Taiwan - Week 51 - July 29 - All Things Bright and Wonderful

Hi Fam!! Happy Monday!!

I can't believe we are reaching the end of the move-call this week- it's truly all too fast!! We Sisters keep saying that we're just waiting for the next announcement when we can extend to 2 years ;D I seriously would! But I know that we are needed elsewhere and Heavenly Father has many plans for us after the mission too.....so I'll just enjoy all the time I have! This week was so great because we went on two exchanges and then spent a lot of time serving and dancing with the members.........yes, real dancing!

Being a Sister Zone Leader has been a really incredible experience. We have loved going on exchanges with these incredible Sisters every week- you get to know them really well and see all the incredible gifts Heavenly Father has given them that are really utilized as a missionary. It's also such a privilege to be in a position where they ask you for help or want to know how they could improve as servants of God. Every missionary is so unique, yet their capacity is truly extraordinary. It's night and day when a missionary is living up to their potential and when they're not........it's truly just a matter of faith......that's really what I learned........faith and confidence in the Spirit and then bingo! You will be on the rise to be the absolutest, bestest, servant, child of Heavenly Father you can be. I loved a quote that President Blickenstaff shared with us in Zone Conference this week by Elder Bednar,
" You can't use spirituality as an excuse to lack competency in needed areas." Whoa.....we've got to have the Spirit, but then we've got to be faithful, confident, and do! and do good things at that.........that was definitely something that I needed to hear and I know it is true!

This week we were able to meet some new investigators and are really praying and going to work hard to help them set inspired baptismal goals this week! This week our dreams were fulfilled to serve the ward as a family let us come over Tuesday night and help clean out their back porch area.....we didn't feel like we did that much, but they thought we did! It was so fun to physically serve them and get to know them better :) The daughter even had a member referral for us after which was awesome! It's the Work of Salvation in action! We also made Spaghetti for the entire Shi Family (the family whose house I skyped you at) and they have about ten people in their family so it was a lot of spaghetti! We didn't come prepared with a recipe so kind of made it up on the spot but they loved it! Did you know the secret to spaghetti sauce is ketchup and soy sauce? It's delicious! It's so fun to share lessons with them, but it's even better to be up and about serving them and therefore teaching by example.......we have decided to make this a monthly tradition! Our 1st ward Ward Correlator and his adorable returned-missionary fiance were married in the temple yesterday so they are getting ready for a big reception this Saturday at the church! The ward members are performing a traditional folk-song with a simple little line dance and they invited the missionaries to join! It was so fun........we literally had dance practice with the ward Saturday night! Funniest moment of the night was having 3 different moms all try to help the Elders get the steps down haha :) It was so great to see the ward come together and a less-active sister is also participating as well! Little YJM, our RC is dancing too! It's really building Ward Unity and we are so grateful to Heavenly Father for this huge blessing of feeling so close with the ward members. Also, ZJM who got baptized last week went to the temple yesterday!!! She was glowing :)

Well as crazy as it is, Sister Belnap is going home in a week!! I honestly keep forgetting, but we both just have to face reality! She has been so focused til the end and is such an INCREDIBLE example to me!! She'll have the best transition home too......she's all set up to teach the Chinese Sunday School class in her home ward and her parents have already set up appointments for her to visit less-actives and other Chinese members......so awesome! I can honestly say it has been one of the biggest blessings of my mission to be her companion. In closing day, I just wanted to share thoughts from reading Mormon 8 this morning.........just think about it.......you are the only one left of your people. You don't know where you are going or how long you will be alive, but know that God wants you to make a record of your people. Then the Savior shows you the year 2013 and you see all the pride, destruction, and inequity and realize how imperative it is for the saints to stay true and live the Gospel.....and the only way you can tell them is through hand-carving writing on the plates and you pour out your heart! I would just love to know how Moroni felt as he was writing these chapters to us.....he wants us to cling to the Savior and the Gospel so badly, to repent and as he asks in verse 38: "Why are ye ashamed to take upon you the name of Christ?" That's his message to us.......be courageous, be bold, and be not ashamed to stand as a witness of Christ in these last days! As President Monson said, "Courage, not compromise allows God to smile upon us" (don't know if I quoted that totally right :) ) Anyways, that's who we need to be courageous, faithful, followers of Jesus Christ who bear our testimonies proudly to the world! I love it!!! I hope you will all remember how amazing you are and the potential you have as a child of our Heavenly Father.....go out and share it!! I love you all so much!!! and am always over and over again so thankful for your examples!!!

