Mission Log: 6 May 2013

I’m convinced that we often do much more good in our lives than we are prone to think we do. I really think for the most part that people are good, or at least they want to be good. I think that people want to help others. I think that people want to feel happy. I know that true happiness comes by living the principles of faith and repentance. As we learn more about Christ and follow His example we become happier, it is a natural result.

We visit a woman who is very timid and sometimes I mistake her shyness as rudeness. I assumed that she didn’t like us at all and was simply putting up with us whenever we came over. On Thursday night she randomly called us around 9pm and asked if she could please make us lunch the next day. I was so surprised at the offer, and of course we accepted.

When we got to her house the next day we found a feast waiting for us. She had prepared so much food, just for me and my companions. Then she slowly and deliberately got out the nicest plates and cups she could find and bustled around the kitchen as she served us.  She was quiet the entire time, as usual, but there was a huge smile on her face the whole time we were there. We shared a message about prayer before we left and then gave her hugs goodbye. Before we walked out the door she thanked us for coming, something that she had never done before.

I’m sure that for a woman as shy as her that it was such a challenge to call the missionaries at night, when she wasn’t sure if they were awake or asleep. I know it took time to prepare, serve, and clean up the meal. I know it was out of her comfort zone to give us each a hug and thank us for our visit, but she did it anyway. She did things that were hard for her so that we could know she loves us and wants to serve us. I felt the Spirit so strongly in that visit and I was touched by the example of self-sacrifice demonstrated by this woman.

Each of us has different trials or temptations. We are each asked to step out of our comfort zone, to change, and become the people that we have the potential to be. I am so grateful for the gift of repentance made available through the atonement of Jesus Christ. I am grateful for the option I have to make changes in my life that help me to bless the lives of others and come nearer to God. I am thankful for a timid woman who demonstrated the love of the Savior by overcoming her fears and giving me a hug.

It’s been a good week, full to the brim with miracles. I’m a lucky girl to be here in New Jersey serving my friends. I live a charmed life. 

Mission Log: 22 April 2013

My friend Pablo was baptized yesterday. It was one of the greatest moments of my life. Meeting and teaching Pablo and his daughter Romina has been like finding part of my family. They are so dear to my heart and it was such a wonderful experience to see him all dressed in white ready to make a promise with God. Yesterday was one of the best days I’ve had in New Jersey.

The interesting thing that I noticed was that despite it being such a wonderful day and despite being able to share it with people whom I love so much I still found a way to be stressed. All throughout church I was thinking about lists of things I needed to get done. Print the program. Practice the musical number. Make sure everyone gets dressed on time. Set up the chairs. Fill the font. Greet people as they come in. Make sure that the people giving talks show up. Find the person who is supposed to be conducting. Take pictures. Get everyone in their seats. There’s no microphone so make sure people can hear. Thank everyone for their help. Do this. Run there. Fix that. Give him something to eat. And all the while still try to feel the Spirit. It wasn’t until the baptism was over that I ever had a chance to actually enjoy it. I decided there is so much wisdom in the Savior’s command “peace, be still.”

 I know myself, and I know that it is very difficult for me to be still. I’m a doer. I like to be in a constant state of motion. If I’m not doing something I get fidgety. But I hope that I can learn to be still, to be quiet and to recognize that there is joy to be had and miracles to be recognized if I will just take the time to appreciate them.

There are lots of things that I know I need to improve on, and I’m glad Heavenly Father gives me a life time to try and figure things out, repent, and try again. 

Mission Log: 15 April 2013

All is well and beautiful in the garden state. I feel like I talk about the beauty of New Jersey every week, but the thing is that it is JUST THAT beautiful. There are blossoms showing up everywhere and it just makes you feel like you’re walking in paradise. I love it!

We didn’t have very many set appointments this week, so from the onset I knew we would be spending a lot of time knocking doors. We ended up meeting and teenage boy and his grandfather from Sierra Leon who love fish and were cleaning out fish tanks and wanted to talk all about fish. Thanks to my brother-in-law, Blake I can know just enough about fish and tanks to keep a conversation going and they ended up letting us come in to teach them. Turns out that other members of their family belong to our church, they even had a Book of Mormon there and went to get it while we were talking. The mentioned that they had never read the Book of Mormon and didn’t really understand what it was. So we explained and read with them. The Book of Mormon in itself really is a miracle. It testifies of Christ. Reading the Book of Mormon builds faith in the Savior and increases our desire to follow His teachings. I love reading the Book of Mormon with people.

Also in our knocking we came to one door and the woman would not answer. At first she told us that she had just gotten out of the shower and she told us to come back in a few minutes. When we came back she said she was on the phone and we should come another time. We figured that she just wasn’t interested, so we went on walking. As we were walking we heard a woman calling “Senoras! Misioneras!” It was the lady! So we went back and taught her.

