Claire's Mission in Armenia: "you can catch a lot more flies with honey than you can with vinegar"
Dearest ones,
"You can catch a lot more flies with honey than with vinegar" Thank you Grandma Mirra, this proverb has seriously come in handy as we have been working with the members of our branch this week.
Perhaps I have mentioned Paitsar previously. She is 71, though she tells everyone she is 80, and has been a member longer than anyone else in our branch. She was always a bit of a scary prescence to me, never smiling and never having a kind word to say as I said hello before the start of Sacrament meeting. When I asked one of the elders who had served here longer than I about visiting her, he said that when he asked her to come over, she said there was nothing he could possibly teach her. oh dear. So I decided that I would use my sweet as honey tactics to see if I could calm the beast. So when I was in the awkward position of holding some unwanted flowers from Henrik last week, as church was ending and I saw Paitsar leaving, Sister B had a serious brainwave and said, "hurry, run and give her the flowers." perfect. So I dashed and gave then to her, and she actually smiled at me. Then later in the week, we thought we would try our luck and do a drop by visit to her and her husband, Sergik. We knocked on the door, (After accidently going one floor too far-most apartments don't have numbers on them- and the door was opened by a man in a tanktop and his undies, whoops.) So we knocked, they answered and invited us in, and we had a wonderful lesson, and there were my roses on the kitchen table, and Paitsar sitting on the couch with a smile on her face. Yesterday at Church, Paitsar didn't get into one fight and had a smile on her face the whole time. I have won a new friend. Never let a good thought go undone, the positive consequences may be more than you could ever imagine.
This week has been quite rewarding. One of our new members, Susanbar, who was baptised earlier this year and who we have been visiting and teaching the new member lessons to, invited her neighbor, Angel who is 12 to come to the baptism in our branch and then to church on sunday! It was amazing, she is such a smart girl who has already read the entire Gospel Principles manual, which Susanbar had loaned to her, and she just loves it. We still have yet to meet with her formally, but she has committed to be baptised on June 29 and we are so excited, to teach her and hopefully her entire family as well! Such a blessing! Angel was stuck to me like glue all day, it was so funny! But she loves what she has learned so far and we are so excited to help her learn more!
Side note. This week I drank one of the grossest things ever. So you know how salad dressing is really nice when its put on salad, but you would never in a million years pour yourself a big glass and gulp it down? Well Susambar, our lovely member, made us a lovely lunch one day and for the drink it was a nice mix of parsley, onion and fresh garlic, cucumber and basil, with watered down sourcream (matsoon) with salt. Yum yum. horrid horrid. Sis B and I looked at each other, picked up our glasses, and away we went. Barf. but I lived, and most of my tastebuds are still in working order. Armenian food is just so good! Just beware the salad dressing drink.
Our little investigator, Ani, has developed a new way of curling hair, its like rag curls, but with cut up old nylons, ( have i mentioned that no matter what they are wearing, all women where nylons everysingle day. so uncomfortable.) So anyways, she decided to do Sis B and my hair. Pictures to follow.
The days are getting hotter and hotter and I am developing a real nice farmers tan. wooohooo. The Papiks are in the parks and I just wish that Steve Clinger could speak Armenian, because there are a lot of bored papiks that could seriously use some good stories. I am no good at that kind of thing. One papik decided to take his stringed instrument (Some kind of violin small thing) and sang to all who would listen, by our apartment building, at 9 am last wednesday. it was a nice suprise in the middle of studying.
The adventures of missionary work are truly never ending. I am just loving every minute of this. The Lord is with His servants, He prepares the way for us, keeps us safe, and blesses us with joy even in the midst of trials. I love this work, because I can just feel myself becoming such a better me. Its not like I am no longer Claire Haynie, the girl who loves cats and dinosaurs and chocolate chips cookies, but all of the important things are way better. its amazing . I love all of you. I pray for you always.
xoxox your favorite armenian, sweeter than honey, sister claire margaret haynie.
ps. transfers are this week. we shall see what shall be. Also I got the BEST birthday postcard from my dearest Olivia this week. Cats and french. I don't think anything could be better.
"You can catch a lot more flies with honey than with vinegar" Thank you Grandma Mirra, this proverb has seriously come in handy as we have been working with the members of our branch this week.
