April 28: A Transfer

I got transferred to where I thought I would be with the companion I thought I would be with. I thought I would be driving because I'm the sr. companion but I am somewhat relieved that I am not. I had mixed feelings about it. I might try halfway through the transfer before I forget how but while I learn the area this is probably best. We had six missionaries leave and six come in today. It was a lot going on and guess what, none of them are from Utah. Now that I'm here it pretty much means that I will be going to Philadelphia unless something crazy happens. I will really miss the fun had with the surrounding missionaries in my last area but there are great ones here too and my companion is darling so bring on more fun. The ward sounds excellent and I couldn't believe how beautiful it was just driving here to the library. It is so green and there are so many beautiful trees and I am going to love it here I can already tell. You would have laughed had you seen me with all my stuff today. I have way too much. And guess what else, her trainer left behind some of her c.d.'s and she has a polynesian boyfriend so her music selection is excellent and will get some ukelele into my life which I actually really love. I am really really excited.

This week is kind of weird. I was in a transitional period so I could kind of feel myself withdrawing and trying to get my companion to practice taking the initiative and conducting things  especially if she is training I knew that she needed to. And I can't believe that I packed everything I really can't. I am going to seal up my little carry on with winter clothes and put it in the back of the closet which is huge. My apartment is really nice and a lot roomier than my last. The last was furnished really nicely and they finished the hardwoods last week and got us a real human sized table but I am happy to have some natural light coming in. It's interesting though because even though we didn't really have windows and that is something that I know would normally really affect me I was totally fine. There are things that go through your mind such as "hmm, I would like some more natural light" but it is just a passing thought and then you forget. I am so much more easy going and passive about things and I know that the Lord is providing for me and allowing me to just focus on the task at hand and not care about my surroundings. You just don't notice things that you think you used to care about but at the same time you are really careful to take care of what you have and keep things clean. There is going to be a lot of blonde hair around our apartment now. I think mine may have stopped growing. We'll reevaluate at the end of summer. It has struggled this week in the rain though because it doesn't just rain it mists and so the water is swirling around you and just making you moist.

I was sad to leave the family with the baptismal date but President told me that I could go back for their baptism and that I was needed here. I am grateful to be here and I know that they will be taken care of. It was amazing when I called Leo to say goodbye and he said that he really appreciated what I had done for him and his family and that he wished me well and hoped that I would be able to help other people come to God. He was really sweet and grateful but I'm sad because I have no pictures with them. I'll get some at the baptism. It is going to be weird to just be here and start immersing myself in thoughts about the new people that I will be working with. Would you like me to keep ending my sentences in prepositions? Something that I hadn't really put in these terms is the fact that I am able to receive revelation for the people in my area the way that a father is able to receive revelation for his family. Cool! Because they are in my stewardship I am able to have the Spirit guide me to do things that they need. So cool. I love looking at things a different way than you have before even when it was there and you realized it but didn't say it the same way.

My goal for this transfer is to pray more earnestly and fervently. I think that being the sr. companion will push me to do that but I want to improve my personal prayers and "secure for myself blessings that the Lord is already willing to give" (paraphrased from the bible dictionary but look up prayer it's really neat). The Lord will truly grant our righteous desires but we usually don't ask. How silly. What I am realizing as well is that a mission is training for the rest of my life in that I am forming habits that I will do forever. I am training the way that you would physically by building up different muscles. Every time that I practice and apply myself to do scripture study I get stronger at it and stronger at the habit. I also have to exercise prayer muscles and solidify routines that will go with me for the rest of my life. It is so neat to know that I can do that and change myself for the better. I have many goals for myself and I know that I will never reach the point in my mission where I feel that I have arrived. It will be like holding a dog treat in front of a dog and moving it as it gets closer. I will keep being led forward and forward and stretched. There is no end goal because we have our whole life span to perfect ourselves and we know that we will never reach perfection. Could sound daunting but I think it's motivating. 

Last week when we had our barbecue with the Elders we had hot dogs, fruit salad, and chips which was fun and we were grateful for the cover in the Esparaza's backyard because it was raining around us. After we finished eating Elder Tryon wanted to play Dungeons and dragons where you are given a profile and then he talks out a scenario and you can take turns making moves. When I asked what a longsword was because I didn't know what I could do with it when I was up against the skeleton corpses all he said with a straight face was, "a long freakin' sword." Rest in peace Toms River area. I will miss you and the memories but not the pounds.

I've had a cold this week which has presented some funny things like for example my purring at dinner last night. I didn't want to cough and let them know how sick I was but I had this rattling in my throat. I am hoping that tomorrow it will be all the way gone because it has wiped me out a bit. But ask me if I worked less because of it. No. Did you know that they make red velvet yoplait now? Yum. I just remembered that when I was saying goodbye to the sweetest and oldest member of the ward she wanted to give me something and so she went in the kitchen and came back handing me a wendy's bag that had a can of spaghettios in it. Are you crying?!? I am going to eat them and love every bite but after that I am going to get back to giving up my fattitude. I pretty much did and I think that I lost weight this week. Well, I would have if it weren't for the enormous cheese steak that Vinny fed me on Monday but seriously. The weight stops here and I am going to continue to get smaller.

Here's something, why don't missionaries ever tell you about the puffy knuckles? My door knocking knuckles are permanently puffy and kind of pink. Usually at the end of the day they are kind of white because that is the color of most of people's outer screen doors so that is what comes off on them. Weird things like that I wonder why I've never heard about them. So I will let you people be informed and know about it. This is getting increasingly random because I know that I'm wrapping it up and trying to include my last thoughts. Um, we were helping a member dig in her backyard last week and we found a compact that was really cool. It still had the glass in it and it was gold with a cool design. I should have asked her beforehand if we could make a contract to keep whatever we found but she still has it so I guess that's best.

This week we were tracting and I was determined to street contact everyone no matter what because we've had some weird hose and sprinkler moments so there was a guy smoking in his car but it probably wasn't the best time for me to assert myself I'll say that. I also drank a big swig of sour milk this week which made for some fun. And here is my funny story of the week. Ok, two. So the other day we were coming home from somewhere and I had a coat in one hand and my bag in the other. the shoulder strap was hanging down under it and I started to go down the stairs. Halfway down I took a step and felt a tug on my arm. It jerked me forward so I took another step which jerked me forward so I took another step and "walked" the rest of the way down the stairs with my foot caught up in my strap. Ya'll would've died laughing. I think it was that same night that I got up to go blow my nose and when I came back in our room it was pitch black and I tripped on the phone cord, fell forward with useless arms and caught myself with my face on the corner of my bed which kind of bounced me back before I crumpled on the floor. I never did know where the use of my arms went during the whole thing but they were absolutely absent.

