Claire's Mission to Armenia: The journey begins at the MTC
Week One:
Dear all,
I have only 30 minutes, well now only 23, because I was reading all of your lovely notes! I enjoy the update, but I would rather not wade through that when I could be writing you a personal note, so word to the wise, send letters and dearelders during the week and then i will have more time to devote to you once at the computer here at the MTC. Well life has been good here. a couple of hard days, especially at first, but I am really finding my stride here. My companions, Sister Kellis and Sister Nelsen are great, nice girls, but we are not quite kindred spirits yet. One of the highlights has definitely been having Olivia here. She is so wise and we visit every night, luckily we are in the same residence building, just a floor apart and in the residence halls you don't have to have a comp with you, so I can go rogue and find here, haha.
This really is one of the hardest things I have ever done, I am not going to beat around the bush. I miss you all so terribly much and the language is just so so sOOOOOOO hard. A new language is usually enough of a challenge but when you add on a new alphabet it is nearly impossible. If there is anything that I have learned here, it is that I am nothing without the Lord. We had a great Devotional on Tuesday about that very thing, by Elder Bowen of the Seventy. He said that we all need to have a Moses experience, wherein we find out that man is nothing without the help and grace of the Lord. something good to remember. I thought I would take you through my first week at the MTC.
Wednesday: After leaving mother, dad and sis behind, i walked off with my two very large suitcases, led by some eager beavers who took me to my residence hall and then I picked up my tag, my language books, etc. Then I went to meet my district, who are so amazing. (will tell about later). The teacher immediately spoke in Armenian and I thought that I would start crying right then. Saw Olivia right when i headed to dinner and we ran to each other across the hall, where she had made her whole district sit and wait to see if I walked by. I was such a relief to see a loving understanding face amidst so many strangers.
Thursday: Learned the Armenian Alphabet, made up of 39 letters, some of which make nearly the same sound. so confusing. We also began preparing to teach our investigator, Vasgen, the following day, in armenian. woah. I was made the senior companions and we met the branch presidency.
Friday: taught Vasgen...in armenian. I started laughing I was so nervous and then by the end I was in tears because it was so hard. We had a script made out and tried to follow it, but he just did not get it. bawled to our dear teacher, Brother White, and I think the poor man thinks me emotionally unstable, haha.
Saturday: NOT a special day here, just same old. class all day, teaching Vasgen again, but this time it went much better. Saw Brother and Sister Pugmire from home, on their way to Jamaica, so good to see them and they were awfully glad to see me. After we taught Vasgen, our whole district came to make sure that we were okay, they really are just the sweetest boys, i mean elders.
Sunday: great day. lots of meetings, but Relief society is as a whole mission of sisters, and Sister Burton, the R.S. general pres came a spoke to us, it was amazing, she spoke about letting your mission be your MTC for life. it was wonderful. Also we got to watch Music and the Spoken word and then movie night was a major highlight. I watched Joseph Smith and the Restoration-there is kissing in that show! haha but no popcorn, sadly.
Monday was my hardest so far. I was feeling so many emotions, anger at not getting the language, homesickness, and serious tiredness. Amidst all of that, the Spirit just spoke peace to my soul through the form of my dearest Olivia, whose mom had sent us both socks with kitties on them (gray for gladys). Such a relief to have good friends. I've seen so many friends here! People from classes, wards and even EFY! so cool!
Tuesday was good, taught a lesson with just a few notes and the memorization is really coming.
Wednesday, same story.
Time is running out! AHHHHHH. I am doing well, LOVING gym time. I have not yet gotten up early for the classes but I will soon and for now we get an hour a day to run or do elliptical, weights, etc, so that is nice. The food is pretty good, cannon center, standard fare. Let me just say before I go that I really have the best district! 9 elders and us 3, as well as the 3 elders going to our mission but speaking georgian. we have one aussie, Elder Sarafian, who also happens to be armenian and speaks it! But he is so great and LOVEs strictly ballroom! We also have one Brit, a lovely 18 year old named Elder Fagg. The rest of the elders are wonderful, I wish I could tell you all about them and I promise that I will soon! I love you all so much!!!! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
Keep the dear elders coming! I LOVe them!
Also mom, tell marygae that I saw elder thompson this morning
love love love!!!
