Claire's Mission in Armenia:"Amazing Grace"

Dearest dear ones, 

My heart is full of love and joy and some many other good things!!

This week was wonderful. We had the amazing chance to teach some of our progressing investigators, H and G. Their lessons always leave me feeling uplifted and full of hope, and confident in the fact that the Lord does indeed prepare His children to accept the Gospel. I love this work and I know it is true. This week we met with H and taught the Plan of Salvation and the Gospel of Christ. It was beautiful. As we taught the Plan of Salvation, she told us about an interesting dream that she had had just a few nights before where she was walking on a dark, dusty street. Everything was grey and sad and gloomy, but all of a sudden she came upon a house that was full of people at a feast, full of light and joy but seemingly waiting for someone. She said, she gathered up all of her courage and entered the house and it seems they had been waiting for her. They were her family, her ancestors and they were welcoming her into the party with open arms, so excited to see her. She said she felt like the queen of the party. Goodness, i get goosebumps just thinking about it. She is on the path, she is going to go to the party. and I feel eternally blessed that I can help her get there in some small way. We have been having some trouble meeting with H this week, but we saw her at church yesterday and she told us that she knows that Satan is trying to stop her from meeting with us but that she is not going to let him win! She is amazing. there is just no other word to describe her. I love her and I know that I am better person for knowing her. That is the beauty of a mission. You can just see how each and every person that you meet quickly becomes a vital part of your makeup, your character and your Spirit. I love it. G is a light as well. She is voraciously reading everything that we give her and she gave the most beautiful prayer in our last lesson. i can really feel that she is sincerely looking for truth. It is beautiful to see. Also miracle of miracles! Her daughter is learning from the missionaries at her home in Ukraine. Coincidence? I think not! 

We had sister splits this week and I got to be with one of my favs! Sister S from Connecticutt. Her zeal and love of the work is just contagious! Also, she and Sister W are super fast runners, so when we were running in the morning, I certainly did not want to be in the dust so I pushed myself and really suprised myself at how fast I could go. I love running! so so great. 

Also, this week, goodness, I am just smiling when I write about all of the good things, We had our Europe East Presidency 1st counselor come to visit with his lovely wife. President Bennett, who is canadian (from Magrath!) was amazing. I can't even tell you what a great meeting it was with him. He told us that we need to be always teaching, to totally take the word contacting out of our vocab and decide that when we leave the house, we are teaching. I love that. Also I had the privilege of singing with some of my fave missionaries. It was a quartet, two elders and two sisters and we sang "A Child's Prayer." simple, but so lovely.  

I was studying Grace this week and I was astounded once again at the miraculous power of our Savior's perfect love for us. It truly is an enabling power and reassurance of the Lord's divine love and mercy. I want to share one of the most beautiful things that I have ever seen, it is one of the new Bible videos that the Church made and it has a line from "Amazing Grace" in it, hence the title of the email.Watch it here. The Savior, He loves us, He wants to save us, each and every one of us and I know that He will if only we do what He has asked. I love a quote from a talk I read this week, "Grace is not the absence of God's high expectations, but rather it is the presence of God's power." too true. Remember that and remember that miracles happen. We just have to open our eyes to them. For once I was blind and now I see. Nothing is more wonderful than that. 

I love you all so much!!

xoxoxo

Sister Claire Margaret Haynie

We are pretty excited for P day. We get to go to the biggest Golds Gym in the world!! A member of the ward works there and gave us guest passes. pretty fancy!