We just had a lot of moments where I felt like we were in the right place at the right time doing the right thing. I love that feeling! 

I love the gospel. I love sharing it. I love watching lives change as people apply the principles of faith and repentance. I love rejoicing with my friends when they are baptized and confirmed. I love supporting others as they endure to the end. I love sharing in the work of the Lord.

Mission Log: 8 April 2013

The Garden State is my home. I love it here. Spring is gorgeous and I could not be happier. To sum my week up I met new people from all across the world. I heard stories of faith and miracles. I prayed with strangers and friends. I listened to a living prophet. I felt God’s love. I testified of Christ.

How was your week?

This month our mission is focusing on consecration. Our leaders asked us to think of all the things in our lives that we know we need to change. Little disobediences that keep our lives from being in harmony with the teachings of Christ (faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end  http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/the-doctrine-of-christ?lang=eng). In essence they asked us to think of all the things that keep us from being happy, because the whole points of Christ’s doctrine are to help us be happy. We wrote down our different things and then we went outside and burned them. It was a little dramatized, but I like drama. I know that I am not perfect, but I know I have power to change. Guess what, you do too! We all have things in our lives that keep us from being as happy as our Savior intends us to be, and through His atonement we are given the power to overcome them. I invite you to think of things that you would like to change so that you can be happier, then take massive action to make those changes a reality. I know that it’s making a difference for me. I can see small miracles in my life each day. I know you will too.

Have a great day, cherish each moment. Love well and live well.

Love,

Mission Log: 1 April 2013

I realized far too late in the game that today is April Fool’s day and I have no good jokes planned, shameful!

In other news, I was bit by a dog this week. I’m officially a “real” missionary. I was on an exchange with too English sisters and we had no set appointments so we started knocking doors. While we were knocking this random dog runs by with a leash and no owner. So we decided that there was probably someone somewhere looking for this dog. So we continued knocking doors and asking everyone if the dog was theirs and if it wasn’t their dog if they perchance would be interested in learning more about Jesus Christ. It was just a really strange day. Anyway at one point Dexter, the dog, decided that he was fed up with us he bit me, then he bit Sister Dorneles, and they he tried to escape through a fence. But, alas, we were victorious over the dog. Not only that, but after about an hour or so we finally met the owner. It was a Kenyan family and they know Mormons and are just fine with the idea of learning more about our message. All in a day’s work.

Spring is finally showing up. I love Spring. It’s interesting to me how much I appreciate the warm weather when the memory of cold, dark days is fresh in my mind. When we were walking the other day I ended up stopping right in my tracks and for just a little bit stood in the road with my head to the sky and my arms outstretched just soaking up the sun. It felt good.

To make a little analogy, I wonder if we thought about the gospel the way we think about Spring if we would talk about it more and share it more. Does that make sense. Imagine a world where all your friends live in constant winter. Cold and dark all day every day while you live in springtime. Wouldn’t you tell them about how wonderful the sunshine is, how beautiful the flowers are, and how great it is to live in constant spring? Wouldn’t you invite them to come visit and see and feel for themselves how great spring in? I would! If we would be so quick to share things that bring happiness in every other facet of our lives, why wouldn’t we share the gospel. The knowledge that Jesus is the Christ, that He lives, and that his atonement is sufficient to save us from death and despair. Just something to think about.

General Conference is coming up this weekend. I’m so excited to hear from a living prophet of God! Have a wonderful day, I love you a lot! 

Mission Log: 25 March 2013

Sorry Guys, I have been a bad blog keeper upper. A reminder that this blog is not being kept by Jari her self while she is serving a LDS mission. -Annalee

chickens! in a living room. Jersey is crazy. 

Zelia, MY Brazilian

curled sister petersen's hair

Yesterday my sweet friend got baptized, the Brazilian woman I have been talking about the past couple weeks. I love her with my whole heart, I'm pretty sure that she and I are kindred spirits. She was so excited for her baptism. We have three different meetings at church (each one is an hour long) and after each meeting she would ask me "is it time for my baptism now?" "how about now?" "is it my turn now?" She was SO excited, and I was excited for her. After the last meeting she grabbed my hand and started singing and dancing down the hallway. She just made up her own song and sang random sentences about everything that was going on around us. "This is my girl from Alagoas." "Today I'm going to get baptized." "Elder Larson is my new godfather" (Elder Larson is one of the missionaries that taught her). "My husband, my boyfriend, the love of my life came to church today." She was EVERYTHING happy. I couldn't help but giggle the entire time. Once she was all dressed in white we went to go take more pictures and she loved that. So we took a lot of pictures. 7 different missionaries with cameras all oggling over her, it was great. 

