Rejoice! update for Jessica 1/29/14

A very funny thing I have noticed my whole mission is that no matter where in the world we may be Hermana Jarvis and I always seem to be in sync. Are good weeks and are bad weeks seem to line up. This week was the best week of my entire mission-- we taught 7 more lessons than we have ever had together. It was such a miracle for us! Reaching or exceeding a goal is amazing because after you've done that every thing else becomes all that much more possible. When planning for the next week we made our goals higher than they've ever been before. It's scary because, well what if it's a fluke or what it nobody wants to meet with you or there are 17 billion other things that go wrong. Regardless of all the negatives there are all the positives that out way them. 

One thing my companion and I have noticed is that in the times of greatest struggle you see the biggest miracles. The more miracles we see, the more opposition we have placed in our paths. But I am so grateful for my mission because every day I learn more and more how to overcome trials and do it with a smile. Another thing that doesn't hurt in missionary work? Loving where you serve and having a testimony of why you're there. I love my branch so much! This year we should have 4 missionaries leaving from our branch-- 2 of them recent converts! Every Sunday I get so excited to go to church and see my family :) 

We had a really great conference last week. We talked about some really great missionaries, ones like Paul and John and Joseph Smith. One of my favorite scriptures from that: Acts 5:41. "And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name." Even on the hardest days we are lucky. Lucky to be to be worthy enough to suffer for the Lord. 

Take care of yourselves and others! 

Con affetto, 

Sorella Jarvis 

We had lunch with a family that we used to teach because they said they missed us (ok, how sweet?) and they made cake. They said, we're just pretending it's your birthdays! I love them.