I Give Three F's

There are three F's I give in life that precede all else:

Faith, family, and food.

Faith:

Now, now… I know many are thinking, “He’s going to get all cheesy and talk about Mormon life”. Unless I’m trying to make you gag, that’s not what I’m going for in this post. I am faith driven. A belief in God and His Son, Jesus Christ has become the anchor to my soul. The cleansing and enabling powers that come through Christ foster a lifelong recipe for happiness and progression. Nothing is impossible with God by my side. I don’t define my religion as being “Mormon”, I define it as lifelong discipleship to my Savior.

Family:

I love my family more than anything or anybody in this world. We are very close! I consider each member a best friend in a different way. I am so fortunate to have the relationship I have with them. Living away from my family can be hard at times, but it gives me a good excuse to utilize my phone for something more meaningful than scrolling down that Insta feed. You would think it gets easier after being away from them for 2 years, but it honestly doesn’t. I constantly think about and appreciate them more and more every day.

Food:

Donuts. Chocolate chip cookies. Brownies. Burritos. Chick-fil-a. The list goes on… I have a deep love and admiration for food. It will forever be a priority for me. Delicious comida sets off endorphins that I didn’t know existed as a child. Especially when I try a new dessert. I feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I don’t know if that’s my food baby growling “MAMA”, or if it’s just me. Either way, I am FULL-filled.

Now you know the things that are most precious to me.

BONUS: Funny, because I’m freakin’ hilarious and this post is bomb. Comment below with the F's you give!

*gets 0 comments* #mylife

Defining Moments of My Character

All of us experience different changes throughout our lives. Each change we experience is so personal because they shape us into who we become. Personally, the most frequent changes I have made throughout my life have involved education.

            From a young age I have struggled with school. Not because I don’t enjoy learning, but because my learning style is very unconventional. I discovered when I was very little that my brain worked differently than that of my peers. As you could imagine, these differences put a toll on me at such a young age. I was in fourth grade when my mom pulled me out and decided to homeschool me for the remainder of the year. After being homeschooled for the rest of my Elementary school career, I went to a private middle school. After middle school concluded, I attempted online schooling. Then I finished my last few years at a different private school. I remember the day I graduated being one of the defining moments of my life. Grade school had been no easy achievement. After attending public, home, and private school, I received my diploma. It was one of the happiest days of my life. I felt accomplished. The changes that I endured helped mold me into the young man I am today.

            These changes taught me many valuable lessons. I realized through the process that change is okay. Sometimes people have such a negative idea regarding change. There is nothing wrong with making continuous changes to figure out what makes you happiest. Some people judged me along the way for always changing schools. Many of my friends just simply didn’t understand. It was not easy to constantly move schools and make new friends. It was something I felt I needed to do in order to be successful. Looking back, I know those changes were necessary because each portion of my grade school years offered me different experiences that I would not trade for anything. I met such a diverse group of people. Through these experiences, I built a love for others and peoples’ differences. I actively decided that these changes were beneficial to me and my character. There were moments where I had doubt in my heart, but I trusted in God. My journey was no easy feat, but through the faith I had in God, I knew I could achieve my educational goals.

I applied to Brigham Young University and got accepted. All the years of hard work and change had paid off because I got in to the number one school of my choice. I attended my first summer term in 2013 with bright hopes for my future. I then went on my mission and returned to the university in January of this year. After a few weeks of attending this school, I realized that I was unhappy. That familiar feeling of knowing I was not in the right place came back. I was ashamed and upset. I worked so hard to get to this point. Many sacrifices were made for me to attend this university. I had previously received a spiritual prompting that this is where I was supposed to be. After much prayer and reflection, the feeling came over me that I needed to leave Brigham Young University.

While this feeling came as a bit of a shock, I trusted in God. I knew that He had a plan for me. I went to the admissions office at BYU to withdraw from my classes. As I sat down with a counselor, she relayed to me the Social Media Marketing program that LDS Business College offers. She expressed her feeling that it would be a better fit and that I should look into it. I toured the college, and here I am today. I have only been attending the school for about a month, but I know without a doubt that this is exactly where I need to be.

