Fwd: Steak Conference

Hello!

This week had everything great in it! We had really fun days, that just keep flying and flying by. Seeing Jonah, and Alec, and Connor home is so weird. 2 years is incredibly short, and I'm so glad I have a year left haha. 

We had really fun exchanges this week. I went with Elder Reynolds in my area. He is a Britt from England, and it felt like I was back with Elder Hawkins again. The same funny humor, and jokes, and accent. It was awesome! we started the day by knocking down a brick wall for 4 hours, with one hammer.... It was hard, my arms are dead, but we got fed TACOS after, so of course it was worth it! 

The rest of the week was spent trying to talk to everyone. Something that is hard in our zone is members giving referrals. So we have been finding a lot on our own. We have found some good people, but they are struggling to come to church, or its all new, members are the best way... so give referrals back home. Missionaries love it! 

The highlight of the week, was stake conference yesterday! We had the new area 2nd Counselor, Elder Koch of the 70, Elder Makisi, area 70, and the Joburg temple president, along with our stake president and amazing Mission president.

I loved stake conference. Listening to all the amazing talks, and more importantly, having investigators and recent converts there to hear the talks. They needed it. It was amazing to see how the spirit directed the meeting to what everyone needs. For me, a life member, for brother Mvu, an investigator struggling to commit, who has questions with the temple, for a recent convert couple, Leonard and Liona, who will be preparing to go to the temple, and Reagan, our RC who is learning English, but most importantly just felt the spirit for 2 hours straight.

I love mission. I love South Africans. I love the Lord. D&C 100:1, D&C 31. Very helpful these weeks. I love comfort from the Holy Ghost, and from being led by the Him all day every day.

Godspeed

Elder Ivins Loves you

Fwd: Up and Down

Just a little side note to Jarod's letter today. Jason's mom has had an aneurysm in her brain for several years. She was worried that it would rupture so she decided to have surgery to fix it on Thursday. During the surgery, the aneurysm ruptured and about 36 oz of blood leaked into her brain. It was a complication we were not expecting, but are grateful that it ruptured while in the capable hands of her Dr. We were not ready to have her memory to be jumbled and all over the place, but she has been very sweet as she tells us everything she thinks as she thinks it. We've heard stories from the past, present and future, sometimes all in one thread of conversation. She remembers Jim, all of her children and also all of her grandchildren. I spent the night with her last night and was able to email back and forth with Jarod while I was there. She woke up several times during the night and would first ask me if I had just come from the football game, and then if everyone was okay, calling them all by name. She asked about her missionary grandsons many times. She also wanted to get downstairs to fold the laundry. We're optimistic that this is a temporary setback, but are fervently praying as well for her to return to her old self. We love her and she has been such a good example to Jarod as he serves his mission. 

Enjoy his love from Capetown!!! He's amazing!!!
 

Well, Hello!! 

I'm so glad to hear that Grandma is progressing and doing better. It was a stressful week and lots of prayers, but I know all will be well.

A highlight was our baptismal service for Terens, Reagan, Lenard, and his wife, Liona! It was soo amazing!

Reagan has investigated for 9 years! and bang ! Its time! The rest are just amazing people. Seeing them change these last couple weeks truly is the best. I love mission so much. We had a brother of the Reagan, Levi, come to church yesterday. It was his first time at church in 6 years! And HE BORE HIS TESTIMONY! He felt is sooo much and loved it and so he got up! He said my brother is today, and I am next month! It was so cool!

A cool experience was teaching this Taiwanese family this week. We were in the lesson, and they have been struggling to commit to church and to baptism. and as he, Raymond reads the bom, he can't understand it too well. But he has started to understand the last 2 weeks. As we taught, WOW, they told us how two weeks ago they started a juicing diet, and have essentially stopped coffee. And in the pamphlet it says if you live it, you will have the Spirit. We connected the dots and he just lit up! He shared an amazing scripture in 1 Nephi 16, and said, " I know it is true." The spirit HIT me and was like baptism. He was still talking but that was all on my mind. I was like no, they aren't ready, Heavenly Father why. Come on.  So I said a simple prayer and asked Heavenly Father to stop me if Ii shouldn't say it.... and he didn't. We committed the family to baptism!!! Amazing!

This week was full of fun, full of the spirit, and full of ups and downs. Keep the faith up, and know it will all be okay! I love you all, especially Grandma!

Elder Ivins

Fwd: UTA - CT

Sorry this so late in arriving to your inboxes. We went to Idaho Falls to witness the totality of the eclipse and it did not disappoint!! Before you die, you need to see a full solar eclipse!!! Luckily, in just 25 short years, there will be one in Salt Lake City! Jarod has been transferred to Capetown. Enjoy his cute letter!!!

Well. This week was definitely one I won't forget! It has gone from being in the bush of Africa to the streets of Cape Town, and to say the least, they are completely different. Mthatha is a place where everyone speaks xhosa, loves to talk about Jesus, and is very welcoming to have us come in. And Cape Town, has white people, something I have never experienced, coloured people, Afrikaans, just a little experience, and everything in between. We are teaching people from DRC, ZIM, SA, and it really is eye opening and amazing! 

