I LOVE YOU ALL!

Hola mi familia!!!

 

Como estan?! Les quiero muchisimo....

It feels so good to be writing you again. 

 

 

Well it's been a busy but good week here.  I can't believe this transfer is almost over.  It feels like it barely begun.... Time is flying way too quickly.  I know I am really going to miss this...

It's been a strange but good week.  We have found SO many people! The strange thing is.... We may never know how the story ends.  Many became english referrals, Some were just passing through and lived other places.  The spirit was so strong every time.  It's strange to be at that beginning stage, and send your heart into the air and wonder where it will go.  I pray for these people every night.  It makes me wonder how much more of a difference we really do make in the world than we know.  How much a difference each of YOU make in the world every day without knowing it.  We get to SEE the accumulation of many influences as people are baptized... but we never see the beginning stages.  It is so fun meeting random people every day and just putting a smile on their face. 

Sister Furman is such a sweet example to me.  She is so sweet and innocent as a little child.  She has Turner's syndrom and many other challenges yet she plows forward with a pure and perfect heart every day. 

 

The highlight of my week:

Last night we were early for our dinner appointment and as we parked on the street.  Saw a poor old man struggling to pull weeds in the hot sun.  We decided to go help him.  At first he rejected our offer, as we were dressed in skirts.  But with time, we began talking, then working while talking, and we had the job done in ten minutes.  He was about in tears.  Once again... a referral for someone else.  But I felt so GOOD.  So powerful.  Knowing that in that moment, we were showing him the love Christ has for him.  We stood as his arms, his hands.  It doesn't matter where or what the work is.... we just need to go about doing good.  With our whole hearts. 

 

There were SO many experiences like that this week. 

Heavenly Father truly is letting us love and serve and REACH his children here. 

I love them so much. 

My time in the mission is going too quickly. 

 

But I know being a representative of Christ will never end. 

 

It feels so good knowing the big picture.

Bringing light to the souls around us. 

 

Last night we had a branch activity... a fireside.  Where everyone was asked to bring a flashlight.  After a few talks... We followed the branch president with our lights to the gymn... where Elders were guarding the door.  Everyone had to have their own flashlight or they werent allowed to enter.  Families were split up.  You could see the strange feeling on their face as half of them went through and half stayed.  It really went home.  Later on... it really hit me that THAT is my job.  I have the sacred responsibility of helping people find their light, their testimony... that they may be prepared.  I pray to do so stronger and stronger every day. 

 

I love you all so much.

You are in my prayers.

 

Can't wait to see you soon.

 

love,

Sister Jardine

 

P.S. Thank you for the package and CD's!!! Mom... I love your letters..... I have loved becoming closer to you and am always here.  Love you.

Sis Furman and I

Bella

Sis eteaki and sis batchcoff

excited for morning studies

Neighbors.... beautiful ones

Hairy ones.... 

... And snobby ones.

 

un nueva area, un nuevo capitulo en el libro de la mision :)

Como estan mi querida familia?

I want you to know I love you all so much. :) Mom and Dad, especially thank you for your emails this past week.  They gave me so much more strength than you realize. :) I love you both so very much.  Thank you for being MY missionaries.

I'm glad you got to meet the English's! And That you got the packages!!! :) jaja... Sorry about the 'mystery spots' on the tortillas.  It is HOT down here, I'm sad they didn't make the trip.  Tell ya what, when I come home, I'll buy some fresh ones and bring em on the plane so we can make some good food, or better yet, I'll teach ya to make em! :)

 

Well, SO much change this week.  In some ways I feel like a greeny again.  But it's been so good and I have already felt so much growth.  My new companion is Sister Furman.  She is an absolute sweetheart.  It's been difficult for me.  But I can tell she is helping to refine me in a way I have always wanted to be refined.  Heavenly Father knew how to answer a prayer I didn't know how to ask.  She has a sweet simple testimony that always brings us back to the most important things people need to know.  God does live, He does love them, we love them, Joseph smith was a Prophet, the Book of Mormon is true, and families CAN be together forever.  She has no social fear! :) She is a sweetheart and contacts people the rest would look past.  I've had to heal her hurt heart with the rejections, but she bounces back and we go forth.  She has taught me so much about becoming like a child, their pure and simple faith.  I love her so much.  ja... she calls me daddy as I am her companion after her trainer, her 'mom'.  It makes me laugh to see peoples confused faces on the streets. 