 Through these many educational changes I now know that my struggles do not define me. They help mold me into who I am. Sometimes you have to go down the wrong road to get to the right one. I still have no idea why I received a prompting to attend Brigham Young University. There was possibly something I needed to learn in my short time being there. What I do know is that I am here today, and it is exactly where I am supposed to be. Building character means enduring change and trial well. Looking forward to the future with positive hope will bring us happiness. We all experience change, yet each change is so unique. The beautiful thing about our individual character is that the changes we experience are what we need for our personal growth. I am who I am today because of the decisions and changes I have decided to make throughout my life. We may not be in control of everything, but we are in control of ourselves and who we decide to be.

Why am I a Mormon?

Isaac wanted me (his sister) to post the following email he sent to friends and family about why he is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The following are his words...

Throughout my mission I have gotten a lot of anti-Mormon teachings thrown at me, but especially recently. It seems people are constantly telling me reasons of why not to be Mormon. When hearing and/or reading anti-Mormon literature, I always think back to the reasons of why I am Mormon, and they always outweigh the reasons of why I may not be. After doing some research, I have found that not many people have publicized a list of why they are Mormon. Being a missionary, I took it upon myself to create a short, simple, and profound list of why. Below is the list I have compiled (in no particular order):

The main reason I am Mormon is simply because God told me to be (Mosiah 3:19).

The fundamental principles and doctrines of Jesus Christ taught within the church have strengthened my relationship with Him (2 Nephi 25:26).

The commandments that seem crazy to some (i.e. Word of Wisdom, Tithing, Chastity) have brought forth limitless possibilities rather than limited capabilities (Mosiah 2:22).

There is a place I can go where Heaven is closer- the temple (D&C 110:7-8).

The Book of Mormon is tangible evidence that "in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established" (D&C 6:28), and that God is not a respecter of persons (3 Nephi 11).

The Church encourages me to find answers from God and His scriptures for myself, rather than telling me their answer and expecting me to believe them (Moroni 10:3-5).

It holds the Blueprint of Christ's church (http://bit.ly/1BLgNwo).

I have a specific guide from God for my life- A patriarchal blessing (http://bit.ly/1JY7BZw).

I want to be with my family for eternity, and this church is the only one that provides an eternal sealing (D&C 138:48).

The church provides many opportunities to serve others (justserve.org, Mosiah 2:17)

As a filmmaker, I appreciate the videos the church produces that invite the spirit (mormonchannel.org).

The church is the same worldwide, so I can literally go anywhere and feel at home (2 Nephi 27:23).

All people are children of God (who is a King), which means women are princesses and queens- I have been taught to treat them as such (Alma 56:47-48).

The doctrine that God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are three separate beings and one in purpose, to me, makes the most sense- physically and spiritually (D&C 130:22-23).

An abundant amount of resources to find my family history is always readily available in the church (familysearch.org).

The fact that a young boy had the question of which church was true, adds to the validity that "by small and simple things are great things brought to pass" (JSH, Chapter 1).

These are just a few of the many reasons of why I am Mormon. In conclusion, I would like to emphasize the fact that while I may have all these specific reasons of why I am Mormon, the main reason is because I know it is the will of God. I have gained a strong, personal relationship with my Father in Heaven who has revealed to me through fervent prayer that what I am believing and proclaiming is right. That alone is enough for me to continue in my faith. I know on the outside being a Mormon can seem like a far-fetched idea for some, but if you open your heart and mind, I think you would be surprised what you might find. I have seen people go from having no desire to be Mormon whatsoever, to converting by humbling themselves and recognizing the truth and light that comes from being a member of this church. I know that a "false church with false prophets and a false book" would not change so many lives in such a positive way. God knows His people. He has a plan for each of them. A part of His plan is allowing them to know and see the fullness of truth on the earth today. So to all those that question why I am Mormon, now you know why. Are you willing to listen to missionaries and give it a try? :)

1-800-443-9911

mormon.org

New Letter from Elder Catchatoorian, March 10, 2014

Happy Monday my brethren and sistren!

It's always the best to hear from and talk to you all on P-day. It gives me the perfect boost to begin my week. :)

Thankfully, this past week didn't feel like an eternity (it went by a lot quicker than my first week here). I'm beginning to adjust to the many changes and I'm learning a lot along the way!