Editorial note: Jenny would really love to hear from you, but don't forget to send mail to her NEW address! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>  Thanks for reading!

Update for April 21: Ups and Downs

This week had its up and it had its downs. First the ups. We set a baptismal date with Leo and his wife Rosa isn't far behind. ahem, I mean girlfriend. So that means there will be a wedding pretty soon here. In actuality we went to teach him for the first time after he had come to church twice and witnessed a baptism and he asked us what he had to do to be baptized, opened the cover of his Book of Mormon and wrote on the page, "date to be baptized." Wow! We have been so blessed to be able to teach him. His kids have some struggles because he speaks spanish and english but his girlfriend mostly only speaks spanish. She can understand more than she can speak. I know that the Gospel would really strengthen them as a family and be an added source of learning and support for their children. I am so excited to teach them and I was able to teach the law of Chastity and jump right into it. You grow every day I say.

Downs. Sometimes when you wonder what will be behind door number 1443 you don't really want the answer. And sometimes people say really awful things and rail on you and say that what you're doing is in no way Christian and that you should do yourself a favor and get an education. And sometimes you walk back to the car bawling because your heart hurts over what people call the founding prophet of this dispensation and the men who lead it now. Sticks and stones can break my bones and words about someone else can hurt me. But you know what, you testify and you pray for him that his heart will be softened and that he too will someday feel the peace that you feel. By the way did any of you see the PBS special that has currently killed our work this week?

 

I am anticipating transfers this week in a functional way of should I be packing etc but I am not emotional. I am really learning that things don't have to be sad and that if I didn't like the area that I was serving in and the people that I was serving with then it would be hard to be here and I would just want to go home to my family. Every relationship that I establish and person that I love is a blessing but I am really coming to learn about the rotation in life. In writing to Sister Nickle we have discussed the fact that we were able to share such a special time together in the MTC and that it will be our turn to see each other when we have finished serving. Right now it is my turn to be with the people in Toms River New Jersey and maybe next week it will be someone else's turn. After I have served in this part of New Jersey it might be my turn to go north or to go to Philadephia. But if you think about it, you can't have the nature of all the relationships that you have with people all the time. When you go to school and love the people that you live with and spend time with you are happy but you are not seeing your family to the same degree. When you are home for the summer you are getting to see your family all the time but you might not even be in the same country as those friends. You have  take turns. My turn here is short and I can never go back to being this age at this time among these people with these circumstances. You have to be exactly where you are when you're there or else why are you there? I mean really, why not do something with your whole heart while your doing it otherwise what is the point? Ok, well I believe I may have started philosiphizing to yous so let's cut that out and keep moving.

Mom, you asked what the ratio of my time was like. We are supposed to spend 5 hours finding every week which means tracting, contacting referrals, street contacting, etc. We usually do more than five. We had nineteen member lessons this week which usually last an hour because people in New Jersey can talk!  Three fourths of the ward is in our area so the scales are a bit tipped in favor of us strengthening members and the Elders teaching investigators. Some parts of our area are up to a half hour away so we do have to give some time to driving around. Mainly we just make sure that we are always doing something. I try to be on the phone making appointments and charming people while we're driving etc and we keep busy.

I'm sorry but the funny things that happen to me often involve the Elders because they are my peers. I was talking to Elder Wilkinson and telling him about our baptismal date after which he started screaming and saying, "I feel like the time that my six foot eight dad started jumping up and down because the jazz had just won the 19__ game and he was so excited that he slammed his fists into the ceiling and started bleeding because he hit his knuckles so hard. I'm in a knuckle busting mood!" What? Translation in case I lost you there, knuckle busting is a good thing. 

 

Yesterday while we were waxing our cars we were talking and I was telling everyone how I just have a really hard time not drawing similiarities to Harry Potter all the time. I really do, it comes into my head a lot. Anyway, I have been called "wordly" for it before so I was just saying that I couldn't help it because I just really love Harry Potter and from his spot sitting on the ground waxing the front bumper Elder Tryon says, "And you spent all that time feeling sorry that you were a mere muggle until you found out that you are a daughter of God." I can't make this stuff up people. 

 

While talking about how saying patriarticle blessing removes the whole meaning of the actual word which is supposed to denote a blessing from your patriarch Elder Wilkinson started mumbling about how you don't want "patrys" and then trying to figure out what a patry really is and then finishing with, "well, that was a whole kettle of fish we just talked to!" (while at our street meeting at ocean county college.

 

and yesterday when we got home from emailing guess where that bowling ball that we planted in Elder Wilkinson's bag was? All of you who said our toilet would be right. Our coats were in the freezer, our cups were in the fridge, and the bowling bag was in our cupboard. How did they talk our upstairs people into letting them in?!? I will tell you what we are doing to get them back but I shan't write it because I don't want it mass emailed around.

 

People out here tell us a lot that we are really lucky and that we don't even know what we have and that life is so easy in Utah and they truly seem to believe that it is the promised land and that the grass is way greener over there. My thoughts: I like Utah better but my life was not and is not perfect, I don't like being told that I'm not grateful because trust me I truly am, being born into the Church is not a bad thing as insinuated, I knew I had it good and I'm out here trying to share it with people shouldn't that count for something?  It makes me sad because I am realizing after being in the area for so long that people look at us as being all the same a lot of the time. They don't learn our names and they try to talk about past missionaries and can't remember their names. Not everyone, but I feel like I'm making friends and loving people and that they are doing something to change the course of my life and I'd like to feel that they would remember me when I'm gone. 

 

Pictures: 

 

My new favorite blazer!

 And our new guest. they done brung the heat on theirselves.

 

New Address!

Please note Jenny's new address to the right>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

She'd love to hear from you!

I'll catch up on her weekly updates just as soon as I'm finished with the last of my schoolwork to graduate

{after tomorrow evening}.  

Thanks for reading, and come back soon!