(This is a side story just to showcase how it doesn't really matter where I am or what I'm doing and am still, always and forever, Jari. During all the picture taking I sat down on a couch...and it turns out that I sat on a spot where a little girl just had a bit of an accident. When I stood up I thought, "oh man, my bum feels really wet." Well that would be because my super absorbent skirt soaked up the whole mess, awesome.) 

I gave a short talk at the baptismal service about the gift of the Holy Ghost. A man who was baptized last week was in attendance so I had him share his testimony about the gift of the Holy Ghost, it was short and powerful. Really having the gift of the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost is so special. It changes our lives to have a constant friend to help us go through life. I am so grateful. As I talked to her about it I mentioned how we can do things that help us to be worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost, and one of those things is to sing hymns (keep in mind that this woman LOVES to sing hymns). Earlier that morning I had found a hymn book in Portuguese and I gave it to her as a gift. She just hugged the book close to her and her eyes got really big as if she could hardly believe that it was actually for her. It was like Christmas. It was one of the greatest days of my life. In reality I've spent a grand total of 4 days with this woman, but I love her like family. She is so dear to me. I love how to gospel brings people together. I love learning to love the way that Christ did. 

My live a very charmed life, and I owe it completely to the influence of the gospel in my life. The gospel of Jesus Christ means everything to me and I love sharing it with everyone else. Such simple things: faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. So simple, so powerful, so life changing. I love it. 

Mission Log: 18 March 2013

I hope everyone had a wonderful St. Patrick's Day. My companions and I all wore green to church and were looking very festive. Apparently the only other people who got the memo were the grandmothers in the congregation...which worked out well for us. They were all so excited to see that we dressed up that we got extra hugs. I love hugs!

Also, my favorite Brazilian woman, Zelia, is home from  her trip to Florida (lucky lady!). She came dancing down the hall and grabbed me in a huge hug. She started introducing me to an elder that was teaching her previously and told him all about how I'm her favorite. It made me laugh, I love how cute she is. I'm pretty sure she and I are best friends. When I grabbed one of her hands she shook a little because they were really cold. She told me, "sweetheart, I knew you had a warm heart...but if your hands are that cold your heart must be on fire!! Well, actually, that makes sense." I started laughing so hard. I just want to shrink her down and carry her around in my pocket, I love her. 

Mostly, I just want anyone who reads this to know that I really love the gospel of Jesus Christ. My life is full of joy because of the gospel. It is my greatest treasure. I love my Savior. I am so grateful to Him for his sacrifice so that I can receive forgiveness for my sins, but also so that I can receive help and guidance in trials, so that I can feel the love and comfort that He has to offer. I know that my Heavenly Father hears and answers my prayers, I know He does the same for each one of you. Isn't that wonderful? I am so glad to know it, I am so honored to share that precious knowledge. Life is a joy. 

Mission Log: 11 March 2013

I went back to my first area in Jersey City on an exchange this week. It was cool to see all the different ways that I have changed and grown. Sometimes it’s easy to assume that I’m not growing, so I am grateful for little moments that remind me how far I have come.

The truth is that we’re always growing. Our choices determine if that growth bring us closer to or father away from God. One of my favorite hymns is “Nearer My God to Thee.” All I really want to do is just come nearer and nearer to God.

Mission Log: 04 March 2013

I love New Jersey. It's crazy, and there's a lot of road rage, and they have these things called jug-handles that destroy my already terrible sense of direction, but I love this state!

I love the people. I love the food. I love the trees. I love the buildings. I love how sassy everyone is. I love the absurd number of Florida license plates. I love that I get to learn things about the entire world without leaving a single apartment complex. I love the people that I have met and continue to meet each day. 

I think I've given a piece of my heart to this crazy little place. I'm pretty sure Jersey is mine forever. 

Training a new missionary is an incredible experience. I feel like I'm being stretched in a million different directions, but someone I'm made equal to the task. 

Before I came of my mission I thought I knew a lot about love. I thought I knew how to love others. I thought it was a talent of mine even. Being a missionary has taught me more about love than I thought was possible to learn. I have learned about heartbreak, I've learned about true rejoicing, I've learned how to listen, I've learned how to trust, and I'm just going to keep on learning and keep giving my whole heart to everyone I meet. And the strange thing is that there will always be enough of my heart to give. There is no end to love. 

