MIDDLE EAST ROAD TRIP

Hey Everyone!

Because of the economic pressure, Armenia was forced to lift their national quarantine about two weeks ago. Since then, the situation here has gotten a lot worse and now there is speculation that they will start to enforce a stay-at-home order again. Either way, us missionaries will probably be hunkered in until July at the earliest. Crazy times! Elder Van Gijsel and I are now the mission secretaries so this week we had to close a lot of the apartments because of how few missionaries are still in the country. It was actually awesome. On Thursday we took a trip with Sister Picard and the APs down to the far south of Armenia, right next to the Turkey and Iran border. The city is called Ararat because of how close it is to the famous Mount Ararat (pictured below). Even though we had to clean cockroaches out of the bathrooms, it was the first time we've done anything outside in two months so I felt on top of the world. It was sweet to see such a beautiful part of the country!

Some Highlights:

•Teaching our Dutch friends

•Making Grandma's crepes

•Playing a lot of guitar jazz music

•Diving into family history work

SPIRITUAL THOUGHT

We will all need healing in our lives. Even the greatest among us, Jesus Christ, experienced betrayal, abandonment, heartbreak, and physical pain as part of His life on Earth. The most important thing to remember is that healing isn't a destination, it's a process. It takes time. In Japan, broken antiques are often repaired with a gold sealant. The flaw is seen as a unique piece of the object's history, adding to its beauty. Think about this the next time you feel broken. Because of the grace of Jesus Christ, eventually those cracks in our lives are going to be filled. It takes time and energy and struggle, but healing teaches us. No matter how bad you may think they are, those cracks are never going to belittle your worth in the eyes of God. In fact, you will reach a point when the blessings of healing will only attribute to your beauty and uniqueness of self. When you feel you are alone, shut down in fear or broken, find the courage to pray. I promise those prayers will be heard and help will come.

Elder Brennan Larsen

Vratsakan # 5

0051 Yerevan

Armenia