Last General Conference in Mexico

April 7, 2014

This week was the typical up and down one. We had our mission council this week.  I really enjoyed conference, I listened to all of it in Spanish, realizing that I will never be able to understand it in Spanish as well as I did this time. I sat by Elder Hernandez during the last session. We are going to the temple tomorrow. 

We had an interesting week this week with our investigators. Pedro pretty much told us that he does not want to listen to us anymore. We taught him lesson 5 this week, and were very direct during the lessons, we felt the spirit very strongly during them, and thus could tell, at least in my opinion that we were teaching how God wanted us to, but there were some things that he did not agree with. He came to 2 sessions of Conference and then did not want to accept another appointment. We also watched a wonderful movie with him about John Taylor, it was totally awesome. 

We are going to leave Daniel and Gabriela. They did not come to conference and continue to not get along well. 

Teresa and Rodolfo came to church, they are the parents of Manuel, and less active member, they are totally awesome and are going to be baptized after I am home...........We had SO MANY SPIRITUAL LESSONS THIS WEEK.........

We also began teaching Alex this week. El es super escogido. Tiene 21 anos y su novia ya es miembro. Quiere ser un misionero y se va a bautizar el 26 de Abril, mi ultimo sabado. A menos que ocurra un milagro, sera el ultimo bautismo de mi mision. 

We went bowling today and I bowled 118 and had several strikes.   

To help keep our minds occupied my companion and I sang LIKE CRAZY in the streets, hymns in spanish and english. At one point it was pretty funny, just before a camion passed us, I began to belt out a hymn, the camions have pornography on the back of them, it is absolutely ridiculous, my companion thought it was pretty funny. We went to dairy queen between the saturday afternoon and priesthood sessions, it was in a mall.  It was great but I felt very uncomfortable.

As far as what I want to eat when I get home?  Skor Bars, Pizza, Costa Vida, Lasagna, Brownies, Ice Cream, Alligator Jaws, Chocolate Milk, Dairy Queen, Krave, IHOP, Just for a start, haha. 

Love you guys, gotta go, talk to you again next week. 

Pretty hot around here

March 31, 2014

We had a good, interesting, hard week this week. We had a capacitation with the Wagners and the assistants this week. And, about what mom said about Sister Wagner looking stressed out, I got the same vibe.  It was really hot this week. I feel that I really do a pretty good job of not complaining about the heat, but there were a couple of days this week when it was really hot. On Saturday we went to work after lunch. We eat at about 2, and from 3 or 4 until about 6 it is hard to have lesson and it is also the hottest time of the day. So, we were walking around trying to find people to teach, and I think for the first time in my mission I thought, "I just want to go home and take a nap," and my companion told me afterwards that he thought the same thing. The good thing is that at the moment, neither of us said anything, and we obviously did not go home to take a nap. I think two days this week were like that, really hot in the afternoon, but both times, after working through a hard afternoon, we were blessed with several lessons at night. 

Sister Candela and one of her daughters came to church on Sunday, they are a less active family that moved here from Quintana Roo, Mexico, it is another state in Mexico. We had a fun lesson with them earlier in the week as well. It was pretty funny because when we got there, the daughter that did not go to church had a ton of makeup on, she kind of looked like a clown, she is pretty funny, she kind of acts like a black girl, she is 13, and anyways at the end of the lesson she said the prayer and afterwards, asked if she messed up, and I said nope, just spanish. I said, it is not bendizcas, it is bendigas, and it was pretty funny. Now that I know a little bit more spanish, it is fun to joke with my companions about all of the grammatical errors people commit. Using words like puedamos, venemos, bendizcas, cercas, which is one I sometimes use. Yesterday we ate with Erik Guzman, he is from Tuxpan, Jalisco, where I served. He served his mission in Des Moines, Iowa and went to three Iowa Cubs games. We spoke in English pretty much the whole time, and it was fun for us and good for my companion as well, Elder Calixto is really trying hard to learn English, and I really ought to help him with it more than I do. He still speaks English pretty well. I hope that when Latin Elders eat with us in a few years they will be patient and willing enough to speak with me in Spanish. I also look forward to speaking with Mom in Spanish when we do not want the rest of you to understand. 

