Taiwan Week 33 - March 25 - Photos and Changes Coming!

Sis. Jarvis will receive a new missionary companion this week and become a trainer!

Hello my dearest, darling Family!

It sounds like everyone is busy and doing well! So grateful for that blessing :) I had another very happy and miracle filled week with Sister Xie :) I can't even tell you how much I love her and am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for letting her be my companion! We are definitely eternal friends :) This week we prayed that we would be able to have more investigators with baptismal dates and the miracles came. We had a miracle at church yesterday (see below) and then we have been teaching a less-actives two nieces, who are adorable and are 9 and 10, and had a very Spirit filled lesson with them- it's so amazing to teach little kids- their little lights just shine! Sister Xie and I were talking last night about all of the miracles and changes we have seen in just 2 weeks.......we have seen the hand of the Lord so much, it's just amazing!

I also am still letting it sink in that I will be training the end of this week and Sister Xie will be moving!! Our Mission President called me this afternoon.....we have 22 missionaries coming this week so big changes are a comin! If you could all spend a day with Sister Xie, you would be so incandessibly (still don't know how to spell it!) happy :D Her favorite phrases this week: "Awesome possum!" "Okey Dokey Artichoke!" I learned so much from her.........The Lord has great things in store for her!

Ok, church miracle yesterday!! So Sister Xie and I were waiting on the 1st floor for some people before church started and in walks this super cute 17 year old girl who had come to English class. Her mom had brought her to English because her mom had remembered coming to our English class about 20 or 30 years ago! They said they would try to come to church, but weren't sure.......well her daughter came! It was her first time and she just wanted to see what it was like.  She stayed for all 3 hours, made friends with the Young Women, and loved it! I sat down with her after church and talked about her experience and then asked her if she had prayed before.  She said she had, just that week! She said she had a shooting competition outside on Thursday and it was starting to rain so they were worried if they could still have it.  She said she remembered at English that one of the Elders had taught them about prayer so she decided to try it :) She said a little prayer in her heart and a few minutes later, it stopped raining hard! She said it was so amazing, and she said she was thinking- Did Heavenly Father really hear her prayer? :) Well after she told me, I was speechless and my heart was just burning. As we testified of prayer, I then began to talk to her about baptism. She said she had already asked her mom if she could become a Christian and her mom had said it was her decision......so she said if her mom says it is ok, she will be baptized on April 27th! I can testify that this experience was a miracle.  Heavenly Father had prepared this precious daughter to come to church and she seems so ready to partake of these amazing eternal blessings!

*Funny story of the week: we went with a member and investigator to dinner on Friday to this other Christian church's restaurant.....it was great. All these Christians singing Christian songs, reading their Christian pamphlets while they ate, and us with our Book of Mormons :)

I learned a lot this week. We had an amazing training meeting on Wednesday where the assistants taught us how to better get to know our investigators and their needs before we begin teaching for the first time. I feel like there are all these little things changing in missionary work that are just making it better and helping us to be better missionaries......the Lord is really preparing His missionaries to reach out to every soul in the entire world. I also LOVED reading the Book of Mosiah....two favorite verses: Mosiah 6:7 and Mosiah 8:18 :)........the one talks about the qualities of a righteous leader, just like our Savior.......and the other teaches that through our faith we can be another person's miracle or answer to a prayer :) I love the Book of Mormon so so much!!! It's words are my dearest and bestest of friends :) I know that it is the word of God and was translated by a Prophet of God. I realized this week how much I love reading the B of M with our investigators and what a precious experience that is. The Book of Mormon is truly a gift and what a blessing to always have it right by our side :) I also know that as we immerse ourselves in it, it becomes an even greater tool in our lives. I know I say this every week......but I LOVE THIS GOSPEL!!! I'm so grateful to be a missionary and to be one for the rest of my life :) I'm so grateful for the amazing examples I have had in my life and know that as we trust in the Lord, there is more happiness than we can imagine coming our way!

Love you all sooo much!!
and tell my friends I am so sorry I have not written them all back yet!! But I will! :D

Love you ooodles and cabooodles!

Sister J. :)

Visiting the Shark Toast Restaurant

Sunset in Da Liao

Huang Family in Da Liao

With Sister Xie

Taiwan Week 32 - March 18 - First week in Zhang hua!

Hi my dearest, darling, and wonderful family!!

