Sister Jarvis' loves teaching with her new companion and also ate pig heart.
Hello my wonderful, stupendous family!
What a busy, fast week eh? :) Time just seems to be flying over here! Sometimes it feels like we're running out of time to do everything! AKA I'm learning how to be a simplifier........something I've never been too great at :) O! and an organizer.......something I'm also still learning :) Cool things from the week: Zone Conference!!! Sooooo goood!! Focusing on reading PMG every day, obedience, we are getting these awesome new maps and rulebooks too! The APs made this super funny video about getting rid of the old rule/guidelines book and had a "ceremony" to throw them all away in this large tin can and then we got new ones- it was super great :) We also had this great message on obedience from President Bishop- so inspiring! The Taibei Temple President and his wife came to speak in our ward yesterday......sooo good! He talked about going to the temple not just for our ancestors, but for ourselves too......we need the spiritual experience of the temple. Also something I loved that he said was that the Chinese people need the temple :) The Chinese people have the largest amount of family history and records of ancestors..........truly a blessing for each and every one of these saints to go to the temple :)
Miracles: My dear sweet companion led two wonderful lessons this week that were filled with the Spirit....it was so great :) The language is definitely not an easy thing for her, but she was truly led by the Spirit :) We taught this girl who came to English last week and asked if she could sit down with us after. She said she had met with the missionaries about a year before and wanted to know why our church was different from others( great question ;D ) so we invited her to pray and said we would share about that next time. Well when we met with her again she said she had been baptized the day before into another church, but was still interested in learning more! Sister Shultz led this beautiful first lesson focused on prophets and by the end she said she wanted to keep meeting with us! Super cool! We had another lesson where she led the PLAN of Salvation that was also beautiful :) The Spirit is real, and even when we may not be able to speak the language, the Spirit most certainly can and will carry it straight into the listener's heart......there is nothing I love more right now then when Sister Shultz and I are able to teach 50/50 in a lesson......it's just amazing!
Time is almost up! (it is shortened by half an hour :) ) But I just had a really amazing experience this week as we were biking when I felt so at peace, so happy, and so comforted ;) I know these feelings are from my Heavenly Father and know that as we focus and do our best, He DOES bless us immensely! Life is never easy, but it's sooo worth it to keep our covenants and do His will :) I love these people of Taiwan and are so grateful for their examples of sacrifice and love. I am so grateful for all of you as well and hope you have an amazing week- full of scripture study, inspired prayers, and true happiness :) I love you!
Sister J.
Culture updates: I forgot to tell you I ate pig's heart last week! So cool and actually not all that bad either :)
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Taiwan Week 35 - April 8 - Service and The Spirit
Sis. Jarvis loves training and loves the people!
Hi Fam!
I hope you had an amazing Conference weekend! It is such an amazing time of year :) We are so excited to watch it with our investigators this weekend! This would conclude Sister Shultz and my first full week together and it was great! We are learning lots together. This week we had some great lessons with investigators, met prepared people in our path, and were able to participate in Sau mu for the holiday this last week (see pictures :) ). This last week was a big holiday, kind of like Memorial Day, when everyone goes and cleans their ancestor's graves. The grave sites are really big in Taiwan so it takes the whole family's effort! It has become a tradition for the missionaries to participate in this holiday as well, cleaning old grave sites or those without names. It was a really fun activity! People were really gracious to us and this sweet older lady even asked the Elders to help her clean her husband's grave site :) It was really fun to be out there with the people and serving them in a different way :)
We have this great investigator right now, LJM, who has really begun progressing towards baptism. She is a graduate student who just returned from going to school in the U.S. She has been meeting with the missionaries for just over two months, but has just been feeling she is not prepared yet to be baptized. We had an amazing member at her lesson who testified to her that it's not about being fully prepared before, but that after you are baptized you keep learning and growing. This really touched her as well as a scripture in Mosiah 18 when Alma is inviting people to be baptized and receive the Spirit. She seems to be really touched by the gift of the Holy Ghost, obeys the commandments, said she cannot deny the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and we are hoping she will be baptized in the next few weeks! We know that the Lord has a marvelous plan for her! Update on some others.......the young sisters! We called them this week and asked the 10 yr. old what her favorite scripture was and she said 2 Nephi 22:2.....wow :) We love them so much! ALSO......CJM, the miracle 17 year old who came to church.......brought her sister to church on Sunday! They also both came to the Elders baptism on Saturday and were so touched by the Spirit. They are both so great......so prepared.....but their mom wants them to wait until they are 20 to be baptized. We just need to move forward with faith, consistently trusting in the Lord's timing, and helping them to know how much this Gospel will bless them!
