This week was another good one and things have been improving a lot! We are still having some trouble setting some baptismal dates, but we have been successful in finding a lot more people. A lot of them our flaky because they were found tracting, but it does feel good to get out and about. We have been working super hard to find and so we have been trying to knock a lot of doors.
Normally I hate tracting, but the people in this area are actually pretty nice. We did meet a new part member family in the ward named the Aguilera’s. Richard is less active but wants to come back and his fiancé Valerie is not a member. They have a little baby girl and I think that’s most of the reason why he wants to get back into the swing of things.
Last Thursday we taught the restoration to the family and Richard mostly understands it, but I think he really wants to get Valerie involved and we do too. The lesson went really well and Valerie said she will think about baptism when we left the commitment. They didn’t make it to church yesterday, but we still have some high hopes for their family. Things are going really well and I’m excited to keep working in this area! I hope you all have a great week!
Pics: Markerit was baptized! I worked with her in Glendale and she has an amazing story! I will post it here. She doesn’t speak a lick of English so it was super awesome teaching her with Elder Hansen and just proves the need for Armenian work.
(Told by Elder Hansen)
This is Markerit!
Markerit first met the missionaries over 3 years ago when they knocked on her door. She let them in because her husband Andranik had had a dream involving the missionaries coming before he even knew who they were. They were both taught for a couple months but due to health problems, unsupportive family, and cultural pressures they decided to stop meeting with the missionaries.
Elder Michael Stucki and I met Markerit in November at her house. We learned that her husband had passed away about a year earlier. She invited us back, and so with Elder Jase Jensen we began teaching her again. From the beginning she soaked it all in like a sponge. She understood everything we taught her and was preparing for baptism, her only challenge was coming to church.
In January Elder Colby Ebert and Elder Tate McAllister joined in teaching her. She still had yet to come to church, and we were worried that she wouldn't be willing to keep that commitment. Then just a few days later, she shared with us that she had received her answer. She had a dream where her husband spoke with her from the other side of the veil, and told her that she needed to be baptized a member of this church.
Markerit hasn't missed a week of church since this experience. She was baptized last Sunday and confirmed today. She is an inspiring example of following the will of the Lord, and seeking for truth. She calls us almost every day with questions about her scripture study and is excited to have the ordinance of baptism be performed for her husband in the temple.
