First night in Santa Fe
Streets of Santa Fe
Fall!!!
Tracting
Sister Knight
Sister Knight
They ran out of pumpkins.
Hey Hey from Santa Fe!!
Happy Halloween!!! Dillon how was being a Dragon!? :) You guys have to send pictures!!! Of Dillon's costume, Lauren's Apartment and Taylor's hair too! I'm so glad to hear you guys are doing great!!!
Renny you need to write!! I've missed hearing from you!!! Tay's beat you with letters ;) jk. I'm SO glad you are loving college and your apartment! Send some pictures of your roomies! I want to hear how you are, what you think of everything. I miss ya!
Tay I am so sorry you got a ticket! I guess we each need one to learn. Hang in there. It'll be okay. Keep smiling. :) I'm excited for your close up!! Are you excited!!! When is it! Thank you for your letter! I'm sending you one back. I really appreciate it, your guys's letters mean a lot.
Mom, thank you so much for all your support. I love you so much. You've become such a close friend and someone I really admire. I am so glad you're mom. I can't thank you for your stalwart support. When everything else comes and goes, I've learned family is eternal. I love you so much and always will. I love you.
Dad, you are in my prayers, I am always thinking of you. Your advice, legacy, and all you've taught me. Keep hanging in there and keep on keeping on. You are always in my prayers.
Santa Fe is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW was it a culture shock. El Paso is in its 70's and then I came here and realized it's actually fall!! I didn't think I realized Christmas was coming, I was just stuck in summer. Haha. I got here and was FREEZING! :) But it is breathtaking and beautiful! I am so used to the humility of El Paso that this is a complete culture shock. Everything is so nice here. It's like a mix between Park City, The east coast and a Santa Fe twist. It really reminds me of Georgetown Virginina, the historic town but how it's now become really ritzy. The fall leaves are beautiful!!! It has a COMPLETELY different feel than El Paso. Even the people. In El Paso, I was in the minority. Almost EVERYONE was from Juarez Mexico (which IS really scary right now. So many stories. But we are okay. We're protected, as are the missionaries in Juarez.) Here is completely different. People are here from all over!!! Investigators and members are from Honduras, El Salvador, Mexico All over south and central america, and believe it or not..... GUATEMALA! :) It's been such an amazing connection to people!!!!! To know what their home country, town and culture is like. Oh it is amazing. And SO neat to know people from all over. It's neat to recognize their different accents and traditions. That's probably one of the biggest changes in coming here, realizing how far spanish has come. I feel so comfortable with it. I LOVE it!!!! It's easier than english sometimes. I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn it. I'm far from perfect but It's not foreign anymore. It's like a light switch is on now. I love it.
Santa Fe is a little more difficult as far as the work goes compared to El Paso which is expected but good. I'm honored to be serving here and to be blessed with a challenge. The work is really dead and the people are much colder, but we're excited to turn things around. I LOVE my companion. She is SO enthusiastic and alive with the work!! Even though it's been hard, we are happy and working hard. :) Doing lots of service and just trying to show Santa Fe some love, if nothing else to leave people better than we found them and with a good taste in their mouth. We were very blessed in El Paso. With the humility of the economy and happenings in Juarez, everyone was ready for the gospel, it was all we could do to keep up with the work!!!! Here, people are well off and don't have a need for us. But we're working hard and positive. :) It's such a good feeling just to help someone, be happy and loving, and leave them wondering what makes us how we are. We're definately pulling more weeds and tilling the ground here in the orchard rather than picking fruit, but it's still very rewarding and I know things will eventually turn around in Santa Fe. I love it here. And I truly don't think there could be better missionaries here!!!! We have two sets of English Elders and ourselves in our District. They are amazing Elders and so enthusiastic! They are already great friends and we have fun working hard! It's strange to be teaching and speaking only spanish, but it's helped me so much. I LOVE the work here!
Spanish Sisters. There are few. Come April I will be the second oldest which is crazy! Chances are I will be training soon, maybe before that. Sister Good is training a brand new Sister Batchcoff ?sp still in Horizon City. The joke was 'Momma got a new baby and kicked me to Santa Fe' ;) haha. I love and miss her sooooo much! She is amazing!!! I cherish the time I had there. While saying goodbyes I realized how much those people have become my people, how that area is a home to me. I can't tell you how much we love those people! We came into a dead area and made it home and family. But I have a year left, and to be honest, I have a feeling I'll be back around there soon enough. :) There aren't many areas for spanish sisters. Right now that is one of 4. Sister Newbold (going home next august) is training a brand new Sister Jarman in Anthony, New Mexico down south as well, and then Sister Cope is training a brand new Sister Holland in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. Sister Cope and Sister Good go home the transfer after next in January. My companion is Sister Knight from Virginia. She is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) I love her so much. She goes home March or April. She is awesome and SO enthusiastic!
It's been a great first few days. Elder Zivic left us with a commitment, a 40 day fast from things holding us back from being our very best selves. It's been an absolutely amazing experience and I would recommend it to you. It's truly changed my life. As I began, everything I put on my paper to leave behind became very prevalant and hard to leave behind, but now as I've worked harder at perfecting it, I am SO absolutely grateful for it. I've never felt more clean, more closer to the Savior. I love my Savior. I love this work. I love Santa Fe. I am excited to continue working my hardest. I love you all and you are in my prayers.
I want you to know you've been on my mind and in my prayers constantly. I pray we will keep trusting God in all we do. Heartache comes when we lose that trust in Him. Don't lose it. Keep working hard. Lose the fear and keep the faith. I know you've been through much. I want you to know that I know with all my heart your Heavenly Father loves you and knows you. He doesn't leave you alone and there is a purpose for every stage and trial in our lives. Find the purpose.
I love you all so much! Keep being strong and know I am here for you!
Love,
Hermana Jardine
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