I have a testimony of the Spirit and love = the greatest formula in the whole wide world! Zhen de :) The sweetest moments I have experienced as a missionary have happened because of the immense presence of the Spirit and the love of God as well as the love of others. I know that as we love the Lord, our companion, and the people.....we are blessed with the Spirit. I know that Heavenly Father loves all of His children sooooo much! I know that this Gospel is full of joy and we don't even know all the blessings that await us! I know that we have a living Prophet on the Earth and he truly helps us feel the love of Heavenly Father. I love you all sooo much and am so grateful for you!!!!
Have an amazing week!
Sister J. :)
Hi Fam!
I hope you had an amazing Conference weekend! It is such an amazing time of year :) We are so excited to watch it with our investigators this weekend! This would conclude Sister Shultz and my first full week together and it was great! We are learning lots together. This week we had some great lessons with investigators, met prepared people in our path, and were able to participate in Sau mu for the holiday this last week (see pictures :) ). This last week was a big holiday, kind of like Memorial Day, when everyone goes and cleans their ancestor's graves. The grave sites are really big in Taiwan so it takes the whole family's effort! It has become a tradition for the missionaries to participate in this holiday as well, cleaning old grave sites or those without names. It was a really fun activity! People were really gracious to us and this sweet older lady even asked the Elders to help her clean her husband's grave site :) It was really fun to be out there with the people and serving them in a different way :)
We have this great investigator right now, LJM, who has really begun progressing towards baptism. She is a graduate student who just returned from going to school in the U.S. She has been meeting with the missionaries for just over two months, but has just been feeling she is not prepared yet to be baptized. We had an amazing member at her lesson who testified to her that it's not about being fully prepared before, but that after you are baptized you keep learning and growing. This really touched her as well as a scripture in Mosiah 18 when Alma is inviting people to be baptized and receive the Spirit. She seems to be really touched by the gift of the Holy Ghost, obeys the commandments, said she cannot deny the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and we are hoping she will be baptized in the next few weeks! We know that the Lord has a marvelous plan for her! Update on some others.......the young sisters! We called them this week and asked the 10 yr. old what her favorite scripture was and she said 2 Nephi 22:2.....wow :) We love them so much! ALSO......CJM, the miracle 17 year old who came to church.......brought her sister to church on Sunday! They also both came to the Elders baptism on Saturday and were so touched by the Spirit. They are both so great......so prepared.....but their mom wants them to wait until they are 20 to be baptized. We just need to move forward with faith, consistently trusting in the Lord's timing, and helping them to know how much this Gospel will bless them!
I have a testimony of the Spirit and love = the greatest formula in the whole wide world! Zhen de :) The sweetest moments I have experienced as a missionary have happened because of the immense presence of the Spirit and the love of God as well as the love of others. I know that as we love the Lord, our companion, and the people.....we are blessed with the Spirit. I know that Heavenly Father loves all of His children sooooo much! I know that this Gospel is full of joy and we don't even know all the blessings that await us! I know that we have a living Prophet on the Earth and he truly helps us feel the love of Heavenly Father. I love you all sooo much and am so grateful for you!!!!
Have an amazing week!
Sister J. :)
Sis. Jarvis, Sis. Shultz and the Elders Serving
Grave Sites
Sis. Jarvis!
Taiwan Week 34 - April 1 - And The Earth Did Quake!
Sis. Jarvis is now training Sister Shultz from Oregon!...and experiencing an earthquake up close and personal!
Hi wonderful Fam!! Happy Easter!!
