SOMERSET WEST

(This is last week's letter. I have been at Girls Camp all week and didn't get it forwarded.)

HELLO! 

Well, Being back in Capetown is quite interesting. That amazing spirit has been here, and just in the first 4 days we are seeing amazing miracles!

It all started on friday, with a District Meeting with just us, and President Lebethoa, Sister Lebethoa, And the Assistants! It was soo fun! They want us to flood this area with Mormon.org and we are gonna kill it!

We have new pass along cards, and are gonna be working with members more and more trying to get everyone on mormon.org! 

But, we need some help. Because we aren't very familiar with the site, seeing we aren't on the internet that much hahaha, but if all of you could go to mormon.org, and let me know what stands out first, and how we can use that in our teaching, that would be amazing!

Some of first miracles was having our members already getting on this website, without us even meeting them. The Lord has great plans for this area, and for us in Somerset West!

I love these members, and love the gospel we share! It is so true!

Keep being amazing, and kill it!

Love always, Elder Ivins

Fwd: From G-Town to C-Town

Hello!

What a hectic week! It was the end of my second transfer with my boy, elder Mofokeng. In anticipation of transfer news and to open our fasts, we ate as much pizza as we could saturday night, and then we received the fateful call, that I will be going to cape town to serve in Somerset West! It will be a massive earthquake in our companionship, but Im sure we will survive....

It will be quite a change... I will be going from a xhosa area, to a not dominant xhosa area... and I will be in a tripanionship! So that will be really sweet!

it has been really sad to say goodbye to the amazing people I love and care so much about, but I know I will see them again (hopefully soon..wink wink...) hahaha 

I'm very grateful to have been able to serve in Grahamstown and meet the amazing people that are here. The church is true wherever we go. A fun experience we had was late on Friday night, we were at the shops buying biscuits just before we went home, and met these really cool girls. They were also buying snacks and junk food for exams... we met them and just invited them to church. They were so excited to come, and made the effort, and Sunday morning they were there! We walked with them, and they even brought a friend! It shows that you never know where you are, there will be people ready for the gospel! 

I love the book of Mormon, and have seen the changes it has made in my life, and in the lives of so many others!

Love you all, catch you next week from Cape Town!

Elder Ivins

Fwd: Tshepo and Ribs

Hello! 

This week was another great one, and some of the main highlights were on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday!

Monday night we had our appointments drop, so in what better way do we celebrate pday, than by balling out and getting ribs and wings? Needless to say, they were to die for!

Wednesday, we had bagels for breakfast, and met with the other elders in their transfers, which brought the reuniting of the Mthatha UT district! It was the first time to be all together with Elder Paskett, Kyles, and Zander, in over a year! It was a joyous, yet short reunion. 

And it was brought even better by an amazing lesson with a guy named Tshepo. His sister is a Reverend, and we didn't let that hold us back! He asked us about baptism.. And we read the words of the Savior in 3 Nephi 11, on how exactly baptism happens, and why.

The spirit was very strong, and he accepted a baptism date, because he said he wants to do what Jesus wants, more than what his friends or family want. It was amazing!

I know that the Book of Mormon has convincing power! I love it. Love you all!

Elder Ivins

Fwd: KHUMBULA

Khumbula, khumbula...

Remember, Remember...

It has been a great week being able to REMEMBER what a great life grandma lived.

Last night, after a great week of working hard, and testifying of living as a family forever, we met the oldest man in Grahamstown at 102 years old. 

It was so fun too see this amazing man. His name, Jim Madolo. 

He has a perfect recollection of his amazing life, his family, and still walks to town a couple times a week. His secret? Never be sad! It is so amazing to see that joy can and is found in families all around the world, and that we truly can live as families forever. Jim Madolo brought back fun memories of my amazing family. 

He helped me REMEMBER Grandpa Babbel, when we would take his cane while at the cabin, or Redfish. He helped me REMEMBER Grandma Babbel, who would always give us gummy bears. He helped me REMEMBER Grandma Mutti. Who always had the prettiest smile on her face.

I have loved being able to remember the amazing people and experiences in my life. I remember going to the temple with grandma and family, always being with friends, leaving home for SA. I also remember our first dropped appointment, and baptism! I will always love and remember these great people here.

As we remember our loved ones, and most importantly our Saviour Jesus Christ, we will be filled with love. I have seen it, and felt it. I know it is true. This gospel brings peace that nothing else could, and it is all founded upon the Book of Mormon.

Having the gift to remember is the greatest thing, and as we do so, we can remember our past, to make our future better. 

We also have some great investigators, who we can tell are already repenting by the way they are feeding us on our first visit! Sadza, Umngushu, Dombolo, ah it is all so amazing! We are excited to see Grahamstown grow, and become what God wants it to be!

Love always, Elder Ivins 

An emotional roller coaster

Every thing in the last part of this week was a blur.

In 4 days, I was able to experience the highest of highs, and the lowest of lows. 

Just how at lagoon, going on wicked you go up and down and around, thats how this week was. I will explain.

From Thursday, I was able to have an amazing interview with President Lebethoa, and it was followed by and even better dinner at the VENA's house! They balled out as usual, and created the biggest feast I have had on mission. It was to say goodbye to Deneo, who leaves on her mission in 10 days! What a great night, and it was followed by a wonderful, and inspired zone conference friday morning from President.

