6 Month Mark

Hey everybody! Sorry it's been so long since the last update (but I won't repent, because I'll probably do it again) things have been a bit manic here in Walsall. My companion Elder Sioeli went home this past Wednesday, which was really strange. I have a new companion Elder Bellen ( who also
served with Elder Sioeli), so we have plenty in common already. Elder B is from the Philippines so naturally we eat a lot of rice. Which I'm fine with ( not so sure about my stomach). Things have been going well between us so far, he's a nice guy. This last transfer has been a really strange one. I
learned lots (as you do from comps.), most importantly, I think I have come to value time a lot more because of the last transfer. Things are going well for us currently. We have one investigator  that has been to church a couple times now. He's an awesome guy from India. Anyways, Elder B and I are looking forward to this transfer. It's gonna be great.

Recently I have been continually brought back to a message. That message being the importance of the Book of Mormon in our gospel progression. This week I came to see that often times in the gospel, we look for grand or clever concoctions of ideas and thought to enlighten and inspire youth, and church members alike. When in reality this is a reactionary behavior. If we always try to find a way to catch up with the problem, we will find that our lives are spent always being reactive to problems... Rather than being proactive in moving forward. The real issue (as commonly is the case) is not a matter of the problems we see (lack of commitment etc.), but rather a result of the deeper more underlying issue. Strangely enough however, the solution is not more complex. Indeed you may say the solution is not complex at all. The solution lies not in finding new avenues or theorizing an arsenal of defensive mechanisms, but simply in following the basic counsel of the prophets. Specifically, daily scripture study. The power in daily scripture study trumps all other defensive tactics. Daily scripture study gives our daily arsenal, and as we study each day we don't need to try and spend so much effort coming up with ways to solve the problems in our lives (or the lives of those we love). For our (all knowing) God will give us the answers. Surely there is wisdom in the prophets words to study continuously from the scriptures (and indeed it is the words of the prophets, as every prophet on this earth has given this counsel). Many of the problems we face in life could be avoided through certain behaviors beforehand. Likewise I think when our agency is a key factor in the existence of the issue... Then to at least some extent, Heavenly Father will expect us to use our agency to undo the problem. I postulate that if every member of the church was to study the Book of Mormon each day (for even 30 minutes) the reduction in poor decisions and problems would be astronomical.

I firmly believe that the Book of Mormon is the key in not only converting non-members... But converting members, insomuch that they may feel the daily joy that they are intended to feel from the gospel. It is in no wise my creation or idea, but I will surely claim it to be my focus and my life goal. The Book of Mormon has been the key in my personal conversion, and likewise I have a great desire to build up this church, using this wonderful tool. Now, I may have no stewardship over anyone's life but my own. But to all my friends and family who read this I will make a promise, not of my own words... But the words of one Elder Dykes of the 70. "If you read from the Book of Mormon for 30 minutes everyday for the rest of your lives, you will never fall away from the church". What a brilliant promise indeed, and I see the wisdom in his counsel. Likewise I invite all to 'sup daily from its pages', and to experience the continuous change of heart God intends for all to experience each day. Unfortunately it proves rather difficult to share this message to an open heart in England. But my hope is that all my friends and family grow to abide by this standard, and invite those around them to do the same. I have experienced the depth of power of change this gospel has to offer, and come to love it so dearly. This Wednesday marks the 6 month point of my mission, and boy am I glad I came out. What a change it has wrought in me! Amazingly enough however, the majority of things I have done or experienced are readily available to all worthy members. I'm having such a wonderful time out here!

I hope you are all doing wonderfully.




Love,

Elder Jarvis

Things are going great in Walsall

Hey guys, hope you are all doing fantastic! 

Things are going great in Walsall! It has been so sunny here lately, It's way nice. The work is still pretty similar, we do a lot of finding in town centre (which is a 15 seconds walk from our flat). So the days feel pretty similar sometimes, but it's great! We teach a lot of people on the street, and the majority of the return appointments we have are done at a bench or table in town centre. So I've gotten used to the town centre pretty quickly.

It has felt so strange, as my companion is going home after this transfer. So that's been a bit hard.
But really, things are a blast out here. My comp. get along really well, and it's super enjoyable.
It's funny how much easier it is to work, when you like the people around you. We do a lot of exchanges here as well, so that keeps things lively. It's so strange to think in a few weeks I will have been out 6 months! I have learned so much, it's unbelievable. This has truly been a wonderful experience so far.