Update for April 14: Senior Companion

Say hello to a soon to be senior companion. We are getting split up because at least 3 sisters are leaving and 3 new ones are coming in. Next transfer I will be one of the oldest missionaries in the mission. President asked me during interviews if I felt ready and I am thrilled. Seriously, that is great. It does mean I will probably be driving though which I have mixed feelings about. I can request that my comp drives though if I so choose. My guess at this moment is that I will be in Somer's Point which is south of here with a sister that just came in this transfer. I think that the 3 older sisters than me will be training. I am really sad because I don't want to leave Toms River but the Lord knows where I need to be and things are always better than I think they will be. I was so sad anticipating Sister McNeil leaving but then when this transfer started I was fine. And you know that I have been that way about everything else in my life. Dreading it is always worse than the real thing so I'm not gonna do it. Anyway, that might also mean that I would be more likely to go to the Philadelphia mission because the south part of the mission is that stake. Thoughts? I was kinda leaning towards Moorestown but again, the Lord knows all. And this are all theories but I know that for sure Sister Cook and I will be split up. And it makes more sense for her to train someone in an area that she knows and for me to join a Sister in an area that she knows than it does for S. Cook to leave. So that is why I think I'm probably guessing right. So yes, I am guilty of maybe prematurely condensing my things but anyways. Maybe a new address for ya'll in two weeks.

 

This week was amazing, church was packed and we had a family come for the second time and they stayed to witness the Elder's investigator's baptism. They are so ready and looking for a church and I think that they are loving it. Their two kids are acclamating really well to Primary and I am so excited about it. I seriously started crying and I was just beaming when I walked up to sing with the ward choir. They need people and they don't always have a pianist so Sister Cook plays for them occasionally. There were many people at church that the elders are teaching and one of our members who I've mentioned that is in a wheelchair and goes to dialysis a few times a week was able to come for the first time in a long time and he stayed for the whole block. It was wonderful.

 

Last week we were struggling for investigators and we went out looking and the Lord led us to George and Betty. They let us talk but it was conditional that it would only be one time and that was it. We were able to teach and then go back for a second lesson and leave the Book of Mormon. They are so intelligent and inquisitive and I hope that they have read a good portion by now but it is hard for us to have planted the seed and not even be able to go back and water it. We are really hoping to hear from them but we might try to stop by near the end of the week because they have questions that are unanswered by any other church and we want them to know that our Gospel is complete because it is the Gospel that Jesus Christ established while he was alive and if he couldn't do it right then we all should be worried. 

 

We were also able to teach Curtis this week after having an incredible first lesson with his family and then several weeks without them keeping an appointment. We taught him the plan of salvation and he said that it gives people a lot more hope than any other ideas and the Spirit prompted me to give him a soft baptismal commitment (my first!) and he accepted! He also prayed at the end and I think that he really sees that the Gospel is a good thing and will ponder it out. Amazing how the Lord prepares people. 

 

So this week was hilarious mostly because of the Elders in my area. Elder Tatro and Tryon shared that they have this game where every time that they talk to each other in English instead of Spanish they count points against each other because they are supposed to be practicing Spanish all the time. So at the end of the day they see who has more and first thing every morning when the alarm goes off they race to the front door, (no rules, they can have an all out brawl and wrestle the whole way there) and the first one to get to the door wins. At that point they go get a glass of ice cold water and throw it in the face of whoever lost. Then whoever lost points the day before also gets a glass of water in the face. So some mornings someone gets two and some mornings they each get one. Seriously!?! Who comes up with that? 

 

Funny stories from Elder Wilkinson involved him telling me during our accountability phone call that I should be careful not to sleep walk and eat my grapefruit in the night because then I won't have breakfast in the morning. He knew from personal experience.  Also in District Meeting we did a get to know yous activity and we are supposed to keep it somewhat spiritual but I also like to actually get to know the person's life so I said to tell us childhood pets and your favorite scripture. When it was his turn he rocks back on his chair and starts telling us about his hamster named Ricky. Ricky?!? You can imagine I am laughing really hard at this point. He tells us about his life and then tells us about the time they found him lifelessly upside down. Thus a burial was had and he was laid to rest wrapped in a light blue cloth after a small service and hymn. But that wasn't the end of Ricky. Years later they found the light blue cloth while doing yard work and after some trauma incurred they dug a deeper hole and put him further down. Hysterical. I was crying by the end. He has a way of talking about his childhood that makes it so vivid and you can exactly tell what it was like through his little boy eyes. 

 

Sometimes also the Elders don't tell the woman getting baptized that she needs to bring a change of underwear. So sometimes the woman has to get baptized in a jumpsuit and a dress for the sake of layering up since she isn't wearing any underwear. 

 

This week I put my foot in my mouth on several occasions. I will share. So on Sunday we had a woman from another ward bring a friend with her lived in our ward boundaries. She introduced her to me.

A few weeks ago in District Meeting with Elder Wilkinson and Draper we talked about how time is the greatest resource we have. We were talking about how we could both be better about getting out of appointments on time and I was trying to quote the handbook and say that time was a "gift" from the Lord or something like that and District Leader Wilkinson decided to run with it and made up the phrase "don't trash the gift" as a way of reminding us to not waste time or show up late to stuff. So needless to say that phrase comes up a lot and we often ask them how the gift is when they walk in late and Elder Wilkinson laughs, sighs, and says "trashed!" Maybe it's funnier to me?

What she said: "Hi, I brought my friend Trish St. George"

What I heard:  "Hi, I brought my friends Trish and George"

 

What I said: "Oh, hi! Welcome, are you with your husband, I didn't see him"

What Trish said: "No. I've been divorced for 15 years"

And that was the last thing Trish said to me.

 

When contacting a referral that really turned out to be an inactive member of the ward:

He said: "Hi sisters! how are you doing, it's great to see you"

What I said: "Um, we actually haven't ever met you before but have you met with Sister missionaries?"

He said: "I'm a member of the ward"

 

We have had a lot of service opportunities which I am really enjoying. Last week while helping Jazmin and Alan in the backyard we were weeding and he had music on and out of nowhere comes Journey's "Separate Ways" I was reprimanded for singing along but can you blame me? We also were able to help a member of the ward who is moving get some of her things packed up and ready. On Friday we will be helping paint the basement of a member's home and on Saturday we may be digging for a project of another member. I am glad to feel useful to them and to have gained their trust because they really actually don't like asking the missionaries for help because they don't want us to feel like they take advantage of us so we have a hard time convincing them that it's part of our calling. 