Elder Allan and I have spent quite a bit of time stopping by members' homes and getting to know them. I personally believe that establishing a relationship with the members is so important. It's also nice to put faces with all the names I have on my ward list! I absolutely love when we knock on a member's door, they see that we are missionaries, and they invite us in their home without hesitation. The Circle City Ward is huge and there are so many people I have yet to meet!

My name is still a hit. Everyone's reaction has honestly gotten old at this point. I get the SAME two questions every time I introduce myself.

"Oh wow! Where does that name come from? ... Isn't that a dish?"

From now on I'm just gonna introduce myself like this:
"Hi, I am Elder Catchatoorian. The name is Armenian, and yes it sounds very similar to the Italian dish Chicken Cacciatore. No, I do not eat a lot of Armenian food and neither of my parents are from Armenia. It would be cool to speak the language, but I do not... It's a pleasure to meet you!" 

That would just save everybody's breath. I figure because I have a really cool last name I will have these questions the remainder of my life. So I might as well get used to it now!

On a more serious note, I have come to learn a lot about trials and things happening upon the Lord's time lately. This week we have found and taught a couple new investigators! While I am extremely grateful, I realize that teaching each of these individuals is going to take lots of time due to their personal circumstances. While I want these great people to be baptized really soon, I know the Lord wants me to work with them and practice patience.

I briefly brought up Brother Holmes last week (the man that went out with us for 5 hours); well, that same night him and his wife got news that their oldest son passed away at 55. It was such a shock for their entire family. I ask that you especially keep them in your prayers, as the funeral service is being held today.

As a missionary, you witness the trials that many people must endure on a daily basis. We can't always do something ourselves to help, but we can constantly call upon the Lord in asking that He help them. 

At times, I feel like a spiritual therapist! I commend those that are therapists by profession. I don't know how they do it! Ya see, I am not the one helping these people. The Holy Ghost and the Lord are. I am just here to be the messenger, supporter, and friend. There is no way that I would be able to handle responding to each of my investigators' trials on my own! That is why it is called "The Lord's work", not "Elder Catchatoorian's work".

In Sunday school yesterday we were reminded of the famous story of Abraham and Isaac found in Genesis chapter 22. While we have all heard this story countless times, this time was different for me. Brother Mahoney (the teacher) said to put ourselves in Abraham's shoes and put one of your children (or future children) in Isaac's. As I did this while reading along, the spirit touched me so strongly. Abraham's tremendous faith, along with Isaac's willingness to obey is such a great example to us all. The fact that Abraham did not even complain or hesitate shows his willingness to follow the Lord. He knew what he had to do and as he was about to sacrifice Isaac, the Lord stopped him. We can each relate this to our individual lives. We must exert all of our energy and faith to the Lord. We must serve Him and be willing to give up our most prized possessions if necessary. And if we do so, He will rescue us as He rescued Isaac on the altar. We will have the opportunity to experience eternal life with our Father in Heaven if we endure. The Lord always makes everything right in the end if we do everything we can in our power first.

I must sacrifice all my time and energy to this work, and though I may not see it now, things will eventually work themselves out within the Lord's time. Does that make it easy? Heck no! But it makes it worth it.

I enjoy the little things in life so much more now. There was no sign of a Chick-Fil-A for miles and miles in Hemet, but there is one nearby here in Corona. THAT right there is a blessing! I went for the first time in months the other day and it was easily one of the best lunches I've had on my mission! God is good!

Anyway, I hope you all had a great week. I love you all very much! 

Always remember kids.... CTR.

Love,

Elder Isaac Catchatoorian 

Hello family and friends! 

I want you to think about your lifetime. Now, compare that to eternity. We think about this concept a lot as Latter-day Saints and I have thought about it a lot this week. I hope that this email motivates a perspective change and a reality check for all those that read- specifically on what you need to do or what conclusion you must fully come to in your life at this time. After all, your life is just one small blip! 