Wow, I can't believe it's April 1st..........So here's some news.........I moved!!! to Taibei!!...................Happy April Fools! :) I'm still here in Zhang hua with my awesome trainee!! It was my last week with Sister Xie, whom I will deeply miss but am excited for her to go to Gaoxiong and help more people! My trainee is awesome! Her name is Sister Shultz and she is from Oregon and she's such an amazing missionary because she's willing to do anything! She's super cute, fun, happy, and so excited to be here! We had three meals at other places in the first 2 days she was here and she was willing to eat anything! Good sign of a great missionary ;) We went up to Taizhong to meet them, they read our names out from red envelopes, went out to eat with President and Sister Bishop, and then hopped on the train to Zhang hua! We had a dinner appointment with the Bishop of the 2nd ward who lives out in the rice fields so we immediately came back and hopped on our bikes for our 45 minute bike ride......and Sister Shultz was such a trooper! Happy as can be and patient with me as it took us a little while to find the Bishop's house :) She is so excited to work and be in Taiwan- I just love it! It's also been really amazing because although she is still learning Chinese, whenever she teaches or bears her testimony, the Spirit is so strong. These new missionaries are sooo prepared and have such a strong gift of the Spirit :) I'm so excited to serve with her!
O! The earthquake.....funny and scary story :) We were actually in Taizhong for our Trainers meeting when it happened........President Bishop was speaking and all of a sudden the chapel started to shake and keep shaking! Since it wasn't really stopping, President Bishop calmly told us we should all probably go outside! We all got up and started moving out and then it stopped....but the lights kept moving! It was so crazy! Probably the biggest earthquake I have ever felt!! Lots of missionaries' apartments had cracks afterwards (including ours) and some sisters' door was bent so they couldn't leave their apartment, but everyone was just fine! It was really funny......President Bishop stepped out for a second and Sister Bishop asked us if going outside was the best thing to do haha :) We discussed that next time we better just get under some doorways :)
Just since Friday, we have had some really amazing teaching experiences with people we just met on the street or tracting! I believe it is definitely a new missionary blessing :) We were out tracting on Saturday night and no one was really interested, but then we started talking to this lady who was walking down the street. We found out she was a member of another church and she said she had never really heard anything about our church before. She told us she liked to read the Bible so we started sharing about the Book of Mormon and she was really intrigued. We gave her a B of M and then shared about 3 Nephi 11 when Christ came to visit the Americas. She stopped and asked us, "What? Did Christ really visit the Americas?" We testified that He did and showed her the picture in the front of the B of M........she just looked at it and said, "How amazing!........I had no idea....." I have never met anyone on the street before who was so touched by the message of the B of M. The Spirit was so strong and we are hoping to meet with her again :) I've been reading Abinadi's words how one day the entire world with know and see Christ....what an amazing day that will be, when everyone will know He lives and loves each and every one of them! Another awesome B of M story!! Our 9 and 10 year old investigators are amazing!! We gave them a B of M about a week and a half ago......we went back to visit them this week and they had both been reading and the 10 year old was in 1 Nephi 9 and had marked her scriptures too! She recited all of Lehi's Dream to us because it was her favorite part :) We taught them the Plan of Salvation too and they understood it so well! It's just amazing to me that these adorable young girls read more than some of our other investigators and have such beautiful comments. Children truly are so precious in the eyes of God and the Spirit seems to speak even stronger to them. I love them so much and hope that they can be baptized very soon! (aka next month!)
Well this last week was a little stressful.......OK a lot stressful :) Unexpected training, only been in the area for 3 weeks (take deep breaths)......still not sure what's going on and don't know very many people (more deep breaths!)...........but somehow I know it's all going to be ok because it already has! We may still get lost, I am far from a perfect trainer, BUT I have seen answers to prayers and just the overwhelming comfort of the Spirit! The last few days I have been reading in Mosiah 14-16 in which Abinadi uses the words of Isaiah to teach of Christ. I just love them! The Atonement is so amazing.....I love my Savior so much! I especially loved Mosiah 14:12 when it says that "he hath poured out his soul unto death." Wow.....Christ gave his whole soul for us. It's a really beautiful thing to think about and I know that the best thing we can give to Him is the exact same......we can give our whole souls to His service. When we give our whole soul over to Him, we are happier! We feel a greater sense of love and purpose! I have many weaknesses, but I know that if I give my whole soul to Him, He will help me :D He will help us all! I'm so grateful for this Easter time and hope you all have an amazing Easter week! Our Savior lives and He loves us! The Gospel is true and I love you!
Sister J. :)
Hi wonderful Fam!! Happy Easter!!