 

If you want to imagine what I look like just think of what I was doing Monday while at the Rest Home: Dancing and singing with tambourine in hand to Pretty Woman in front of a room full of dimensia patients. 

 

Funny places I saw this week:

Sebastian's Schnitzel haus

Teenage and Crib City

 

Dog of the week:

Jack Russel Terrier and Pug mix

 

I used an iron for the first time since being in New Jersey this week which tells you that we bought clothes really well because none of them wrinkle. I think the Lord knows that I have minor heart attacks when my clothes are wrinkly and that I couldn't focus on the work if I had to worry about it. I love my new blazer momma, it looks great with any color pin that I have and it is a nice versatile color. Have you ever thought about how many hours a day I am wearing shoes? At least from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. but sometimes earlier. I inherited heels from my trainer and I wear them on Sundays to church only.

 

I spent Thursday night to Friday night over in Wrightstown and got to see their area and teach some people. It was fun to be with Sister Bates and they are the luckiest because they live Right next to Taco Bell. But I swear time moves slower there, their area is so spread out and huge and it really felt so slow but it was a fun day and we got dinner at Wawa which is the gas station that they have Everywhere. they sell delicious sandwiches, soups, etc and their food is very tasty. And sometimes you have to buy the tapioca just because it reminds you of your mom and you want to feel like she is hugging you. While tracting there we got followed by some little boys who wanted to fight us I'm pretty sure. they were playing basketball and as we got closer to their driveway they ran up to the front porch and as soon as we passed them came back down to play again but instead started following us, basketballs in hand and kind of made motions at us like they were going to throw them.

 

Something fun that Sister Cook and I have been doing this week is looking in the back of the hymn book at the meters and singing different words to different tunes. It is really cool and fun. Kind of a hybrid situation if you will. I can't thank the Lord enough for giving me the confidence to sing because He knew what an insecurity that was for me and He took it away. 

April 7th: Zone & General Conference

So the warm weather is here and with it there are more people outside and more contacting to be done. We walked around yesterday and were able to teach an awesome lesson about the Restoration on an older couple's front porch and they were really receptive and smart and asked great questions. I can tell that if they get reading the Book of Mormon they will find a lot of answers to life's questions and missing pieces to the doctrines that they can't fully understand. It is absolutely incredible when someone asks you a question and the Lord takes your fingers and opens up to the exact scripture that you need. Especially when that scripture is in Isaiah. I think that is one of the coolest things that happens to you as a missionary. I had been praying for people to teach and opportunities to testify and the Lord more than answered those prayers.

 

The other week we got a call from a woman named Louise who had had the missionaries over for dinner before and wanted to have us again. She went on and on about how her son is a member of the church and she is having all the kids in town for Easter and she wanted us to come over and eat dinner with the family. We went over and it was an italian family that dished up heaping plates for us and doted on us, teased the heck out of each other, were loud but hilarious, filled our dessert plates with: doughnut holes, cream puffs, cake, another type of cake, and brownies. And I ate it all. Don't worry though, my diet is paying off. But it was a hilarious night and she just kept orbiting us and saying to everyone, "ah! look at them, they're so cute!" The son that joined the church met his wife from Idaho while she was out here nannying. He was really nice and kind of did the sideways talking and explaining the crazyness of the rest of the family. All in all a good time and I found out that I can be loud when I want to be.

 

Shall we talk about conference? I think we shall. Amazing. I wrote down notes on what the Spirit said to me instead of what the speakers said and it was incredible. Looking back at the personal revelation that I received was absolutely amazing and the speakers thoughts were also amazing. But why they didn't mention family I'll never know. Some of the Apostles are looking really old and some are looking really young. We have seen a lot of changes lately, more than I remember when I was younger. I was really sad that I missed Elder Oaks. I was wishing that we had an investigator that we could take to Priesthood because I've always wanted to go. I learned so much about being a missionary and so much about being a person. I really felt blessed with the answers I received to my prayers. I prepared questions at the beginning of the week that I wanted answers to and I got the answer to every single one. That is a method I learned at BYU and I really cherish what it does for my conference watching.

 

On Easter evening we had dinner at a family's home and enjoyed the company of their three little boys. They were so funny and it was hilarious to watch the Elders interact with them. We had ribs, corn & rice, sweet potatoes, asparagus, homemade bread, angel food cake, and ice cream. My temporal needs are more than met. this week I will be spending my funds on sunscreen instead of food. 

 

Yesterday morning we helped Mommi and Poppi in the backyard with the Spanish Elders during the morning. We raked, weeded, and picked up more muddy sticks. Don't worry, I won't bring that habit home with me. We helped for a while and then they fed us a delicious breakfast. The best way to explain it would be to describe it as a Venezuelan McMuffin with homemade bread and what not. It was so good and the sausage was mixed with tomatoes and the cheese melted so nice. Wow, they were delicious. I am grateful that we are building a relationship with them and they want to have the missionaries over for a barbecue in their amazing backyard. Sometime I will take pictures of it. It is beautiful. 

 

I love it here. I love teaching, I love being hot - remember I am a sun baby like Ivy {family dog}, I love my ward and the support of our Bishop who rules with an iron fist but really loves everyone, I love learning ways that I can be a better teacher and better help people come to know Christ.  This is the coolest thing I have done in my life and I know that the Lord blesses me. There are so many tender mercies and I am really going through the refining process of completely turning my will over to Him.

 

Things that are bittersweet

 

Sweet: Not having to wear a slip

Bitter: realizing you forgot it when your skirt catches the wind and your knee highs are exposed

 

Sweet: knowing that underneath your bed is extremely clean

Bitter: counting the number of wildlife that you vacuumed up in the process

 

Sweet: having clean baseboards

Bitter: watching the legs retract into the wall

 

Sweet: having the ward mission leader surprise you with dark chocolate Cadbury eggs because you mentioned that you heard about them and couldn't find them

Bitter: having him let you keep the bag and interrupting your diet

 

Pictures:  {see if you can find Jenny!}

Sister Beckwith is next to Sister Mcneil who you should know by now. Beckwith has the long blonde hair and the orange shirt. Here's the whole Cherry Hill mission!

 

March 31: Easter Week

Compare the size of my forearm to the width of that stove please. and the height of the countertops. 

