August 17, 2015
There is a Josh Groban song that talks about being greatful that I is on my ipod and one day this week it was running through my head while I was getting ready. It says in one part¨¨And as for me, Im greatful¨ And then 30 mintues later, during my personal study, I found the talk that says ¨Is it still wonderful for you . . . ¨ and I this is really what sums up my week.
Sometimes in the mission, we get used to the little miracles that happen all the time. I was reading in my journal in the mtc and I wrote the smallest little things down as miracles. I remember that one day I went out to proselyte in Buenos Aires and I was sooooo exited that a man said hi to us and when we invited him in very broken spanish to look up the website on the card we gave him, and he said yes. The littlest things made me so happy. The littest things made me about to see the hand of the Lord. But I think sometimes after 10 months in the mission, I started to forget, or not forget, but take for granted, the miracles that happen every day. But I love this talk in the latest gc, because it talks about how the gospel (or in this case the mission) . . . is it still wonderful for me?? And I guess I just had to open my eyes.
A lot of times I heard of miracles where the people changed what they were doing, and then the success came puouring in. That is certaintly a common mission story that always ends with . . . . and then they got baptized. But that really isn´t always the story. It certainly isnt the story of the life. Most of the time, getting over a trial is not that it goes away, but that you are happy and at peace.
I saw a good friend of mine in the mission this week, she has 2 changes in an area that has a reputation for being hard. She said to me ¨we really dont have the chance to teach many lessons, so every time we teach a lesson, I am soo happy¨.
So here are a few of the miracles that I saw this week . . . .
1. We went to visit a MA and aperantley the missionaries have been trying to find her when she is home for like 4 months. And she was just home. And recieved us without problem. She talked about her conversion, and how she gained a testimony really strong because there was a lot of opposition for her to baptized. And she talked about how she loved the feeling she had, loved feeling the spirit. And missed it in her life. And really in the end we just said. ¨Hermana, its time for you to come back. You need the Lord and the Lord needs you. Will you come and start doing the things that brought you so much joy again¨ She said yes. It was a miracle of just listening, and watching the spirit soften her heart, soften her eyes as she went along telling her story. The spirit is the teacher. I am sure of that.
2. I love my compañera. I came to love the way that my comp is this week. I decided that I wanted to show her more of my love this week, so I started doing service, writing notes, and a feeling of love came into my heart. It didnt matter about me anymore, I just wanted her to know and feel my love. And then one day we were talking and she said something and I just felt her love so strongly. And I knew, that in her rough love way, she was showing her love too.
3. We had a training on family history this week. And we invited a whole bunch of people and we were super exited. And then nobody answered. So it was us, the elders, and the 2 people assigned to teach fh in our ward and their families. We had set up the class and I felt so bad. But then the hermana said ¨Well, Im going to teach ¨you guys how to help people start doing their family history and then you can help the rest. And then she started explain about her efforts and miracles to do fh, and how she now has done work for 4 generations back (and this is incredible because you really have to look and search to find the names and dates in paraguay) and I just felt the spirit super super super strong. I think I am coming to realize more and more as my mission goes on that I have a lot to do in family history. Some of my most spiritual experiences in the misison have been when I have felt very strongly that there was someone on the other side of the veil that really really wanted their family member to accept the gospel and do their work for them. Then just as we were going to start the actual training part, 4 recent converts walked in. It was such a miracle.
I know that sometimes life is mundane, and reading the scriptures seems something normal, but it really is a gratifying experience to ask yourself ¨Does it keep being wonderful for me . . . ¨
I love you all so very much, and happy birthday mom!!!
Love,
Hna Jarman
I got the package today!!! Thanks for the shoes (really it was perfect because the hermanas that live one floor down from us . . all of her shoes were literally falling apart, and my comp only had flimsy shoes that hurt your feet). So I gave away my crocs and my Keens, and I was left with all my somewhat weaker shoes. But now I have strong shoes again!!! Yeah!!
Thanks guys for all your letters of support. It is actually really cool to hear all your mission stories. I mean, I have heard a few, right, but it seems like every time I have a hard week, I hear about more. And I love hearing about it, because it is so realatable. And it reamiinds me that awhile ago, you were in my same spot. Haha, if you dont know what to write me, just write me a misison story. I am coming to realize that the mission, is so deep, and you learn so much, that you really could keep talking about it forever. And I guess that is what we do . . . . talk about it and reflect on it for the rest of our lives.
But really, this week was a really good week. I am starting to really enjoy the mission. Not that it isnt hard, but that I have finally accepted that I dont have to win or make it not hard to be succesful. To be succesful in the mission is to be happy. And I think I am starting to succeed again.
Thank you for all of your support. I love you guys so much. I think I took you guys a lot for granted before. I always wanted to go off on my adventures. But I think when I get home. I am going to just spend time with everyone. I dont want to miss big family events because I am off on my own adventure, I want to have dventures with you guys!!! (starting with a trip to S America so start saving up mom dad trent and katie!)
Love ya mucho, and if there is anything that you guys in specific want me to pray for, tell me. Right now I am praying for stephen and his mission papers, and trents business, but if there is anything more, just tell me.
Love
Hermana Jarman
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