2/27

Woah another week is over and the bags underneath my eyes are growing increasingly larger. I have been finding the greatest joy in the work lately. Transfers were last week and well I am now in Murray and Elder Pitcher is my comp again. We are getting along great and working super hard. I say this out of a realization of the blessings that come when we give the work a little push above what we thought we could. The past 8 weeks I have been tired beyond belief because I have been pushing myself to the max and beyond, and have really seen the blessings. In the past 2 months we have had 8 baptisms. I honestly do not say this out of pride because I know the blessings have come as the Lord has seen our sacrifice and obedience along with our willingness to follow the promptings of the Spirit. No person not guided by the spirit could ever convince someone to join a church in which the person must sacrifice everything in persuit of the kingdom of God. Only the spirit can fulfill that task, all he needs is willing hands. I am enjoying my new area and new asignment as District Leader but it is a lot different when you are worried about 4 areas and 8 missionaries instead of just your own area. A lot more prayers have been said and well it is tough working with the hard nose Zone Leaders who only care about numbers and do not see the effort each missionary is putting in.

Rafael and Socorro were baptized this past week on thursday and I had the blessing of returning to Sandy to baptize Socorro. It was a lovely baptism in which we witnessed the parents follow the example thei 2 daughter had set just 2 months prior. The family is almost complete, just one more brother to work with. When I got transfered I went and said goodbye to Rocio Juarez and Lilian Pineda both are people we are teaching. I told them both that soon they would make great strong members of the church (which is totally true!) and they both said they planned on it and were excited to get baptized soon. They both have several challenges in life right now but have a determination to follow their Savior. I will miss Sandy but it is in good hands with Elder Schmidt.

Now to Murray... I arrived in Murray on wed and have loved every second of it, including killing several roaches every morning when I wake up. We live in a retirement home but odly enough no retired people live here, just a lot of weird people several of which do drugs. A few weeks before I got here the man who lives in the room next to us was a little out of it due to drug use. He put on a ski mask, went out side his door into the hallway and started pounding on his own door yelling "It's the police open up!". He is a really nice guy though. I feel bad because someone stole his BBQ. The hallways smell of smoke and well weed. Funny thing is I didn't know what marijuana smelled like until I got on the mission. Meeting and talking to people all day well obviously you run into some strange people. It makes me realize how the gospel has always given me a stable enviornment to grown up in. I am having a blast driving the car we have in the area. It is a 2010 Suburu Impreza with a slap shifter. So I can put it in automatic and just drive or sport and shift up and down by slapping the stick, no clutch! It is a hoot driving up the windy, twisty roads that lead to the mountains. Our area covers 10 stakes so we do quite a bit of driving.

We had another baptism this past week for a lady named April Trigo. She is a single mom with 5 boys all under the age of 7. Now mom if you thought you had it tough, think again. All through the lessons we would be getting smacked, punched, bitten and abused by these out of control kids. We wondered how this lady could feel the spirit amongst all the comotion. We ask her why she wanted to get baptized and she told us that she had met with tons of other religions and never felt anything or seen a difference but with us she had felt a lot when we taught and when she would read. She told us that she has had a lot more patience since we started meeting with her, which has helped her cope with 5 crazy boys. It was a huge testimony builder of how the spirit works in mysterious ways. We are also teaching a man named Juan. He is going to be baptized this sunday. He is a writter so he speaks very poetically and it drives me nuts sometimes but he knows the gospel is true.

On wed night my first night in the area we had a lesson with Brenda and Patrick two 19 year old kids who are dating. They have been meeting with missionaries for almost a year. We read in Alma chapter 7:11-16. We testified of the things the Savior suffered for us because he loves us. The spirit was extremely powerful! Then we talked about how in verses 14-16 it mentions what we have to do to payback and follow the Savior. We then commited Brenda to baptism for March 18th. When we asked Patrick he turned it down and told us we just didnt understand how religion was a new thing to him and he was still learning. They both have younger siblings who they care about. I remeber sitting there thinking about what Patrick needed and a personal story popped into my mind. I immediately recognized it as a prompting from the Holy Ghost. I looked at them and told them about how their younger siblings looked up to them whether they realized it or not. I told them that I used to tease my brother and sister (mainly my sister) nonstop and how the sunday I was leaving for the mission we were sitting in church as a family and I put my arm around my little sister Hannah and she began to cry. As I looked up at my mother I noticed she was crying to and she told me something that has stuck with me ever since that day. I can remember the exact words she said which were "you have no idea how much your little sister loves you, you have no idea how much she looks up to you, you have no idea." As I told Brenda and Patrick this they began to cry, I was already crying. we testified that they would be the example for their siblings. We then said "Patrick, will you prepare yourself to make that same step with Brenda by being baptized on March 18th." He responded with a yes and we closed with prayer. As we asked them how the felt afterwards they responded "amazing, the things I am feeling are amazing!" That is the spirit. It leads and guides this work. It is the convincing power by which so many have come to know the truth of what we teach and the truth of this gospel. I know it! May we all live by that knowledge and live worthily of the presence of the spirit for he truly is our connection between heaven and earth.

Love,

Elder Jolly