Jarod's's pictures

I'm not sure why these didn't send the first time, but here they are! (Thanks for all of you who asked to see them! I didn't realize they didn't attach!)

Fwd: BEST CHRISTMAS EVER

Yesterday was perfect! It was so fun to see Jarod's face and hear that voice! He is so happy and it was fun to have his phone ring during our call and hear him as a real missionary!!!

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jarod Jason Ivins <jarod.ivins@myldsmail.net>

HEY! So this week was really great!

We had a lot of appointments set up, but because of the holiday, some fell through and that was unfortunate, but we were able to meet a lot of new people, and hopefully we can find the elect that are ready for the gospel!

As we meet new people, it is so fun to refer them to the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith! I love to see people embrace the gospel so quickly and be able to love it like I do.

Not much to say this week, but it was SOO FUN to be able to see all of you yesterday. I hope you all had an AMAZING Christmas. We got fed 4 times back to back to back to back and I don't think I've ever been so full in my life! Elder Hawkins was dying with his first feast day here. The Zitshu's, Venas, Mashiqas, and Oliphants fed us. It was so good, and I'm blessed, but after eating the same potato salad and beans and rice and chicken, and wors. BUT, IT was soooo amazing, and the people are so kind to serve us. Hopefully we can work on getting meals once a day, not 4 a day.

Me and Elder Hawkins are getting along great and I'm so glad we are companions! He has a 15 year old sister Heather and a 4 year old named Jessica. I love seeing him get so excited to talk about them! It makes me love all of you so much more too!

Some exciting news is we broke the record at Motherwell for number of people to come to church In December! We had 79! It was so fun! We had a great Christmas program with a lot of singing, and performances, and a great spirit that was felt. We got a lot of members christmas presents with a picture of elder Hawkins and I and it was super funny. Hopefully they liked them. 

Xolisani and Sheila are both doing well. Lisa's mom was at church and her cousin as well! Andiswa, her mother, starting this year will be off sundays! So she is starting to progress well, which is so great. 

I said this yesterday, but liked it so I'll say it again. But a funny thing this week was driving around we saw this boy and girl sitting in the street talking, holding hands, so we decided to stop and teach them the law of chastity. The guy was just so weirded out and the girl was more interested, it was just so funny to teach them and shut them down for the rest of the night. They didn't come to church tho, so that stinks, but it was still awesome!  

Christmas morning it was lightly raining, so I pictured it as snow, so that was a nice thing to have on Christmas, but I miss all the snow that comes at home, and am jealous of all the great skiing that will be done in the next couple months! 

I hope everyone had a great Christmas, and that you are all safe this time of the year! I am thankful for all the love and support given this time of year, and hope you feel the love of the savior as we have been celebrating his birth! 

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Love, Elder Ivins

1. Vena's feast 

2. The boys

3. Holding Inam like the Mamas ha ha ha

4. Our Christmas card photo!

Fwd: NAKED, DRUNK, and LIZARDS

Skyping on Sunday!!! Best Christmas present ever!! This is such a great letter!! I love this missionary kiddo!

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jarod Jason Ivins <jarod.ivins@myldsmail.net>
www.10Kmilesaway@blogspot.com

HELLO!

So wow, this week was awesome. 

In the earlier part of the week we had zone conference, and received great training from the AP's and President and Sister Merrill! They helped us a lot on how the Book of Mormon and the Bible go together! And how we need both of them to have the FULL truth! I loved it! 

Then the next two days we had service in the morning. We helped Cleary move boardings, and then the next day helped a member sand and paint all her cabinets! It was really fun, but incredibly HOT! THIS WEEK WAS SO HOT. I've showered 2-4 times a day, and changed clothes about the same hahaha. But I LOVE IT! 

We have been really busy teaching as well this week. We have had 2 days of appointments from 11 am and finishing at 9 pm. It is hectic, and we have been working really hard! It is awesome. Elder Hawkins is doing so great here, and has adjusted to SA very fast. He served in Manchester for a month, in which he learned a lot on how to be a great hard working missionary, which helps! We have a couple really good progressing investigators and met a lot of new people this week! We are hoping to have a baptism on the 14 of Jan. and then on the 18 of Feb!