Daniel and Gabriela and Ulices did not come to church on Sunday because Daniel worked all week last week and they did not pay him. They still struggle to get along well. We had a couple of good lessons this week with Ceci Morales and her sister Ilda, Ceci is less active and her sister is a non member. We also began teaching Manuel, and less active member and his parents, Rodolfo and Teresa, who are not members. We were hoping they would come to church yesterday, but did not make it either. Pedro did make it to church and has a baptismal date for the 19th of April, but he has got to stop smoking first. Christopher and Gisell came to church yesterday, and they as well as Daniel and Gabriela have got to get married before they can be baptized. We taught the Venegas Flores family this week, and they are really nice, but they have 3 crazy, Janes size little boys and a little girl, and live in a small house, teaching them I think was a little bit like it would have been trying to teach the Jarvis family about 10 to 15 years ago, a little bit hectic. The father trying to bath the little boys, others showing us their toys, etc. They are a fun family. We also found a new less active member this week, Raul, he is a member, and just got married to a Catholic Woman in the Catholic church. We also taught Francisca and Jesus this week, he worked for a while building LDS churches in different parts of Mexico, they are less active members. They are an older couple and he really loves his wife, it is nice. 

I told them I would like to fly into Cedar if possible, but I haven't heard any plans for sure.

I love you guys, have a good week.

Elder Jarvis "the perfectionist"

March 24, 2014

We had a fun, scary, crazy week this week. The big eventful day was Tuesday. So, my companion received a call in the morning from a person who wanted us to visit him in the morning, we ended up leaving at 9 in the morning to go teach him. Anyways, we should be studying from 8 to 10 30, but we decided to leave and go teach him, bad idea. We met up with this guy thinking we were going to teach a lesson, and instead, he takes us into this government building. He was trying to speak to me in English, maybe trying to translate for me, trying to show off his english, or who knows what, but anyways, his english was very hard to understand and his spanish was not much better. He ends up introducing us to all of these women, just shaking their hands. Then, we left that building and he wanted to take us somewhere else, and Elder Calixto is talking about what we were going to do, and we decided to go home, I did not feel good about continuing to walk around with this guy. So, we walked home, and we both felt absolutely awful when we got there, the spirit had left us. So, for what was left of our companionship study, we just sang, in English and Spanish. Then, we did some fun practices in our language study. That night, we couldn't sleep and ended up locking and closing all of the doors and windows, and I gave my companion a blessing, and he said a prayer to cast all of the bad spirits out of the house, and we finally slept a little bit. We were really worried about what had happened earlier in the day, but we think we found our today why we really felt bad. Last night in the middle of the night, someone started listening to music with some ridiculously loud speakers, my companion got up and shut the windows, and said that there was a really nice hummer outside and we are just a little bit worried about what some people who live somewhere near to us may be up to. 

We also had a really good lesson this week. We taught Maria, who works for a less active member, and the member as well, but focusing on her friend. We taught her the Restoration and the spirit was felt so strongly! I recited the first vision to her really slowly, and then afterwards just took a long pause, and I felt the spirit so strongly, I think that she did too, and then she accepted a baptismal date for the 26th of April. It is weird because we have to put baptismal dates a long time away because people have to come to church 5 times before they can be baptized, and we are going to have to start putting baptismal dates in May, when I am not even going to be here, and it is so weird! Daniel and Gabriela and Ulices came to church yesterday, and Cecilia did as well. Daniel and Gabriela talk about the wonderful lesson we had with them all the time. 100 people came to church yesterday. We went with the bishop today and the 4 sisters in our district to a museum, it was nice that the Bishop took time out of his day to do that, but it was boring. Afterwards, the bishop bought us drinks and my companion and I bought tortas. Tomorrow we have a capacitation with President Wagner and we are going to eat Tortas again. Elder Zarate is coming to stay with us tonight, sleepover! 

