"They all think I'm native Russian and everything. Yes! Checking that off my bucket list."

Last Saturday we received a quick email from Brandon which said this:

Hey Family,

So, I have to send this email out early on account of the fact that my Armenia trip was pushed up to Monday, my P-Day.  I'll be leaving at 7:20 AM on Monday and returning at 10:40 PM on Wednesday.  It was actually kind of funny- since sending people on Visa trips is my personal office responsibility, I decided the other day to check in on the progress in getting my travel plans.  I asked the senior couple that was supposed to know and they were just like, ".. Are you sure you're going to Armenia?.."  That was a bit of a panic moment.  But it's all worked out now, at the last minute. Hence why we are going on Monday morning instead of Tuesday afternoon.  I'm excited!  I get to see.. somewhere else!  Yes! 
 
Sorry this is extra short today.  I've been a little bit scrambled trying to fit this into my schedule, since it's not P-Day and all.  Just know that I love you all and I'll tell you all about Armenia next week!

Love,

Elder Brandon Porter


We were glad to hear from him before his Visa renewal trip, but we had so many questions about the trip . . .  how would he be traveling  - alone? with other missionaries?, where they he stay while in a different country, what would he do there, etc.  It was a real treat to get another letter from him today, answering a few of our questions.  

This is the letter we received today:

Hello from Armenia!

So, I sacrificed my P-Day in order to travel to Armenia, but once I got here I found out that their P-Day was on Tuesday, so I get to email anyways!  It's great how life works out that way.  I can have my cake AND eat it too!  Yes!

There's two of us elders who traveled from the Ukraine along with someone from the office who is in charge of making sure that we make it back smoothly.  It's a good time!  When we got into Armenia they dropped us off at missionary apartments, so I've been hanging out with some Armenian missionaries this week.  It's way cool, they're teaching me the Armenian alphabet and I'm blowing their minds with Russian grammar.  Incidentally, practically everyone in Armenia speaks Russian, so I am not lost whatsoever.  And I thought I had it bad with the mix of Russian and Ukrainian over in Donetsk- these poor missionaries are sent here having been taught Armenian, but then they come to find out that you have to have a basic knowledge of Russian in order to get by here at all.  Almost all their products and stores are only in Russian, it's weird.  I really like this place.

Last night when I got to my Armenian companionship we were able to go to a lesson with a less active member here.  His name was T.  He's this really smart guy that feels offended towards the church and the "infidelity" of its members as a whole.  And he spoke very good Russian.  He was beyond thrilled to have the chance to converse with me in Russian.  He actually assumed that I was Ukrainian by my face and accent, and it took some convincing to show him that I'm actually American.  His mom still doesn't believe it.  But I spent about half of the lesson just sitting back and enjoying the cookies and their heated conversation.  I couldn't understand the words, but their body language said enough to show that the missionaries and T were at great odds and they were really frustrated.  They asked me to testify.  But what started out as a simple testimony bearing turned into an insightful discussion with him over the implications of building our Zion first for ourselves (citing Mosiah 2:20-ish where everyone faces their tents toward the temple), and then strengthening one another.  I felt kind of bad that I had taken over the lesson and taught in Russian while the other missionaries had no idea what I was saying and all, but they were just grateful that something good had come out of the meeting.  Apparently he had been arguing that he wanted to find a way to deny Christ so he could become a Jew... Yeah, that's not happening as long as we have any testimony to bear.  But T really appreciated the conversation he and I had, and he complimented me emphatically for how smart he said I was and stuff.  Whatever, as long as his testimony is still intact, I'll take whatever of my attributes he attributes the good feelings to.  I sure hope he turns out okay.  Great guy.

It's funny, being here my Russian comes so easily.  I don't even have to think about it, it just flows out.  That really surprised me.  If you haven't caught, that's a pretty hard point to get to with Russian.  Here I've just been talking up a storm with these people, it's great.  They all think I'm native Russian and everything.  Yes!  Checking that off my bucket list.  The only time in the last 24 hours that I've been dissatisfied with my language is when the Kiev missionary is around.  He kind of assumes that I'm not up to par with it and translates everything to English for me, making me feel pretty stupid.  But, that's totally okay, because I'm enjoying life here!  I've gotten to talk to people, hang out with other missionaries that all think I'm really cool for being a Russian missionary, and I have gotten to go sightseeing a bit.  Good times.  This definitely is a vacation, it's amazing.

In being here, I've realized just how ghetto my mission really is.  The Kiev missionary that I flew here with has really no idea what Eastern Ukraine is really like.  No idea.  He's essentially in a completely different world from me.  I live in the Soviet Union.. posthumously.  That's the best way I can put that.  Armenia is close, except that everyone is really nice and the buildings don't look like they were pasted together with whatever was lying around, and they have American food and stores.  Other than that, it's exactly the same as Donetsk.

Well, I've got another 24 hours to spend here in Armenia, so I'm going to live it up missionary style out here some more.  Just know that I'm safe and in good hands.  I'm getting a much needed break.  I didn't know that I needed it so bad, but it feels SO good.  Doing missionary work where people actually want to have you around, and.. no, that's pretty much the main thing.  I'm loving this experience here.

I love you all!  Sorry for the confusion over the Visa trip.  It's got to be weird getting an email saying suddenly "and now I'm.. heading to Armenia!  Bye!"  That's all worked out now though. 

Well, until next week!

Love,

Elder Brandon Porter