March 23, 2011

This week was really so so. Elder Fordham was sick until sat, so sunday was the first day we got back out working. Although on sunday we had the baptism for fred and it was an overwhelming powerful baptism. After he got baptized and had changed he came out and sat by me. I looked at him and he had huge tears in his eyes. I put my arm on his shoulder and he turned to me and said "Elder Jolly, I feel like a new man". He then got up and bore an extremely powerful testimony of how he knows the book of mormon is true and how he knows Joseph Smith was a prophet. There were some pretty wet eyes in the room. He told us of a dream he had had 2 years prior where he saw the gold plates with their ancient writting. He said he had no idea what they were or what the ancient writting meant but when he touched them he could just feel that they were true. In the end of his testimony he told us of how after his divorce 7 years ago he went truck driving to find God and he said after that long search he has finally found him. The Elder's qurorum pres then got up and reminded his that he is a son of God and that Satan will try and convince him otherwise but to always remember that he is a son of God and that we all are.

     Today was transfer day and guess what!!!??? I am still in my area.  I thought I was a goner for sure. When I told carmen and Israel I was probably going to get transfered they sent me a text back that said how I have become a special part of their lives and I always will be. That touched me because I am just doing the Lord's work but I have gained eternal friends from it.

   Our teaching pool is down to Nicolas but he is progressing well and his wife is even sitting in on the english lessons. The other week when Elder Fordham was sick we werent able to go to church and usually we have to knock nicolas' door if he is going to wake up and come to church. But we couldnt so we figured he didnt go. We recieved a call that week from Nicolas about how he had woken up at 7 am sunday and figured it was a sign that he needed to go to church so he got dressed and went. This guy never gets up before noon and he woke up at 7am and went to church.

    Anyway, that was my week. Many doors to knock in the week to come. Hope you all have a safe and fun week. Don't forget to say your prayers and read the scriptures (even you non-members). Love you all! Remember how blessed you are to have the restored church of Jesus Christ on the earth once again.

 

Love,

Elder Jolly

March 16, 2011

 

This week was tough! Elder Fordham came down with the flu friday and he is still out. We havent been able to do much work but thats ok because the work is beginning to slow down. I had a lot of time to study the scriptures while he was sleeping and a lot of time to just ponder. It was a good time to relax. I was allowed to do exchanges for 2 days so I got to go out then. We taught fred and he is all ready for his baptism this sunday. Every single commandment he could tell us of a dream he had that made him realize why each commandment is important. Rene's baptism was great, the relief society room was more than filled. I feel like in the past week I have had more than a million types of chicken noodle soup having a sick companion and all. Other than that, that was our week. Sunday after church we recieved like 10 phone calls from members asking us where we were and when I told them elder fordham is sick they all brought over food. Anyway sorry there wasnt much to write, I am hoping there is more to write next week. Love you all.

 

Elder Jolly

March 9, 2011

   OK so the week, well we had a good week. We went out with the senior missionaries a lot teaching people english and introducing them to potential investigators. If the people are not interested in the gospel usually they like free english lessons and some of the lessons are about praying in english and every lessons begins and ends with a prayer. And the end of all the 50 lessons the people usually want to meet with the missionaries. It is a good way to bring the spirit into their house without teaching the gospel. Nicolas one of our investigators who we have been teaching for 2.5months came to church for the first time on sunday. Last thursday we went to his house and he expressed how nervous he was to come to church, so we told him put on your shoes we are going to go tour the church right now. We showed him the church and explained the paintings and then ended in the chapel where we bore testimony.We asked him how he felt and he said "weird", we asked him to explain and he said he couldn't;  he felt good, really good, but weird. He began to cry and said "I'm coming this sunday". We invited him to a baptism and he said yes. Sunday morning we knocked on his door and walked him to church and he loved it. Jorge was there and was really nice to him and befriended him so that was good too. Tomorrow we are going to give him a date for his baptism.

      Fred the Jehovah's Witness was also at church and loved it. He is continuing to progress and is ready for his baptism on the 20th. When he goes on his trucking trips he brings pass along cards and talks to everyone he sees about the church, he is a pretty good missionary. I feel like everytime we meet with Fred he teaches us something, he is way cool.

    Jorge got back sat night from his trip to texas to start training for his new job selling alarm systems. He said that when he got to texas they dropped his off on a corned at 12pm and said we will pick u upat 8:30. He told us how he learned how hard it is to be a missionary knocking on everyones door and having them say "GO AWAY" and all the walking. We talked with him for about an hour and he told some of the funniest stories. He had an interview with Pres Humphrey and is getting the priesthood this sunday and also got a calling to be the gospel principles teacher and branch missionary. I asked him what he said when pres humphrey extended the call, he told me "bring it on, I am ready."
      We may go up to park city today to relax for p day but we are ending off the day in the most perfect way possible, we have a baptism tonight at 7. The church is true and as we invite others to come unto Christ some will say no, but the Lord will prepare them. Joseph Smtih was a prophet and I know he restored the church in these latter days, the same church Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior established when He was on the earth. Have a great week and I love you all.

 

Love,

Elder Jolly 

March 2, 2011

wow Kevin Twitchell is going to Brazil thats crazy!!! I was thinking of Micah Morrill the other day so if you could send me his address that would be bomb! This past week was awesome. We starting teaching Fred the Jehovah's Witness. He knows more about the bible than most people I know, except Brother Adams of course. He asked us a question about baptisms for the dead before we started the first lesson so we answered it. He totally understood the significance and even had a question in his Jehovah's Witness bible about why they dont do baptisms for the dead since they did them in the time of Jesus. He has been a Jehovah's Witness for 20 years but on March 20th he will be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He told us of how he had a dream a few months ago of the Savior with His arms stretched out surrounded by stars. He told us he woke up and sketched out his dream. His dream was answered a few months later when he went to the visitors center at temple square. He walked in and saw the statue of Jesus with the stars all around and he said "this is my dream". He has read the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price in the past 3 weeks. He said he cannot wait for his baptism.

     Last wednesday we went and taught Vicente and his family for the first time. We brought Israel because he wants to experience what it is like to be a missionary. He did an amazing job as we taught the plan of Salvation. We taught Vicente his wife, his brother and his wife and another friend. They invited us back and we are eating dinner with them tomorrow.

     On saturday and sunday we had Stake conference and the stake president was being released so we had Elder Clark and Elder Gong there. Elder Gong shook our hands like 30 magillion times along with Elder Clark. We took Israel and afterwards Elder Gong walked up to us and asked who was the guy with us, we told his Israel a recent convert. He took Israel's hand and got really close and stared him down. He then asked, "You like the church Israel" Israel  was looking at the ceiling and answered "Yes". Elder Gong replied "is it true?" Israel  looking at the ceiling still replied "Of course, yes it is!". Elder Gong seemed please and then took my hand he asked, "Elder Jolly are you a preach my gospel missionary?" I replied "Yes sir, not perfect but I do my best". He seemed satisfied so he asked my companion the same question.

   Last wed. We went to Draper because the producer of an MTV show Nitro Circus likes missionaries so he invited us and a few other missionaries to come over and check out the set. They had trampolines with huge foam pits and ramps and bikes and stuff. Outside was a huge course where Travis Pastrana rides for the show. We got to take pics with Travis' bike (really really famous dirt biker).  Anyways that was basically my week, we had a lot better week picking up 6 new investigators. We hope that march will be a good month for us although transfers are coming up soon and I think I may be headed on out to a new area but we will see. I love u all, but most of all I love my Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ.

 

Love,

Elder Jolly