On Friday night, we got home at 8 20, and we do not have to be home until 9. We had already bought food, and were going to plan and eat, but I pretty much told Elder Calixto, that I wanted to go work again. So, we went looking for a less active family, I do not think my companion was too happy about leaving the house to go work again, and to make things worse, the first family we visited was not there, so, my companion, a little frustrated with me, started to walk really fast, so I kept up with him because I had to, and after walking faster and longer than I ever had in my life, we found a less active family who just moved here about 3 months ago from Aguascalientes. The father served a mission and they have 4 young kids, 3 strong little boys and a little girl, sound familiar? 

The next day, we were eating some awesome tostadas, and my companion ended up getting a big rash on his face, so we went home, and he slept for awhile, I of course would not let myself do that, and so I cleaned the house a little bit, ironed some shirts, and read a talk from Elder Bednar. I also had to read a little bit of my companions journal, and I read about what  he wrote about the walking like crazy experience, and I liked it. He wrote something like this, translating of course, ¨"We got home at 8 20, we had bought eggs and chocolate and milk and bread, and I was ready to eat and plan, but Elder Jarvis, the perfectionist says, "I feel lazy, we should go work," And I thought, perfectionist, I can take that, it was pretty funny. 

Elder Calixto gave me a really nice compliment as well, he said that he when he only has 5 weeks left in his mission he wants to work how I am working.

 I set my jump rope record, jumping for 24 minutes and 15 seconds continually, I was coming up on 3,000 jumps. This morning I did 1,100 reps with the weights. My companion has been working out like crazy and has said some really nice things to me this week. The zone is doing fine. A new elder arrived this week, who is in the other Colima zone, Elder Barker, he went to Dixie High School and graduated early to leave on his mission, he would have graduated at the end of this school year. He was a kicker for the football team and is going to be a kicker at the U of U after his mission, he is not that tall. Yesterday after we ate lunch, I shared Alma 42 vs. 4 and then they the people we were with asked me to share the message I had shared in English, and I struggled with it. 

It is kinda funny, as you already know, when a missionary stops working they say he is "dying," and I do not want to die. I try to think of it like this. We can compare the mission to life. And, when I am 90 years old and close to dying, I can´t just "die," or the missionary equivalent of dying, which would mean, to stop keeping the commandments, if that makes any sense at all. Thanks for sending the garments, treats, and money as well. On Monday, we saw a missionary who had just gotten home and was about to be released, it was really weird, it did not make me feel good. I worry about how I am going to handle being home.

I felt a little bit like you on Saturday when I started to clean the house, I thought to myself, I´ve got some time on my hands I ought to clean the house, I maybe have changed a little bit. I think I have finally realized that to feel the spirit, the house has got to be clean, I have also learned, that when things are not going well, the solution, is to be more obedient.  

A little marriage counseling...

