Looking at yourself

This week I wanted to talk about something that I learned. It is very basic but it will change my life forever and will probably change yours. This is something that I already knew about, but just really hit me this week. As you know the church in Armenia is nothing like the church in America and it will not be like America for some time. In my opinion it will not be like the church I grew up with until we have at least 2 or 3 generations in the church and at that point we will start to see its progress. I learned this week that I really need to look at myself. Not one person on this planet is someone that is perfect and we are all so quick to judge. So when I think about saying oh that person is weird or why is he doing that I just need to look at my self and realize that I am not perfect and neither is he. We should not be so quick to judge because we have no clue what that person has been through. So yeah basically I learned to not judge and look for the good before you judge because you can find good in everyone. Sometimes you have to dig a deeper to find it but it is always there. I want to change and look for all the good things Armenians do instead of the bad things. 

We had branch conference this week and I got to translate for the mission president. It was not the easiest thing because it was my first time ever translating, but once I got to second hour it was a whole lot easier. I was a little nervous because it was my first time and I was translating for the mission president. That was my week and I just wanted to invite all of you to remember that no one is perfect and that we will have a lot easier life if we see all of the good things that everyone else is doing instead of the bad. So if you were like me and were seeing a lot of the bad things stop it and look for the good. So I love all of you and have a good week!

Elder Sproul

Getting to know my area

So this week I actually got to know the area a little bit. I basically know where some things are in my area now, 

but by no means do I know where everything is in my area. I just can find it if the person tells me their address 

basically. 

So this week I found out the reason why an area gets white washed. This week we went to see someone who 

the previous elders told us was not ready to meet with us and would not change at all. I did not want to go 

into the transfer listening to anything that I have heard about the area before. I wanted to go into the area 

without knowing anything and just trying to change this area. So we went to this guys house that "wouldn't 

change." This guy was the old Bishop before the stake fell just to get a little background on who we are 

meeting with. In the past people have gone in calling him to repentance, but we just took a totally different 

approach. We went in trying to show him that we care about him and make sure that we are friends with him 

first. People tend to change when you know that they care about you and a lot of the time they will not 

change if you just shove scriptures down their throat. He knows that he needs to change. I mean he was 

the old Bishop after all. He just needs a friend and feel that he matters. So I think that is why we are 

whitewashing the area so that I can meet people like this. In the end people don't care about how much 

you know until they know how much you care. 

So other than that the week was pretty normal and thank you for your prayers. They really do help and I hope 

you do not think for a second that they do not. It helps a lot and having God there with you helps you get 

through the week so much better. If you remember Alma the younger saw an angel all because of the 

faith of his father. So he became a prophet because of the faith of his father so remember this story that 

your prayers are always being heard when you are praying for others. 

I love all you guys so much and have an amazing week!

Elder Sproul 

A new area and a lot to learn

So this week was transfer week and as you already know I am in a new area and my new area is Ajapnyak. I was super excited to get to come here. Getting here has made me realize that it is more difficult than I expected. Not to say that it is hard, but when you get put in a place that you do not know at all and you have to find everything for yourself it just takes longer and it a little more difficult. I know that I am supposed to be here for a reason, but I just have not found that out yet. So that will be my goal this transfer to figure out why I was put in this area at this time and what help I can be for the branch.

In church this Sunday, we had about 34 people come to church, which is pretty good for this branch and the time of the year. I am just excited to work with all of the less actives and the part member families. There are a lot of good members here that could come back, but they just got forgotten and just need to be shown a little love. I think that is why a lot of people go less active because they stop feeling the love of the branch or the love of the Savior in their lives. These two things are very important even though some people should not have to be visited or served or what ever the whatever is to come to church. sometimes it is just nice to be loved by someone. How nice have you felt when you got some cookies from someone or someone has done something nice for you. This week I want to invite all of you to do something nice for someone that you do not talk to that much. How nice would it be to have someone in the ward as a new friend? I just wish I would have done that when I was at home and I have seen how much it helps here. Showing your love for someone can go a long way. I encourage you to do that this week! Our goal is to have 55 people coming to church by the end of the transfer so i will keep you updated on that throughout the weeks to come. 

I do not know this area that well but it is coming and everything that I do know about this area I love a lot and it will only get better. One thing that I really have liked is being able to serve in the city. It is way different than Vanadzor or Alaverdi and is a lot more fast paced and a lot more people work. So yeah I like it. I love all of you and have an amazing week!

Elder Sproul