Claire's Mission in Armenia: "eat and eat and eat some more. New Years in Armenia"

Dearest ones, 

Happy Happy 2014! I can't even believe it. I just have no idea where 2013 went. Well I guess it went to little houses filled with people learning about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and making changes in their lives to bring them into harmony with the teachings of the Gospel. I have just been so blessed to be here for the entire year and truly give myself over to the work of the Lord in the year 2013. 

Now onto 2014! A crazy year filled with this and that and I have no idea what. Only time will tell. 

So new years in Armenia consists of several things. It is the biggest holiday of the year and there are fireworks and lights and Santa Claus and food. I could go on for hours about all of the food that is involved for this, the biggest of all days. Well the main thing is, it isn't just one day. It's actually 14 days. It last from New Years eve to January 14th because that was the day that was New years in ancient times. Not sure why it is still celebrated here, but it is, that's for sure. So for days and days one must prepare for this holiday to end all. a table is decorated to a T, and the food is prepared well in advance. We had the great opportunity to help a mom in our ward prepare for the holidays and we learned how to make some of the salads, so I will be sure to make them for you one day! They are delicious!

So all is in readiness the night of New Years eve so that you can drink yourself silly and stay up all night. We did not participate. We stayed up until 10:30, went to bed and then at midnight we were awoken by one of our investigators calling us to wish us a happy new year. I didn't answer, but I did hear some lovely fireworks going off outside of the window. All in all it was great. For about a week we have been going from house to house eating our way through Armenia. Basically there is no one on the streets so we have but one choice. Visit all the people we know and eat at their tables. Wowee. It was wonderful. such yummy food but let me just tell you, you can most definitely have too much of a good thing. Dolma and roast pig and salads and fruit and pastries and candy and nuts and dried fruit and it goes on and one. I got a bad cold this week to top it all off, so i was able to duck out of a few meals that way, but still, I must admit, I gained 2 kilos. Don't worry. A detox week is coming. 

New Years is huge for basically all of Eastern Europe, so as we have been going from house to house we have watched several of the big music programs from Russia and let me tell you it looks like something out of the Capital from the Hunger Games. interesting. Also they have been playing lots of american-armenian dubbed movies. At one investigator's house "Baby's Day Out" that movie that Mimi always loved, was playing. They have such odd, obscure movies dubbed sometimes. 

And basically that was the week. eating and talking and trying to share the Gospel. When I look back it feels like it was a blur. I guess that is what happens when you are basically in a food coma for a week :) Luckily I was coherant enough to refuse the marriage proposal that I received from the mother of our ward clerk, she wanted me to marry her son. He is 10 years older than me and about 4 inches shorter, and well...anyways. I said no. 

I do so love this time of year as we end one year and start the next. It is such a great opportunity to reevaluate and restart. I have learned to really love setting goals being a missionary, and I think it will be something that will stick with me. Goals give us such a great chance to see where we have come from and gain a vision of where we want to go. We can acheive great things with the help of the Lord! Never forget that!

love you all so so so much!

xoxo Sister Claire Haynie

A pretty view from that pretty church we went to last P-day. As we were driving up to it I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't in Provo Canyon driving to Sundance. It look A LOT alike.