March 17, 2014

Thank you very much. I do plan on complaining a little, but for now I will focus on the wonderful spiritual experience I had this week. It is so weird how often times I feel like I am not worthy and all that stuff, but God never seems to let me feel that way too long before blessing me with a wonderful spiritual experience. So, on Monday, we went with Daniel and Gabriela to Wal Mart. The bishop gave them 500 pesos out of his own pocket so they could buy some food for the week. So, everything seemed good. Then, on Friday morning I was on divisions with Elder Botello. He is from Sonora, I have known him from the start of his mission, his first companion was Elder Turley, one of the best missionaries our mission has had. Anyways, we get to their house in the morning, and Gabriela is getting her stuff packed up ready to leave, move out, they were going to get separated, well, as separated as you can get when you are not actually married. But, anyways, there were living together and we were hoping they were going to get married soon, and then we get there, and they are about to get separated. So, for a little while, we just sat there in silence, it was hard to believe what was happening. Entonces, les pregunte, esta bien si hacemos una oracion antes de que todos se vayan, y dijeron que si. Oramos, y despues empezamos a compartir escrituras. Compartimos escrituras en 2 Nefi 25 vs. 26, Mosiah 3 vs. 19, Mateo 18 vs. 1,2,3, y 4. Para que sepan un poco de la historia tambien, en la manana, yo estaba estudiando en Predicad Mi Evangelio para Cecilia una nueva investigadora que encontramos esta semana, y en la leccion con Daniel y Gabriela, recorde casi todo lo que estudie en la manana. Para terminar la historia, al final de la leccion Daniel estaba llorando, Gabriela tambien lloro durante la leccion, y no se separaron, fue una de las lecciones mas espirituales de mi mision. Elder Botello que estaba conmigo en ese momento estaba un poco disanimado, pero despues de la leccion se animo mucho. 

Mission Council and Singing in Church?

March 10, 2014

We had a good week and a fun p day today. We went and played soccer on a nice turf field, and ate quesadillas and horchata.

The rest of the week went well. Nate did not write to me. Jess wrote me a really nice letter. Several of our investigators came to church. I spoke in church, and the 4 missionaries sang again. We are going to start doing that every week. We played a large role in sacrament meeting yesterday. My companion and I spoke and we sang. 

I have been lifting weights as intensely as I can with the weights we have. And I also set my record jumping rope for 6 minutes consecutively. Brandon Robertson is engaged, he probably already told you guys.

That is crazy that Nate is Zone Leader so fast, that is awesome! I did 1,000 reps with the weights today, but they do not weigh much. We went to Guadalajara for Mission Council this week, composed of the zone leaders, assistants, The Wagners and a few sister missionaries. We had to get up at 2 30 A.M. on Tuesday to get there on time. 

We had a fun family home evening with Sister Valdez on Monday. She is the nice older lady, our neighbor. Our bishop has been really great. We are teaching two couples, both of the wives are members and neither of the husbands are, and neither is married. Cristofer and Gisell are going to get married the 21st of March and then he will be baptized the 22nd of March. We are hoping that Daniel and Gabriela get married the 28th of March and that Daniel gets baptized the 29th of March. Pedro went to Mazatlan this week and can be baptized as soon as he stops smoking. 

That's about it for this week.  Talk with you next week.

More details this week

March 3, 2014

Everyone with a February birthday gets a treat!

First of all, I want to thank you guys for continuing to write to me, and for your patience with me. First of all, I want to talk about a couple of experiences from last week. So, last Sunday was a pretty awesome, crazy day. 7 high school students came to church as a school project sort of a thing. We convinced them to stay for the next two classes as well. The sister missionaries taught the Gospel Principles class, and really did a good job, at least I thought so. Anyways, at the end of the class, our ward mission leader made an interesting comment. So that you guys can get a picture of him, his name is Robert. He is 80 years old. He still plays sports all the time, and thinks he can beat my companion in a 100 meter dash, and my companion is pretty fast. He wears these awesome sunglasses and is always on time, and if we are not there on time, he just leaves. So, he could probably live about 120 years. And, he is probably the most direct person I have ever met. So, anyways, the sisters finish teaching the lesson, and he stands up to make a comment, and when he comments, you have to be careful of two things, 1. For how long he is going to speak, and 2. What is he going to say. Anyways, he gets up, and asks one of the youth, "How were you baptized?" knowing that almost everyone here who is not a member of our church is catholic and has been baptized by the sprinkling of water. So, of course, the young man says, "they sprinkled water on my head." Now, keep in mind this is the youths first time in church, and they came on their own. So, he tells our ward mission leader how he was baptized, and Bro. Roberto takes a pause and says, with emphasis, "that, is INCORRECT!" When he said that I looked at one of the sister missionaries who just had this shocked look on her face. So, that was the first funny story. 

