A whole lot of snow

This week was not very eventful at all. We had to say good bye to everyone in Alaverdi because this week 

we are going to transfer. I will be going to a new area called Ajapnyak. It is in Yerevan and I am super 

excited to go into the city. I have been in the north my whole mission and now it is time to go south. 

We will be white washing the area which means we will both be knew to the area. I am super excited 

to turn the area around. From what I have heard it is a hard area, but I want to try and go in with no 

prior thoughts about the area. I have heard that it is super hard because of the size of our mission, but 

I will have to see.

Other than that there has been a ton of snow in Alaverdi. I think there has been 10 inches this past week 

and we have been wearing our boots everywhere. Other than that I do not have that much to say, but I 

am going to miss the Alaverdi group a ton and I loved it there so much. In my last week I gave a talk 

about faith, repentance, and loving Christ. Basically I was talking about faith and repentance and that 

if you love Christ you will repent and exercise your faith. So just think to yourself if you really love the 

Lord or not because if you do you will repent and you will exercise your faith. That is basically what I 

talked about this week in sacrament this week! 

I love you guys a lot and have an amazing week. There will be a longer letter next week

Elder Sproul 

Miracles on Miracles

This week there were two main miracles that stood out to us. So we were in a meeting and we were about to go down to this one meeting when an old investigator ended up giving us a call. We did not know what to expect, but he told us that he wanted to meet with us so we set up a meeting for an hour later. This guy is someone that has been jumping around from church to church and has definitely been prepared to meet with us. So as you know the main problem in Armenia is either 1) They smoke and drink or 2) They do not have a marriage license. This guy that we meet with does not drink, but does smoke. He has the desire to quit and that is all we need. So we were able to meet with him a little bit and talk to him about God. We told him that God sent us there to help him quit smoking. We gave him the plan of taking one cigarette each day and putting it in the trash so on the first day 1 and on the second day 2 and little by little he will be done smoking. We just have to wait and see where this guy goes, but he is definitely someone that could help out branch out a ton and has a ton of potential. 

Then the second miracle that I saw this week was when we were going up to a village about 10 minutes from where we live. That night one of my companions, Elder Ebbert called a random number that was in the phone which said that they lived in that place to see if they wanted to meet.  To our surprise, they told us that they wanted to meet. So the next day we went up to the village and he was waiting for us to show us where he lived in the village and that does not normally happen so that was a shock right there. Then after that we went into the house and there was a family of about 12 people. Some of them were kids and some of them were adults and grandmas. All different assortments of ages, but when we went in I was at ease and knew that the meeting was going to go well. They listened to our message attentively and accepted the invitation to read the Book of Mormon, but besides that it was something that Elder Webb said this week that really struck me. Our message is about Christ and his name is on our chest so we need to act like it. I mean in the lessons we spend a lot of time talking about Joseph Smith and that is important, but I just think that sometimes we forget the importance of teaching Christ's life. Just a thought that I had this week that we should just not forget the importance of His life and everything that He has done for us because after all it is everything and without Him there is no point to come to this earth. 

So there were more miracles that happened this week and there are miracles in your life all you have to do is reflect on your day and realize that that could not have been from the doings of you. Everything happens for a reason and look back on your day everyday when you get ready for bed at night think about your day and write down those miracles that you say and then you will begin to realize the Lord in your life a ton more. I promise that if you do this the Lord will give you more miracles to write down and you will be overall just more happy. I know this because I have done it and it has worked for me. So try it and you will see it work in your life I love you guys so much and have an amazing week!

Elder Sproul

It's all about the dash

This week I have realized how much change has been in our area in the past 10 weeks. When we got into the area it was completely different than what it is today. Which is pretty crazy how the area can change that quickly. This last Sunday was a blessing from the Lord and there is no other explanation to it. We set a goal to have 30 people in church this past week and we were doing everything to reach that goal. When we got to church we were not well, at least I was not feeling that confident that we would hit this goal. Then when church was about 15 minutes to starting we had out investigators come who just came back from a village and a super less active who was visiting her mom. If these people did not come we would not have hit our goal of having 30 people in sacrament meeting. It really is crazy how the hand of the Lord is working in our lives everyday. It was not that we did anything special either, I think sometimes it is overlooked that you do not have to do anything overly special to receive the Lord's blessings. I think just doing the basic things being obedient and asking for him to bless you will help you much more than people think. Missionary work, when you break down really is not that hard. Just make sure that you are trying your best and at that time the Lord will bless you. So this week I did learn the importance of goals. I still need to improve looking at my goals a little more, but goals are super important and they show the Lord how you are going to take care of His children this week. 