Yup, we WALK here! I actually like it!  ja.  It's rough sometimes... good blisters,100 degree weather and we cover an area about the size of the cache county school district.  We are alloted so many miles a month, but they don't stretch.... so we drive to a far corner and walk around all day.  The hard part is having a dinner appointment in one area and appointments in another.  Rather than a day filled with appointments, it's filled with walking.... but it's good for me. :) I am finally getting some good exercise and sun! I was spoiled in Santa Fe. 

We live in Hogwarts.

period.

Ja! It is awesome.  We have the most random place and I love it! :)

speaking of which, our address (for SURE for the next 6 weeks) is:

 

475 Camino Corrales del Norte Main

House above the Garage

Corrales, NM

87048

 

jaja, kinda feels like cupbourd under the stairs eh? Ja, but we are SPOILED.  We live with members.  But we have our own separate apartment built into their house above the garage.  So far I have found two hidden staircases leading to it, one an indian version of a spiral staircase, and we have two balconies.  It is pretty padre :) (jaja, in spanish, technically in mexico, you say, "Que padre" (KAY PAW-DREY) for "how cool, or awesome"...... but it literally means.... how "father". 

 

Lauren will love this......

so, every morning as I wake up,

I see our neighbors, which are....

llamas, water buffalo, and camels....

 

Of course?! :) jaja.  Its crazy.. we are surrounded by a petting zoo and millions of horses.  I love running in the mornings down the path through the zoo.  It's definetly an adventure.  jaja.

 

So, I will admit, today is a good day in the mission, in LIFE for me.  :)

I will admit, I have been kind of a grumpy old jaded missionary for the past little bit.  I was having a hard time with leaving.  Santa Fe is HOME, and I had spent so long prepare the field there, now so many of my great family members up there are on date for baptism.  Between that, leaving sister Eteaki for a new companion, and going back to ground zero with a struggling branch, no investigators, no miles, and feeling alone and tired.  I felt down and out.  I've been a grump. 

 

But.... I was thinking about Dad's email from his mission, about how he and his companion were transfered right as the work started really progressing, and how his companion was frustrated at starting over.

I don't want to be that companion.

So I'm not going to be. :)

Boo-yah Satan!!!!!!!!! :)

 

I realized that life truly is what we make it.  Trials come, sure, it's a compliment.  Heavenly Father feels I can handle it, so I CAN handle it, and I CAN do it cheerfully.  I'm making the choice. 

 

I reset goals for myself this morning for personal study and it changed everything. 

They are:

1-Re-read the book of mormon in spanish AND English.  I have loved doing it in the mission language.... but there is something about your first language that pierces home a little deeper.

 

2-Take atleast 3 pictures a day.  And make every moment a memory.

 

3-Make Sister Furman laugh atleast once every two hours.

 

4-Run HARD and push myself with exercise in the morning.

 

5-And most importantly, purify any distraction frustration or ANYTHING in the way to CONSTANTLY feel the spirit. 

If there is EVER a moment I cannot feel it with me, stop, and readjust.  Nothing else is more important.

 

I KNOW I cannot do this work without Him.  Especially now.  It's funny, you'd think the further you'd get into the mission, and in life, the more you'd understand it and be able to do more on your own.  It truly has been the opposite.  The further I've gotten into it, I've realized I don't know ANYTHING about teaching, finding, service, love, or knowledge.  But with the spirit I have access to all of His. 

 

I can't do His work unless I have His eyes. 
Or atleast can follow his outstreched guiding hand through the spirit.

Thank you.

For following Heavenly Father's inspiration and transferring me to Coronado with Sister Furman. 
I know it is the growth I need and that I have work, His work, to do here.

I promise to do it with my whole heart.

Let me know if I can do more,
Love,
Sister Jardine

 

 

p.s. I emailed President Miller to ask about Jon coming.. I'll let you know what he says... I don't THINK I'll be able to.... but I hope.  Tell Jon I love him so much and he atleast better leave a sticky note on our door or something! :)

 

jk... no, but I'll let you know what he says.