Claire's Mission to Armenia: Final Week at the MTC
Well dearest and nearest (though farthest at the moment) the time has come and I am nearing the end of my stay here at the good Ol' MTC. As of Monday morning at 6:00am, I will be bound for Armenia and 42 hours later, one stop in D.C., one is Vienna, I will be landing in Yerevan at 4:35 in the am of Wednesday December 19th. An exciting life I lead, eh? So in other words, If you send a Dearelder after about 2:00 pm provo-time on friday (no dearelders on saturdays) I will never get it. saaaaaad. So send away, today today!
This week has been a great one. A bit overwhelming because there is so little time left to prepare and the packing has yet to begin, but our last lessons have generally gone very well, so we are feeling pretty good, and I have recently learned the word for bathroom so I feel like I will be okay in Armenia.
Relief Society was truly great this weekend. Sister Reeves from the RS general presidency spoke about loving this opportunity to really stretch ourselves. Something that really hit me while I was sitting there with all of those sister missionaries was how wonderful we all are. Not to sound prideful or anything, but there really are the best girls here. Cute, stylish, smart and amazing women all giving up their lives to serve the Lord for 18 months, it really is just amazing. What an exciting thing to be a part of.
Our fireside last Sunday night was a real highlight. BYU Men's Chorus came and did a Christmas Concert and I literally thought I was in Heaven. They sang lovely lovely songs, but the big plus was going to see Sister Hall afterwards. She is just so full of joy and love and was just so happy to see me (everyone was so happy to see me!) She said she missed me terribly and I assured her that I would run to Concert Choir the moment I got back.
Devotional with Elder Hallstrom of the presidency of the 70 was amazing. He spoke about the importance of meetings in the church and how we must make the decision to seek Spiritual promptings and must act on them once we receive them. So important. Faith is a principle of action, without action revelation and promptings, miracles and faith mean nothing to us. Action is everything. to act and not to be acted upon.
Yesterday we hosted new missionaries which was great but also sort of weird. It feels like yesterday that I got here, but also like an eternity. 9 weeks is a pretty long time. I am just so excited to get to Armenia, as unprepared as I am for the language, I am just so excited to get to work and thrust in my sickle. The MTC really is an amazing place. Full of the power of prayer and the faith of so many mothers praying for their little children. I have loved my time here, the devotionals I have heard, the food I have eaten and the classes that I have had. I have loved it all. But the Lord called me to serve in Armenia, and so to Armenia I must go. perhaps it is a world away, but just pretend I am in Tacoma, though it takes a month to get letters to me and packages are iffy.
I love you all so much, I am so grateful for your support and love that I feel poured out upon me. I know that this is the Lord's work. He is helping me every step of the way so that He can bless the dear people of Armenia through me. I love this work, I love the Lord and I love the hope and joy that comes from living the principles of the Gospel. My teacher showed me an amazing scripture this week, Romans 12:1-2. Read it and learn of the majesty of the Lord, the author and finisher of our faith. What a comfort, What a blessing. I love Him with my whole soul.
love you all!
Sister Claire Haynie
Ps. New address:
Sister Claire Margaret Haynie
Armenia Yerevan Mission
Vratsakan #5
0051 Yerevan
Armenia
Write me! I think it takes about a month to get there but I would LOVE it!
This week has been a great one. A bit overwhelming because there is so little time left to prepare and the packing has yet to begin, but our last lessons have generally gone very well, so we are feeling pretty good, and I have recently learned the word for bathroom so I feel like I will be okay in Armenia.
Relief Society was truly great this weekend. Sister Reeves from the RS general presidency spoke about loving this opportunity to really stretch ourselves. Something that really hit me while I was sitting there with all of those sister missionaries was how wonderful we all are. Not to sound prideful or anything, but there really are the best girls here. Cute, stylish, smart and amazing women all giving up their lives to serve the Lord for 18 months, it really is just amazing. What an exciting thing to be a part of.
Our fireside last Sunday night was a real highlight. BYU Men's Chorus came and did a Christmas Concert and I literally thought I was in Heaven. They sang lovely lovely songs, but the big plus was going to see Sister Hall afterwards. She is just so full of joy and love and was just so happy to see me (everyone was so happy to see me!) She said she missed me terribly and I assured her that I would run to Concert Choir the moment I got back.
Devotional with Elder Hallstrom of the presidency of the 70 was amazing. He spoke about the importance of meetings in the church and how we must make the decision to seek Spiritual promptings and must act on them once we receive them. So important. Faith is a principle of action, without action revelation and promptings, miracles and faith mean nothing to us. Action is everything. to act and not to be acted upon.
Yesterday we hosted new missionaries which was great but also sort of weird. It feels like yesterday that I got here, but also like an eternity. 9 weeks is a pretty long time. I am just so excited to get to Armenia, as unprepared as I am for the language, I am just so excited to get to work and thrust in my sickle. The MTC really is an amazing place. Full of the power of prayer and the faith of so many mothers praying for their little children. I have loved my time here, the devotionals I have heard, the food I have eaten and the classes that I have had. I have loved it all. But the Lord called me to serve in Armenia, and so to Armenia I must go. perhaps it is a world away, but just pretend I am in Tacoma, though it takes a month to get letters to me and packages are iffy.
I love you all so much, I am so grateful for your support and love that I feel poured out upon me. I know that this is the Lord's work. He is helping me every step of the way so that He can bless the dear people of Armenia through me. I love this work, I love the Lord and I love the hope and joy that comes from living the principles of the Gospel. My teacher showed me an amazing scripture this week, Romans 12:1-2. Read it and learn of the majesty of the Lord, the author and finisher of our faith. What a comfort, What a blessing. I love Him with my whole soul.
love you all!
Sister Claire Haynie
Ps. New address:
Sister Claire Margaret Haynie
Armenia Yerevan Mission
Vratsakan #5
0051 Yerevan
Armenia
Write me! I think it takes about a month to get there but I would LOVE it!
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