I say blip because that is what our lives here on earth are. They are but a tiny, minuscule blip compared to what lies ahead. I think the importance of this blip can be easily forgotten. While this blip is small in time, it is large in significance. The way you go about treating your personal blip can and will determine your eternal destiny. It sounds kind of scary, huh? The fact that one, tiny ounce of time can determine what the rest of our time as eternal beings will be like. Well, there is no need to fear! 

I want you to think about where you are at with life right now. Today, I want you to do an inventory on wherever that is (emotionally, spiritually, physically, you name it). After you do that, think about where your Father in Heaven wants you to be. NOT where you want to be... because frankly, that doesn't really matter.

In life, there are all kinds of situations that each of us go through. With my personal observations I've come to realize three distinct groups of people. You have those that live what appear to be seamlessly easy and enjoyable lives. Everything usually tends to work out in these peoples' favor. They have their struggles, but their life is overall an extremely lucky and enjoyable one. Then, you have the people whose lives are a living hell. If it's not one thing, it's another. These people literally suffer every single day of their lives. They do all that's asked of them, follow our Father in Heaven, and still seem to struggle at seeing any light. Then, you have the people (most) who are in between these tow extremes. They experience joy and pain and overcome some very tough trials. They continually struggle but still consider themselves fortunate and content with life. 

I don't care who you are or what kind of life you live. In the end, that is not what is important. All that Christ wants you to do is NOT GIVE UP. At times, we feel inadequate, unworthy, or overwhelmed. These are all common feelings. We are promised in the scriptures that our Father does not give us trials we cannot handle (1 Nephi 3:7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I ^awill go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no ^bcommandments unto the children of men, save he shall ^cprepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.)

Even though this knowledge is comforting, there is the exception of times when we are faced with trials that result in us crashing down completely. If this is your case, get back up. You've been foreordained with the strength necessary to overcome whatever it is you are going through. One of the most frustrating things is to see people not utilize the spiritual strength they have been promised. If you struggle with addiction of any kind, you can and you will stop whatever it is that eats away at your spirit (if you have the desire and faith). If you are less active (for whatever reason) you need to be back where God wants you. Not later, now. Your blip is too short for you not to be in His presence. You can have that strength to get your foot back in the door. And if you lack the desire, humble yourself and strive for it. Put off the petty excuses and worldly desires. If you have been offended by anybody, pray for the strength to forgive. If you are simply struggling with any sort of trial, know He is there. When we go through certain hardships, we tend to question God. Well, stop questioning and start doing. 

We are each given our individual trials because they are the ones that God knows will force us to utilize every bit of our strength. Don't back down. Not now. Fight and return with honor. Do whatever it takes to reach that celestial glory you have been promised. ( 2 Nephi 31:20Wherefore, ye must press forward with a ^asteadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of ^bhope, and a ^clove of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and ^dendure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have ^eeternal life.) When we sacrifice all we have, the Lord will provide. This has been revealed to us in the story of Elijah and the poor widow in 1 Kings Chapter 17 (I highly recommend you read this chapter today). 

I say these things because they are the very things I have had to learn for myself this week. I underestimated how hard serving a mission really is. The only reason I am serving a mission is because I love my Father in Heaven and I know this is the work He wants me doing at ths time in my life. Of course my purpose is to "invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end" but I wouldn't be doing it if our Father in Heaven didn't care. 

Just as I have to serve and overcome my trials by enduring as an elder, it is your responsibility to do the same. Figure out what it is that Heavenly Father wants you to be doing and do it (if you aren't already). There is no time to waste. I testify to you that I know our Father in Heaven personally. I know He has established a foundation and a church for all men and women to live by. If we but endure and follow His will during this "blip" of a time, the blessing we receive will be so great. There is much I don't know and much I don't understand. But these are the things I do know and that is enough for me. I just hope and pray it is enough for you too. Stay strong and fight the good fight. Whoever you are, know I love you. And better yet, know the Lord loves you. If I can find His strength, I know you can too. 

Have a happy new year and Godspeed! 

Elder Catchatoorian 

Hello familia y amigos! 

This week has been a longgg one, but a great one. So many miracles have occurred. 

