This Book is on FIRRREEEEE

Well, to start. We had this bombbbb family that we were teaching like the mom and the son were so interested and I could truly see the gospel changing their lives. The son had committed to baptism and we were so pumped. But then one day we returned and the mom told us that her ex husband freaked a lil and said that we couldn`t teach her children anymore and ya de ya de ya.. so sad. And now all of the sudden she hates us and refuses to even look at us. And she won`t let her son come to church or anything. But sometimes we see him on the street and talk to him and this week we saw him and I was so HAPPY. I was like COMO ESTA BRIAN have you been reading the Book of Mormon and praying and you get the point. And hes like `no..... my mom threw my Book of Mormon in the fire place and told me to never even think about reading it again.` So thats my life summed up in a paragraph. Hahaha so sad.

But other than that! hahaha this week was good! We had Christmas Eve din din with one of my favorite families. The Briga family. And don`t faint as you read this Christmas miracle but..... HE MADE HUMMUS. I could have shed some tears I was so happy. He didn`t even know its my favorite thing on this planet and he made it. Like they don`t even have hummus here and he randomly made it I was like wow thanks big man upstairs. He also made my a Pumpkin Pie as big as a Large pizza from Pizza Hut. So I think I will be content until my birthday.

Also here on Christmas Eve it`s no where close to Utah haha. Kids sound asleep in there bed dreaming of sugar plums and fairies does NOT exist here. People don`t even start eating dinner on Christmas Eve until MIDNIGHT. Like no one. We above a bar and there was a party going on ALLLLLL night long. Like no rest for the angels that live above the bar hahaha. Thank goodness my mother took me to Backstreet boys concerts when I was little and let me sleep through the entire thing because now I have cholo music blasting all night everynight outside my window hahaha.

Now on a more spiritual note.

Today I have been thinking of all the little things I witness everyday to show God`s love for my and my heart is so full. It truly is the little things. For example something so simple as Hummus on Christmas Eve. It may sound like a silly thing but it truly brought so much comfort to me. Or when I was coming here on the plane and they had all of this bread and treats and nothing I could eat on a 10 hour flight and then the guy came up to me and said that some one had preordered some healthy food and had missed their flight so I could have it. Or how every single day my companion and I are directed in what we need to teach or who we need to talk to. I truly feel his hand in my life everysingle day without a doubt. And I remember when I used to hear people say this and I was like wow why do I never have any glourious experiences but what I have come to realize is that I just wasn`t looking for them. Heavenly father is simply always there. He is our biggest fan and he will never give up on us. I know this to be TRUE.

This week as I was studying in personal study I decided to read the Sacrament prayer. And I decided to make it a goal to everyweek focus on a different sentence from that prayer in sacrament meeting. I remember in young womens they would always tell us to really really focus during that time that we partake of the sacrament but all I could ever think about was eating that piece of bread hahaha. But as I have been here in the mission and have been learning more than I could have ever imagined about the Atonement I have come to realize how truly truly important the Sacrament is in our lives. I read my scriptures in spanish and english side my side everyday and this week as I decided to read the sacrament prayer I come across the word `derramar` and then I looked at it in English and I was like oh okay `shed` .... next word. But then I felt a prompting that I need to look up the definition in my Spanish-English dictionary. And it is `derramar: to spill, to scatter, to overflow, to leak` and it just opened my eyes a little bit more to the Atonement and how Jesus Christ truly SUFFERED for us. Blood was leaking and overflowing out of him. Not to make it a gory thought but I just can`t even comprehend how much love he has for us and the pain he experienced for each and everyone of us. I encourage you to take more thought of the Atonement in your life as you partake of the sacrament each week because wow.

I don`t know even close to all things in the gospel but I do know for sure that Jesus Christ suffered for me and he suffered for you. He knows us. Personally.

Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

And with his stripes we are healed is my favorite line eva eva eva. USE the atonement in your life my brothas and sistas. And you will never be the same. I love this gospel and this letter is like a mile long so sorry but I hope you all have the most FELIZ NAVIDAD. I love you all and remember who you are and that I love you and that I pray for you.

XOXOXOXOXO hermana Jarvis

Feliz Navidaddddddd

This week like wow. First it´s the most humidity I have experienced in my whole life. And then BOOM rain rain rain rain. Like am I in Oregon or Argentina? Not sure sometimes haha.

Wow. I honestly can not even describe my feelings this week and my love for Navidad. I am so grateful for the mission because I know that I would never appreciate Christmas like I do know. My heart is so full.

