The Tales of Elder Moore's LDS Armenian Mission: Heating Up

Dear Family and Friends,

Transfer time. Tuesday night President called us and informed Elder Marco and me that we'd both be leaving Charentsavan. Elder Marco went to Yerevan, and I am now reopening Artashat- there haven't been elders there for about 2 1/2 years now, but there's been sisters there. More explanation to follow. Anyway that's how it all shook out. We were sad to leave Char, but both ready. Ideally I wanted to stay another 6 weeks but I was excited to reopen Artashat, and I've already felt that it was supposed to work out this way. Char is in the hands of two very capable missionaries so Im excited for them.

So Artashat- first things first, we dont live there. I think the decision we would go there was made late so they couldnt find an apartment in time, so we live with the sisters. Hopefully everyone knows immediately thats a joke and would never happen. We're living in Shengavit, which is an area in Yerevan that got closed.Artsahat is about 40 min south of Yerevan. We take a metro and sit a marshutni (passenger van) and it takes about an hour to get from place to place. Its been annoying traveling 2 hours a day, and its hard during the day when we dont have any place to go to take meals and sit down, but they said we should be in by Wednesday,so we're hopeful.We randomly met our landlord yesterday and got to see the place, it is TINYYY. Super small. We're a little unhappy, but theres nothing to be done about it.

Anyway like i said its about 40 min south of yerevan, its as far south as the mission goes right now, and closest to Iran! still plenty far though. Ararat takes up a good third of the skyline whenever you look east- you'll never see it clearer then you will from here. Ill send a pic but its just hard to describe how large the mountain is- i know its tall but certainly no everest, but its huge size wise. if you look at a map and see how far it actually is in Turkey, and then look at where Char is, and then realize on a clear day you can see it from Char and its still big, that might help.

Being the farthest south means were also the hottesstt and dang its hot. we're melting. esp with no home and starting fresh,so not much to do besides walk around and get to know the city, we're dying.

now all the imperfections aside, we're stoked to be here.Artashat is one of the 5 branches that became a ward when we became a stake and its the clear strongest ward in Armenia. Elder Minasyan, an area 70 lives here, we have a former branch president thats an amazing member, a full bishopric, and elders quorum presidency of all good men. we're really really excited, church went well yesterday. and the ward is really excited to have elders again, so we're stoked to get working and try to keep adding to the priesthood here.

im serving with Elder Chojnacki- super good missionary. he's starting his final 6 months but he's really excited to be here and we're excited to work together.

thats basically all the news there is. like i said we havent been able to do much yet, but we did meet a man saturday that came to church sunday for a half hour before he had to leave. sunday we ate dinner with elder minasyan and tied all his ties- i think even if an armenian man became the prophet he still wouldnt learn how. idk what it is.

anyway im tired, but excited to be here, excited about the trust pres carlson has put in me to help reopen an area, excited for the new district- two of them are from my group, good friends, and theres also a new sister being trained in Artashat. its funny to look back 5 months and realize how little i spoke and understood. plus when you live this far south you're allowed to visit the crazy cool old armenian churches,so thatll be exciting.

anyway i hope everyone has a good week. this one's been a stressful one for me,but im trying to embrace radical change, and the feeling of being overwhelmed and just getting stuff done.

love you all

Elder Moore

ararat! from drive into Shat

elder shields and me- my group member, now in my district

elder marco, elder kopsa and me (theyre now my zone leaders)

oh and that first one is me pulling off horovats (barbeque) at our ward party- we got to Artashat the day before the annual ward bash,so that was awesome