So usually I would not see the Lord's hand in my life like this, but these past couple weeks I have been keeping a miracle journal and writing in my normal journal of course. So it has been easier to see the Lord's hand in my life. I have been thinking about the future generations to come. The only way that they are going to remember who I was is through these journals. On your grave you will have two dates and a dash in between those two dates and it is about that dash. The only way that people are going to remember me or you is through journal keeping. It has been really nice keeping a journal and it definitely helps me to see the Lord. So if you are not keeping a journal try and keep one. It will help you a ton! I love you so much and have a good week and always remember that it is about that dash and what do you want people to remember you by! 

Elder Sproul

A new week

So this week I couldn't think of one thing that stood out from the next thing, but I just wanted to talk about 

this lesson that I had about the recent convert about the plan of salvation. This week was her fathers 7 year 

mark of him dying and we were not even going over to her house on that day, but some plans fell through 

and by the grace of God we made our way over there. Right as we stepped in the room we could tell that 

there was a different atmosphere in the room. We just wanted her to know that her father was in a better 

place. During the lesson, I was able to share some stories about Grandpa Vern and how he suffered for those 

3 years and that I was in fact praying that he could pass away so that he could go to a better place. I just do 

not want anyone to have to suffer through that pain that he went through. Using a personal experience is the 

most important part of the lesson. When you use them you connect with the person and they relate their 

problems with yours. Just always remember that when we die we go to a better place! It makes you seem 

like a real person and that you have problems too. I learned that from Glen Carlson and Mark Webster. 

They are really amazing people. 

Other than that it was Christmas here for all of the Armenians on the 6th and I can say that I enjoy Christmas 

a lot more in the United States than here. I feel like they do not even celebrate it even close to how we do it 

America. They just have a dinner and it just did not feel like they were in the Christmas season as much as 

they get into it in America. I just like it better at home maybe I don't know.

This week was not very eventful and that is basically what happened. I love you so much and have an amazing 

week. Everyday remember to repent and turn close to the Lord. He will always be there for you with every trial! 

If you really think about it that is our goal on this life to always improve! 

Elder Sproul

Happy New Year

This week has been one of the harder weeks on my mission, not in terms of being home sick or anything, but in terms of missionary work. So in Armenia the biggest holiday of the year would definitely have to be the new year for sure. The holiday season goes from New Year's Day to the 6th of January is their Christmas. After the new year on the first every house you go into has a giant table set up with food. They make it for Christmas. Basically they celebrate from the 1st until the 6th. That's what I have heard; this is my first new year in Armenia after all. So yesterday after church literally everyone invited us over so that we could eat at their houses. We went to 6 houses last night and ate and every single one of them. When it came to the end of the night we were super full. I think this is the first time that I have complained about there being too much food. Like give me a break and do not make me eat so much. The trick that we like to do when we are at the table is to have a piece of bread in your hand so that it appears that you are eating and just eat super slow. So there will be more of an update on this as the week goes on and I find out more.  

This week was one of the coolest experiences. We got to go to an orphanage to give presents to children there. We went to this Christmas party in Yerevan where all the missionaries got together and celebrated our Christ's birth. They all had us bring a gift for the Orphanage. It was super cool because we all walked to the disabled Orphanage in our Santa hats and when we got there we could really tell that they were super happy to see us and that they do not get a ton. It was really nice to go there because we were able to bring them happiness that they do not normally get. I mean how hard would it be to be handicapped and an orphan. I just want them to know that God loves them and I hope that we were able to bring that to them. So I loved going there and something that I want to do when I get back. 

It was a pretty good week and I love you all a lot. Do not just remember Christ during this Christmas season, but always remember him and what he has done for us. I love you all so much and have an amazing week. 

Elder Sproul