Week 19

Hey everyone! Its sounds like all is well and everyone one is doing good and keeping busy. I am as well, the work in our area of Alaverdi and Sarahart/ few villages is on FIRE! It is currently the newest/pioneer stages of the mission, but its also the most successful in the whole mission. All thanks to the lord's blessings.  On average the lord is blessing us with about an investigator a day, and about 6 ish to 7 which is a pretty uncommon compared to Armenia's past and other areas, my companion (elder wood) says hes never seen an area like this. All thanks to the lord's blessings, the president is very happy, but we just do our part and the lord blesses us with the rest. There is no secret, other than just doing your best each day, so that you can look at the end of the day and know you gave it your all. Sometimes there are blessings daily that we see like in Alaverdi.  And other times, there are blessings that you dont see, or trials of your faith,when it seems like you're efforts are going unnoticed to the Lord. What I am trying to say is that there are plenty of great, consecrated, obedient missionaries here that each week have to report a zero to the president. My companion and i have just been blessed with an amazing opportunity to re-open this area and be instruments in the hands of the lord. Abinadi only had one convert he never saw baptized after a life time of preaching, and ammon had thousands. Its important to know that no work is ever un-noticed to the Lord.The group is growing fast, first week 6 people at church, last week 32, not counting us.... we should have a building soon, rather than at a members house, that will help. We have about over 20 investigators over 10 are progressing, so my companion and i are spread pretty thin, and keep extremely busy. This week we had the opportunity to teach and re-baptize the old branch president who was excommunicated in 2010 which led to the eventual closing down of this area a few months later, due to no priesthood. He got back from Russia because of no work, and we were cleared by the 1st presidency to teach him and re-baptize him. He was truly repentant and so glad to have a second chance.There was a special spirit at each lesson we taught and at the baptism, one i couldn't describe unless one were present, we decided to have the bishop in Vanadazor (1 hour away from Alaverdi) baptize him to make a good connection with this man, rather than with us, for when we have to leave. I love this place and never want to get transferred out, the people are friendlier here than any where else in the country and the members and investigators are so prepared and elect, (and the area is very pretty which is always a bonus). The language is coming a long great, thanks to heavenly father. I have never worked harder for anything though, and its showing quick. I try to never miss an opportunity to study words, grammar, etc. Most of the time we are so busy that I have to study when we are walking from place to place. This week we had a zone confrenece meeting and president said a lot of good things that are worth sharing. He said that most of us do way too much without asking for the lord's help, and we wonder why things are so hard at times. What I took away from this was we need to pray a lot more than we do (a lot more than I did before my mission), not just for meals or when you need something, but to pray and thank the lord for all that has been given to you and to seek help, guidance and comfort through out our day. Some thing else was said, that most people here and even back home dont read the scriptures every day, or attend church every week for all 3 meetings, and we wonder why life is so hard at times. Most people here and back home just simply dont do the things that bless us and they wonder why they are not blessed. Sad to say that it as is simple as it sounds, because it is. Its just something to keep in mind. Part of the reason I feel we have been blessed so much in this area and me with the language is because I always strive to get rid of the excuses or whatever it may be that keeps me from doing what i need to do to receive blessings. I have heard lately a lot of hype about "exact obedience" which sounds great. But many of us here have a hard time with that "exact" part here. Obedience is not obedience if it is not exact. I know that many of you reading this right now, are older and wiser than me, however i feel like many of us forget a lot of the basic, simple truths. WHEN WE ARE OBEDIENT WE ARE BLESSED, that is it. If you don't think so, try it for a week and watch your life change like mine did. Well I am about out of time, and wish I could say more. In closing, I just want to challenge all those reading this, to be "obedient", go to church (all 3 meetings if you have that opportunity), pray through out the day, and to read scriptures daily. These are things to think about and if your not doing them...do them, and watch your life change. Love you all more than you know and pray for you all by name daily.

 Love Elder Lunt

P.S. please excuse my grammar, I don't correct a lot due to time, I promise I can still speak English.