Mission Log: 25 Feb 2013

Everything crazy. My life is everything crazy. I am still with Sister Petersen and now I'm training and we've added Sister Garn to the mix. Sister Garn is one of the first of the younger missionaries, she just turned 19 in September, and she is a rockstar. Being in a trio is interesting and comes with it's own blessings and challenges as does everything in life. In the few days we have been together it has been incredible to see how well we work together and how our personalities complement one another when we are all focused on our purpose: to help others come unto Christ. 

It also feels like we run into more ridiculous than ever before. The other day we met a random Portuguese woman who fed us take our chinese food and told us all about how top ramen is the duct tape of food. It was hilarious. 

I also find it really interesting how Heavenly Father chooses when and how to bless us with little tender mercies. I may only be half Brazilian and I may not speak Portuguese very well but I LOVE everything about Brazilians and Brazilian culture. This week we ended up teaching a sweet little Brazilian woman. I barely had both feet in her door when she had already kissed both my cheeks and was still just holding me in a tight hug. It reminded me so much of my dad that I almost burst into tears right then and there. Then she made room for us in her small house and had me sit right next to her on her bed. She held my hand as she told stories and went on about how Portuguese is the greatest language and everyone should learn it. She asked us to sing a hymn for her and she cried through the whole thing. There was so much emotion bursting from this small woman that I couldn't help but be in awe of her. I am a woman of passion. I love that I can feel a range of emotions. And I love this woman for trusting me instantly and for letting me be a complete part of her world for the 45 minutes that we sat in her home. She and I are friends for life. 

I know that Heavenly Father is perfect aware of each of his children. He knew that I needed to be reminded that it is okay to be a little bit crazy, really loud, and everyone on the spectrum of emotions. I am so grateful that he would grant me such a wonderful opportunity. 

I hope you're having a great day. 

Love,

Jari

Mission Log: 20 Feb 2013

My life is a giant mess of crazy. I'm training again. Back in October a prophet of God, Thomas S. Monson, changed the world. He said that all worthy young men will have the opportunity to serve a mission at 18 years old and all worthy young women are able to serve at 19 years old. And 4 months later my life got crazy. My new companion, Sister Garn, is 19. She, Sister Petersen and I are in a trio. I am learning a lot about communication and patience and simplicity and obedience...I'm basically just learning a lot about everything. I think it's funny that any time I get to a point in my life where I even dare think "Okay, I think I know what I'm doing. I think I got a hang of this." Heavenly Father decides it's time for a new type of experience that completely throws me for a loop. 

I have to remind myself that God never gives me a challenge that I am not capable of overcoming. He always supports and qualifies me for all He asks me to do. I'm grateful for how much trust He has in me. I always want to live in a way where I will be worthy of the guidance of His Spirit. I am so dependent on that heavenly aid. I know that God lives. I know he will give me every experience and opportunity necessary to refine me. I look forward to learning and growing more than I ever have before. 

I am making dear friends on my mission. Friendship has grown to mean something different to me over the last month or so. I am supremely grateful for the people in my life who encourage me to be my best. I am grateful for the people who make good choices and seek after truth. I am grateful for prayer and the opportunity I have to develop a real relationship with my Heavenly Father. He's there. He listens. He fills any void in your soul, whether or not you even know that it's there. I am so grateful that God knows me well enough to have sent me dear friends throughout my life. People who have helped me to grow and learn; people who help me to feel and recognize the Spirit. I will seek to always be such a friend. 

Love you,

Jari

Mission Log: 12 Feb 2013

My friend Guillermo got baptized on Sunday. It was one of the most incredible services of my life. It is something special to watch a man who loves God make a promise that will forever put his life on a new path that will bring him greater happiness than he has ever known. It was a wonderful day. I don't really have words for it actually. It's something that you know how to feel more than you know how to talk about.

I don't have much more time to say what I would like to. 

I know that God lives. I know that Jesus is the Christ. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know there is power in faith and obedience. 

Have a wonderful week.  

 

Mission Log: 4 February 2013

What happened with that groundhog? I'm really interested to know how much more winter I've got on my plate. I don't much like being cold, but I decided that I can put up with it because it helps me better appreciate all the glory of hot, humid summer days! 

Things in Jersey are going well. Yesterday was fast and testimony meeting so members from the congregation were all sharing their testimonies and feelings about the gospel. It was a powerful meeting. At one point a nine year old boy stood up and said he would like to share a story about how his knowledge of the gospel has helped him. He said that he was at school earlier in the week and all his friends were talking about the end of the world. One of his friends asked him if he is afraid of the end of the world and his response was "No, I know it is all part of God's plan and that if I do the things he asks of me that I will be safe." 

I LOVE the purity of children and how much confidence they have in the Lord. I want to have as much trust in God as that young boy, he's my hero of the week. 

I hope you are each having a wonderful week. 

All my love,

Jari