three reasons why boxes and days only mix in the UK (and Canada)

dear anyone who was puzzled by the term "missile-toe" as a child,

well first and foremost i want to present my sincerest apologies for the lack of communication last week. i could explain why but then i would have to describe a long ardourous story that may or may not involve both the frustration of automatic doors and a mystery about that hobo that lives on top of the polar express. so i have instead decided to refrain :)

so in making up for this lasck of communication i am going to describe the majority of our focuses for the last two weeks. we've been doing a thing here in this ward where we have invited the members of the ward to pray together as a family to select streets for us to knock. a little over three weeks ago we started taching a woman named vicky from one of these streets. she has spent her entire life seeking for the truth even though she was raised in a family where religion was despised and rejected in forms. she eventually found truth in christ and became a born-again christian. she was more than happy to meet with us when we met her for the first time. we later learned this was because she was eager to show us the truth :) in every meeting with her we began and ended it by inviting her to learn the truth for herself by just reading and praying about the book of mormon. after two weeks we had a miracle in teaching her. when we came in to teach her she was energetic as always and exited to see us. after the opening prayer we began the lesson by asking her how her reading and prayer had been going. at this point she broke down and began crying. a little bit taken aback, Elder Gill and I just sat there waiting for her to speak. she told us that she knows that it's true. she didn't know how or why but she knew that she knew it was true.we explained from there what the significance of this revelation is. that by knowing that the book of mormon is true that we can know that Jesus Christ has established his church once again on the earth through the prophet Joseph Smith.

from this experience i gained an additional witness that the book of mormon is true, and specifically that moroni chapter ten verses three through five are true. anyone who receives this book and asks sincerely, with real intent, having faith in Christ will receive a witness by the power of the Holy Ghost that these things are true. and from there by the power of the Holy Ghost we can know the truth of ALL things.

sadly this testimony is not the end. as Elder Bednar taught in the most recent conference, testimony is only the beginning of the much more difficult process of conversion. Vicky is not quite there yet, she is facing a lot of opposition from her family and from other influences as well but we are determined to help her receive all the blessings of the Atonement through continued conversion.

we had a great christmas her in Farnborough ward. they've been incredibly gracious and have fed us incredibly well (mostly with chocolate. intrestingly enough three different members of the ward bought me and Elder Gill deoderant. . . .

Natalia is still doing really well. She has been ill for the last week or so but is back on her feet now and we're going to resume teaching her this week.

i truly love this work. there is nothing that i have ever done that is nearly as exiting, fun, and rewarding. something that has impressed me as i have thought about it recently is the connection between The Gospel of Jesus Christ and giving. the very first witnesses of the living Christ were compelled, as soon as they had beheld for themselves, went for teaching and witnessing unto others. the commandment of Christ to his disciples was always to go, love, teach, share, heal, and bless. Christ himself spent his time and his strength in the service of others, both by healing, exhorting, and teaching. this commandment and principle has been an identifying teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ in every dispensation. one of my favorite ways i've heard it described is that when we are filled with the love of god, and i mean both our love for Him and His love for us, it fills us so powerfully that the love naturally spills over into love and service for those around us.

 

i want you all to know that i love you guys and i'm grateful for all the support and help that i receive from you. i feel your prayers and depend upon that support.

 

with love

Elder Jarman

 

ps.as it turns out no one in england really know why boxing day is called boxing day either. . .

 

pps. english chocolate is more sincere than american chocolate ;)

 

ppps. if anyone understands the above post-post script i will be sincerely impressed and will reward you with at least 12 points

 

pppps. have i mentioned how much I LOVE IT HERE! :)