Do you know how much you can learn in one week? It is absolutely incredible. I hope that I am still fun but I hope that when I get home I am really changed. I hope that I have become the qualities that I want to have and I hope that I show all signs of doing my best. This week was hilarious, emotional, rainy, bright, hopeful, frustrating and everything else that can be felt because you experience it all every day. But first of all let's get real here, did you see Sister Dalton's blazer this week?! it was beautiful. She is so classy. The Young Women's broadcast was incredible. I so loved Elder Uchtdorf's talk and it was interesting to think how much I got out of it and then think what a twelve year old who was listening would have learned. We have such inspired leaders.

During ward council on Sunday we were talking about how to help people that feel that they will never be perfect enough and that even though they read and pray daily they will never ever be good enough. Someone mentioned a good quote to think about as long as we use it to apply the grace of the Lord and not justify our own disobedience. The quote was akin to: "I may not have walked the straight and narrow my whole life but I tried to cross it as often as I could." We are not expected to give perfection but we are expected to keep working a little at a time every day. Progress and being able to say that each day we were slower to anger or more patient with other people is what we in our mortal state can give.

At lunch yesterday we went and got pizza with the Elders in our district after district meeting and we were talking about the many other religions that we encounter out here. It was interesting that as they would explain to me the beliefs that other people had that I was able with every dead end or unanswered question in other beliefs to fill that hole with the knowledge that we have. The restored Gospel of Jesus Christ really does answer all the questions because it is Christ's church established by Him not by man. We were discussing that in the Catholic faith it is a practice to pray to Mary and ask her to ask Jesus Christ for the things that they may need. While talking to a man we met tracting he explained to me that they figure if anyone is in good standing with Christ and could affect his decisions it would be Mary so they go to her in case the Savior is occupied. With this belief I think that we discount the omnicience (sp?) of our Savior and Heavenly Father. If they are ever too busy then what is their capacity? How many prayers can they hear at a time if not all? We are so blessed to know that because Heavenly Father's time is not our time that He is operating with eons of time that we can't comprehend because it is infinite and we only have finite minds right now. But we do know that he hears All of our prayers at the time they are given. I am so grateful for that knowledge.

So last night during correlation meeting with the Bishop, ward mission leader, Elders, and rep from relief society, high priests, and elder's quorum we were discussing the help that we needed from each auxiallary to help the people that we are teaching and the young women's president stuck her head in and asked if both sets of missionaries could go to the young women's room after the meeting was over. We went down there and they had made up a BIG box of candy, instant dinners, razors, deodorant, toothbrushes, soap, antibacterial, beaded bobby pins, etc. for each set of missionaries. Both english sets and the Spanish Elders. It was so so sweet. They said that since we were away from home they wanted to make the Easter bunny come to us and I started crying. Surprise. But it was such a sweet thing and I felt so loved. I will attach a picture of the haul because it was a lot of stuff.

Last Wednesday night we taught a family the first lesson about the Restoration of the church and the origin of the Book of Mormon and I swear you could have cut the Spirit with a knife. I have scarcely felt it so strongly and it was the crowning lesson of my mission thus far. They had great questions and we had a member of the ward along that brought the perfect testimony of her life experiencing other churches and never feeling right until she attended sacrament meeting and it was wonderful. I have never wanted anything so badly for someone else. I just started imagining the family in white shirts, ties, and dresses enjoying the blessings of the Gospel. I have never made so many frantic deals with the Lord and promised Him so many things if He would just allow them to be together as a family. I promised Him I would never sin, that I would have family prayer ever day for the rest of my life, etc. because I wanted this family to know of the Lord's love for them and to have the comfort of knowing our Savior. Incredible.

Did you also know that there is no better way to learn that you are your mother than by going on a mission. I am having an identity crisis because I am completely my mom and I'm wondering if I am even anything else. I can't sit still anymore, I putter all the time. I can't talk without wiping something down or straightening something up. I sit on the couch like mom, I do my hair like mom, I make faces like mom, I think like mom, I talk like mom. Ah! Who am I? My mom that's who. You wouldn't believe how much.

And if there is anything that prepared me for my mission it was Dan in Real Life. All my study and prayer helped but learning to "plan to be surprised"  has been the best advice. When you are not operating on your own time or your own plan you wouldn't believe where you are sent and what you accomplish. To go to people's house and have them say, "I'm never home at this time" "I was hoping you would come now" or things like that you realize that you are being guided every minute. When people come into your mind or when you think that you should do something instead of what you had planned you know that the Lord is testing your faith and your listening heart. It is the best thing I've ever done and I know that I am not truly giving the Lord anything but my agency because every breath I take every minute of life is already His. So it is amazing to turn myself over to Him and allow him to mold me. I must say though, I think in some ways I'm Jim Halpert with no camera to look into. I make the Jim face a lot because I can't believe what I'm doing sometimes. Like yesterday when I was trying to fanagle muddy sticks into a plastic grocery sack in the rain because a woman in our ward is crippled and can't do many things so we were helping her. But if you asked me a year ago if I thought I would be in New Jersey wearing a skirt, blowing my short hair out of my eyes, and struggling with muddy sticks I wouldn't have believed you.

On Saturday my companion was struggling because she fell on some steps and hit her back on Christmas day and she is still experiencing pain. She asked the Elders for a blessing and they came right over. There is a reason that they are two minutes away now. Anyway, after they were done and going to leave Elder Tatro went to walk out of the room one way and I went to walk into the kitchen when he froze and asked, "Sister Rowe, do you want one too?" I started crying because it was so inspired and I didn't know why but I knew I was supposed to say yes. He gave me a blessing and it was really beautiful to hear Heavenly Father's counsel and guidance for me. I didn't know I needed it but they are always given at the right time. I am so grateful for the restored priesthood power. Sometimes we just don't know how to listen but then you realize how much you needed the counsel.

Pictures

This is the haul from the Young women. So sweet. I inherited that sweatshirt from a woman in the ward. It has kittens and hearts on the front. 

 

The cupcakes were our prize for winning the scripture chase in our district meeting yesterday. Sometimes you remember that you are working with boys more than other times. 

 

March 24: You Know You're a Missionary When..

This is David that we were teaching but this week he told us that church is boring and kind of the, "it's not you, it's me" we felt like it was a break up. Weird and sad but we haven't given up. Look at the walls and the crystal! This was the crazy Georgian dinner.