UP

Friday night came, and in being late to an appointmetn, partly due to a 2 hour drive back from PE, I carelessly thought about the stop sign in town, and got schained by a 1000 rands traffic fine, with a COURT appearance in August. (i guess i still havent learnt my lesson from the pipes being stolen, and the car racing with michael....)

DOWN

Saturday was great in an effort to finally have our baptisms be organized for sunday. we confirmed with everyone, and got the whole program set!

UP

Sunday morning came, and in an attempt to make toast (cinnamon and sugar of course), and iron a shirt, and be on time to walk with investigators coming to church I received a phone call from President Lebethoa. As he explained to me that he had spoken to dad just the night before, and that grandma had received a new calling to the other side of the veil, I hit the lowest of the lows. It was so sad to hear this. 

DOWN

As I went in and read in the scriptures, I eventually found myself in D&C 138:39

" 39 And our glorious Mother Eve, with many of her faithful daughters who had lived through the ages and worshiped the true and living God."

Grandma truly was a faithful daughter of God, who through her whole life worshiped the true and living God. I am so grateful to have always seen Grandma smiling. As i think, I really don't think I ever saw her sad or mad (except when Taysom went down, or at a BYU interception, but really that is it). 

She always had the most love, the greatest smile, and the best cookies. It still feels surreal, because the last time I saw her was at the airport, and I wonder why I couldn't say goodbye. But there is NO other place than here that grandma would have me be. She has been here every step, and will continue to be here.

I think back to how great it is knowing that my grandma could ski the cirque, still could water ski, loved biking, and hiking, and picking huckleberries. My grandma went to every BYU football game without fail, and I have no doubt she is singing the cougar fight song with brother Lavell today. 

She is in great arms with Grandma and Grandpa Babbel, and all our wonderful ancestors who are there to love and lift us. 

Grandma was a true angel. I love her with all my heart. Thank you for the love and prayers for me and our family.

President Lebethoa said something really powerful as we spoke, "We know the plan, and we have to live the plan."

Mutti knew the plan, she lived it, and is now one step further than all of us in this glorious plan of Happiness that God has for us. 

It is true. The gospel is true. I know it! I love it!

Elder Ivins

(ps I did end the week on some ups. We had 3 amazing baptisms yesterday! And this morning, I went to court, testified of the True and living Messiah, and he lowered the fine to 350 rand! All of which was followed by a package from home, and 3 lbs of chocolate covered almonds! God loves all his children 😉)

UP 

What a prophet!

Elder Holland said it right, "What a Prophet!"

By their fruits ye shall know them. I love this church and I love knowing that we have a living prophet directing us in the Savior's way!

It was a wonderful week, full of lots of traveling, lots of laughter, and many great lessons.

A great highlight was to see Phome, a wonderful investigator that we used to teach. She moved to Joburg, but came back this side for graduation! It was so fun to see her, and to get the better news that her baptism is this coming Sunday! We had a nice talk with her and her mom, and they, along with her younger sister will be being baptized next week!

All great things are happening, and although Annie is having back surgery, I know that it will all be great! She loves Dr Pepper, and cafe rio, so if anyone wants to spoil her, go for it.

AND it is Sunnie's birthday this week! It is crazy that she is 11! and Adam is 20 on the 12th!

This week we really have been using the Book of Mormon a lot in helping people see the truth. We have read it with everyone we come in contact with, and it helped bring a whole family, with 10 people packed into a tiny car to church on Sunday. Without the convincing truths from the Book of Mormon, they prolley wouldn't have come. 

Thank you all for the love and support! I love you!

Elder Ivins

Fwd: Jarod Jason Ivins shared “Conf ball out, Hogsback reunion” with you

Hello! What a wonderful week it was. I hope all of you enjoyed, and loved conference! 

I have only been able to watch sat morning, and priesthood, so up to this point the greatest parts have been the Solemn Assembly, and Priesthood brethren all Rising Up. 

As elder Mofokeng and I were the only ones watching at the chapel, in the middle of S.A, with 2 rack's of ribs, and 16 wings (in honor of R&R), we were overwhelmed with the Spirit of God, and filled with love, as we watched and Sustained the prophet of God speak to us. The fruits of the prophet are already flooding the earth, and im excited for more and more to come!

I love this church, and I love the fact that everyday I get to tell everyone that it is true!!

Sometimes we get to the edge of what we can see, and not knowing what is ahead, we become afraid, and fearful. But in those times we need to act in faith. 

Elder Paskett and I today were attempting to bushwag through to the top of an amazing waterfall, and came to a complete stop. With no trail in sight, and having free climbed, vine held, and hand holding up this cliff side mountain, we were stuck. So, with the dice in my pocket, we quoted the scriptures and "cast lots" to see if we should go up, or down. 1-3 was up, 4-6 was down. 

A 2 came up, and just 20 steps further, found a path that led to the top of the waterfall. Turning back and going down would have been very hard, and dangerous, but sometimes Heavenly Father has us press on, not knowing that the path back home to him is just around the next bush, tree, or turn. 

As we continued, we ended up coming to the greatest view, seeing amazing waters rush off the cliff, and huge mountains range around us. Truly "all things denote there is a God."

Love, Elder Ivins

(Jarod's Mama has attached all of his photos this week because he is just so cute!!!)

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