Xolisani, is a 19 year old boy who comes to church every week and loves it! He is progressing well, and Sheila, a 60 year old mama is amazing. She knows so much so fast!! There are a lot more but those two are doing the best right now!

On Friday, we went to a wedding of 2 people in our branch, Thembela and Sihle. It was so funny, they were kinda awkward the whole time, and when it came time to kiss, they were hesitant, then just started making out! So that was dope.. hmmmm haha

Then last night, we went to stop by this house to contact a referral. When we knock on the door the guy yells come in, but the door is locked. He just keeps yelling come in! I'm like yomie, the door is locked!!! And he comes and opens it, and is like, sorry.. but we notice, this guy is NAKED! AND DRUNK! he quickly grabs his underwear (a super tight speedo thing) and then wraps this blue towel around him that looks like a toga. Like how amazing! hahahha then his wife comes down and is super embarrassed and like it was just soooooo funny! Then the his friend comes in even drunker and just wearing a towel! And so when they started to fight and wrestle each other, it fell off. So man. HILARIOUS! His wife and sister in law are really interested and we will be meeting with them later this week! They are really nice and apologetic, and really want to be able to learn more about Christ. which was so cool to see, that even in that situation, we were able to share how their lives can improve from our message! Her name is Celiwe!

Another thing that was funny this week, is how hot it is, so every morning you wake up in pools of sweat. You study: sweat, you teach, sweat. but the other day, I wake up, and this LIZARD is on my face. It was soooo amazing ahhaha. Just this little guy, scared the crap outta me. 

On top of this week, I realized just how much I love my mission. Every part. Even though it is hot, and long days and really tiring. The spirit I constantly feel, and the people I meet and the great lessons we have, make everything so much better. I hope you all find the Joy in this Christmas time and have a great week! I cant wait to see you guys next week and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

PrayForANNIE

🎁🎁🎄🎁

LOVE, ELder IVins

1. Boys coming back from 4 weeks in the bush. They get circumcised, then go out and become a man.

2. At the wedding with the old makhulus

3. Mowell boys

4. Deep in thought

5. Hmmm

6. The wedding, aren't we funny?

7. Sheila turned 60 so we had cake and drinks with her.

Fwd: well hey

From: Jarod Jason Ivins <jarod.ivins@myldsmail.net>
www.10kmilesaway.blogspot.com

HEY!

This week was really awesome, fun, sad, great! 

Elder Mac n Roll blasted on Wednesday morning, and elder Hawkins didn't come until Saturday night! So this week I was with some other elders in our district, Elder Bozer and Elder Adam. 

But, because Elder McCarroll left Wednesday, we saw and said goodbye to a lot of people Monday and Tuesday. It was really fun and he had a great impact on all of the people here, and was a great example that hopefully I can keep up. 

To drop him off on Wednesday, we had to get up at 430, supa early. which was not fun, and the rest of the day was suuupppper long, but I was able to chill with Elder Bozer and Elder Gibbons, both in my transfer (MTC group). It was really fun to be able to see how much we have grown and be able to hangout together.  

So Wednesday and Thursday we served in Cleary, and then Friday in mowell and then Saturday I was able to hangout with the Watsons again! Then we were able to get Elder Hawkins. He is from just outside London, and his a powerful guy. Tall and skinny and about 6' 4". He had visa problems, so he was able to serve a month after the MTC in the Manchester mission! So he already has adjusted well and is a hard worker, which is awesome. We are getting along great so far and I hope it only gets better. 

We had a great Christmas devo on Saturday and he could meet some members.

Sunday it was raining and cold in the morning, so we didn't have that many at church, so that stinks, but the people that were there were great! I love church and being able to go every week! and that no matter where we are in the World, we can partake of the sacrament. Mosiah 18:8-11 talks great about the baptismal covenants we make, and it is great to renew those each week. We taught gospel principles on covenants, and how we can make personal covenants with God, and that we can always receive those blessings from Heavenly Father.

Sunday was really good teaching wise as well, we had a couple referrals from the pass along cards we have, and they are awesome boys! Bulumko (15), and Lwandile (14) accepted the first lesson very well! Lisa, our recent convert has a friend who is 13, Zandisiwe, and is awesome. we taught her yesterday as well. she has been coming to church for 3 weeks, and also accepted baptism for the 14 of January! The boys as well for the 18 of February! It is great to see their joy and how well they accept the gospel!

