Lying left handers!

Hello!

So this week is a bit stressful because the area presidency changed the rules so we only have 30-60 minutes on email, so if anyone else wants to write me by email, just let them be aware I might not answer that P-day. What I do now is I print out everything besides the main emails and write out responses so I can type more quickly. :) But please don't hesitate to send emails. 

So that's a pretty crazy story about the balloons exploding. I think someone on the street told me about that but I think  I was a little confused at first though because I was like "What's the big deal about a balloon popping?" but pop and explode are the same word in Armenian. That's probably why. :p Carl read an article in the LA Times this week about 140 being injured when methane gas-filled balloons were set on fire by someone smoking at a political rally.  Here's a video from the event.  Armenia Balloon Explosion Video-YouTube.

 But regardless, we're not allowed around rallies. President Carter also lets us know when there's a planned demonstration or riot that's going to happen. He finds out from the embassy. Sometimes though, they happen spontaneously and we just have to avoid them as soon as we can.  We'll be careful especially now that elections were yesterday.

Well, lots of lightning this week. One day this week we were finding outside and I saw some orange clouds approaching, and I thought "Oh no...." then it began to sprinkle and then I saw the wall of rain approaching quickly, so we ran to a building and made it in the doorway just as the clouds exploded. We waited there for a few minutes as the lightning came right over us and made instant thunder-lightning strikes. Then, 20 minutes later it was all gone and the sky was blue....

The weather is temperamental here.

The people here sometimes are just so funny. For example, we were walking outside and we see this one oldddd grandpa sitting down. He had a jacket on with tons of ribbons and medals, so we thought it would be cool talking to him. We greeted him and he said "It's a pleasure to meet you! Back in the war...." and then he went off for 15-20 minutes just talking about him fighting in the Soviet army during World War II. :p We were able to worm out of there eventually though :p We left him with our number in case he wants to listen from us sometime though. :p

Another time we came up to this one guy and after our conversation we asked him if we could drop by sometime to talk to him and he said we could leave him our number. As Elder Hatch was writing, the old guy was like "Wait, you write left handed?" (he does) Elder Hatch said "Yes, why?" And he said "It's all a lie!" and walked away without saying anything else :P  Fun fact: The students here are forced to write right handed from the beginning of school. :)

Anyways, I have to go now. Sorry it's so short, but I love you all :))))

Elder Hammer 

Mom's Note:  If there is anything you'd like us to pass along to Jared, we get to talk to him on Sunday and would love to share what is going on in your lives.  Let us know here, on Facebook, or email.