Mission Log: 22 October 2012

"I am called of God. My authority is above that of the kings of the earth. By revelation I have been selected as a personal representative of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is my Master and he has chosen me to represent him. To stand in his place, to say and do what he himself would say and do if he personally were ministering to the very people to whom he has sent me. My voice is his voice, and my acts are his acts; my words are his words and my doctrine is his doctrine. My commission is to do what he wants done. To say what he wants said. To be a living modern witness in word and deed of the divinity of his great and marvelous latter-day work." -Elder Bruce R. McConkie

That is what I am here to do. 

This week we had our zone conference. The age change for missionaries means that our mission is projected to gain ~100 missionaries between January and July (I think I'm saying all the numbers right) anyway, right now we only have 20 sister missionaries and we're projected to reach 80. 80 SISTERS! 80 young women ready to serve the Lord. I'm biased towards the girls, because I am one. I am so excited to have them join our mission bringing with them talents, strength, and the trust of the Lord. The world is changing!

Speaking of women, check out this video: http://www.lds.org/pages/mormon-messages?lang=eng#daughters-of-god

I've learned that simple truths can change our lives. Like this: God is our Heavenly Father, and he loves each of us. Do you get it? YOU are a child of the most powerful being in the universe. YOU are important to Him. Do you get it? Do you feel it? Do you understand it? It's true. I promise it's true! If you don't know it, pray and ask God Himself and He will answer you. Ask Him if He loves you. Ask Him if you are His child. Just ask Him, because he wants you to know it. 

This has been a wonderful week. I've seen miracles. Lives change when we put our trust in God and keep the commandments He has given us. 

Be good, make good choices, stay gorgeous. 

All my love,

Jari

Mission Log: 15 Oct. 2012

It's getting nice and cold in Jersey. I'm starting to realize why I love Florida so much! Hopefully my blood will thicken up and I won't be such a baby in this cold :) 

I have a new companion, Hermana Herrera. She's beautiful, and wonderful and speaks beautiful Spanish and is a hard worker...being her companion is great! Now if only my geography were better and I could actually get us around Jersey City we'd be unstoppable. 

It's been a good week though. Our ward hosted a Noche de Hispanidad. SO MUCH WONDERFUL FOOD! Fun thing about serving in Jersey is that I get little pieces of the whole world! I loved being able to taste little pieces of so many different countries and see so many different dances and presentations. My ward is FULL of happy, talented people. I'm lucky to be able to serve among them. 

There is a member from our ward who is in a nursing home. Her name is Hermana Arranda. I love her with all my heart. We try to visit her each week because she's terribly lonely and the missionaries are about the only people who visit her. I love her testimony. I love how much she trusts Heavenly Father. She is going blind and deaf, she feels completely alone in the world, but she makes it through each day solely based on her confidence that the Lord will make good on His promises and that her trials in this life will be but a small moment. She is the epitome of enduring trials well. She is everything wonderful and faithful, and I hope to emulate her example. Trust in the Lord. Trust Him. When He asks you to do hard things, trust Him. When He sees fit to send you through trials, trust Him. When He asks you to sacrifice, trust that He will make it right. Heavenly Father does have a plan, and if we will choose to be submissive and follow Him, how great will be our joy. 

Also, thanks to the way mission office mail works, I got a lot of birthday love this week. Thank you all so much for all the letters and packages, I'm such a blessed girl. I really appreciate the love and encouragement. Ya'll are the best! 

Read your scriptures, say your prayers, keep the commandments. 

Love,

Jari

Mission Log: 08 October, 2012

It was a wonderful weekend. I love that God speaks to a Prophet today. I love that this weekend I was able to listen to the Prophet and receive guidance and direction. The best, it was the best! If you didn’t have a chance to listen then you should go to http://www.lds.org/general-conference/sessions/2012/10?lang=eng and check it out. I recommend talks by Thomas S. Monson, Russell M. Nelson, Jeffrey R. Holland, and Don R. Clarke. Or all of them, all the talks are wonderful and will change your life forever. Do it. Go listen.

In other news, New Jersey is officially freezing. It happened over night, seriously. I’m not a fan at all. I like warm states. I’m trying to see if I can track down some gloves and earmuffs and things…Oh I just hate being cold. Okay. I’m done complaining. Even though it’s cold it’s still beautiful, and it smells like Christmas basically every single day. So that’s nice. AND the Grenne Family sent me lots of apple cider and hot chocolate and Courtney and Israel sent delicious cookies so that’s been keeping my insides warm. Thanks everyone, ya’ll are the best!

Oh, and the elders in my zone decided that the zone goal for October was actually going to be a challenge…the title “who can beat the sisters.” I just realized that I might be speaking mission lingo. Maybe someone in my family will be nice and decipher that sentence.

I’m out of time, like always. I hope you’re each having a wonderful week. 

Words from Annalee.

So Jari and Sister Lowry are the only Sister (women) companionship in their Zone, the rest are all Elders (men). Heres the break down of a Zone, missionaries serve in a certain area. The few areas make up a district, and a few districts make up a Zone. Each companionship and Zone set goals each month, and because the Sisters (Jari and Sis. Lowry) have been beating the Elders, one of the goals turned challenge for Oct. is to see which set of Elders can beat the Sisters in the Zone.

Mission Log: 01 Oct. 2012

So it’s October now. These months just keep flying by like their nothing. Things are starting to cool down, and all the children I know are starting to parade around their Halloween costumes when I come visit their homes. I don’t know when it happened, but somewhere over the last few weeks Jersey City became my home. I have people here who I consider as close as family. I understand the driving culture and the silly slang. Crammed apartments and streets and stores no longer seem strange. It’s just how life is, and it’s a part of me. I love this place. I love these people. It’s glorious.

The other day I had to go to court to settle a parking ticket (parking in Jersey is still ridiculous). I was sworn in and had to present myself before a judge, the whole bit. I had to give my little sob story about how I’m new to Jersey and the parking signs are straight crazy, and he ended up waving the whole ticket (phew). Then he said “Welcome to Jersey, love, it’s home sweet home.” Ha. Fantastic.

It’s General Conference this weekend. There is a prophet called today! So go listen to him! www.lds.org

Seriously. Thomas S. Monson is a man called of God. He speaks the words that God needs us to hear at this time. I know that as you listen to the prophet that you will feel God’s love for you, and you will receive answers to any questions you may have. You will receive guidance and direction for your life, and for your family. So do it. 10-12 and 2-4 (Mountain Time) Saturday and Sunday.

My time has come to an end once again. I hope you are each doing wonderfully.

All my love,

Jari