The second funny story about our ward mission leader happened on Thursday. So, we had the weekly meeting with Brother Roberto, and he says to me, for example, "Si Elder Jarvis, sabiendo que nosotros no hablamos ingles, nos habla en ingles, estaria demostrando su poca educacion." It is just funny because he is so direct. We also sang in church yesterday, and it went pretty well. I went on divisions with the assistants last week, I was with Elder Brighton in the Assistants area. We had a good time. It surprised me that they were really normal, like, sometimes their appointments fall through, sometimes they do not have a member to go with them, etc. But, I had a really fun time. Elder Brighton and I were companions for a short time in the MTC. We kinda stayed up really late at night talking too. 

The Colima Zone!

We had a lot of investigators in church the last two weeks. Yesterday, 6 came. Pedro Omar, he is 32 years old, really smart, a computer genius, and lives his life, 150 miles and hour. He is really having a hard time to quit smoking. He has come to church 2 of the past three weeks. He is not married and needs to get to know more members of the church. He really wants to feel needed. Cristopher, his spouse, Gisell is a member, they are not married, they are living in "union libre" he is a fighter, a boxer I think, and was working for a mortuary, but kind of lost, quit his job sort of a thing. They are young and have 2 young boys, they have both been to church the last two weeks. Daniel and Gabriela, they are not married either, she is a member of the church and he is not, he lived in Utah for a time and saw the Salt Lake temple, his mom still lives there, and he wants me to give her a letter from him when I get back. He does not have a job, they are really poor and she is pregnant. She has two kids from another man, one of them is Ulices, he is 14, and I do not really know the other one. 

We also found a less active member this week, Angela. She is 86 years old and her husband is 92, they were sealed in the Los Angeles temple. He is in bed all the time. My favorite members are the bishop, our ward mission leader and sister Maria Valdez. Maria is pretty old too. She is our neighbor, we have family home evenings with her all the time and she pretty much is willing to feed us dinner whenever we need it or want it as well, she is totally awesome. Bishop Ramirez is awesome as well. He is really smart and has a really good spirit about him as well. He worked at Benemerito for a time and is a biologist. His daughter, the only child he has, was just sealed in the Guadalajara temple. He is really good, we have ward council every week, and we have a meeting every week between him and the missionaries as well. We ate with him this week, and I had a fun time talking with him about Fernando Valenzuela, the famous Dodgers pitcher as well. He does a really good job taking control of his meetings in a friendly way. 

We had a really stressful Monday and Tuesday. We fasted 2 times this week, on Wed. and Thurs. and on Sat. and Sun. During the first one, we ended up having to run a lot, because, if you guys do not remember, I pretty much lose everything I touch. One of the sister missionaries from our zone is from Guatemala, and we had to send some papers of hers to Guadalajara Thurs. Morning, or else she would be deported to Guatemala, so, I left the papers where we had our last lesson of the day, and we literally ran some of the way home. If I did not tell you guys already, my companion is really fast, even for long distances, it surprises me. I wrote letters to a bunch of my Guzman friends today and laminated them as well. I love to laminate. There are papelerias here all over the place and they do it for you. Elder De la Mora always joked, saying that I was going to go home and tell people that what I learned on my mission was how to laminate. In president Wagners letter today, he talked about not watching movies on buses, and not listening to the music either. I liked that. The majority of the missionaries I know watch the movies on the buses and I have always tried not to. 

I have had some disagreements with my companion, but we will be alright, I have got to do my part to be more humble. Hopefully this will be enough for the week. 

One sentence week

February 24, 2014

Hey, I am doing fine, we had a great week, I do not have time to right because of time and my companion is nagging me to leave, sorry, bye!

(really, this is all we got this week :)