Have an amazing week!

Sister Jarvis

With lots of people I love at the mission office :-)

Taiwan - Week 50 - July 22 - Yee Haw!

Hey there wonderful, spectacular family!!

Thank you for all of your letters and emails!! 

Ok this week was incredible!!!! and apparently tired us out a little bit as I almost fell asleep 3 times in Sacrament Meeting yesterday ;) Probably the happiest baptism I have ever attended (next to Nitti's) and an incredible Taiwan flavored Ward Pioneer Party!! and of course all the other miracles, spiritual moments of learning more about the Gospel in between :)

This week began with interviews with the Blickenstaffs! It was so great........their family is beautiful!! Holy ca pole and then we watched their grandson's video who loves Star Wars and was one of the little Jedis at Disneyland :) They're really cool.......I was trying to think of whom to compare them to so you would understand and I feel like they are a lot like the Fredricksons hehe :D but they really are!!...kind of bring in a different feel to the mission but it's super good! It's amazing how the Lord has everything planned out so perfectly :) I really loved my interview with President...........I think he was very inspired as he talked to me because the things we talked about were exactly what I needed to hear. I have gained such a stronger testimony of priesthood/church leaders on my mission..........he shared some personal experiences with me and we talked about what visions I had for these last 5 months......soooo goood!

Next miracle- ZJM's baptism was incredible, truly the happiest most spiritual high ever! She has been an investigator for so long so she knows a lot of members so therefore the turnout was fantastic! And the best thing was that the missionaries were just there to sit with her, pray with her, and talk to everyone.......but the ward took care of everything else and it was soooo good! I have a new standard that for the rest of my mission that's how all the baptisms will be- it just brings in so much love when the ward is there and doing everything :) The YWs sang a BEAUTIFUL song in English called Guardians of Virtue and then that moment that she has been waiting for so long came.......she was beautiful in white and came out as pure, clean daughter of God :) She gave about a 5 minute testimony that was incredible..........sounded like a long time member. The biggest miracle was her mom and sister came!! and they were both so happy to be there! As everyone was eating the delicious treats after the service........Sister Belnap started talking to her sister about what she had felt at the baptism. All of a sudden her sister started crying and said as we were singing, she felt the most amazing peaceful, happy feeling but she didn't know what it was. We talked about how that's the feeling church brings, the Spirit.........her eyes continued to flood with tears as she talked about the pressure and bad feelings she felt outside but how good it felt in the church and in her heart. Then newly baptized ZJM came over, hugged her sister, and began to testify as well......she even said that she waited to long to bring her there and she should have brought her sooner :) It was an absolutely beautiful moment that I will never forget.............her sister said she doesn't believe yet, but she loves the feeling and wants to learn more! She came to our party on Saturday too so we are going to start meeting with her too!!! It's amazing........even as ZJM was getting confirmed yesterday, the Bishop in the blessing said that she would be the example and means of bringing her family and others to the Gospel......and it's already happening! She received her temple recommend yesterday and is going to the temple with the ward on Saturday! Can you just feel the outpouring love of God in her story? It brings tears to my eyes every time I think about it!!! Heavenly Father is so aware of her and her family and I can't wait for more of His plans to unfold for this incredibly, amazing daughter of God! :D

ZJM and the YW of the ward

If you want to have real, deal, super ecstatic, yet spiritually fulfilling pioneer party then come on over to Zhang hua!!!!! O my goodness after three crazy weeks of planning the Pioneer Party on Saturday was a complete success!!! Let's break-down the night: We had the chapel all decked out in flags and everyone came and sat down and we introduced the pioneers and how amazing they are.......then we split up into 5 rotating stations with every station having a pioneer story theater and then an activity: peach cobbler, scones with shakin' butter( ha which actually turned into whipped creme- but that's ok! we just called it butter anyway ;) ) , bamboo leaves dolls, stick-pull, and the coolest Lagoon Pioneer photo booth ever! After these stations Sister Belnap and I taught them the Cotton-eyed Joe which was so fun! And then my dreams came to life as we taught them a cool folk-dancing trick and all the girls were so into it and it was so fun! Then we sat down and watched the last clips of Legacy and testified of the Pioneers and how they are important to each one of us and then we ate the deliciousness and the Peach cobbler was definitely the winning prize!!! All the missionaries dressed up, the elders even spent an 11/2 hours making pretty cool beards out of yarn haha, and we had a family we met on the street come as well as lots of members bring friends, LAs and had about 100 members or so there!! It was the best thing ever!! We might have had some burning cobbler at one point in the oven because it was overflowing, and the Stake President came over to double check on what the smell was and had 6 members helping with the oven- ha it was so great! One of the bishops' wife just dived right in and scraping it- while it was still on!! with no gloves or anything! o man it was so great! Then two members brought their own donut maker and just had a hey-day! But everyone loved it and that was what was most important!!! The members were definitely the best part- taking pictures of everything and now everyone wants cobbler recipes! We are so doing this again- Halloween style!! We are so grateful everything went well and it was ok! Huge blessing! These members are incredible- Best pioneer day ever :) 

Enjoying Peach Cobbler and Scones!

