Thursday, January 28, 2016

Hey all.

Well, it's been an interesting week. So last week after I wrote we went to our appointment with Nadia and Nicolas, and had another fall through. This time Nicolas forgot to tell Nadia and so Nadia had already made plans...I know they don't intentionally flake out on us, it's just been a while since we've been able to even get past their front door so it's a bit frusturating. We have another appointment marked for tomorrow though so cross your fingers for us.

Friday we had our zone meeting which went super well. We as leaders took over at the end to teach the lesson about being our "propios agentes" that President shared at the leadership conference. It went great and the spirit was definitely with us, and I feel like everyone left a little bit more excited to progress and work hard. Success!

Saturday we had a meeting with the Hermanas in the morning to talk about their area. That ended up being really productive and I think we have found a few ways to improve their area and other things here in Olavarria. We have been doing the same with the other areas this past week. Then after we made lunch for them at the chapel and helped them clean the baptismal font in preparation for their baptism last Sunday. woo! I want one...haha

The rest of the week up to now has been a lot different and a bit chaotic. Sunday I left for Bahia and got my documentation done. I saw President there in the office and he said "Elder Jolley? What are you doing here??" I told him I was finally getting legalized and he said "Well now you can relate to the Mexicans." Haha.

After Bahia I took the return trip back but stopped in a pueblito called Azul to do divisions with Elder Miller and Elder Howlett and to get to know their area better to see if there is anything we can do to improve there. Divisions was a blast, Elder Miller and Howlett are a great time. We went running in the morning, talked to a crazy old lady with purple hair that showed us all how she can still do a handstand (like what?), then we went out to walk the area and contact. Then we made tacos for a family, then they showed me more of the area and we had a meeting at the end of the day to go over everything. Elder Howlett also made banana bread which was deeelish.

Lunch with the Andia family. We made them tacos :) 

So that's pretty much it for my week. I love being a leader but I'm really excited for these random assignments and trips to slow down so I can just dig in to the work and focus on my area.

This week I did learn something really cool though. I was talking to some Elders about the difference between "Jehovah" in the old testament who seems to come across more strict and harsh, and "Jesus Christ" (who is Jehovah) in the New Testament and the Book of Mormon who is loving and compassionate and forgiving. A few of us were questioning about why there was a difference in His demeanor between those two periods. Then another Elder made a comment about how Christ is that way now because of the atonement, and how before the atonement and His life on Earth He wasn't perfect and didn't understand what our trials and pains were like on Earth and that's why He was a bit more strict and harsh. Light bulb! (name that movie). Maybe I'm dumb and everyone already knew that, but I had never looked at it that way before. I love being able to study out here and understand the gospel more through my experiences and also from personal revelation and studying doctrine. It truly is a blessing. All my life I have always thought that Christ was always a perfect being and that's just the way things were, but as I come to know Him more and especially as I study His life and doctrine, it makes me start to realize really how big the atonement is. Christ had to work and literally sacrifice everything to become the perfect and loving Savior that He is for us. I know I don't have the slightest clue as to how great His sacrifice was and how endless His love really is for me, but to steal words from the hymn.. "I stand all amazed."

Last but not least, I would like to wish a very happy birthday to my beautiful mother, Teri. One of my greatest examples of true Christ-like love. To quote Jeffery R Holland from last general conference: "no love in mortality comes closer to approximating the pure love of Jesus Christ than the selfless love a devoted mother has for her child." I know that is true and am so grateful for that selfless love that my mother shows to me.

Happy Birthday Mum :)
Elder Jolley

 Taxi ride to lunch

 Did somebody say...yoke?? *trap flex*

 Divisions in Azul with Elder Howlett and Elder Miller. Azul is suuper pretty. check out that Cathedral!

Plaza in Azul


 Jump pics with Elder Miller


 Found a friend

 Passed by to see the cemetery in Azul. This is the entrance. How coool is that! Azul is in the middle of nowhere, but it's filled with rich people and super cool/unique attractions.

Look what else we saw in the cemetery...that was comforting.

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