Zhang hua is such a great place! I am loving it :D We saw a lot of miracles this week with lessons and people we met..........Sister Xie is such an amazing missionary! She has only been a member for just over a year.......she had to wait three years to get baptized because her parents were against it, but right after she hit her year mark as a member she left on her mission! She is the most adorable thing and when she teaches or talks to people, she makes you feel so comfortable and the Spirit is always there......so grateful for her..... I have already learned so much from her.  She was pretty much guiding us this week as I just felt completely lost on all of the roads (I attempted to take us home one night and even after 6 days I still went the wrong way :) ) She also likes me to teach her little English phrases.......her current favorite is, "I cried my eyes out!" :)

We had some really great experiences this week.....we really were able to see the hand of the Lord in helping every day's plan to work out and being able to visit a lot of people. We looked up a less-active on the ward list and decided to visit her. She at first didn't answer and then she came out.........after talking to her for a little bit we asked if we could visit her later and share a message with her. This started her on talking about how she doesn't believe there is just Heavenly Father and she believes is all of these other Daoist Gods. The Spirit filled Sister Xie and my soul and we continually bore testimony to her that we knew she was a child of a loving Heavenly Father and that the Savior lived. She kept trying to tell us we were wrong and how could we prove this to her........Sister Xie and I were soon in tears as we just kept testifying. In the end, she really wouldn't believe us, so we left before it turned into an argument or anything. It was so sad to have her not want to listen or believe us, but we knew we had done all we could for the Spirit had been with us. I know that the Savior loves all of Heavenly Father's children so very much and can not even imagine the pain he must feel when they don't want to believe in Him, but I also can't imagine the joy He feels when one of His lost sheep finds their Shepherd and is brought into His fold!! and it happens every day :D We met some wonderful people this week who were willing and touched by the message we had to share........we knelt in prayer with an investigator last night who so humbly asked Heavenly Father if this Gospel was true and met with another investigator this week who had tried to pray on her own for a long time, but was finally taught how and felt the Spirit!! There are so many precious souls coming to know their Savior and Heavenly Father!

Our Zone is quite the pumped-up group of missionaries! When we were doing our English proselyting at the intersection this week, it was quite entertaining.....one of the Elders held up the sign and yelled out on the corner about English and Baptism and English and Baptism...it was so great:) but we were able to talk to lots of people and had a lot of people come to English!

I felt like this week was a stretching week of my own faith. Some days I just felt like my faith wasn't enough, and I find when you feel like that it is easier for your courage to come down a little bit :) Well I can testify that faith is real, that faith is power and that is something we have to work at every day!! I read the talk from the last Priesthood Session of General Conference this morning on courage and found one of my favorite quotes by the Prophet Joseph Smith.... "Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Courage..........and on to victory!!!!!!! (extra exclamations inserted :) ) It takes courage to be a missionary, it takes courage to be an investigator, it takes courage to be a leader, it takes courage to repent, it takes courage to be obedient, it takes courage to be a father or mother, it takes courage to be a disciple of Christ. I was reading in Matthew when Peter denies Christ 3 times and was thinking about that experience......he was an apostle of the Savior, but he was a "young" apostle who was still gaining his own faith and conversion. Later on he becomes one of the most powerful apostles and testifiers of Jesus Christ...full of insurmountable faith and courage. I was thinking about how this is like a missionaries life or a normal life. At first we may be "young" and not always as courageous......but it is only preparing us for later when we will become giants of faith! and courageous disciples of Christ :) I love the Gospel soooooooo much!!!!! I love you all too!!! This Gospel is incredible and builds us all into courageous and faithful beings!!! I know our Savior lives and that He is guiding this work!!

Have an amazing week!
Sister J. :)

P.S. Sorry! Camera connection is not working today! I will try next week!!!

Taiwan Week 31 - March 11 - Transfer and Going Senior!

Sister Jarvis was very surprised to find out she was being transferred to a new area and being made senior companion!  She sounds very "excited."

Hey my absolutely wonderful fam!!! I have big news for you!!

Sister Cole and I both didn't think anyone would be moving for another three weeks at least, but when they called us Saturday night......they said I was moving!!! We were so surprised!!! and then we found out I was going Da tong ban (senior companion) too!! So this morning I am in Zhang hua which is right by Taizhong with the beautiful Sister Xie from Taibei!! It all happened so fast!! Sister Xie just finished training with an amazing trainer so she is on fire! She is a three year convert and so incredibly sweet.......I want her to have a really good second tong ban experience :) Zhang hua is a bigger city area than Da Liao, but not quite as big as Tainan........it's pretty close to Taizhong though which is fun....it seems like they have a lot of investigators right now too, so it's time to work really hard! O and.........we are over two wards! Take a breather......I have to ;) I'm super excited, a little nervous, really excited, still not quite sure what I'm doing, but really excited! So yes! Exciting times!

Yesterday we saw so many miracles at church in Da liao! We had 6 investigators at church yesterday (which was the most we have had all move-call) and there were no empty seats in Sacrament meeting either!! It was so great!! The miracle of yesterday was a wonderful family that came to English class my first week in Da Liao....adorable mom with 13 year old girl and 7 year old boy. I have just fallen in love with them :) We kept inviting them to church every week, but they were always never sure if they could come. We left them a note at their house one week and just kept teaching about church and prayer in English Class. The mom always seemed so interested in the church, but they just didn't have time. Then last week at English they told me they were coming to church.....and they did!! And they loved it!! The kids thought Sacrament was a little boring, but the mom loved Sacrament and the kids loved their classes and want to come back next week! It was just a little miracle to see them at church yesterday and I am so excited to hear from Sister Cole what happens next with all of our investigators!