Teaching Cotton-Eyed Joe!

Well I hope you know how much I love you all!!! Seriously!! Each of your emails today really touched my heart- tears, spirit and all! Chinese was really hard for me this week- really truly! BUT it humbled me and gave me another reason to draw closer to the Savior and rely on Him for these language skills! I need to jia you, but I need to do it with Him for He is the master :) This work is the best thing ever!!!!  There is sooooo much to be grateful for--every single day!!! Gratitude truly changes our heart, attitude, and I feel builds our confidence as well!! I love you all so much!

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart!"

Sister J.

Taiwan - Week 49 - July 14 - LOVE :)

I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!! and I love our most amazing father in Heaven and the privilege to be apart of this work and SEEING MIRACLES and fasting and learning more about the Atonement and trials that bring us closer to Him and The Work of Salvation and to see people find the light and this amazingly stretching experience we call the path to eternal life :D Isn't it the best thing ever??? :) Yesiree!

Typhoon came this week!!! It was crazy............fun!! I was on exchanges with the wonderful Sister Worthington in Yuan lin and we went out to look at their balcony and it was completely flooded with all of their shoes........it looked just like the duck pond at the carnival with all the little rubber duckies floating around :) We went outside fully geared with our yuyi (rain clothes) and NO ONE was on the roads! haha everyone was all huddled inside! but we still saw miracles! We went to find a LA name whom they had never met, her mom said she wasn't there, but then all of a sudden she came walking down the street!! So amazing!! and we sat down with her, read one verse out of the B of M and she started crying..........she said she hadn't read it for awhile and she always felt so emotional as she read it. She grabbed it and held it in her hands and said, "I know this is true!!" She thanked Heavenly Father in her prayer that He had not forgotten her :) It was another beautiful miracle :) Made me think of how many other precious sisters I have out there who need to know the exact same thing :)

The Work of Salvation is incredible!!!! I LOVED it!!!!!! It is so exactly how and what is supposed to be done.........I love that they said the missionaries responsibility is to assist the members to do missionary work- that's why we're here and I completely believe it! So inspiring- I could watch it every day if I could!!

O and I had stinky tou fu again but it was delicious!!!!! You apparently just have to go to the right place :)

One of the biggest miracles I've ever experienced in my life unfolded yesterday!! After four years of investigating the church, our incredible 17 year old investigator, ZJM received her mom's permission to be baptized!!! She is such a beautiful daughter of God, will a real and defining testimony of the Gospel, as well as one who truly lives it in her actions and words. Her mom has told her for four years that she couldn't get baptized until she was 20............but recently she has felt her mom has been improving thanks to the help of a specific member who has been talking to her mom. Yesterday Sister Belnap and I fasted with her and also had her meet with one of our other investigator's who is dealing with family opposition to baptism. ZJM bore a beautiful testimony of how she treats her mom and family because of what she knows Heavenly Father wants her to do as well as what she has learned of repentance......she is such an incredible example to me and I just felt like she was so ready to be baptized. Then later after church she called us and said that the member had called and talked to her mom again and she said yes!! It was amazing to us because we had not even finished the fast but the miracle had already unfolded! I stood in awe in the pouring rain of Heavenly Father's perfect timing........He knew she wasn't ready to be baptized until now, she has such a stronger testimony and a very solid foundation built on the Savior. He knew her mom would say yes yesterday, but we all still had to act in faith and seek His help. She will be getting baptized this Friday and she will also probably be able to go to the temple with the ward next week :) I've learned so much from this experience about how people actually have to make changes to be ready to be baptized through repentance, faith, and actions. It's truly beautiful to me and it will help me to be bolder in helping people to find the changes they personally need to make to become the children of Christ. ZJM getting baptized is one of the most incredible miracles I have ever experienced........it is a pure testimony of the power of fasting, of the power behind members, faithful prayer, the perfect knowledge and timing of God and how He will help us to become like Him :) I feel so privileged to know ZJM and be a part of this at this time!