We recently got a new mission president, and we had our first interviews with him this past week. It was awesome, he is such a cool guy. He tried to tackle elder Sioeli when he found out he played
rugby. (Yes this was during the interview). Just a really fun guy. It's amazing how quickly you can learn to love somebody when you pray for it. I am so excited to serve with President Leppard, I know it's going to be amazing.

I want to say more, but I have no idea what to say... We have a few people coming to church, but they're not too solid.. As their lives are kind of in shambles, and they aren't overly dependable
at this time. But hopefully we will continue to find more great people, and eventually find those who are prepared to receive the fullness of the gospel.

Again, I hope you are happy and growing. I wish you well.
Until next time,
Elder Jarvis

New Area.

     This week has been manic! Transfers were weds.My new area is Walsall. It is absolutely brilliant here. The town is exceedingly dirty, more rubbish on the ground than anywhere I've ever been. But the people in general seem more open. It's amazing how 10 miles can literally change the attitude of a whole city. There are tons of Muslim and Seek people here, so it's very diverse. I had a bit of a scare as my companion (Elder Sioeli) pretended to be afraid of talking to people, and pretended that all he did was watch movies, sleep, and eat. He sold the role pretty well. Oh yeah he also pretended to have like 8 months left.

 
Well turns out he's going home next transfer, and he's probably the most solid guy in the whole mission. Amazing conversion story, and just a great guy. He is just the coolest. So anyways, it wasn't until district meeting that I realized he was playing a big prank, to which I was quite relieved. :p
     Things have been heavenly since then, just an absolute blast. Anyways, the work has been pretty interesting, as Elder Sioeli has a pretty different approach to missionary work. But yeah I'm so glad to be in Walsall. It's such a sweet area. Unfortunately all the elders in this district are dying(nearing 2 years), so at the end of this transfer all three of the other elders will be headed home. Which will be a drastic change..... However as one elder is going home this week, we'll get an extra guy that will hopefully stay. Anyways, the work is going quite well. We do tons of finding in Walsall, and compared to Tamworth, finding is a blast! We've made a district goal to make 6,000 invitations to learn this transfer. Quite a hefty goal, but I'm serving alongside some of EBM'S finest. I won't go into specifics, but lately I've really been able to see the power of prayer, and how quickly prayers can be answered if Heavenly Father wants you to receive the answer.
     The Walsall ward is so awesome, I'm really excited to be serving here. Although I do really miss the people in the Tamworth ward. It' scrapyard how good of friends you can make in such a short time out here. Anyways, that's me in a nutshell. Things are going so well. I hope everyone is getting on quite well also.

New mission President

Greetings!
     I'm aware that it has been a while since the last update, so I guess it's about time to do one :)
A lot has gone on since the last update.  First things first, We got a new mission President this week, President Leppard.  As Elder Bednar once stated, most missionaries are called to a mission for the mission president.  I saw how that was true this week.  During the (meet the president) meeting this week, I had an instantaneous and strong witness that this man was called to direct this area, and that I was called in large part to serve along side him.  What a marvelous blessing it is to have a Heavenly Father who knows all of our needs and desires long before they need to be understood.  I'm much looking forward to the time with President Leppard, however I am too sad to see the Rasmussens go. They were absolutely lovely.
     Similarly, I will be leaving Tamworth this Wednesday, and I find out tonight where I'm headed. So I'll send that in the next update.  It is a bittersweet feeling, as I now have to leave the people I have just started to become acquainted with.  However I now get to make new friends elsewhere.  Being less than overly confident in coming to meet new people. this will be quite a big task for me.  But nevertheless, we push on.  Saying goodbye to people has been strange, the gospel ties people together like nothing else can.  In just a few short months, I've come to love the people here more fully than I have ever thought possible.  I will be really sad to not be able to continue helping the investigators in this area,
     Looking back on this transfer I'm quite happy.  We helped A. long term investigator read in the book of Mormon ( something She had never done up til recently)   This took no shortage of prayer, faith, and trust in Heavenly Father.  After a year, she got the answer that she was to read the book, and it would be by her own efforts, not by divine influence.  So it was quite wonderful to see, that regardless of how long it takes Heavenly Father will give his children what they need ( when he knows they're ready).  Hopefully she will agree soon to be baptized.