My love for the Atonement is on another level. I am so grateful for this time we have to set aside worldy things and appreciate the birth of the Savior of the world. My brother who atoned for the sins of the world. The person that made it possible for everysingle one of us to be spiritually born. My testimony that the savior will never never leave us comfortless has grown like I would have never imagined. What better gift could we recieve than that of the Redeemer of the world. The gift and ability to return to our heavenly father through our Saviors mercy.

Today I am just so full of love for this gospel and to have the oppurtunity to appreciate the birth of Jesus Christ. We are given this amazing gift, to repent of our sins and through the mercy of Jesus Christ become perfected. We need to take advantage of this gift. I know without a doubt in my mind that the savior lives and he atoned for my sins. I gain a stronger testimony of this everysingle day.

3 Nephi 9:13-14
13 Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me.
14 His arms are extended towards us, all we need to do is give up our pride and emerse ourselves in his words.

Today I was talking with my companion and she was telling me how her father is so charitable and so giving. And how even when he only has a small amount of change to buy himself food for the day he is so willing to give it away. And then I just thought of all the people that feed us everyday and how the are litterally feeding us the food they payed for with the small small amount of money they have. And I am just in aweeee. I have never in my life experience not being able to buy food. And these people experience it everyday! It has made me take a second look at my life and see how truly truly blessed I have been.

John 3:16-17
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

St Luke 9:56
56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.

Jesus Christ was not sent here to condemn us and tell us of all the wrong we have done and make us feel negative. He was sent here for us to be saved and for us to experience his mercy and forever open arms. I love this gospel with all of my heart. I am so grateful for my heavenly father and Jesus Christ. And this wonderful day and life we have to celebrate his birth. Jesus Christ died and suffered for me and I know that I am here to live for him.

I love you all and I hope that you truly take this week to more so appreciate the birth of Jesus Christ and the Atonement that came from it.

Remember who you are and to be a good person and not do drugs.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Hermana HHHHHarvis

 

¿How many Argentinians can you fit on one Motorcycle?

Hola!

This week was good as usual haha.

We had a christmas party with the ward... It started at 7 and the bishop didn´t even show up until 8:30. The person in charge didn´t show up at all and no one even came until nine and then we had to return to our apartment at 9:30 hahahaha. FELIZ NAVIDAD. But it was still great. Nothing like a ward party in Utah. It actually really taught me a lot. It taught me to not leave it to other people to plan these types of things because I am here to change this ward and help these people not just sit back and go wit dah flow.

Also you probably never thought it was possible to fit 5 people on one motorcyle. Or to carry a mattress and two people on one motorcyle. Well im here to tell you its so possible hahaha. Like there will be two parents, and 4 kids on ONE MOTORCYLE. It brings joy to my life.

Also there are three things that have more value to me than I could have ever imagined in the mission. The Book of Mormon first off. I have never wanted to just sit down and read it for days on end in my entire life. Second prayers. I literally could pray all day long and still have more to say. Third, deoderant. I HAVE NEVER SWEAT MORE IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. hahahaha sorry if thats a little TMI but like wow. I haven´t even touched the blanket and sheets on my bed in who knows how long because I would die of this humid heart renching heat. But wow my skin is so moisturized hahaha.

I love the mission. Like I just can´t even express my love for the mission. Somedays I am literally counting the seconds until the day will be over because holy cow. But then when I see the tears in someones eyes when they realize that they aren´t alone or that they can be with their loved ones again makes it all worthwhile. Like wow. I am so dang lucky to be here.

I have never in my life been able to actually obtain my goals until the mission. It is truly the most unselfish-selffish thing you can do, (going on a mission). Like I can´t even image who I would be or what kind of friend or mother or wife or sister or I don´t even know without the mission. I have learned so much about myself and learned so many things I need to improve on. And It´s so much easier to improve on these things when I am emersing myself in the work of the Lord.

This week one of the best things I came across was Romans 8:18 ´for I reackon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed with in us´
Becuase man is this life hard sometimes. But through Jesus Christ and the atonement we can truly be healed. This has had the biggest play in the mission. Because satan is so real in the mission and so many negative thoughts and actions and thoughts of the past and ya de ya de ya come to mind and everyday and I have learned to simply just get on my knees and plead with my father in heaven for help and forgiveness and boom I start to feel better and feel the atonement of Jesus Christ truly take place in my life. He is our ADVOCATE. Don´t let the relationship or oppurtunity to use him in your life go to waste. And realized that the sufferings of this present time are nothing compared to the glory TO COME and that Heavenly Father is wit cha every step of the way.

