On missions we make friends

It is amazing how the gospel does this.  Ani and Ashot, Chidi and Paul are our friends. Ани and Ашот came to dinner last Sunday.  We served very American roast beef and potatoes.

Friends bless each other.  They brought some of the world's best bread
-- Armenian bread -- to share with us.

They are helping us learn Russian.  Ani is very patient and speaks slowly to help us understand her Russian.  We are going to help them discover more about their ancestors so that they will be able to share temple blessings with deceased family members . We are helping them perfect English. Ashot will be baptized Saturday and we are all very excited.

Monday we had a great family home evening.

Elder Duke and Elder Hazen gave a lesson about missionary work. 

In the picture above, Paul is front right.  He taught us a fun game. It was like the old Mathew, Mark, Luke game where you would slap your thighs twice and then clap your hands in rhythm calling out some one else's assumed name at the perfect time.  Only in this game a motion or sign like an elephant, or butterfly or strong man or blowfish is assigned to each chair or position, and as someone makes a mistake and moves to the end of the line, you would move up the line of chairs, then the sign you must respond with changes.  Everyone had a great time.  For us, watching Paul make these outlandish signs in perfect rhythm with such fluid motions was especially fun.   For refreshments we served a food combination new to our guests: ice cream floats with cookies on the side.




You would all enjoy our new friends.


We teach an English-language Sunday School class.  Last week's lesson was on Priesthood and this week's was on temples. Chidi, another Nigerian socccer player friend whom you have already met, was a fantastic participant in the temple lesson. He is not well today and we gave him a Priesthood blessing.  Tomorrow is Monday night again and we think there will be at least one new visitor who is not yet our friend, but will be by this time tomorrow.