Jan 19, 2012

Transfers!!! I have been moved out of Kearns and am now serving in the
Sandy zone. After seving in Kearns for 7 months it is time to begin a
new chapter in the mission. My new companion is Elder Schmidt, a great
missionary from california, who left from Japan for the mission since
his dad is stationed there right now. We cover the Sandy Galena
spanish ward. To give you a little idea of where my area is, if you
look on a map and find Sandy well we cover all of that city and part
of Midvale. Our area goes from I-15 all the way up to Snowbird ski
resort. It is different covering 9 stakes but the beautiful car helps.
When I arrived in the area wednesday we have a 2010 Mazda 3 but we had
to drop it off at the mission office later that afternoon since the
church was retiring the car and we picked up our 2012 Malibu that had
300 miles on it. It is my first time being in an area with a car for a
long time and I am really excited about it. The house we are staying
in is amazing. We have the whole basement of the 3 story house. It has
a full kitchen, a massive table to study at with nice business chairs,
a pool table and a nice bathroom. The landlords (Nelsons) are really
nice. Brother Nelson teaches economics at BYU and Sister Nelson is a
nurse. I am really excited to be here in Sandy. Although it was hard
to say goodbye to everyone in Kearns though, it felt like they were my
family.
We got a call Wednesday night infroming us that 2 visa waiters
were coming to the mission and that we would be training one of them.
He was an awesome Elder from Oregon. Elder Strand was his name, we had
him for 3 days before he was emergency transfered to another area due
to an elder going home. Elder Strand will do great with his new
companion because he will be able to speak more in lessons which will
prepare him well for his mission in Madrid Spain when he gets his
visa.
So this week was great! I recieved a text on saturday informing me
that everything was confirmed and the following day LIzzeth and Eric
were going to be baptized and Lizzeth had asked that I return to
baptize her. They told me of how Eric was not sure if he wanted to get
baptized so they had a lesson on saturday before the interview. They
all knelt down and had Eric pray to know if he needed to get baptized.
They said the spirit was so strong and when the finished the Zone
Leaders walked in and asked who needed the baptismal interview, to
which Eric responded "I do". The wedding was so spiritual and Lizzeth
looked great all dressed in white. The ward came out in force bringing
food for afterward and to help support them. Lucero and Gabby came to
watch. As I sat there watching the wedding I felt the spirit very
strongly and it testified to me that marriage in ordained of God.
After the wedding we all moved into the primary room for the baptism.
Now I thought there was a lot of people there last week but this week
the room was packed. There were chairs from the back of the room all
the way up to the edge of the font. We counted more than 90 people
that had come to support them as they made this sacred covenant with
God. After the baptism I talked with Lucero for a bit and some other
members, some of which joked about being mad that I had not stopped by
to say goodbye when I was transfered. I took some pictures with my
hispanic family the Espinoza's and then went looking for Gabby. Gabby
has been meeting with missionaries for more than a year, but moved out
of the area in october. She texted us last monday saying she had moved
back and needed spiritual help. We met with her tuesday and I said
goodbye. Well at the baptism she came up to me and told me that nobody
knew but that she had decided after church that day that she was going
to get baptized and she told she wanted me to come back and baptize
her. I jumped up and down for joy and everybody looked at me funny. I
loved teaching her but when she moved away it stank, so I was so
excited to see her move back and decide to be baptized. Lucero is
doing great and said the confirmation was amazing. She is excited to
return to Mexico in 2 months and share what she has learned with her
family. All in all it was an amazing week! I am so happy right now!
The work is true and the only way to know it is to live it and
experience the joy that comes from it.

Love,
Elder Jolly