     Also this transfer we have found a number of investigators though our efforts in contacting former investigators.  These have been some of the most memorable people.  They seem to be quite prepared, and we've had the wonderful blessing of helping them through many trials.  I see a lot of potential for this area in the next few transfers.
     I have seen so many blessing come to my life in this area, and I've learned so much about what the gospel should mean in our lives.  I hope it continues to be as fruitful to those to serve here for years to come.  I have had the privilege of becoming great friends with many people in this area.  One of my very favorite people is a mother, who when we first met her was very apprehensive of religion.  It's been amazing to see how big of an impact being open and warm has on those around us.  While her practices and beliefs are far different from ours, she is more willing to hear about our perspectives, each time we show her how wonderful our message really is.  It's been such a great joy serving in this area, here alone I have learned more than any amount of money could buy.  I wouldn't trade it for the world.
     I hope you all are having a wonderfully fulfilled time, regardless of how difficult things are. Because I know, that is something the gospel has power to do.
Also, I hope you all have a wonderful week or couple weeks,,. ( not sure when I'll write next)
Anyways, Bye

Beautiful weather

      I wont do a written update this week, as I kind of broke my bike... a.k.a. we're walking a very long way to dinner tonight, and I don't have time. But I'll share some pictures, and will try to write one next week. Things have been going well :) 

These are my favorite trees, (one's actually a bush that is the size of a tree, but nevertheless...) 

     If the pictures are bad, sorry... I've just been using the Ipad, as It's a lot more practical. Included are pictures of Elder Joblot and myself ( Elder Joblot is my all time fave) and my district meeting and my new companion Elder Peterson.

     It's rose season here ,and the flowers are absolutely beautiful. Also the Sun never goes away. It looks like day until 10, and the sun doesn't really leave until like 12. At which point it starts rising again at 2ish.... But the sunny days have been nice. anyways, here are some pictures that I'm always promising




     Wow School is out, that is so strange. Sad to hear that trek was cancelled, I bet a lot of work went into it. Also it would have been a great experience for all who went. A heat wave you say? That's new.
     Things are going well here. we're getting closer to transfers and getting a new mission pres. So that will be interesting. I really love the people here, especially Anne, It'll be hard to leave when I do.
Interesting to hear about the new stake presidency, I hope great things come from their efforts. I really can imagine the power of members being able to openly share their beliefs. I think about it a lot actually, it really kills me some times to think about! It's something I want to change when I get home.
     I won't acclaim a time or understanding of the lords choosing of second coming, because it is written that even his angels won't know... ( and I'm certain they know the signs a lot better than us). But the bishop in this ward, and an ex bishop who is our ward mission leader have claimed that they believe a big gathering of some sort in coming. How far off I don't know, we shall see I guess. Elder Holland spoke in the English Parliament this week, which is a first for the church. So things are surely changing.

Anyways, things are great out here I'm still working hard.

I hope you have a wonderful week.