I love this gospel and I love missionary work and I love zapallo(pumpkin) sidenote: I have eaten pumpkin everysingle day for the past three weeks. It is literally my life.

Anyways ya I love you all and miss ya dearly. Enjoy the snow and english christmas music and going to church and actually understanding people talk in the lessons and enjoy sleeping under your sheets and not dying of heat oh and also american food.

XOXOXOXO

Hermana Jarvis

Sweat is real

Went to the Bar this week

My companion and finished our studies super late one day like every other day because we have to study for four hours since i'm a newby and when we went out I had a feeling that we shouldn't go out. But I didn't know why so I just didn't do anything about it. And we went out and started contacting people my stomach was like BOOM and I literally saw my life flash before my eyes. hahaha jk but I thought my body was going to explode. Like I don't even know. So we started clapping outside of random houses (because knocking on doors here is not the norm) and then when they came outside I asked to use their bathroom because I felt so sick and like 3 people said no I am too busy I was like I AM GOING TO DIE. So we started walking home but by this point I could barely walk...(yay for being a girl) and we came across this bar on a corner and I asked the bar tender if I could use the bathroom hahhaa and she said yes and so yeah. I went to the bar this week.

Also while Hna Urzua and I were contacting last night we were deciding wether or not to go to this reference that was super far away because it was getting late so we decided to pray and after we prayed we were both like uhhh... not really feelin anything and then we turn around and there was this huge sign that said NO hahaha. It was super funny.

Okay the best part about this week other than the sweet spirit we feel everyday was PUMPKIN PIE ladies and gentlemen. One of the families in our area is seriously amazing and they LOVE us. Like they are the sweetest humans in the world. And their aniversery was on Thanksgiving and they both had to work and they felt so bad because they wanted to make me pumpkin pie on THEIR aniversery. like they are the sweetest. And the husband is the best cook ever. Anyways we had lunch with them this week and they made us pumpkin pie. Gluten free. And it was seriously the best thing I have ever had in my life. Like it's all I think about hahaha. But this family is such an answer to my prayers. I love them with my whole heart. They gave us a ride home after lunch and the little daughter was belting OH DARLING and it was the cutest thing ever. She doesn't even know english but she sang the whole song word for word and shes like 3. SO CUTE. They remind me of home because their family looks white and acts white hahahaha. In every blessing I have recieved I was told that I would connect well with the members and I did not feel that was true one bit until this week. They are what keeps me going. So I encourage YOU to reach out to the missionaries and give them a little lovin. Because they may seam so happy all the time but the mission is hard and we all need a little love.

So we had stake conference this week and I didn't understand one thing cause ya know, spanish. And so I read talks on talks. I read 'Finding Joy through Loving Service'by Elder M. Russell Ballard and it really opened my eyes to charity and helped me realize a lot of things I need to work on.

'Where charity exists, there is no room for gossip or unkind words' The first and most simple commandment is love the Lord thy God. Which ties perfectly with the second, love thy neighbor as thyself. 'Therefore all things whatso ever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law'' Matthew 7:12

 When we love the Lord with all of our hearts and all of our souls and all of our minds there is no room for negativity. There is no room for contention. It is just that simple. One of the hermanas we live with has been really rude to me for a lot of the time we have been here. and let me tell ya it's been hard. But this week I have realized that even when people treat us unfairly we still have to forget ourselves. We still have to strive to love one another and be the example. And truly let go of our pride. Because when we truly love our Lord Jesus Christ we love his children. ùnless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose to our own lives'

'that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him, as he is, that we may have this hope, that we may be purified even as he is pure.'

We need to humble ourselves before the lord and truly let go of contention and let go of our pride. Because when the time comes that we see our Savior again I want to be pure as he is pure. I want to be like my savior Jesus Christ and I know that there is no better time than today to start making the needed changes in my life.

My ponderizing scripture this week is D&C 108:7 'Therefore, strengthen your bretheren in all your conversations, in all of your prayers, in all of your exhortations, and in all of your doings.' So forget yourself and become perfected!

I love this work. Im like santa vaca I am so lucky to be where I am today. I love you all. Remember who you are and that you are kool.

XOXOXOXO

Hermana Jennnnnnnna Jarvis