Back to Armenia #15 Christmas 2010

It was so pleasant last week as I wandered over to work…to watch the street sweeper (a woman dressed in blue armed with a broom) as she tried to clear the streets of recently fallen leaves. They are now almost gone and with the rain of Sunday (December 12^th), the winter season may be on its way. The next sight I observed was a woman and her little boy walking down the street. He had clutched in his hand a small car…and if he’s anything like my grandsons, probably his favorite toy. A little bit of nostalgia was felt as I thought about our grandchildren. We love to be able to Skype with them to feel their personalities coming through and see their growth as they get older.

Sunday, the 12^th, we were able to return to Ararat for a visit. We drove down with President and Sister Carter and about 8 other people. I think we must have looked a little bit like one of the marchutka’s going down the road. Ruben asked Zaven to bring a couple of chairs and we were curious as to why, but then he put them in the luggage area of the van and two people sat there. Too funny!

It was wonderful to see and give hugs and kisses to the people in Ararat. We missed not seeing LaLa and Marietta, but there were some new faces and more men, so was a good Sunday. We were able to come home and enjoy a more American style dinner (pot roast, potatoes, carrots and gravy) and even shared some with a couple of missionaries. One of them has only been here a few weeks, so he literally “wolfed” it down…a taste of home, not long past.

Our home away from home is decorated with a small tree and a bunch of lights, so we’re hoping this gets us more into the Christmas spirit.  It was our turn for Family Home Evening with the other couples on Monday (13^th) so we invited them over for butternut squash soup and fresh bread (from the bakery, not by my hand). As part of the evening, Elder Peterson read from 3^rd Nephi  in the Book of Mormon,  and shared those scriptures relating to the Saviors birth (I really love 3 Nephi 1:13-14.”Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfil all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets….behold, the time is at hand, and this night shall the sign be given.”) We all then shared our memories of Christmas as children and also with our own families. 

Elder Peterson asked me what I wanted for Christmas and inasmuch as the washer had quit working and the vacuum was useless without a bag. So, that is what I said I wanted…sort of like the clean house I always asked for in years past. Well, Christmas came early as our young branch president, Narek, took a look at the washer, made the repair in very short order and then went shopping and FOUND disposable vacuum bags.  It helps that he is Armenian and knows where to look in the city to find needed items.  So, we’re in good shape for Christmas. 

Zara, Santa and Tatev at YSA Party

3-D Snowflakes decorating YSA Party

YSA from Georgia

 

The week of Christmas was definitely a week of celebration. All of the activities we did, as well as being fun, also included some of the spiritual side of Christmas which helped us to focus on the real reason we celebrate Christ’s birth…the marvelous gift that he would later give us, his atonement and resurrection, which will enable all of us, if we endure to the end, to be with Him again.

On the 23^rd, the Young Single Adults had their Christmas celebration. The YSA’s did a great job of planning and preparing and we helped where we could. They organized the program to first have a devotional and talked of Christ and spiritual things, and then they shared their talents, played games, had a visit from Santa, ate delicious food (prepared by YSA leadership), and even found time for some dancing. We had youth from every branch, I think, including a couple who made the long trip from Georgia. As is the custom, it was a rather long party. We started around noon and finally ended around 7 p.m. The nice thing was that we didn’t have a lot of decorations to take down as the next activities we were involved with asked to use them…so just some dishes and some vacuuming. The other senior couples were so great to help…they are people who know how to organize and get things done in quick order.

Elder Jonas and Stutz, white elephants

President Carter and his "prize" to be used at MP Seminar

Good Balance, Elder

 

Seniors share their talents in Armenian

The 24^th was the South Zone Conference and another wonderful event. We first feasted spiritually and then had a lot of good food prepared by all the missionaries (both old and young). Games and a white elephant exchange added to the fun. The elders also shared their talents and we all loved the “chipmunk Christmas “ song. Sister Ferguson is one of the best chipmunks I’ve  seen. This was only a 5 hour party, but then we headed to the Institute for movie and dance night…only for a change we didn’t dance, just watched movies and shared treats.

Elder and Sister VanDyke

Aram and Elder Zebley

The 25^th was a time for the senior missionaries to gather at the mission home where President and Sister Carter prepared a delicious turkey for us. The other seniors shared things from home (across the water), so we even had pumpkin pie, cranberries, and  delicious fudge (by you know who). Some talents were shared, Christmas carols sung; we even decorated gingerbread houses. We then departed for an even greater experience. Three recent converts chose this day to be baptized (one from our branch)…so yet another opportunity to feel the spirit. Right after that, we had been invited to attend a branch activity. The missionaries had worked really hard with the branch members to have an activity focused on Christ. The chapel was filled with pictures of Christ illustrating all of the many ways he served and loved the people. Video presentations interspersed with music and talks from members dressed as people from earlier Bible times, helped us to love and appreciate our Savior more and understand the real meaning of Christmas. At the end of that evening, we were able to Skype with most of our children (JaneAnne and family were enroute from Las Vegas to Portland) and share part of their Christmas mornings. We surely do love our family…and we miss them and we miss all of you, but are grateful to have this wonderful opportunity to share our love of the Savior with the people of Armenia. He lives!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

Back to Armenia #14

We are grateful for the Thanksgiving holiday we enjoyed and the opportunity to reflect and share with others the things we are grateful for. We are grateful to our Heavenly Father every day for our many blessings. Here in Armenia, they don’t have this holiday. We do miss our country and those familiar things that surround Thanksgiving, but wherever we are, we can thank our Heavenly Father for his goodness to us.

Elders Thylin and Zebley, Sister Siranush,

Our missionaries, lunch at Center

Sister Peterson playing cookie game

We actually had a double celebration of Thanksgiving. The young missionaries organized a lunch and while we didn’t have turkey, it was delicious anyway. We celebrated with our District and one other district and another senior couple, so there were 14 of us. Our Swedish missionary prepared meatballs and our Armenian mini missionary prepared Dolma. One missionary prepared 4 liters of gravy and another cooked and mashed a huge amount of potatoes. We had roasted chicken, jello salads and corn and rolls as well. I made a couple of pumpkin pies and a deep dish apple pie, and another sister made a buttermilk pie…so we weren’t lacking for food. We were supposed to eat around 12:30, but finally sat down closer to 2 p.m. We took time to go around the table and share with one another things we are grateful for…sort of like a tradition we had at home with our own family. We played some fun games and enjoyed the time together.

Thanksgiving lunch at Center

The second part of our Thanksgiving began at 6 p.m. when we gathered with the other senior couples for a dinner at the Marriott Hotel…and this time we did have turkey…two whole turkeys. So, we had some leftovers (that is always the best part, but no homemade cranberry sauce so not quite as tasty as it would be at home). We also had dressing and gravy and carrots and brussel sprouts (made me think of some of my children who were also enjoying brussel sprouts on this day). It was good, but two big meals in a 4-5 hr time period is a lot so we were stuffed. 

Our young adults had wanted to have a Thanksgiving party, so we sort of did it a few days later, along with our regular class. After the lesson, we went around the room giving thanks for a gospel principle that relates to family and eternal marriage. Everyone brought something to share (pot luck), so we ate and played the same games as with the young missionaries and then had some music and dancing. It was Geghetsik’s birthday so we celebrated that as well.

We want to express gratitude to all our friends and family who are such a support to us. It’s wonderful to be able to serve God’s children and God has been good to us, so now it’s our turn to do something for someone else. Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Here's a couple of extra shots of our Turkey trip and all CES couples that we received after our posting.