This week we have spent a lot of time trying to help our 79 year old RC hilarious, lovable, and sassy Amah (grandma) let go of hurt and pains that have built up inside of her. We testified to her that she needed the Gospel of Jesus Christ, particularly repentance and forgiveness. I was reflecting this week that there are still some hurts or pains in my life that I thought I had let go of but actually still are there. I was talking with my companion and we both kind of realized this together- just different pains that we haven't forgotten. Repentance and forgiveness is amazing!! My amazing companion reminded me that we know we have truly repented, truly been forgiven and forgiven others when we can't remember those more painful memories- so true!! This morning I was reading in Jesus the Christ when Christ is upon the Cross and Talmage pointed out that Christ didn't say, "I forgive you" but he asked the Father to forgive them. When we repent and seek forgiveness it is Christ who asks the Father in behalf of us, He still, even in that moment of agony turned everything to the Father........it's such a beautiful thing to me. Repentance is amazing! We can be healed of everything- literally everything!!! and all because of our older brother :) I know he lives and that He died for us so we can repent and be forgiven. This is the message we missionaries bring and it is truly a privilege. It's truly changing my life and I want to help so many others experience the same peace and healing!

I love this Gospel with all my whole heart and soul!!!!! It is TRUE, no doubt about it!!! I'm grateful for your examples in my life and as we all continue to serve and love one another, this work of salvation will continue to go out to the whole world and more hearts will be healed! Have an amazing week and don't forget you can talk to Heavenly Father about anything!! He loves you and I do too!!

Sister J. :D

Taiwan - Week 48 - July 8 - Pretty Much...I Love Taiwan!!!

Sister Jarvis had an exciting baptism and also met her new mission president this week.

Hi Everyone!

I will apologize in advance because this week's email is going to be pretty short- we had some Da Liao members come visit today so our email time was a little shorter but it was super fun!!!

I am doing great!! Still learnin, yearnin, growin, cheerin every day :) This week in a nutshell:

- Our cute little 11 year old, was baptized on Saturday!!! She was SO nervous, like in tears, but then we were able to pray with her and she gave the sweetest pray that she wouldnt' be scared and she would know what to say in her testimony............my favorite moment of all was standing on the side of the baptismal font with Sister Belnap and watching Elder Long baptize her........the sweetest Spirit just ran over us- I will never forget it :) A child of God was baptized..........she almost didn't get baptized this week because she was still having a hard time with some things and Sister Belanp and I kept praying because we werent' sure what was right, but then she came to us on Wednesday at English and told us she wanted to change and if she wasn't being obedient then she wasn't being respectful to Heavenly Father- that was our answer :) The ward already has home teachers set up for her because we want to get her Dad more involved in the church too- she is an absolute miracle and I still can't believe we met her only a month ago.....now it's time to help her become truly converted and solid in growing up in the church!

-Met the Blickenstaffs!! They are super great- seem super young too! They want to be super involved with us and want us to be super involved with the wards- President Blickenstaff has a really great vision. He talked about the importance of visions then goals then plans. Really inspiring mission council to hear from all the Zone Leaders and the President's comments on everything.........church leadership is just super, duper cool. Sister Blickenstaff wants to come on exchanges with us and everything!! They both can speak Chinese pretty good and President Blickenstaff has a lot of cool experiences from him being a Stake President with the missionaries that he feels will help us. He definitely expects the best out of us..........can't wait to get to know them better!

- Our 17 year-old short time missionary this week was so great........she bore such a powerful testimony in so many of our lessons, but contacting was really hard for her. She was really, really tired by the end of the week and she seemed a little ready to be done, but then we were able to sit down and talk with her about what she had learned and felt and she really learned a lot about herself......being a missionary really does help you to see a lot of your faults but it also definitely makes you into a better person as well. We just bore testimony with her and encouraged her to keep on progressing and learning.........and by the testimony meeting with all the youth she was in tears.......she turned to us at the end and just hugged us so tight- I almost cried. She is so special and I really hope she will always remember this experience and that she will serve a mission because I think she would be incredible :) Sister Belnap and I talked about how much this taught us about raising kids- when to push them out of their comfort zone and when to not.........we definitely probably could have done more, but it was a great experience to help me learn how to be a good mother in the Gospel :) (How did you do it parents??? :) )

Well my time is up.... I love you all!!!

With our adorable short term missionary!