Missionary Adventures

Last week was an adventure! I...

 

 - Sat in the car when it was pouring rain (cats and dogs and then some! We were soaking wet after just running to the car with an umbrella!) waiting for some of the elders to get a prescription for strep throat (Don't get sick on a mission. It's the worst!)

 - Went to my first zone conference and learned a lot for myself and for my investigators and the mission president taught us a drinking game (Captain Puff). It was with water. No worries. :)

 - turned 22 years old. Don't let anyone tell you you can't celebrate your birthday on you mission. It's possible! My companion surprised me by decorating my desk. And the person we had dinner with surprised me with a tres leches cake!

 - Found a wonderful investigator. He specifically and sincerely asked us about who Christ is, and how He can help us change our nature, and what he needs to do to get there. This is how you make a missionary's day. Never believe that no one's interested in the church!

 - drew a bird weasel. My (not so) little brother randomly wondered what a bird weasel looks like so I took him up on the challenge. I almost forgot how much I love drawing and bringing my imagination to life. Enjoy!

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Church Tours and Enduring Testimonies

This week we gave our first church tour to some of our investigators. It was a really good experience and I'm excited for the opportunity to try that again with some other investigators. If they come to the church once, they can come on Sunday, right?

We showed them some of the paintings on the walls, the classrooms, etc and our final destination was the chapel. The Spirit was really strong in there. We talked about church services and sat in front of the sacrament table. We had one of the investigators read the sacrament prayers. We explained the promises we make as we take the sacrament and the great gift of always having the Spirit to be with us. After that, I was about to stand up, but couldn't. I felt like I should stay for a while. After a few seconds, they said that they really like this church. They compared it to the other churches they have been to and said that our church follows the Bible the most. eg. we have baptism by immersion, no crosses, no images to focus on in the chapel, everyone's invited.We hope this church tour idea will help more people to get to church, or at least plant a seed of desire. People really like it as soon as they actually get there, but "stuff" keeps getting in the way.

 

We also went to visit a lot of less active families this week. One was a really frail old lady who is the mother of one of the active members in the ward. It was a really long drive and at first we weren't even sure why we were out there. But it looks like there's a lot to be said for just the fact that we came. The family told us that they hadn't had missionaries at their house for years, and the last missionaries that came over found them by accident and didn't speak Spanish. It was really exciting seeing that less active member at church.

 

Another less active family we visited and invited to church was really interesting. He was doing everything a faithful LDS member would do, except for church. He was offended by someone at church and hadn't come back since. We shared Alma 32:27 with him and he got really emotional. He testified of the truth of the gospel and of the church and he knew he needed to go to church. What was really sad was that he felt like such a hypocrite not going to church even though he believed and he knows what he needs to do, but he won't do it.

 

It reminds me of something one of my drawing teachers at BYU-Idaho (Bro. Leon Parson) taught me: "Who's the boss, you or the drawing/subject/reference photo/other things outside of yourself?" We really do have more power to design things around us than we think. You can make a beautiful drawing of something ugly. You can work with less than ideal circumstances to make something beautiful. I think it's a very good question to ask in all aspects of life. "Who's the boss, you, or the things that stand in your way?" Everyone knows what the correct answer is.

 

I also have a testimony that the Spirit influences investigators/those we teach to say what needs to be said and answer their own questions and doubts. We shared a scripture with a less active family and asked them how they can exercise faith in their lives. After the father read the scripture aloud, he started talking about how the church makes such a big difference for the rest of the week, and how important it is. He talked about the great opportunity we have to take the Sacrament. We didn't know what we were supposed to teach them, but they answered their own questions.

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Double weekly update

Week 4

The hospitality of people astounds me. Last week we met a couple investigators and taught them. They gave us a bunch of chicken from the grill and were very nice. We came over to teach them again and they gave us a bunch of food and invited us in their home and said "mi casa es su casa". That doesn't happen everywhere! Oh, and everyone gives us water bottles. I think I have 7 now.
 
Oh, and I found a funny unintended pun: We found a sign on someone's door that said "No soliciting or religious groups. No acceptions." I would have a picture if I didn't happen to be proselyting at the time. Either it's a grievous misspelling or there are no exceptions to the fact that no one will be accepted.
 