For those of you that don't know, missionaries go on exchanges. This is when companionships swap for a 24 hour period and serve in different areas. We do this so we can get a change in scenery, learn from a different elder, etc. So I was assigned to go on exchanges with Elder Jorgensen who is a Spanish missionary! Yep, that's right. I went to what the elders call "spanish land" here in California. I think it's pretty much the closest you could get to the feel of northern Mexico in the United States. 

We are encouraged to talk to as many people as we can, so I had to do language study with Elder Jorgensen to practice an introduction and invitation in espanol! As I walked down the street I saw a woman walking her children home from school. 

I said, "Hola, como esta?" 

She responded, "Bien". 

Nervously I asked, "Hablo Ingles?" 

Of course she said "No". 

Then I went to do the introduction and I totally choked! I was like, "Soy.... Umm... mi no hablo espanol!" Which in English means "To myself, I don't speak Spanish." She gave me this look and responded with an "Okay...." Then I just smiled and made Elder Jorgensen do the rest of the talking. Needless to say, it is a beautiful thing that I'm not a Spanish missionary! I would definitely struggle! 

Although going to the Spanish area had its struggles (e.g. not knowing a lick of Spanish) it also had its miracles! As Elder Jorgensen and I were biking down the street some woman came running out of her house yelling "Missionaries, missionaries!" We turned around and went up to her gate. As she opened the gate she invited us to come inside. This area was not the best and we saw some alcohol around on the ground. Elder Jorgensen looked at me and signaled that it probably wouldn't have been safe to go inside. I smiled at the woman and told her that we were happy outside. As we began talking I was truly amazed. After awhile, my legs got tired so we ended up sitting on her front doorstep together and teaching her about the restoration. As we began teaching, I was truly amazed. This woman's name is Olivia and she had a friend that was Mormon years ago. Her friend got kicked out of her house so she gave all her old books to Olivia and Olivia saw the Book of Mormon and decided to read it. As the woman who was Mormon taught Olivia about our faith, Olivia was all ears. She said to me that from that day on she knew the church was true (the day her friend told her about the church). We have no idea where her friend is now, but Olivia has been knowing the church has been true for years and never got baptized. She said she's open to all faiths and whenever she gets invites to church, she always attends! The spirit moved Elder Jorgensen and I to invite her to be baptized into the church that she knows to be true. She smiled and excitedly said "of course!" "YES!" As I bore my testimony to her and looked into her eyes she stopped me and said: 

"I see God in you." 

That was probably one of the most moving things anybody has ever told me. As our visit came to a close I asked her: "Will you do all of the things necessary to be baptized that God needs you to do?" (or something to that extent). She told me that she would and Elder Jorgensen and I went on our way. I will probably never see Olivia again and I don't know if she really will get baptized. But I do know these things: I know that she felt the spirit so strong that day. I also know that she knows what God wants her to do. Now the ball is in her court. She has some very important decisions to make and I hope that she aligns her will with the will of the Father. 

Later that day I met some more incredible people (that thankfully spoke English)! I was talking to this incredible guy named Anthony who has one of the strongest spirits I've ever seen. As we were discussing the gospel, this guy named Jose walked up to me. I finished my sentence, turned to him and just started teaching him along with Anthony. I didn't even know who this guy was but I didn't stop teaching. They were both very receptive and the spirit was strong. I shared my testimony with them, invited them to church, and told them how much I was grateful to come across their paths. As I said this, Jose told me that he was sitting in his house and had this urge to get up and go on a walk. So he got up and walked down the street. As he looked over near Anthony's house he saw Elder Jorgensen and I teaching Anthony and the spirit moved him to walk over to us to see who we were and what we were discussing. 

The power of the Holy Ghost and the way Heavenly Father works in our individual lives is amazing. I feel like I'm learning something new every day! In fact, I was reading in Alma the other day (I'm sorry I don't remember the chapter) and I had a rude awakening! Many of you don't know this, but I'm going to share it anyway. I used to have sort of an issue with the "culture" of the LDS church. I felt like the church expected us live a certain way. For example: 

We get baptized, we go on a mission, we get married, we have children. These are obviously not bad things to be doing! I just always thought "maybe I want my independence... or maybe I want to wait to have kids." Then, it hit me like a brick as I was reading. As I've said before, serving a mission is not about me. Buttt, LIFE isn't about me. Or you. The church provides an outline for us to live our lives so that we are ALWAYS serving somebody else. That's why so many missionaries are passionate about marriage after their missions! They are so used to constantly serving somebody else that they want to have the opportunity to serve their best friend. Then after you serve your best friend, you serve the children you have together. We are required to constantly serve. Why? Because you don't find yourself when you are trying to. You find yourself and become something greater when you are NOT trying to. It's that simple. Our Heavenly Father doesn't want us to be selfish. He wants us to constantly be thinking of His children. That is why the church is the way it is. It's not to tie us down or to tell us how to live our lives, but to make us like our Father in Heaven. 