This is the infamous elder tatro. Last week we went to the apartment to get something we had forgotten and after a few minutes of conversation when we went to leave he leaned out the door and called after us, "do you want our dart guns for comp inventory?!" Are you serious? I won of course.

This kid is also the future. His family situation is really hard but he has so much insight, innocence, and desire to learn. 

You know you're a missionary when:

 

You put your clothes on and they have stickers from the last time you wore them.

You have a personalized door knock

You think that the EFY 2009 c.d. is the best thing ever

You wear knee highs Every day

Someone opens their door and you literally see the Spiritual punch the face as they rear back

 You've had a PB&J every day for the last week

Your standard for stale bread takes a large dip

You are taller than your refrigerator

You hear the words, "not interested" more than twenty times a day

You get excited to use your coupon at Supercuts

 

So last Thursday night we had the Gladys Knight and Saints Unified Voices fireside. It was awesome and they were so talented. She was darling herself. She had all the missionaries stand up and she said, "some young people out here trying to get it right. you think they out there hurting each other, they not, they takin the gospel to the rest of the world"

some other highlights were when she talked about her conversion the the gospel and said, "I was gonna get me a bicycle, go & tell somebody"

 

She bore her testimony and said that she put her career on the line in order to be baptized knowing that some people would never buy another record and said that the night was probably not what some people were expecting because every song was about Christ and she said, "if Midnight train was what got you in this room then so be it"

she talked about racism and how we all have to get over ourselves, treat everyone right and be good people. She talked about the different people in the room and said, "we fudge ripple up in here"

 

And something I will incorporate into my life was when she said, "just keep steppin, walk in the direction he sends you"

 

Also, Trudy in our ward, who is very much like Sister Knight herself said last week " You gotta get prayed up and keep the faith"

 

That's all folks.

More March 17th: Highlights of Transfer 1

Well, I have to say I am surprised with the changes that have come but I have learned that change will continue to come but there are threads that run throughout the whole mission that connect things and give you things to keep working toward. I will really miss the Hermanas and my trainer but I feel a little more freedom to work harder and grow as a missionary. I have had a lot of growing pains, I have found that sometimes becoming a missionary can make you as moody as a pubescent fifteen year old boy but you figure things out and wait five minutes and you will be ecstatic. Nothing stays the same except the Gospel and the fact that God loves you and is taking care of everything. It is a really big relief to not be in charge.

 

Transfer 1

 

Best thing eaten: Friendly's peanut butter cup ice cream

Favorite item of clothing: My blue blazer, I wear it a lot

Oh, and my gray Jodie skirt that is full and shiny from Grandma.

Record number of dinner appointments in a day: 3

Things that haven't changed: I still get the feeling at least once a day, "wait, what am I doing in New Jersey? Wait, I LIVE here?!" "I'm on a mission?!"

Do you people realize that I am a missionary!?! Doesn't get cooler than that.  Or dorkier.

This is by far the craziest thing I've ever done and I couldn't do it if it weren't true. It would be crazy if I didn't know that God was watching out for me and that this is where He wants me to be.

New gift realized: I sing in front of people now. I went down to Stafford to sing at someone's memorial service with two Elders and Hma. McNeil. IN FRONT OF PEOPLE. Also I sing after lessons with Sister Cook and we harmonize. That should blow everyone's mind.

Something about NJ: Not everyone here has their teeth but they wont' go without their directv and acryllic nails

New decorating idea for mom: take a glass bowl and stick a feather boa in it

New embarrassing dinner moment: Yesterday I was given the task of breaking up the ice and putting it into the glasses. The big cubes were really stuck together so I was trying to chip away at them while we were talking with the members and I couldn't help but make a terrible racket. When I finally took a big pick at the ice the piece shot out of the bucket, ricocheted off of a glass, clinked against my companions plate, and landed on the flat top stove.

Weirdest store: Teenage and Crib City

Best idea I've gotten: When it gets really really windy outside, tie a rope to each corner of a tarp and jump off the back deck

New person I've heard of: Satan's wife, but on a good day she can be like a kitten

New weather I've experienced: it just kinds of mists lately, like the cooloff stations at Disneyland

New cookie I've tried: Keebler cheesecake cookies with chocolate drizzled across the top, lighter than they sound and more delicious

Feelings about natural disasters: maybe it would be a more clear message if I tied the bucket around myself and ran around yelling the end is coming

Best moment of perspective gained:

While at the baptism of a ten year old boy this last week I thought a lot about why we are each dealt our hand of cards and what responsibility that places on each of us. I was raised by two loving parents and surrounded by even more strong family that loved and supported me. I was given a rich full life, a healthy body, the ability to cultivate my talents, schooling, so so many wonderful things and a strong foundation that I could grow from. But because of God's plan for Jesse he didn't have all these things. He is ten years old and his parents are members of the ward that haven't brought him often enough until recently so that he could be baptized. We tried to find the smallest baptismal outfit in the entire building but still the waistband was near the knees of his underdeveloped, second hand smoke affected body. His mother smoked while she was pregnant and he was born two and a half months early. Both parents have smoked their entire life and he is SO little. His glasses barely stay on his nose. He is darling and shy and was really excited to be baptized but I wanted to cry the whole time. I am so blessed and I want to serve everyone else that has not had the same wonderful things that I have had. I can't give them all the blessings of a wonderful family that loved me and raised me in a healthy safe home but I can give the blessings of the gospel and the healing that comes with the Atonement. I am really humbled that I am able to give people the most amazing gift that they could ever dream of not because of myself but because the Lord has allowed me to bear that knowledge at this time in my life. Man oh man, I really have to give back, I have had it so so good and I am so glad that I am on a mission.

March 17th

So I am actually not transferred and I am still with Sister Cook but we are moving into Mommy and Poppy's house a few streets away and the Spanish Elders are going to live in our old apartment. They removed Spanish sisters from Toms River entirely and won't be replacing Hma McNeil and Hma Decker. Get this, the new Sister McNeil will be training, doubling into a new area, switching back into english, and leaving Toms River. Ask Jaron what a huge change that is. HUGE. But her new companion is Sister Beckwith and they will be great together from what I know about each of them. It was sad to leave Sister Porath today but her hug with her mom was amazing and I look forward to my own someday. But until then I really really really don't want to hear the words, "home," "Salt Lake" "next week" "school" "dating" "married" or any plans of post mission life. Every single appointment for the past two weeks has been a goodbye and I seriously don't want to eat for a week. Luckily I won't actually because everyone signed up for a dinner appointment before she left and so I can enjoy cereal or a PB&J for dinner anytime I want and I can lose some of this weight. Seriously I am looking forward to deflating. My lifestyle is about to change now that it is the two of us and it will be really really good. With the Hermanas we used to cook a big fatty lunch and then I would putter in the kitchen and eat and eat and THEN have a huge dinner with dessert. But Sister Cook and I are going to push ourselves and pack lunches so that we can spend more of the day in certain areas and I think that spending less time around the apartment will help as well as not being talked into a weekly bag of M&M's by Hermana McNeil.