Sister Claire Haynie
Dear all,
I have only 30 minutes, well now only 23, because I was reading all of your lovely notes! I enjoy the update, but I would rather not wade through that when I could be writing you a personal note, so word to the wise, send letters and dearelders during the week and then i will have more time to devote to you once at the computer here at the MTC. Well life has been good here. a couple of hard days, especially at first, but I am really finding my stride here. My companions, Sister Kellis and Sister Nelsen are great, nice girls, but we are not quite kindred spirits yet. One of the highlights has definitely been having Olivia here. She is so wise and we visit every night, luckily we are in the same residence building, just a floor apart and in the residence halls you don't have to have a comp with you, so I can go rogue and find here, haha.
This really is one of the hardest things I have ever done, I am not going to beat around the bush. I miss you all so terribly much and the language is just so so sOOOOOOO hard. A new language is usually enough of a challenge but when you add on a new alphabet it is nearly impossible. If there is anything that I have learned here, it is that I am nothing without the Lord. We had a great Devotional on Tuesday about that very thing, by Elder Bowen of the Seventy. He said that we all need to have a Moses experience, wherein we find out that man is nothing without the help and grace of the Lord. something good to remember. I thought I would take you through my first week at the MTC.
Wednesday: After leaving mother, dad and sis behind, i walked off with my two very large suitcases, led by some eager beavers who took me to my residence hall and then I picked up my tag, my language books, etc. Then I went to meet my district, who are so amazing. (will tell about later). The teacher immediately spoke in Armenian and I thought that I would start crying right then. Saw Olivia right when i headed to dinner and we ran to each other across the hall, where she had made her whole district sit and wait to see if I walked by. I was such a relief to see a loving understanding face amidst so many strangers.
Thursday: Learned the Armenian Alphabet, made up of 39 letters, some of which make nearly the same sound. so confusing. We also began preparing to teach our investigator, Vasgen, the following day, in armenian. woah. I was made the senior companions and we met the branch presidency.
Friday: taught Vasgen...in armenian. I started laughing I was so nervous and then by the end I was in tears because it was so hard. We had a script made out and tried to follow it, but he just did not get it. bawled to our dear teacher, Brother White, and I think the poor man thinks me emotionally unstable, haha.
Saturday: NOT a special day here, just same old. class all day, teaching Vasgen again, but this time it went much better. Saw Brother and Sister Pugmire from home, on their way to Jamaica, so good to see them and they were awfully glad to see me. After we taught Vasgen, our whole district came to make sure that we were okay, they really are just the sweetest boys, i mean elders.
Sunday: great day. lots of meetings, but Relief society is as a whole mission of sisters, and Sister Burton, the R.S. general pres came a spoke to us, it was amazing, she spoke about letting your mission be your MTC for life. it was wonderful. Also we got to watch Music and the Spoken word and then movie night was a major highlight. I watched Joseph Smith and the Restoration-there is kissing in that show! haha but no popcorn, sadly.
Monday was my hardest so far. I was feeling so many emotions, anger at not getting the language, homesickness, and serious tiredness. Amidst all of that, the Spirit just spoke peace to my soul through the form of my dearest Olivia, whose mom had sent us both socks with kitties on them (gray for gladys). Such a relief to have good friends. I've seen so many friends here! People from classes, wards and even EFY! so cool!
Tuesday was good, taught a lesson with just a few notes and the memorization is really coming.
Wednesday, same story.
Time is running out! AHHHHHH. I am doing well, LOVING gym time. I have not yet gotten up early for the classes but I will soon and for now we get an hour a day to run or do elliptical, weights, etc, so that is nice. The food is pretty good, cannon center, standard fare. Let me just say before I go that I really have the best district! 9 elders and us 3, as well as the 3 elders going to our mission but speaking georgian. we have one aussie, Elder Sarafian, who also happens to be armenian and speaks it! But he is so great and LOVEs strictly ballroom! We also have one Brit, a lovely 18 year old named Elder Fagg. The rest of the elders are wonderful, I wish I could tell you all about them and I promise that I will soon! I love you all so much!!!! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
Keep the dear elders coming! I LOVe them!
Also mom, tell marygae that I saw elder thompson this morning
love love love!!!
Sister Claire Haynie
Comments
Post a Comment