The people here are amazing as ever, and the love for the gospel is the same! But it is a different feel. I'm really excited to go and teach more people, and our zone has some amazing elders and we have awesome goals. When you hear cape town.. you're like eh I don't wanna be transferred there. But we are hoping to change that up! We are setting huge goals and are excited to change the face of western cape.

Already we are seeing miracles. We have amazing father led families, potential priesthood holders, and are excited to find and teach more. The faith is up, and will keep getting stronger! 

Some sweet stories are a guy named Raegen. He was taught for 9 years in DRC. and now moved here about 2 weeks ago, realized the church was here. and said okay.. Its time. He has moved all around DRC, and the church would always find him! And here, when he found it, he said it has to be true. 9 years of missionaries working with him, helping him, and God preparing him. No effort is wasted! I love it! 

Another is a brother named Leonard. He was taught and found about 9 months ago... by Elder McCarroll! He got in an accident and disappeared a while ago, and now is back! He had troubles getting baptized a while ago because he needed marriage documents. Last week his wife from Zim moved here, with the documents, and she wants to be baptized!! The Lord has prepared these people so well! We are so excited to continue working hard and finding more!

Im excited to work hard and see God's hand in this work. I'm so thankful for the love of all of you and the support. Heavenly Father has amazing plans for Cape Town. and we are gonna do it!

Love you all, 

Elder Ivins

Bye bye

Well... What and emotional week. On Saturday we got the call that I will be leaving Mthatha, and will be transferred to Capetown! I will be in the Bellville and Brackenfell wards. My new comp is Elder Slade... He recently served with elder Hawkins! So that's cool. I don't know much about him.. so Im excited to get to know him!

As I was reflecting on my time in Mthatha I have truly been able to see the Lords hand in this work. In protecting us, guiding us, and allowing us to find and see so many people change to follow God's path for them. I love it! I will always have a special place in my heart for this part of God's vineyard, and cannot wait until the day I come back. Hopefully while still on mission. Very blessed to have served in 2 areas for almost a year! As I bore my departing testimony, I truly felt Heavenly Fathers Love for these people. It's amazing. Im an imperfect misisonary, giving 2 years to love people. And He is a perfect God, just imagine the love he has for us. 

This week was amazing. Something really cool, was seeing Shaun compete at a science fair! It was so cool. His project was on Science mixed with drama! He did really well and will be competing again for a chance to go to joburg! We met some cool new people, who we really think are ready for the gospel. They are pretty interesting guys, Ivan and Assive, going off how Christ died for us, and only the circumcised will be saved... Then the friend calls him out, on how the circumcised of heart... It was just really funny. But they really wanted to learn more about the BOM. It was sweet!

Esethu and her mom are doing well! Nombulelo had to work so she couldnt come to church, but Esethu came again and loved it! She asked us to move her baptism forward. How amazing is that! It was so sweet! Im excited to hear about her baptism in a couple weeks. Busisiwe wasn't able to be baptised this week, but next week is now set! hahah it was been a process but she is ready! She just wants to be baptised, and was sad it didn't work out yesterday, but its all good.

These past couple days have been spent printing loads of pictures, eating good food, and today will cap it all off. Tomorrow we will be going to EL and Wednesday morning flying to CPT.

Yho it is all just flying by, and everyday this week felt like a blur. I din't want it to happen, but the Lord says otherwise. Thank you all for the Love and support. It is amazing what blessings I feel and see thanks to you! I can't wait to get to Capetown and start working. 

Elder Hawkins and I set a goal for sept 24, to have another 10 baptisms in each area. Him in EL, and me in CPT. We are getting the areas in Mthatha down for it, and hopefully the areas in our zones. We want a 10 by, or a 10 squared. idk. but it will be 10 areas with 10 baptisms.

It seems crazy, and a whole lot of work, but WHY LIMIT GOD? We can do it! He will do it! We will be praying everyday for this goal, fasting, specifically for families. FATHER LED.

GOD SPEED to ALL

Mdala Ivins

Elder Ivins

Fwd: Home sweet home

Hello everyone!!

What an amazing week it was!

It started with a fun tour of the Mandela museum here in town. it was really fun to learn a lot more about him. He started a militia revoltation,  led in prison, and overall was just a yomie.

Busisiwe didn't get baptised this week, she had some things come up, but will be baptised next week so thats all good. When she called us, telling us that she wanted to postpone, my heart dropped. I was very worried that something went wrong, but we spoke with her later and worked it all out, and she is set for next week, which may be my last sunday in Mthatha... (pray to stay).

I think the highlight of the week would be Fast Sunday yesterday. Kk and Anna both were confirmed and then gave amazing testimonies. They were quoting scripture, sharing stories, and everyone was laughing. Bongiswa also bore an amazing testimony speaking about how she wasnt able to come to church, but through many prayers in the night, and amazing faith was able to come. It really inspires me every week to feel the love that the people here have for God, and the trust they have in His promises. The Lord will always provide. 