And I went on my first companion exchange a few days ago. The mission president has called a bunch of sisters in the mission as essentially the female equivalent of zone leaders so they can go on exchanges with all the sister missionaries, see how they're doing, and give feedback. It's about time, especially since I'm one of the first of a huge wave of sister missionaries. Anyway, she was English speaking, and it was crazy how big of a difference there is in the teaching environment and the culture.
 
Week 5

According to my MTC district's monthly update, I am a rapper. While that isn't true, I did bust out some rhymes.

 

We're going out yonder

to Ponder (TX)

cause that's where we wander

it makes the heart fonder

we want to stay longer

and we become much stronger

so down the street we saunter

out yonder in Ponder

where the grass grows longer.

 

Oh, and we were taught by an apostle, Elder Cook. It was amazing. :)

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Q&A

For this week, I thought I'd share some of the answers to questions I got from emails to my family. Enjoy!

So we need help being better missionaries.  What's the best way you've found to start up a conversation about the gospel?

There's no one way. Really, we're still trying to get a handle on the language so we can say anything. But I'd go with addressing people's needs and challenges through the gospel. If people know that the gospel can help them with the things they need, they will be interested and take initiative. As people talk about what their challenges are and what they're doing, you can just talk about how the church/gospel has helped you in your life. There's also a lot to be said for just talking about the church in daily conversation since the gospel is a huge part of our lives. Really, it is our lives. Also, please go with the missionaries to lessons every once in a while. Lessons are that much stronger when both missionaries and members are testifying of the same thing. It's also good so investigators actually recognize and are familiar with some people in the ward when they go to church.

Where have you learned more spanish - MTC or Texas - members or companion?

Depends. I've learned a lot grammar wise in the MTC and got a good foundation in learning how to learn a language. Here in Texas, I've progressed a lot just in listening comprehension (they talk way too fast and everyone has their own dialect since they're from everywhere) and using the vocabulary I know in a more fluid, flexible way. As for my companion, she knows about as much spanish as I do but is more comfortable talking and knowing what to say and "faking it" when she doesn't understand what they're saying. But one thing I really like about serving stateside is that most of the people we talk to know at least some english or their kids do and we can ask "what does this mean?" or "how do you say this?". And about half the members in the ward are fluent in English.

Tell us about the people you're teaching and any interesting experiences you've had teaching.

Well, I definitely wish I learned more about Catholicism before I left for the mission. It's definitely important to know who "la virgen Guadalupe" is. About 3/4 of the spanish speaking people we meet are catholic to some degree. Though that means anything from they are active and go to church all the time or it's a part of their culture but not their devotion. It's a different culture down here. You know people like you when they give you food. One family we're teaching, la familia Benites, has given us food literally every time we visit, whether it's a mango or a can of soda, all the way up to pupusas (you should find a recipe and try them out. They're amazing!) and empanadas. And when we were tracting yesterday afternoon, we were trying one more house before going to our dinner appointment. A couple people were having a sunday barbecue and they offered us a couple large pieces of chicken. It was a little awkward showing up to our dinner appointment with our own food but they understood since both parents in the family served spanish speaking missions.

Also, people are interesting. We've heard about all sorts of miracles in people's lives. Everything from mystical spirit stuff that I'd rather avoid talking about to miraculous healings from cancer to turning people's lives around. I sometimes forget how interesting people are. It's also interesting seeing what other people believe. We came across a man that was a little confrontational and had a lot of questions, like "do you think gays are going to burn in hell?" and "Why in the world are we responsible for Adam's transgression?" and "do you believe in hell?". We answered his questions and informed him that we love gay people (just not their actions), that we are only responsible for our own sins and that we don't believe in different degrees of glory instead of just heaven and hell. Hopefully a seed was planted though he kept insisting that Jesus didn't establish a church therefore we couldn't be the restored church...

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I finally went to Texas!

I'm glad to be here in Texas! Now I just need to understand what people are saying. It really depends on the person. Sometimes I can understand 80% sometimes I can't understand a word. Maybe it depends on what country they're from... It's been a little surreal actually being on a mission (sometimes it feels like I'm just following the missionaries around but then I realize there's only one other missionary...) but it also feels so right. I'm excited!

