you know. . . this isn't exactly how it's usually done. . .

Dear those who are strangely amused by slide screen screen savers,

Robert was baptised and confirmed over the weekend! this entire week i've been freaking out and praying that everything would go well and it totally did! it's still amazing to me that he has made so much progress in so short of a time. I met Robert the first day i was here in Redhill, we taught him the next day, and then he attended church with us two days after that. the next time we saw him, he committed to be baptised on the ninth of march and stayed firm to that commitment till it was realized.

i've thought a lot about his progress and his baptism and talked a lot about it as well with Elder Keller and other missionaries. when i first met Robert and even the first time we taught him i would never have thought that he would now be a member of the church. even after he accepted a date i, regrettably, had my doubts. throughout the entire process of teaching him i have been repeatedly humbled as i have witnessed Robert’s great faith and the miracles that followed his faith.

i have learned that no matter how bleak the outlook is, and how dark the way looks, God can always provide the way as long as we exercise faith in him. this principle applies in both physical things, such as the many miracles we read about in the scriptures, and even more amazingly in spiritual things. God can change, magnify, and enlighten individuals. the potential of each of his children is much more than any of us can comprehend. it's hard sometimes for us to see this, when we keep on looking at people through the lenses of our own weaknesses. But i've learned that we need to remember that God sees His children a lot differently than we do. Robert has a bright future ahead of him. and i am grateful that the lord has allowed me to get to know him and witness his conversion.

it's always amazing to me how seemingly random people we meet on the streets can become such amazing and great friends--how someone that you first meet with reservation, can become someone who you love dearly. this is one of the most amazing aspects of missionary work and it's something that each of us can, and often do, experience every day. Robert was a stranger only six weeks ago. Now he is a good friend and someone who i will always remember and do my best to support.

life is pretty good :)

well as always i have loads of more stories to tell but alas they’re going to have to wait for another day.

love you all and i'm grateful for all the support you give

with love

Elder Jarman

ps. it's transfer week again. so updates will most likely come around sometime on wednesday.

pps. there's a guy sitting next to me looking at an atheist website. he has the word "hate" tattooed on his knuckles. i think i prefer what’s on my screen.

ppps.it started snowing again today! winter’s not done yet here in england!

pppps. does anyone actually know what a "woodchuck" is? do they actually chuck wood? who named them anyways?

English or not metal drain plugs, knees and last second buckets are a certain recipe for an exciting evening

Dear anyone who has ever looked at the ceiling and wondered "now just how did that get there?",

First and foremost!

Natalia got baptized and confirmed this week! There was really no stopping her and there really I’m not sure anything could have. She was so determined and so excited for her baptism this entire time that I was just grateful for my role in helping her make the last few necessary steps in fulfilling her desire. The ward already loves her and helps her. At the baptism pretty much all the young women in the ward were there as well as most of the leaders. They've been with her and have been working with her for so long that many got quite emotional as the actual ordinance was performed, with many of the young women in tears as they saw their good friend baptized. The next day Elder Gill and I had the privilege of being able to participate in her confirmation. It was a marvelous experience to be able to be a part of that ordinance.

I thought a lot about these many crucial moments of our lives. Baptism and confirmation seem to be such small and simple things that we do. Yet when you put the significance of these events in the eternal perspective they loom as momentous life changing mountains in the mortal journey. So much happens to an investigator's heart in their preparation for baptism. So many changes that occur as faith and repentance replace pain and despair.

With Natalia, we were only here to witness the end of the beginning of her transformation, but the testimonies of the members and her family have filled us in on the miracles that have occurred.

The person who performed the baptism was a man named Daniel O'Feilaind who served as a missionary in Farnborough nearly two years ago and was an integral part of Natalia originally investigating the church. It was great to see his joy as he was able to see the fruition of his labors all that time ago. While it may have appeared to him at that time that his efforts were in vain he and we are able to see now that no righteous effort is ever wasted. You really can never begin to appreciate the effects of the good things that you have done. But the lord knows :) and that’s why he prompts you to do them in the first place.

Transfers are coming up this Wednesday and the spirit of Christmas is definitely in the air. I’ll probably be able to let you guys know whether or not I’m moving either on Wednesday or Thursday depending on the outcomes of the transfer.

I love you guys and love hearing from any or all of you about the experiences and blessings you each are having.

Know that I love where I’m at and couldn't be happier right now than I am right now

With love

Elder Jarman

ps. this announcement is not public neither is it an announcement yet I will now publicly announce that at this time I am not going to announce anything here publicly

pps. I am also pleased to announce that I was not involved in an emergency move to Spain on the sixth of December. I consider this a compliment

 

ppps. muffins chopped look nothing like chopped muttons in either the meaty or the hairy format

 

 

elder gill decided to bend down to make their height difference a little less awkward

just another day in a missionary flat

elder jarman's favorite german elder he just thought that this picture looked cool....

his zone doing a fun pose

daniel and natalia before the baptism

natalia before the baptism