Dear Loved Ones,
When you first get to the MTC your badge has a nice bright orange sticker on it that says youre new. this is so leaders will take it easy on you incase you arent used to some of the rules. but what happens instead is all the missionaries that think theyre hot stuff after learning 2 weeks of spanish greet you with a "hola, bienvenudos MTC blah blah" literally like 400 people probably greet you. anyway I have determined that they need to give you a blue or purple or whatever sticker after youve been here 2 months- not to demand respect, just to offer a warning. I've been here too long. Im very tired of this place and very excited to leave. if you annoy the crap out of me, there will be violence. just a warning sticker.
Anyway this week was pretty slow but now that its over, not too bad. typical. the teachers said theyve taught us all the big stuff (tenses, moods, cases, etc) and now its mostly review, a few small things we'll forget anyway, and teaching investifakers. we taught the Word of Wisdom for the first time last week. didnt go well haha. apparently everyone and their uncle in Armenia smokes. except the women, its very shameful. so naturally our female investifaker was the one woman in Armenia who smokes. and drinks. and loves tea and coffee. but those problems are worldwide. i just hate when people in my district try to say that you shouldnt need a reason to keep it other than its a commandment and you love God. true, sure. but we're talking about people who have basically built an addiction, have no work, and pretty bum lives. its hard for anyone to keep the right perspective and keep commandments, its probly super hard for them. but if you explain the doctrine behind it, not just obedience for obedience's sake, they might be more likely.
second thing that annoys me- when people (investifakers who are based off real people, or people at home, or me a year ago) say they arent living exactly how they should because they arent sure if its true. THATS WHEN YOU NEED TO LIVE HOW YOU SHOULD. My fav scripture this week in John 7:17- if any man will do His will, he will know whether it be of God or whether I speak of it myself. You arent sure the church/ this commandment is true. thats great. how do you expect to find out if you dont put it to the test? sheesh. and the problem is people assume the test is just a quick prayer at night. everyone that taught the WoW this week heard "well I'm not going to give it up, but I'll pray about it and then maybe if I find out its from God" Chances are God isnt going to give you your answer by showing up and telling you, or even putting a voice in your head. He's going to answer you when you live it and then realize the blessings that show up in your life. True for any principle, and the church as a whole. Im confident at least. just a quick rant to make everyone annoyed that I am becoming that preachy missionary.
got letters from jed, sarah kemer, lauren, Chris, and Leslie. Hoping I can get responses all out today. I also got the boots- they are awesome. SOOO warm. and just the perfect size thankfully. Im stoked to use em. I got the memory book from Sis Anderson. that was really great. super super great. and i got the eagle scout watch! ah i love it. its perfect. i also got aunt kat's package- idk how no one has never thought of putting mint chips into choc chip cookies. or maybe thats always been a thing and no one ever told me. they are amazing though. they got devoured by my district everyone loved them. i really loved the applesauce too. and thanks for more mac and cheese, i think i have as many as I want now.
Haha Tyler sent me JDawgs- I was craving it. He can tell you the story. but basically he sent it sat and I didnt get it till wednesday hahaha. but i thought itd been sent tues so heck yeah i ate it. shared it too. the initial results of eating a 4 day old hot dog are promising- just the normal result any hot dog brings. but we'll see if we have ebola or zombie disease or something. i also got his cds, they look awesome.
What else. tomorrow we're supposed to get flight plans. Im stoked and nervous. our teachers have been telling us that everyone gets visas there, the last groups have had 0 problems, etc etc. but thats what the Swedish and Norwegian missionaries currently here also heard- only 10 of the 40 swedes got visas, and like 3 or the 12 norways. that doesnt mean i think we'll get rejected, just that i wont be sure until we have them.
my mission home address-
Elder Jeremy Moore
Armenia Yerevan Mission
Vratsakan #5
0051 Yerevan
That should go in the church program thingy soon. Im set to leave March 18th, which is a monday, and itll probly be at like 4am, so make sure people are aware if they want to send dearelder, FRIDAY before will be the last day. cause they dont print on weekends.
Anyway everything else is going pretty well here. Im still sticking to my goal to finish the BoM before i leave (i started when i got here but havent pushed it hard enough) so now its up to like 20 pages a day but im keeping it so far. Its actually more cause I want to be done before I go to the temple the last time next thurs. so we'll see. I also have made a new goal to have 15 verses of scripture memorized in Arm before leaving- they had us all do the first vision and james 1:5. I did Moroni 10 4 and 5 on my own, but now im gunna push it into overdrive. moses 1 39 and Alma 32 21 were both really easy. 2Ne 2 25 was a joke. john 3 16 and 17 was a little tougher. I also want amos 3:7, john 7 17, 1cor 15 21-22, and mosiah 3:19- thats gunna be a toughie. that'll be 15 verses though i think. maybe i counted wrong.
I did get the girls dearelders:
Lanie- is Livi actually getting better? what about chasing cars/people/ running up the street looking for friends? she's cray. i hope she isnt mellowed when i get home. tell linus to be good and happy. make sure you show them pictures of me all the time. hows HP legos going?
Alex- study harddd for the SAT. its a toughie. you can do it though, its in your blood to be a genius :P
Last thoughts- politics has actually wormed its way into the MTC. just barely. with Obamacare, if our teachers work more than 20 hrs a week then theyre legally required to get extra benefits- so the MTC will just fire them. happening all over the place im sure. but basically on fridays and saturdays sometimes our teachers have to sprint to time out. starts up some heated conversations every now and then. the only other thing was some elder told me that since Obama had been encouraging people to take their money out of Swiss banks, Switzerland was rejecting all US visas. Dont know if its true, but he said 0 US missionaries were making it there. thanks dude.
Anyway I love you all. Like i said we're supposed to find out tomorrow about travel plans. if we dont get visas and were here another week or 2 to wait then ill probably sneak online and tell you. if not i'll just tell you about our flight sched and when i'll call next thurs.
Astvats zez het,
Jerm
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