I didn't realize how much I truly loved Da liao and the people there until I started crying in my good-bye testimony :) I feel that this was definitely part of the plan.......that Heavenly Father let me have a wonderful 6 weeks in Da Liao and learn so much.  I feel that I really learned a lot about love.....which is such a foundational part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It's the glue :)

I feel that I have never been as close to members as I was there and felt so much love yesterday.  I'm grateful to have served among them and will never, ever forget them! But now I am in Zhang hua and can not wait to begin working and serving here. This is definitely the life of a missionary.....suddenly moving or changing, but I think it is really significant because it always keeps us humbled and on our feet....always learning and polishing our armour. (Nephi 28:24)

 I am running out of time so sorry I didn't write much today, but I will send pics next week!! I love you all so very much!! I know this Gospel is true, and as we learn and grow, we are able to take hold upon more and more eternal happiness :) Our Savior lives and is our exemplar example.  Pray for me with the first week of going DA! (senior :) ) 

Love you all!!
Sister J.

Taiwan Week 30 - March 3 - "Uncandessibly Happy!"

Sister Jarvis had such a great week that it looks like she created her own word to describe her happiness!  (Pretty sure she meant "incandescently happy" from Pride and Prejudice, but we liked her new word :-))

Hi Familia!!

Happy March!! I hope you all had a wonderful week! We had a great week in Da Liao! We met a new investigator who is 15 years old and asked some amazing questions during the first lesson with her, allowing the scriptures to answer them. We are still working with a less-active member, who is almost active again, whom I just love :) and it rained this week which made me so uncandessibly happy!

We had Sister Exchanges this last week and they were amazing!!! Remember my friend Sister Busath from Chinese class at BYU? I went on exchanges with her companion and she came here to Da Liao with Sister Cole :) Her companion is Sister Liu from the Taibei area whose family was found through tracting about 10 years ago and they all got baptized! :) Anyways, she is super cute, such an amazing missionary, and we had a great time together! I went back out to the big city area which was kind of fun and had some great lessons (one was with this sweet girl they had just met who already gained a testimony of prayer and believed it was true!) She is so amazingly Christ-like......whatever she does she just does it with love......talking to people, helping a lady who was really upset on the street, teaching.......I was so incredibly happy all Tuesday and Wednesday and I feel that it was just contagious from her love and example :) There is honestly nothing better than Christ-like love!

Last week's English class was also awesome!! I am the xiao peng you (small friends= kids) class teacher right now and last week we had 16 people (including parents) at class which is a ton!! We actually have about 3 families that come every week and we had 2 new ones last week.......that's a lot for little Da Liao! They range in age from 5-12 and they are becoming great friends which is great.....but makes them a little more rambunctious (is that how you spell it ;) ) but I love them :) I've found I can get their attention through laughter........last week one of the markers was REALLY squeaky so every time I would use it, I would squint my face and look like I was pain and they would all (parents included) laugh hysterically! It was so great......we have a couple families who we are really focusing the spiritual shares on because we really, really want them to come to church and are super hoping they will this next week!

This last week while I was on exchanges we had a really amazing DTM (District Training Meeting) about becoming Master Teachers like the Savior Jesus Christ. It was one of the best meetings I have ever had for what it did for me as a missionary. We talked about the examples of Ammon and the Sons of Mosiah, and especially of Jesus Christ. As that amazing district leader taught us, we realized it all comes down to love and selfless teaching. We talked about how the "Curse of the first lesson" in meaning that the first lesson is really often the hardest to teach! We talked about how we have to build a bridge of friendship first, helping to pave the way for other missionaries behind us. We need to testify of the Spirit in any situation, ask, listen, discern, and most importantly love and charity :) One of the couple missionaries who was there reminded us that we are a "peculiar people"- people know who we are! We are here to love, serve, and be examples by living what we teach. I loved that DTM :)

This week I was especially grateful for my Patriarchal Blessing. I want to read it more often and study it even more.......it brings a Spirit to my soul that I can't get elsewhere. This week I also know that love is truly an attribute of the Savior Jesus Christ and this kind of love brings us super, duper, duper, happiness :) When there is nothing else you can do, just love :) It's what the Savior does for us and sometimes we don't even see it all! I know that as we strive to be more like the Savior we will also be happier. I know He lives and loves each one of us. I know this work is true with every fiber of my being. I know the priesthood of God is restored to the Earth and is our "ensign" to Christ. The Plan of Happiness is real and we can be an eternal family forever! Don't forget to share your testimony whenever you can......it may be the inspired answer for someone else :) Love you all!!!

Thank you for your support, prayers, candy, and love!!

Sister J. :)

On a favorite street in Da Liao