I don't drive. Sister Cook is the designated driver which is lucky. When I do drive we will have to go to a parking lot and let me remember how. We have a Toyota Corolla 09. There are no isolated roads and we wouldn't take them. But really we don't and there aren't. Our area is 30-40 minutes top to bottom. I don't know the miles but I will let you know after some time with this Garmin. The mission home is an hour and a half maybe less with great traffic. We won't know the changes until the transfer before and depending on where we are then is just where we will stay. Unless we are departing soon and it would affect our date we don't get to know. But I think I'll have an idea before June. Then again that is only a few transfers away.

  We talk in transfers not in months here. I have now met all the sisters as of today, we got really changed up this transfer what with three new ones coming in today. They look so young. I feel so old in the mission but I am still a baby. We would use the car adapter for long rides like to zone conference or transfer meeting or on preparation day. I wear the boucle a lot actually. I don't know why there aren't pictures but the ladies in the ward just love it. It's probably their favorite item that I have. Elder Tatro the first time I wore it walked up, looked at it and slowly just said, "...it's so...colorful" I like it a lot. My hair doesn't like the climate but I straightened it today and it's long. I am going to straighten it at the end of every transfer and find out how much it's grown.

{Editor's note: I haven't included every bit of Jenny's emails because some of it is logistical about things she needs, so I try to share only the meat of what she sends each week.  I apologize for the abrupt ending to her messages that sometimes results, but I hope you enjoy her stories and spirit!  Thanks for reading!}

March 10th Letter: The Bowling Ball & Pictures!

So this week has been fun; we had Return and report last friday so we drove to moorestown with Elder Tatro and Elder Tryon and talked about the first couple of weeks and what we have learned. The highlight was Sister Winegar's cooking. That will be one of the best things that I gain as a missionary is her recipes. Also she is very very immaculately clean so I will be good at that too. We were talking a lot in the car and Elder Tatro told us how in his family his dad got to name the boys and his mom got to name the girls. Four boys later his dad had done all the naming and they were done. Sister Porath and I at the same second turned to him and said, "your dad named you TAtro!?!?" Oops. That afternoon we helped with a yard sale type deal for a D.I. type business that gives away clothes to people that need them. It was a really good experienc eand we had some really good face time with people that gave them a familiarity with us when we show up on their porch. That night at Sister Kauffman's home I tried my first pork chops.

 

Last Wednesday, I can already tell this is going to be really scattered, we went bowling and it was really fun even though it was one of the worst games I've played. The first game I tied with Elder Belnap and then the second game I got competitive and it went really down hill. Oh well. After that we had fuzukies which are literal half baked cookies dropped onto ice cream. They ARE delicious. Thursday we had planning all day and I am having a hard time remembering..Ah yes. We visited the Garretsons who are the ones with significant medical problems but so much love and loyalty for each other. They fed us dinner but it is sad to be in their home because their children are grown and living there and not particularly nice to their feeble parents. It is nice to be able to bring the Spirit into their home and Sister Cook and I sang "I believe in Christ". It is so liberating to be able to share my voice, I can't even tell you.

 

So, our Georgian prince (we suspect) is coming along really nicely. We taught him twice last week, he came to church on Sunday, we taught him last night, and we are teaching him Saturday. He has started praying and keeps his commitments. I think the gospel could do so much to provide him peace for his family. HIs children are rather wild but he said that his daughter asked if they could pray before bed and it obviously did a lot for his growing testimony of Christ. Pray for him please.

 

On Saturday we had another short exchange where Sister Cook and I spent the day together and Sister Porath went and did spanish work. It was good for us to see what things will be like in a week. We also had dinner at Vinny and Rays. Best cheesesteak of my life. Later that night we went to friendly's for our exchange inventory and got the best peanut butter lava cake of my life.

 

Sunday we had two family's at church which is a big deal. One family is bilingual and it is such a blessing that we have the Spanish branch happening at the same time. I went to primary with Sister cook and the daughter so that the mom could go to spanish relief society with Hermana Decker. They seemed to like it and said they'd be back this week but we need to figure out how to teach them because two sets of missionaries is a lot in one house but their family is bilingual. We visited some members later thus bringing about the quotes of the week. We got a chutes and ladders game at the yard sale and changed it to be missionary appropriate. We got to the members house earlier than our appointment and decided to tract our way there. Then Sister Porath goes, "Ah man, we have to tract with Chutes and Ladders!" Can you imagine? We went to the appointment early.

 

I forgot about the car ride to return and report. On the way home Sister Porath asked Elder Tatro what he wanted to be when he grew up and he said "a great dad and husband" then she said no like occupation and he said, "that's not what's really going to matter."  He was raised by grandparents and is the most sincere missionary. We call him apostolic because he is so humble and hard working. But seriously, if I can get my fiance to candidly say those words, amen. It is neat that I am a missionary because I will judge my husband based on what kind of missionary he was and how he talks about his mission. You see the boys who are becoming men from a mile away. 

 

Speaking of maturing. I will do that later but last night we pulled a prank on Elder Wilkinson. He has a bag that looks like a bowling bag that he always carries around and at the yard sale we just so happened to find a bowling ball. (you will be hearing about what we found for weeks to come) and we brought it home. We had a member call him out of a meeting and while he was gone we put the ball in his bag and covered it with the other contents. At the end of the meeting we expected him to try to pick it up, notice the weight, and drop it or something. No, no. He picks up the bag, takes out his scriptures, zips it and starts to leave. We ask him for a book of Mormon, a pass along card, anything to get him to open his bag. He carries those things in his pockets he is so prepared. We poke and prod and tease him that his bag looks so heavy. Someone asks, what do you have in there? He says, "a bowling ball" so we think he knows but he just knows that we tease him about it. Finally the Bishop says, "no really, you are like a woman with a huge purse. Show me what's in your bag." He finally sets it down, unzips it, and incredulously realizes that there is in fact a bowling ball in his bag. It was priceless. Don't worry, before that I tracted for three hours straight to have no one let us in and have four doors slammed in our face, a dog put its head up Sister Porath's skirt, and rocks in my shoes shred my knee highs. It was a beautiful day outside and the weather was amazing. I earned a little fun. 

