last week much in offering my grattitude and joy that is full in the Lord and these people. If you want to know how we feel Ammon in Alma chapter 26 is the closest account in words that can depict the fullness of joy that comes from this work. My joy is truly full in the Lord and in these people. 

Thank you,

Elder Lunt

Week 94 - Rising Tide

Dear family and friends,

We are doing great! Everything is coming together. This last week consisted of much as each week does. However there was a distinguishable change in the work because of the way we are working, that is hard and smart work. The basics for success in missionary work which protracts into life are "obedience to the gospel, faith in Christ and working hard and smart"-Elder Kacher. As we adapt and change the way we work---working smarter to work harder---- the results are tangible. Ephasis on the members has changed the game. This last week we closed the final gaps on missionary/ member correspondance. 

We have done so by visiting members more often and finding the elect through them. I have noticed something very unique that is often over looked but eventually leads to the success or unfulfilled potential of an area. That is there is a network among members. They are the mavens of information , data banks, specific for each area. A network that we can barely tap into before our time in each area expires. They know who the active members are, the less active members, the part member families and the potentials. They have answers to most all the questions. The problem I have noticed is this...Members in most of Armenia don't see opportutnties and potential like us missionaries do. This leaves unconsummated potential.

The game changer for us has been missionary/member correspondance. We have been able to tap into this network of information of part member families, less actives and more with a variety of methods. However the biggest asset has been working through auxillaries (Elder's quorum pres, relief society pres, ward council) by reporting our progress. We report specific progress and needs of those we visit to the corresponding auxiiary and we specify that we are reporting to them. Not only has this involved members in missionary work, it has opened the lines of communiaction making ward council an on going mindset rather than just a once a week event. This has worked wonders for us and helped members better understand their role and take a part in their calling and missionary work. 

We are doing very well! Elder Peterson and I get along well and we have a fun time. He is a great guy and we balance each other out well, we make a good team. As mentioned above, things are coming together. The work in taking off through the members (about time). We have been blessed to meet many incredible people this last week. We found many great part member families that are progressing very well. It is amazing to see the progress of others as they start the journey of discipleship. Many people will be baptized in these next few weeks, and the Lord is doing wonderful things through us.

As I was pondering a few nights ago, I was amazed with all that I have been blessed with through the Lord. As I sat in silence I was humbled to my knees by the gratitude I felt for our Father in Heaven, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost and their three distinct but yet unanimous roles in my personal conversion. Words can not describe how grateful I am for them and their patience with us. I am blessed to be apart of this gospel and even more fortunate to be sharing it. I endorse the words of Matthew 10:39 as I have become living evidence and of the Atonement of Jesus Christ both redeeming and enabling power. I truly love these people. I love this work. Thank you for you love and support! I love you all!

Love Elder Lunt

Week 93 - A land choice above all other lands

Dear family and friends,

Much has happened in the span of a week. Elder Porcelli and I parted ways as he went home, it was hard saying bye to him, love and miss him. Mher (an American Armenian missionary) served with me for a few days until transfers and we had a lot of fun together and worked hard. My new companion is great. Elder Peterson, he has a calmness about him and is very down to earth and mellow. I look forward to all that we will learn from each other and we are excited for a great transfer together and completing the goals we have set out to accomplish. 

On that note, goals..As Elder Peterson and I sat down and made goals for this transfer and we did the same with our auxiliaries, I was reminded just how important goals are and how much they help me navigate my life. Monthly goals, weekly goals and daily goals have kept me accountable and facilitated growth and personal development much quicker than I would of had I not set these goals.

  "Where there is no vision the people perish". I feel the problem with goals most times is that we often forget the purpose of the goal. The doctrine behind it, why are we setting that goal? Those who feel uncomfortable  with numbers and goals, need to understand the purpose behind them and why they are setting that particular goal. The goal becomes a catalyst for growth and completing a specific purpose, a standard of accountability and a personal criterion of determination and desires transformed into action. I find it worth to say that as soon as one loses sight of the purposes behind their goals they lose sight of their vision and eventually fold in, defeating the whole purpose of goals. 

I apologize for my last email as I was cut short and wasn't able to finish my complete thought, however, you probably got the main idea. The work is going well. The member support is not quite where it needs to be, so we have been working with members to fully gain their trust and to complete part member families and attain referrals. This past week as we have sought to work with members and complete part member families for the purpose of finding the elect. We have noticed a difference in the type of investigators that we are teaching and the their level of preparation.

We had many great lessons this last week as we taught with the spirit the investigators responded under that same influence. I often wonder how broad the sphere of our influence extends. One couple we are teaching in their late 40's after explaining the Restoration and the purpose of our meetings ---receiving an answer from God then acting on such-- and how to get an answer by following the basic tenets of the gospel allowed the spirit into their hearts, their eyes were opened and their understanding enlightened. This particular couple in reference to receiving their answer and following those basics of the gospel said "If that is what needs to be done, than that is what we will do" They clearly understood that faith will be manifested by their works as the apostle James declared "faith with out works is dead".  As the spirit pervaded the room Mher and I  capitalized on such an opportunity and told them that what they were feeling was exactly how they would get their answer and that they could not deny such a feeling as this. 

As for myself I am doing great! I am doing all I can to give opportunities to others to activate agency and growth. As I was studying this last week from the book of Ether (1-3) I was amazed with the words I was reading. I felt like I was reading a different book I must had skipped in the past. A land "choice above all other lands which the Lord God had preserved for a righteous people". 

"And the Lord would not suffer that they should stop beyond the sea in the wilderness, but he would that they should come forth even unto the land of promise, which was choice above all other lands, which the Lord God had preserved for a righteous people."

"I will bring you up again out of the depths of the sea; for the winds have gone forth out of my mouth, and also the rains and the floods have I sent forth. And behold, I prepare you against these things; for ye cannot cross this great deep save I prepare you against the waves of the sea, and the winds which have gone forth, and the floods which shall come."

As I read I made the connection that the Lord is not only talking about a geographical location but the land preserved for us which is above all other lands is eternal life. He asks that we go into the Wilderness at times and cross the great raging deep of life and trials. As we do so we are perfected, we are become like him as we trust him. At times we like the brother of Jared get comfortable and forget to call on the name of the Lord. Figuratively speaking we stop in the land by the seashore for 4 years. However, the Lord always leads us out of complacency  and gives us the opportunity for a better place just beyond the horizon. It is worth it to think if we are on the journey to reaching our land of promise which is above all other lands. If we call upon the name of the Lord, repent, follow the spirit and go to work our faith will become dormant in that sphere and we can know as the brother of Jared did with a knowledge of the things of the Lord. Love you all and I am grateful for you love and support. 

Thank you

Love Elder Lunt

Change in responsibility letter

ARMENIA YEREVAN MISSION OF

 THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

March 7, 2016



Dear Brother and Sister Lunt,


We’re pleased to inform you that your son, Elder Lunt, has been called to serve as a District Leader.

He has been an excellent missionary and an example to other missionaries.  We’re confident that he

will serve well.


District Leaders carry the responsibility of leading and lifting the missionaries in their district. Elder

Lunt  has shown the capacity to do that.


We appreciate the work he has done here and we’re so happy he has chosen to serve his Heavenly

Father as a missionary.  Thank you for teaching him Gospel principles and raising a fine son.  His

service will bring blessings to your family.


Sincerely,

President and Sister Carlson