The Book of Mormon is where to find safety for the soul

It's beautiful here right now. There are a couple really lovely trees in bloom that I just love. My favorite two being a blue and a yellow flowering tree. They take my breath away. There are a lot of flowering bushes as well that are just indescribable. Anyways, things are going wonderfully in Tamworth. Last week we had transfers and I got a new Companion, Elder Peterson. He's a great guy!
I continue to learn so much out here, every day. My first two transfers taught me a lot about patience and problems. I was reflecting on my transfers thus far and recognized or came to realize that.
I was just having a nice conversation with a guy sitting next to me, and it ended up lasting nearly an hour, so I'm a bit short on time... So perhaps I'll talk more about problems later. This week has been wonderful. It's been sunny and cheery,and filled with nice people. Working with Elder P is like a cake walk ( this helps a lot )
Yesterday was by far my favorite day of the week. We attended a video conference being broadcast from Edinburgh to the whole of the British Isles, and the Nordic countries. Elder Holland was attending, and he blew it away. The conference was absolutely amazing,in fact Elder Holland regarded it as the most touching area conference he had ever been to. There were so many great speakers, but my favorite by far was Elder Holland.
The conference seemed to have a theme (unplanned) of the meeting seemed to be unanimous. All the talks touched on the difficulties of being a saint in these last days, and the importance of individual effort/ uniting our efforts. Elder Holland topped this with the solution. His talk summarized, would be the BoM as a means to traverse our way through the trials, and having a rock solid testimony of the BoM to make it possible.
His talk was much similar to his conference talk, 'Safety for the Soul'; however it focused ( in a much more emotional and logical stance) on the obvious truth of the divinity of this book. It absolutely blew me away. It was like a sequel to my favorite talks ( or one of), wherein the sequel was better than the original. I hope that talk is open for public consumption, because I would love a copy. He incited ( with much exactness) the account of the witnesses to the divinity of the book (the original witnesses, and his own) with such simplicity and power, that it would be hard for any person mentally present to ever deny the words he spoke. One of my favorite things he said, was that it would be an infinitely greater miracle if Joseph Smith wrote the Book of Mormon, than if he translated it.
One of the most amazing things to me is that there were people in that room who got nearly nothing from it. Because they were not listening. I think this is a wonderful type. If we don't open our spiritual ears, we will denounce the wonderful gifts and love that lay at our feet. I would urge all my friends who come to read this, to ask how you can further open your spiritual ears. For it is never to late, and you are surely not complete..
I wish I could even come close to conveying the spirit that confirmed the words which were spoken at that meeting. But alas, I fear that I cannot. But I will say this; it is clear to me that the Book of Mormon is the literal word of God. That knowledge I can give, Not that it came easy or quick.
Anyways, Stepping away from Elder Holland and the conference (as I assure you that you'll hear more about him next week)... I have really come to appreciate the words spoken in Helaman 5:12. Up and downs, come as they may... With Christ as your sturdy foundation, you shall not fall. The more I center my understanding on Christ, the less I recognize my potential and ability. I have seen that in Christ, all things are possible.
I really love this Gospel, it is astounding how much change it offers.
I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week, and that you may choose to more richly fulfill your life, by the words and deeds you already know are good.
And thus I make an end, Amen ;)

Knowing it in your heart.

The gospel has given me the perspective to attain and retain desires for things that are lasting, such as knowledge. I think it is a necessary perspective to have for everyone. At the end of the day, genuine love and sincerity are the best thing you can do for others. And also, ensuring that you hold up on your personal spiritual roles. We need to understand that the Gospel brings out good actions, not just desires.

There's a family in the ward who openly tells the story of their son leaving the church because of the parents actions.(the parents were acting pretty poorly) Later the son rejoined the church because he saw how much it made them change. Obviously I wouldn't compare you to those parents, but I do want you to hear this... For me at the very least, I never saw who you used to be. I only ever saw you as a lovely mom, who had the gospel wrapped around her life. I never saw the change. If I had a mom and Dad who were such great people and yet all they ever did (that I could see) was go to church, and occasionally read the scriptures with the family... Then surely the same would happen to me. I'm not at all implying that's all you personally do to have your faith, I know how much you do now. But as a child you don't see it. Same as all these people out here who have never even thought about a God or an afterlife. We reflect what we see around us. Our notions of normality come typically from those we observe.

In my opinion, here's how you can help anyone, the important thing is that they see you doing what is right. They need to understand by watching you, that having the gospel isn't enough. That we have to dig to digest it, and that the more you dig the more you get. That's a really long way to put it, but I really do think it's important to help them see that you're not willing to skip out on things like reading scriptures. That's a great starting point, and I'm sure just being 100% will be a huge blessing. Once there, you can take it a step farther. Like a 5 minute gospel discussion. The basic things carry so much weight. It's not about them getting it, that will come with time. It's about them seeing it. It's the difference between knowing it in your mind, and knowing it in your heart. That's why I prayed to God every day for 16 years and never felt he was there. I didn't search Him out like I needed to, I didn't understand that I needed to. It made no sense to me that I would need to search him out. Why would I? Isn't He loving and doesn't He care? Our notions of what is required and what should be desired are the things that will makes us get it in life or not.

One of our investigators thinks he needs to be converted in a matter of 3 weeks or it's not right. We have no idea where he got that Idea, but we know that if we don't help him out of this line of thinking, things won't get better. But the important thing is that, he believes something that isn't true, there for it's not allowing him to see what is. I cannot convert somebody through my logic, no matter how much sense I make the gospel seem. I have already learned that. The true necessity is a personal desire.