I know we are given certain trials in our life to help us learn and grow. It sounds cliche, but it's just the truth. Life can honestly suck sometimes. It's hard, it's painful... but it can also be happy. Think about what you have and the knowledge you have been given. Reflect on all the experiences you have had where Heavenly Father has touched you in your life.

 I am very sad to hear about the passing of my dear friend and leader, Bishop Rummage. My mission president (President Smart) informed me last night. At first I didn't want to believe it... I was in shock. Then, it brought me to tears. I felt so close to Bishop because he was the bishop I had throughout majority of my youth. He helped me on my path to being the missionary I am today. He always lead with love and I was always so amazed at how one man could be so wise. If it wasn't profound or funny, it didn't come out of his mouth! One of my fondest memories of him was when I had the opportunity to home teach him and his wife, Sister Rummage. Being in the Rummages home was always such a warm feeling. I always knew of the love Bishop had for his family as he talked about his children, grandchildren, and of course his good ol' pal, Taffy (the pup)! The love he had for his wife was also something special. He never had to say anything about how much he loved her because anyone could easily see it in his countenance. The way that he looked at her allowed me to see how much respect and love he really had for her. His enthusiastic greetings and smile always lit up the room. He had nicknames for all the young men and mine was "I-dawg". He would smile at me from across the room then motion for me to come his way. Who could resist that smile? Of course I approached him as he reached out his pinky. You see, Bishop was too cool for handshakes. We always linked pinky's... almost as if he was making a promise to me every time he saw me! One time Josh and I needed a ride home from a church activity, and of course he was more than happy to do it! As we were riding home he turned up his radio and rapped for Josh and I. Oh how I wish I wrote down those lyrics because they were hilarious! And even better... done on the fly! From that time on I just knew I had the coolest bishop out there. I mean, how many of you can say your bishop raps for you and your bro? 

Right before I left, dad and I had the opportunity to stop by his house. Little did I know that was going to be the last time I ever saw him. Cherish every moment you have with the people you love because you really never know when it will be your last. He told me I was going to do great on my mission. Well, bishop, I will continue to do as great as I can for you. 

I will always remember his wise counsel. As President Smart said, he has begun a new mission and he's working right now. Maybe he'll even help me to connect with somebody down here that needs the gospel! Bishop Rummage was a man that I was so very blessed to know. I'm grateful that he played such a significant part in my life. I love him and can't wait until the day when I get to see him again. My prayers are with his family at this time. Please inform Sister Rummage that my thoughts and prayers are especially with her. As she said, thank goodness for the gospel of Jesus Christ- especially the Plan of Salvation. The knowledge that he is and will be okay gives me so much comfort at this time. Our Father needed him to complete work up there with Him. He is in great hands. I know it. 

I am grateful for this holiday season and all the love shown on my behalf. I don't think I've had so many cookies in my life! The members down here are treating me well. I eat more now then I did before my mission! In fact, I'm growing a little Buddha belly. Let's just say I'm gonna have to start working out really hard. Your cards, letters, and emails mean the world to me! Please keep them coming! 

Mom, I received your Christmas card, but nothing else yet! I should probably get the other things this week. If you sent the package to the mission home, they don't give us the package until Christmas! Thank you for your sweet card. It made my day! Could you email some recipes of really easy/healthy meals to make? I can print them out next Monday! I'm trying to be more health conscious. I don't know anything about our Skype plans yet. I will inform you as soon as I find out a time and all of that. 

I love each of you VERY much! Have an amazing time together and party hard. ;) 

Peace and blessings, 

Elder Catchatoorian