I know this is kind of long, but I didn't have the heart to cut anything out. This is the first email we've received from my cousin since he touched ground in Armenia. It's letters like this that really open my eyes to the world we fail to remember on a daily basis. I love him and his brother, who is also serving a mission at this time. I'm so grateful for their decisions to serve.
I know the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only path that leads to true happiness. I wish I could serve a mission and proclaim this to the world. One day I will understand why God wants me here--in lil' old Provo, Winter of 2009--I know he has a purpose for my life.
what up
after 3 days of traveling i finally made it to armenia. we got in at about 2 am, then went over and slept at the mission presidents house. we got up at 630, ate breakfast, and then interviewed real quick with the president and were assigned where we would serve. we had a quick orientation with the ap's, and then went over to the spot where the armenia mission was dedicated by elder oaks. We read the dedicatory prayer and had a chance to look out across yerevan and mount arat and ponder. it was a cool experience. after that we headed to the "genocide" museum and learned more about it. Arenia has been through so much, from the genocide to the soviet power .I definitely admire them for the courage and strength to be still standing. After that, we cruised over to the mission office, where a taxi was waiting for me. Without warning, I was told "good bye elder lusk, have fun in Alaverdi." I got in and sped off. Alaverdi is basically the most northern place in Armenia. It sits on top of a mountain and is located on a plateau that overlooks a canyon. To get to the village, you take this chair lift thing ( it is like a really old, rickety Gondola), and it takes you up. It was about a 4 hour ride to get there. We stopped in Vanazor, which was about three hours away. to pick up my new companion, elder gull. He is from orem and is way legit. we are a lot alike so it works out well. Anyways, we finally got to Alaverdi, hopped out, and rode the lift thing up to our village. I thought I had prepared as well as I could for a culture shock, but I dont think it was possible to prepare for what came. I guess my mind didn't really know that something like this existed, so preparing for it was basically impossible. It felt like something out of a movie, like a really old russian town or something. I had a bunch of pictures but i brought the wrong cord so i'll get them to you next week. its a very beautiful town; lots of trees that in fall colors, and a river that runs at the bottom of the canyon beneath our village. theres basically just a bunch of apartment looking things that just look unfinished. theres a few houses that just look like old cottages. people also live in these things that are made out of sheet metal, and they are about as big as an average bedroom. We get water for about 30 min in the morning and at night (on a good day9<:), and as for the toilets there isn't any flushing going on. you do your thang and then grab a bucket of water and pour it in to flush it out. our shower(if you can call it that)is pretty interesting to. ill get the pic of it sent next week....
well anyways, its been good so far. my first night in alaverdi we had 3 appointments set up. i couldn't understand to much, but i got the main ideas of what everyone was saying. our last meeting was at a ward members apartment, and we were meeting with her nephew. this ward member is very strong and has an unbelievable testimony. before this area was opened up 2 years ago, she has a dream that to missionaries is suits came to her house and taught her about jesus christ. when the two missionaries got there, one of which was my mtc teacher, she recognized them and recognized the names from her dream, and she was the first person baptized there. well, we were teaching her nephew about faith and about the commandments. he had already met with the missionaries before and knew about what we were talking about. i didn't speak much, but at the end i just decided to bear my testimony. i told him that i didnt know much armenian, but that god loved him very much and asked me to come to his house to bring him this special message. i said that the message i had would change his life, that it was the message of salvation, and that he had a savior who would take all his burdens. i talked about god's plan for him and said that the gospel has been restored and god has called missionaries to proclaim it. And last i told him that i knew without a doubt that this church was the only true church on the face of the earth, and that god wanted him to be baptized. That night, we set a baptismal date for Arsen. Yesterday, we went to church and watched gen. conference. the church is a room underneath the town hall, which you have to take the lift down from where we are to get to. we have about 40 members, although only about 20 come because the others can't afford to take the lift down, which costs 80 dram, which is about 20 cents. I told elder gull to get ahold of the members and tell them that anyone that wanted to come to church from now on i would pay for their lift down, so hopefully we'll get some more people. we have one melchezedeck priesthood holder who is the branch president. elder gull is his counselor and i am the other counselor/clerk. we have two aaronic priesthood holders, two boys that are 12 and 13. they pass the sacrament for us each week. luckily yesterday was gen conf day, so i didnt have to talk or teach, but every sunday me and elder gull wil give the talks and teach sunday school. After church, we met with an investigator there, and then went home for lunch. We had 4 appointments set up for that night so we got on that after lunch. One of the appointments was with a man named Artur. Again I couldn't say much, but I helped my companion teach him about the restoration and the book of mormon. I felt myself going back to one thing again, and that was my testimony. I bore him my testimony and again said that God has called me to proclaim this message to anyone that would hear and be willing to follow Jesus Christ. That night, we set a baptisimal date for Artur. Tonight, we are going to teach him about that commandments and the word of wisdom, because he is a heavy smoker like most people in armenia. I am confident that if he turns to the savior the smoking wont be a problem anymore.
anyways, the work here is good. im in a town where the church is brand new, so we are building it up just as they did in the early church. i have been touched by how humble and nice the people are. they really have nothing at all. more nothing than i thought existed. yet, they will give you everything they have. i think everyone just has one pair of clothes, and the kids basically look abandoned and dirty. the children are awesome, they love the missionaries. one of the 12 year old boys with the aaronic priesthood likes to follow us around with his flashlight, to give us light and carry our bags. he wants to serve a mission after the army(everyone is required to give service to the army for like 3 years when they are 18). hes legit. i like talking to him because i dont feel bad when i screw up.
i am so grateful for everything i have and for this gospel. it is the light in a world of complete darkness. it amazes me of how much God loves each individual and knows each of us better than we know ourselves. last night, we taught a lot of the children about Jesus Christ. As all the kids swarmed me and at on my lap, everyone completely covered in dirt and with shoes, I for the first time in my life felt like the Savior. I could care less about how dirty the kids were, or where I was, but I unconditionally loved each one. I showed them pictures of Jesus and told them that Jesus loved them very much. To see each of their faces light up made my day. This gospel is all about love, it is what Jesus Christ lived and died for, and it is what He taught. I have already fell in love with the people here, and am so excited to have this opportunity to serve my God and King. Service is happiness, and I am grateful to fulfill the prophecy Christ that says "the gospel will be taken to every creature..."
love you all,
elder jordan lusk
Beautiful Beach
Erin R., Brittney G., Brooke G., Me
Erin R., Brittney G., Brooke G., Me
Brittney G., Me, Brooke G.
Dangerous rocks
Erin's friend Kevin caught a fish spearfishing
Showing of his Halibut--just before wiping
Beautiful sunsets