Wow, I can't believe it's April 1st..........So here's some news.........I moved!!! to Taibei!!...................Happy April Fools! :) I'm still here in Zhang hua with my awesome trainee!! It was my last week with Sister Xie, whom I will deeply miss but am excited for her to go to Gaoxiong and help more people! My trainee is awesome! Her name is Sister Shultz and she is from Oregon and she's such an amazing missionary because she's willing to do anything! She's super cute, fun, happy, and so excited to be here! We had three meals at other places in the first 2 days she was here and she was willing to eat anything! Good sign of a great missionary ;) We went up to Taizhong to meet them, they read our names out from red envelopes, went out to eat with President and Sister Bishop, and then hopped on the train to Zhang hua! We had a dinner appointment with the Bishop of the 2nd ward who lives out in the rice fields so we immediately came back and hopped on our bikes for our 45 minute bike ride......and Sister Shultz was such a trooper! Happy as can be and patient with me as it took us a little while to find the Bishop's house :) She is so excited to work and be in Taiwan- I just love it! It's also been really amazing because although she is still learning Chinese, whenever she teaches or bears her testimony, the Spirit is so strong. These new missionaries are sooo prepared and have such a strong gift of the Spirit :) I'm so excited to serve with her!
O! The earthquake.....funny and scary story :) We were actually in Taizhong for our Trainers meeting when it happened........President Bishop was speaking and all of a sudden the chapel started to shake and keep shaking! Since it wasn't really stopping, President Bishop calmly told us we should all probably go outside! We all got up and started moving out and then it stopped....but the lights kept moving! It was so crazy! Probably the biggest earthquake I have ever felt!! Lots of missionaries' apartments had cracks afterwards (including ours) and some sisters' door was bent so they couldn't leave their apartment, but everyone was just fine! It was really funny......President Bishop stepped out for a second and Sister Bishop asked us if going outside was the best thing to do haha :) We discussed that next time we better just get under some doorways :)
Just since Friday, we have had some really amazing teaching experiences with people we just met on the street or tracting! I believe it is definitely a new missionary blessing :) We were out tracting on Saturday night and no one was really interested, but then we started talking to this lady who was walking down the street. We found out she was a member of another church and she said she had never really heard anything about our church before. She told us she liked to read the Bible so we started sharing about the Book of Mormon and she was really intrigued. We gave her a B of M and then shared about 3 Nephi 11 when Christ came to visit the Americas. She stopped and asked us, "What? Did Christ really visit the Americas?" We testified that He did and showed her the picture in the front of the B of M........she just looked at it and said, "How amazing!........I had no idea....." I have never met anyone on the street before who was so touched by the message of the B of M. The Spirit was so strong and we are hoping to meet with her again :) I've been reading Abinadi's words how one day the entire world with know and see Christ....what an amazing day that will be, when everyone will know He lives and loves each and every one of them! Another awesome B of M story!! Our 9 and 10 year old investigators are amazing!! We gave them a B of M about a week and a half ago......we went back to visit them this week and they had both been reading and the 10 year old was in 1 Nephi 9 and had marked her scriptures too! She recited all of Lehi's Dream to us because it was her favorite part :) We taught them the Plan of Salvation too and they understood it so well! It's just amazing to me that these adorable young girls read more than some of our other investigators and have such beautiful comments. Children truly are so precious in the eyes of God and the Spirit seems to speak even stronger to them. I love them so much and hope that they can be baptized very soon! (aka next month!)
Well this last week was a little stressful.......OK a lot stressful :) Unexpected training, only been in the area for 3 weeks (take deep breaths)......still not sure what's going on and don't know very many people (more deep breaths!)...........but somehow I know it's all going to be ok because it already has! We may still get lost, I am far from a perfect trainer, BUT I have seen answers to prayers and just the overwhelming comfort of the Spirit! The last few days I have been reading in Mosiah 14-16 in which Abinadi uses the words of Isaiah to teach of Christ. I just love them! The Atonement is so amazing.....I love my Savior so much! I especially loved Mosiah 14:12 when it says that "he hath poured out his soul unto death." Wow.....Christ gave his whole soul for us. It's a really beautiful thing to think about and I know that the best thing we can give to Him is the exact same......we can give our whole souls to His service. When we give our whole soul over to Him, we are happier! We feel a greater sense of love and purpose! I have many weaknesses, but I know that if I give my whole soul to Him, He will help me :D He will help us all! I'm so grateful for this Easter time and hope you all have an amazing Easter week! Our Savior lives and He loves us! The Gospel is true and I love you!
Sister J. :)
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