 

There's also a critical question to answer: Is everything really bigger in Texas?

 

Yes and no. I guess it really depends. In the hispanic culture, I haven't seen that as much, but with the white people yes. A lot of the houses are large, the trucks are large, the roads are large... It's already gotten to the point where I like roaming trailer parks and "ghetto" apartments where the hispanic people live. I get the feeling all the white people have already heard about us "mormons" in their churches (one of which we call the "great and spacious building because it's literally as big as a department store) but the hispanic people are almost always open to listening.
 

For all of you that want to write me, my address is

 

Hermana Jarvis

3232 N Locust #1521

Denton TX, 76207

 

For packages, please use the mission office address.

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Who art thou?

This week brought a promise from one of the MTC teachers during "coaching missionary study" (basically personal coaching on a companionship basis). He brought up the story in Moses chapter 1. Moses is transfigured and sees a vision of the earth and everything on/in it. God then leaves Moses for a while and Satan comes and tempts him. Moses casts out Satan, and then sees an even fuller vision of the earth and of God's purposes. I highly recommend reading, whoever you are.

He said something like "God never wants you to not talk to someone, especially as a missionary. It's Satan who is tempting you to not open your mouth. Satan always pokes at our weaknesses, and this happens to be yours. Perhaps Satan can't get at you in other areas of your life. This chapter is for you. Like Moses, you can discern that it's Satan who doesn't want you to talk to people to keep them away from the Gospel. Like Moses, you can tell Satan "Who art thou? Where is thy glory that I should worship thee?". You can say "get thee hence Satan" and call upon God to unloose your tongue. Call upon God every day to unloose your tongue."

I find it interesting that Moses was slow of speech as well. I don't know if that means that he had a stuttering problem, was afraid to talk to people, or if he wasn't eloquent or a man of many words. But regardless, God definitely made up for what he lacked and made him a powerful instrument in God's hands. I know the same can and will happen for me if I work my hardest and call upon God. I thought I'd share this because the same goes for you. I know that Satan's main "work and glory" is to hold you back and make you miserable. God's work and glory is to make you more than you can possibly imagine (like Him) and to help you soar. When times are hard and fear is holding you back, tell Satan/that fear, "Who art thou? Where is thy glory that I should worship thee?" There is none. God's way isn't easy, but it's definitely the best.

Now I've got The Who stuck in my head. "Whoooo are you? ooh ooh, ooh ooh"

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"Use the Atonement!"

One of my investigators brought up a universal question:
"When all these terrible things happened to me, they said that Jesus would help me, that I should use His Atonement. Sure, Christ suffered everything for us, but he has the strength of a God. Of course he could do all that. But I have the strength of a man. How is Christ supposed to help me?"

That got me thinking about me and how I figured that all out. In my childhood, whenever I heard about the Atonement, it reminded me of middle aged women crying in fast and testimony meeting and talking about how they "used the Atonement". To me and my literal mind, I was imagining some miracle product or a physical tool. I didn't get it. I didn't make the connection between Atonement and redemption/empowerment. I just saw all the women crying. I was doing my best to be good. I've never done anything really bad and thought that repentance was for those people that did obvious bad things. And thanks to my family, there were a lot of temptations that just didn't come up.  But on the other hand, I never really gave Christ my burdens. I kept most of my teenage angst, loneliness, and frustration for no good reason. As a result, I made things more difficult for myself than I had to. I didn't relate to people as I could or should have. I had a habit of drowning out my pain (as well as the Spirit) with really heavy music, all the time. It's not a terrible thing to do, but it's not a good idea either.

Now I don't feel the need to drown out my pain anymore, and it's not because I have less pain to work with. I don't know if there's a specific turning point, but at some point after I moved to Montana, things turned around. There were times when I could have been angry but was able to pray for strength to have an open mind (to the fact that I might not know the entire story) and for the strength to choose to be happy and give my anger/loneliness/pain/you name it to Christ. I learned that part of the Atonement means to give your burdens to Him so you're free to act, not be acted upon (2 Nephi 2:26). From there, I've relied on the Lord more and more, through everything that's happened in the last few years. Good times are ahead, no matter what.

Now my motto is "It's not about me". Thank Heavenly Father it's not all up to me and my will and efforts when He can do so much more with me.

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