Perhaps I have mentioned Paitsar previously. She is 71, though she tells everyone she is 80, and has been a member longer than anyone else in our branch. She was always a bit of a scary prescence to me, never smiling and never having a kind word to say as I said hello before the start of Sacrament meeting. When I asked one of the elders who had served here longer than I about visiting her, he said that when he asked her to come over, she said there was nothing he could possibly teach her. oh dear. So I decided that I would use my sweet as honey tactics to see if I could calm the beast. So when I was in the awkward position of holding some unwanted flowers from Henrik last week, as church was ending and I saw Paitsar leaving, Sister B had a serious brainwave and said, "hurry, run and give her the flowers." perfect. So I dashed and gave then to her, and she actually smiled at me. Then later in the week, we thought we would try our luck and do a drop by visit to her and her husband, Sergik. We knocked on the door, (After accidently going one floor too far-most apartments don't have numbers on them- and the door was opened by a man in a tanktop and his undies, whoops.) So we knocked, they answered and invited us in, and we had a wonderful lesson, and there were my roses on the kitchen table, and Paitsar sitting on the couch with a smile on her face. Yesterday at Church, Paitsar didn't get into one fight and had a smile on her face the whole time. I have won a new friend. Never let a good thought go undone, the positive consequences may be more than you could ever imagine.
This week has been quite rewarding. One of our new members, Susanbar, who was baptised earlier this year and who we have been visiting and teaching the new member lessons to, invited her neighbor, Angel who is 12 to come to the baptism in our branch and then to church on sunday! It was amazing, she is such a smart girl who has already read the entire Gospel Principles manual, which Susanbar had loaned to her, and she just loves it. We still have yet to meet with her formally, but she has committed to be baptised on June 29 and we are so excited, to teach her and hopefully her entire family as well! Such a blessing! Angel was stuck to me like glue all day, it was so funny! But she loves what she has learned so far and we are so excited to help her learn more!
Side note. This week I drank one of the grossest things ever. So you know how salad dressing is really nice when its put on salad, but you would never in a million years pour yourself a big glass and gulp it down? Well Susambar, our lovely member, made us a lovely lunch one day and for the drink it was a nice mix of parsley, onion and fresh garlic, cucumber and basil, with watered down sourcream (matsoon) with salt. Yum yum. horrid horrid. Sis B and I looked at each other, picked up our glasses, and away we went. Barf. but I lived, and most of my tastebuds are still in working order. Armenian food is just so good! Just beware the salad dressing drink.
Our little investigator, Ani, has developed a new way of curling hair, its like rag curls, but with cut up old nylons, ( have i mentioned that no matter what they are wearing, all women where nylons everysingle day. so uncomfortable.) So anyways, she decided to do Sis B and my hair. Pictures to follow.
The days are getting hotter and hotter and I am developing a real nice farmers tan. wooohooo. The Papiks are in the parks and I just wish that Steve Clinger could speak Armenian, because there are a lot of bored papiks that could seriously use some good stories. I am no good at that kind of thing. One papik decided to take his stringed instrument (Some kind of violin small thing) and sang to all who would listen, by our apartment building, at 9 am last wednesday. it was a nice suprise in the middle of studying.
The adventures of missionary work are truly never ending. I am just loving every minute of this. The Lord is with His servants, He prepares the way for us, keeps us safe, and blesses us with joy even in the midst of trials. I love this work, because I can just feel myself becoming such a better me. Its not like I am no longer Claire Haynie, the girl who loves cats and dinosaurs and chocolate chips cookies, but all of the important things are way better. its amazing . I love all of you. I pray for you always.
xoxox your favorite armenian, sweeter than honey, sister claire margaret haynie.
ps. transfers are this week. we shall see what shall be. Also I got the BEST birthday postcard from my dearest Olivia this week. Cats and french. I don't think anything could be better.
I love seeing images of you amidst your new life in Armenia. You look so happy and beautiful! Thank you for keeping us posted here...such a treat.
ReplyDeleteI would love your current address. Kids want to send notes. When you have access to email again, would you mind sending it to me? stephanie.brubaker@gmail.com.
Thanks Claire! xo