Did you know just how much stuff is in New Jersey? some house we can barely sit down in and there are more yard animals than Snow White ever saw. SO many knick knacks and trinkets, it blows my mind. And window stickers. They love their holidays.

Pictures

1. My NJ Tee

2. My first time at the ocean, it was allowed don't worry

3. Ritas, my new favorite place

4. My fav that I talk about a lot

 

Long Awaited Updates!

Preface: I {Jenny's sister and blog administrator} must apologize; I've been in the throws of finishing my student teaching and completing my {many} graduation requirements, and have neglected this blog!  

Regular updates can be expected starting next Wednesday, and in the meantime, I'll catch up on what you've missed.  Also, her letter address has been updated to the right {again, apologies}.

  This letter is from March 3rd.  Enjoy.

So my friends think that they are having international missions but have they eaten Mexican candy straight off the plane, homemade italian meatballs and pizza (so much pizza), brazilian cookies, philipino food, and georgian (republic of georgia) burritos? Doubt it. There are so many different people here. We have ordered the Book of Mormon in Swahili and Russian for our investigators. Here is the top story of the week. Just in case everything else doesn't make it in.

Thursday night. Light snowfall. Meeting with an investigator that we had met the Thursday before and had come to church. Go to his home with Brother Young from the ward and his 7 and 9 year old boys. Pull up at the same time as David is getting home. He has two children. Girl age 5. Boy age 4. No read on if there is a mother in the picture yet. We walk in to a big home for NJ and are greeted by a bowing, white haired woman. She takes our coats and lightly touches our hands and then stooped forward rushes back into the kitchen. We walk into a big room that has photographs of European Pride and prejudice style gardens covering the whole wallls. From there we see the dining room that has china and crystal set up as well as bottles of brandy, vodka, martinellis, etc. In total I would guess 9 bottles. There were three cups in front of each plate beginning with a large champagne glass down to the shot glass. He rushes in and removes the alcohol while apologizing in his thick russian accent. We sit down and he puts the pizza boxes on the table before bringing each of us the individual slice of our choosing. The woman comes into the room and places wrapped tortilla items on the table and bows out of the room again. Everytime we see her she is moving very quickly and her whispy white hair is catching the wind with her every footstep. David tells us this is his mother but she hardly pauses to say hello. She keeps bringing plates and plates of the Georgian wraps that are native to their home country. They have meat, dill, and something else I didn't know in them. 

After pouring the martinellis David makes one toast after another while our pizza is getting cold and we are all exchanging looks of incredulity. We weren't even going over there for dinner. his mom tries to offer sister porath tea, she politely declines and his mother turns around and puts the tea in the china cabinet. meanwhile the four kids have gone upstairs and the chandelier above us is shaking because they are thumping so loud above our heads. David looks up and says, "well, it's never fallen before" and keeps talking. His daughter kept walking into the room, grabbing him by the face, whispering to him, getting angry, and stomping out of the room yelling back, "I'll punish you tomorrow David!" 

We try to eat so that we can move forward to the lesson and just as we are finishing the boys come down so dinner starts over. When we finally move into the sitting room so that we can teach the children have gone back upstairs and started thumping on the ceiling again. We try to start teaching despite a large bag of legos toppling down the stairs, his daughter storming in and out of the room again, and the temperature in the room rising about fifteen degrees. As we are getting into some of the lesson Brother Young's son comes down the stairs crying with soiled pants. Those two leave. We continue. Brother Young's second son come down the stairs crying. We console and he won't even speak so we try to continue. Brother Young and his son who is now wearing borrowed purple corduroys return. David's son comes downstairs, crawls up on the couch and starts kicking purple corduroys in the spine. He gives that up and starts trying to crawl onto his dad's shoulders. That isn't getting enough attention so he starts smushing his dad's face and covering his eyes. 

David's phone rings and he tells us that he has to leave immediately but please stay because his mother is cooking a roast and a cake and we need to stay and eat it. We wrap up the though. He and Brother Young with his two crying children leave. We are still there with DJ and Elizabeth. We move back into the dining room and wait for the roast. The cake comes first. We eat the chocolate marshmallow type cake and keep waiting. The roast comes in and politely try to take decent portions of the heaping meat atop potatoes and covered with onions. David comes back, the issue was resolved. His father joins us and takes dainty portions, we are embarrassed by ours. Then Elizabeth wants to take pictures. (with our cameras) We take pictures in the dining room. We take pictures in the living room. We take pictures with two companions. We take pictures with the other two companions. We move for the door. They follow us out the door. We try to stop talking in the street. He tries to hug us goodbye. We get in the car, laugh for five minutes straight and rush home.

I can not believe that is real. but it is.

Other things I have eaten:

homemade pizelles

ice cream cake, I'm telling you, these people and their ice cream

Ramen with ranch dressing in it

ritas: gelati soft serve, slushy, soft serve

Things we've said wrong this week:

Me: while I was teaching the first vision to a stopback, (the first vision is the pinnacle of the first lesson)

"So then after Joseph Smith restored the true earth"

At the same lesson in the closing prayer

Sister Porath: His son's name was Nicko

"and please bless Nickmo"

Elder Tryon, the spanish elder: after being told to flatter a member who had just fed him dinner

"Hecho flores!" (I give you flowers)

Member: "Recibo flores!" (I receive the flowers)

Weird things I've seen this week:

A life size tiger statue in someone's yard

a taxidermied animal in someone's second story entry way window

Cute things that have happened this week:

I danced to My Girl with a dimensia patient named Renee at the rest home. He is darling. And knows how to dance.

A woman at the same rest home named Madeline told me I had baby skin on my face, that I was really beautiful, and that I would have no problem getting married. Also she loves Esther williams, thank you Grandma!

Attending the sock hop at the ward and seeing all of the members let loose and be darling as couples. The young couples that have moved here and live on military bases or other things but who grew up in Utah or other places hold the ward together. And their kids are really cute.