This picture is from our last zone training...can you find me??
Buon Giorno tutti!
I'm sure you're all nice and comfy in beds right now but not me-- it's midday here. I don't know how to fit all the amazing in this email but I'm going to try! So this email kinda all starts a few weeks ago... I'm not gonna lie, I was struggling a bit. The first transfer, adjustment to the schedule, the missionary life, the foreign country, the food, the bike seat-- riding the bike-- can all be a bit rough and I felt it. I felt like I was just not good enough. That even though I thought I was strong before the mission, I really wasn't. BUT it has all changed.
Last week my companion and I had a talk. I feel like I'm and open and loving person and all but I don't really share much of what goes on in my head. I finally decided to tell her how I was feeling and that day we decided to leave everything behind us. We'd been working on recognizing all the little miracles and we started even writing them down on post-it notes. (I love any excuse to use post-it notes). And we also decided to be Preach My Gospel missionaries and improve our personal and companion prayers. In personal study I was reading in Mosiah chp 24 specifically verses 12-15. I decided every prayer I would have just as much faith, real intent, and sincerity as the people of Alma. And I will never be the same again! My heart has just exploded with love! That's the only way to describe it, you just can't put some of these things into words.
Last week our district leader challenged us to teach the Plan of Salvation in all our member lessons. We studied it every day personally and together. Doing this prepared us for a really hard, impromptu lesson on Friday that we shared with a member who just lost her sister 2 days ago. The Lord truly does work through other people to answer our prayers and prepare us for these types of situations.
After that we were unstoppable. We finished off the week with more lessons than we've ever taught before! We're weren't seeing numbers, we were only seeing people. We felt the truth of this message, this gospel, so much that we felt an urgency to share it with every person we could! Every miracle we saw we gave a prayer of thanks right away and have been continually blessed through all our efforts. Now don't take this to mean everything is perfect and nothing ever goes awry-- it does-- but everything, every effort, is worth it. Finishing off last week so well made us to make some pretty lofty goals this week.
Yesterday, as a whole, was a miracle. Sorella Morley's bike broke last week (which honestly was maybe a baby miracle haha) and so we've been on the bus. It's hard taking the bus because you always have to factor in wait time. We yesterday we missed our bus 5 times (usually while running to catch it). Every time we watched it go right by us. For me, as a missionary, it gives me the craziest form of anxiety to be late so I was pretty quiet after every bus drove by (haha). BUT we made it to every single appt exactly on time or within 5 minutes early. It was AMAZING! And we were able to teach 4 lessons in one day. That's the most we've ever taught together! It was incredible. The last lesson of the night we walked out not knowing whether to cry or to laugh. I was overwhelmed by the Spirit. Another one of our theme scriptures this week was Alma 26:12, "Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever." It's ok if I am weak-- if we are weak-- because we are human. Our God is strong and with Him on our side we cannot be conquered.
I love my Savior and I can't put into words the gratitude I have for His atoning sacrifice. I know that no matter what my struggles may be I will always have 1 person to rely on that truly and completely understands exactly how I'm feeling. I love the Book of Mormon. I know that answers to prayers, strength we need, and comfort we are looking for can be found on the pages of this book. Heavenly Father loves each of His children so much and so individually, if we go to Him in prayer and pour out our hearts He will comfort us.
I hope you know I love all your emails! They truly mean so much to me and give me so much strength! Take care of yourselves and always know your are in my thoughts and prayers.
Vi voglio bene!
Sorella Jarvis :)
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