Something really funny happened on exchanges in Queentsown this week.... It was a really fun day. Lots of walking, but lots of fun with Elder Shaw (eagle ID).. And we went to finish the day at this really amazing restaraunt. While we walked in there was a bike race on the tv. It looked really cool and i wondered where it was cuz i knew the tour de france had finished the week prior. Anyways as i was watching i said to elder shaw, "Man that looks so familiar, I feel like i have been there before!"

Next thing I see, is the banners for the TOUR OF UTAH!!! Stage 3, up Big Cottonwood Canyon.

I was freaking out! Heck yeah Elder Shaw I have been there before!! It was so funny that in the middle of South Africa in this random restaraunt I was seeing the rodes I had driven and ridden and mountains Ive skied and climbed so much. CRAZY!

It was really fun to see home sweet home. But Im blessed with the a home here. Grateful for an amazing family where anywhere we go is home. the cabin, lake powell, mcdonalds, the boat, anything. I have the best family!!

Love you all!

Elder Ivins

Mthatha Mthatha!

Hey! This week was fantastic! 

It may be coming to an end in mthatha... or there may be more to come. Pres Lebethoa wouldnt give up anything on tuesday when we saw him... hahha

In our interview it didn't come up but it was so fun to get to know him better. We talked a lot about goal setting and working hard. It reminds me of Elder Ballards last conference talk where he spoke about a goal is where we want to be and the path is the steps to get there. It was really awesome.

We spent a lot of this week preparing for KK and Anna's baptisms! The Watsons came to mthatha! It was a wonderful reunion with them! We had a nice lunch and caught up. Then he was able to int. KK. She was so excited to be fully ready for baptism. She and Anna were both champs this week in the bitter water, but their smiles and Spirit were much greater to see. They werent worried about the water, just excited to be making sacred covenants with God. It has been amazing to see them change so much in these past couple months. The Lord has lead us in both circumstances to find these wonderful sisters! It is amazing! We are excited for their third friend Busisiwe to be baptised this week and join them as our new recent converts!!

We went and had dinner with them. We cooked burgers with KK (something she has wanted us to make for her since we met..) and had a huge braii with Anna and her family. It was so much fun to celebrate for these two!

Exchanges with Elder Zander were quite fun... it included too many fun experiences ranging for eating chicken head... to riding stray donkeys.. to meeting amazing people that came to church on sunday.. having our fellowshipper pee is pants.... hahahaha It was just really fun.

We taught lots of good lessons too.. haha. They have been walking as their car is broken.. but none the less we met amazing people. The gospel is true

I love being on mission and this week was another great reason to be here. The lord is providing and blessing Mthatha. As Im reading in 3 Nephi it is sad to see the Pride of the people lead to wars, death, and separation. Stay humble and the Lord will bless us. LOVE YOU ALL.

Enjoy the Cabin, ski a lot, bike too. I recommend the bakery in Stanley for breakfast for the yomies sleeping at the end of the lake.

Elder Ivins 

Fwd: Happy Birthday Mandela!

From: Jarod Jason Ivins <jarod.ivins@myldsmail.net>
Date: Mon, Jul 24, 2017 at 4:42 AM

Hello!!

This week was another amazing week. Lots of good work, lots of great people, lots of food!

Tuesday, everyone was feeling better... so it was a perfect time to celebrate for the birthday of the one and only: NELSON MANDELA. Mthatha is the closest big city to where he was born. He is from a small village about 30 km's outside mthatha named Qunu. We thought about going out there, for a huge celebration, but decided not too. They closed down the main street in Mthatha next to the Mandela Museum, and had a big party, so we thought that that would be good enough. There were things played on the tv all day about him, so it was really fun! It is crazy they impact that he had on everyone here.

The rest of the week was as normal. Shaun is doing amazing as our newest rc. He recieved the Holy Ghost yesterday, and gave an amazing testimony in church. He is so ready for the priesthood and really wants to serve mission after he finishes school next year! KK is set to be interviewed this week by Elder Watson! Im so excited to see them again, and then Anna will be interviewed this week as well. So we should have a wonderful baptism next week for the both of them! 

Our investigator Busisiwe is so amazing. We have run out of things to teach her. Hahaha. She downloaded the gospel library app.. and yeah.. just reads everything! We try to go teach Law of chastity... "oh i read that one.." so we say okay Word of wisdom.. "oh yeah I know that one too!" okay temples. she wont know it.. "I saw this temple magazine at church. Im so excited for the temple trip in december. My mom is late and i can be baptised for her..."

LIKE come on!!! hahaha it is so amazing! The best quote she said though was "Your church is just so exciting!" It made me really happy to see how bright and happy her life is becoming in just a short couple weeks.

Mthatha is really doin amazing, but satan is trying as well. I've been reading a lot in Helaman, about the Gadianton robbers, and all these apostate people. So be strong!! Dont let satan get a stretch on us!

I love you all so much! I love mission! It is going by so fast, and everyday is better and better. The people, the food, the spiritual experiences everyday make me so thankful that I am here serving the Lord. 

Love, Elder Ivins