Mission Log: 3 June 2013

^^the most awkward mustache picture ever taken, ever!! Also not the caution tape in the background. Seriously so much awkward!

^^more awkward ^^

^^This is a the most random little deli, and I love it!!^^

I live a charmed life! I love being a missionary in the NJMM. Sometimes I think I’m way too small to feel all the joy and love that is available to me, so it just comes bursting out of me and hopefully it blesses the lives of others because it is sure blessing mine.
Miracles are real; I think Heavenly Father is more willing to bless us than I ever dreamed. I’ve noticed that if I follow promptings from the Spirit that come as I pray that everything tends to work out. I know what to say and where to go. Investigators are able to come to church. We find the team-up we need. The Spirit is felt, and that’s really the most important thing. As much as possible I’m trying to diminish myself and magnify Christ and the Spirit who testifies of Him, His Father, and the truthfulness of the gospel. I am just the mouthpiece…and occasionally I’m a cheerleader for my companions and my investigators. It’s fun.
My companions are some of the most incredible women I have ever met. I'm impressed by their faith and their dedication to the work.
We are teaching 4 little girls. I think I sent you a picture of them last week. Last week they weren’t able to attend church, even though we had arranged a ride and everything for them. It broke my heart. But this week they came! It was such a miracle. I was sitting there in sacrament meeting feeling more like a mom than a missionary. I was playing the dot game with a 13 year old on my left and I had a 6 year old on my right grabbing my face with her hands and ripping up papers and putting them in my lap. All the while testimony meeting was going on. It was one of the most incredible testimony meetings of my life. I wasn’t able to focus on every word that was said, but I caught pieces of truth that touched my heart: “I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God.” “God is our loving Heavenly Father.” “Joseph Smith was called as a prophet and the church of Jesus Christ was restored through him.” “I know God hears and answers my prayers.” “The gospel has blessed my family.”
Little, simple sentences but they meant so much to me. Then I looked down at these sweet girls whose lives have been harder in 13 years or less than mine has in 23 and my heart was just so full. I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for blessing me with a family who loves me, who supports and encourages me. What a rarity and what an incredible privilege. I’m so grateful that I get to testify to people every day that the gospel can help them have happiness and unity in their home. I love telling people that all wounds can heal through the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Really, God just wants us to be happy. Everything He has ever done and anything He ever will do is to bring about the greatest measure of joy possible for His children. I am convinced that there is no challenge, no disappointment, no achievement, no triumph that is not perfectly calculated to teach us the things that we must know to become the people God intends us to be SO THAT WE CAN BE HAPPY! I look forward to eternal joy as the result of obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
All my love,
Jari

Mission Log: 29 May 2013

we burnt socks for my year mark

My girls!

Because sometimes I think in lists…

These things I love:
My nametag, being a missionary
Family History
New Jersey
Rice and beans
Different accents
My companions
Sun showers
Spanish and Portuguese
Portañol
The little potted plant that lives in my kitchen window
The Book of Mormon
Running every morning
Meetings where I get to see my mission president and his wife
Feeling the Spirit and recognizing it
Talking to random people from all over the world
Praying with and for people that I just met
Reading the scriptures with my friends
Trying new foods from different countries
Driving
Not using and GPS and not getting lost
Writing in my journal
Realizing that my life is actually a fairy tale, life goal accomplished
Singing hymns
Planning
Pictures of my family and friends
Quality chocolate
Developing talents
Hugs
The innocence of children
Early mornings
Feeling tired after a good day of work

Mission Log: 20 May 2013

Sometimes life is full of tender mercies. I have been craving banana bread for my entire mission, but I haven’t had the time to make it. I was telling my companions about how much I want banana bread and how banana bread reminds me of my dad and I went on and on about all things delicious, wonderful, and banana bread. That same day one of our members texted us and said that she had a ton of left over cupcakes and asked if we wanted them. Of course we want left over cupcakes, this woman literally bakes for a living, and her food is delicious! When we got there it turns out that they were banana bread cupcakes AND they were frosted with dulce de leche. It was perfect. Not a big deal, sure, but for me it came as a small reminder that God is aware of both or needs and our wants. He can take care of the tiniest things, like my craving for banana bread—surely He can and will take care of all other things, if we but trust Him.

Sometimes when the storms of life start beating down on us we are quick to ask “Master, carest thou not that we perish?” I love the Master’s response. He, who has power to control and calm all things, calms the storm and then inquires as to the faith of his friends.

Developing faith is often difficult, but I know that prayer and taking the scriptures seriously help. I know that the Lord wants what is best for us. I know that there is a purpose to all things that we experience in life. I know that if we are faithful and obedient that joy is ours. 

Mission Log: May 13th, 2013

So, I'll write more later. But I wanted to send a picture from the baptism. :) 

My Mission President and his grandkids came to the baptism. I taught the little girl how to say "I'm a daughter of God" is Spanish, she and I are pretty much best friends now. 

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.