This week is very busy, and hopefully we can keep that up through the Christmas season!

We were going to buy this cow head for a going away dinner with elder McCarroll, but we had no room in the boot for it. so ugh. next time! ;) Hopefully we can eat more stuff!, but as long as it is good....

Not much else happened this week, but it was a great week. I'm so jealous of the snow and skiing, it is a lot different than the hot sun here, but it's still a little weird to think that Christmas is in 2 weeks! and I'm so excited to see you guys!!!  

1. 2 homies eating chocolate pies

2. Aphelele Oliphant, working for Jan. 14th baptism

3. Sam family - so awesome!

4. Anyone hungry?

5. "Summer girls" all grade 12, one in white shirt wants to serve a mission!

6. Huge wolf spider! (Zoom in)

Fwd: Bye Mac n roll.

3 weeks and I get to see this face!! Who wants to come and see it too??? Enjoy our crazy missionary!

From: Jarod Jason Ivins 

<jarod.ivins@myldsmail.net>
www.10kmilesaway.blogspot.com

HEY HEY!

Well this week was really good and went by SUPER fast. It has been awesome and I loved it. i received my Xhosa clan name: Tshawe. and my Xhosa name: Qamisa. So while we drive I will just yell in Xhosa greetings and funny things that Mzo gives me to say. It is so funny and people are soooo shocked that a mlunghu is yelling at them. Everyone smiles and goes nuts. Its awesome. Other things I will say is where is my girlfriend, funny jokes that people who have come from the bush know, and just agh its awesome. 

We haven't been seeing investigators too much recently and need to update our teaching pool, but we do have 2 sisters preparing for baptism! one has been prepared really well to receive the gospel and knows it is true, we have the 17 for her, but it will be moved cuz she will be busy out of town. her name is Sheila and is super nice and learns a lot very well!

The other, Mama Makoba has been taught for about 3 years, and is finally accpeted baptism! it is awesome and she has finnaly realized that it is true, and has been coming to church so much like why wouldn't I do this sooner. I'm proud of her. We have a couple more working for baptism and it is great to see them come to church!

This week was our last week of the transfer and we got our transfer news. Elder McCarroll will be transferred to Bellevue in Cape Town and I will stay here in Motherwell and be Training! My new comp is Elder Hawkins! He is from the UK and had visa troubles so went to the MTC there, but now will be here next Saturday! Elder McCarroll leaves Wednesday so i will be in a tri this week and then the party begins! But I am super excited. A little nervous, but the Lord will help. 

We had a really cool experience yesterday while contacting a referral, Lilian. She wasn't there, but her daughter Nandi (27+-) was. We had a great lesson with her. She said she feels that God has been offline to her, and not there. It was sad to know she thought that, but we helped her a lot and focused on prayer. When we promised her that God loves her, and that he is there, she started to cry. We just sat there for about a minute in silence. and the spirit was really strong, and we know she felt it. we closed and asked her to pray. In her prayer she was so sincere and by the end was bawling. She got up after and left and it was really cool. She lives in Mthatha and I really hope that she will continue to meet with the missionaries there. 

Yesterday was awesome. We went to the Cwele's house, members, and they fed us SOOOO much. They had a great dessert as well. After that, we went straight to X's mom, Sis. Oliphant. MORE FOOD. hyped. We couldnt finish it, and then Mzo and Elder McCarroll got soo full, that after, we went to a field where they just puked. then later at the Willie's more! it was pretty awesome. I guess the relief society pres rebuked everyone on how we don't get fed, so I'm excited to see what happens.... hahhaha 

This past week has been awesome to see the amazing love from members. I am gonna miss Elder McCarroll so much. He is amazing and gonne be a great guy, and I'm so hyped for training!

I hope all is well at home and everyone is enjoying skiing and getting ready for Christmas!

Love everyone and talking and hearing from you guys!

Love, Elder Ivins

1. Cwele's fat feast

2. Makhulu, Mama, and Nikki, Mzo, Makhosi, Us

3-4. Nikki and Makhulu