The Weekly

February 22, 2015

U.S.  Ambasador to Cape Verde, I guess he's important and we got lucky


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THis is a pic of the family we were working super hard to re activate.  We are still working hard with the dad, but everyone else is coming every single week now, and the boys should get the priesthood this next sundday

Not much.....

February 16, 2015



Had a really good week.  Yeah there is more food available.  We are working out.  I think I will buy some protein for next month, try to gain back some of what I have lost the last year and six months haha. 

More Maio

February 9, 2015





Gosh it was so good to see all of these pics! Looks like the homecoming was boss, and I loved seeing everyone there!  I love Elder Darling so much, and the comparrison to Dillon Lamb is a pretty solid one haha.  Yeah he was pretty serious with Hally before.  Of course I knew he was spending the night in Boston ahha, I begged him to go to Fenway Park for me haha.  Thanks a bunch for writing all of this, and for going up, that means a lot that you guys were there and got to meet all of them

Nate and two of his "greenies"

Gooch goes home

February 2, 2015

I will go see Elder Gooch later tonight because he is in Praia.  His homecoming is the 14, you guys should super go up, that would mean a lot to me.  Santiago is hot, but not rediculious.  We work out everyday, and I'm eating ridiculously healthy right now.  Thanks a bunch for the email, it means a lot that you guys always right me.  Its super weird to me that you guys saw madi, but its fun! Have a great week, love you mom

Hey thanks a bunch for the laydown, I love hearing about everything that is going on! Hope you guys have a sweet week, love all you guys! 

Maio/Assomada!

January 26, 2015

Island of Maio

The "escape boat", in case there is any trouble.

Maio/The Boat

This week we had a chance to do a division on the beautiful island of Maio.  Our boat left at 430 A.M.  So we woke up, and grabbed out stuff, and got in a taxi to go to the port to catch the boat.  First of all, the taxi driver had to wake up at 330 to come get us, take us to the port, and return home. The taxi ride earning him whats equal to 2 dollars in the U.S.  Thank your lucky stars your not that guys...  Anyway, so we get there, and are all ready to get on the boat, then they announce that we should have our ID's.  They dont check them to get on the boat, but they do to get on the plane.  Usually they dont announce that for the boat, but it was a good thing that they said that because neither Elder Figs, or myself had our ID's.  Which means we would have no problem getting on the boat, but we had to take a plane back, and there is no chance in the world that they would let us on the plane without ID's.  So we took a ride in a truck full of fish (it smelled terrible) back to our house, grabbed the IDs, and got back just in time to catch the boat, avoiding getting stuck on the island of Maio..  

I was super nervous for the boat ride, because my track record with boats and not throwing up isnt too good.  So I took a comple vomit pills, and thank goodness, the boat was smooth and nice.  We got to see the sun rise right over some clouds and it was beautiful.  

We got to Maio at like 10 in the morning.  Maio is so pretty.  The only thing people do in Maio is fish.  The island is very small, with not too many people.  There is a lot of tourism there because of the beautiful beaches.  Saw more white people than I am used to seeing.  We had pizza from some Italian guy.  He didnt speak any portugese, but we got by communicating haha.  
It was amazing to see the church there.  Maio was opened by missionaries a about a year ago, and now has about 35 members.  It was incredible to go over there and see everything.  The chruch is very small, and the missionaries have classes to train the members how to do things every night.  None of the members has seen a church service with more than 30 people, so they are training them a lot just how little things should be done.  Little things like not answering your phone in sacrament meeting, and things like that.  They are learning haha.   

3 Best Friends

I had a very funny thought this week on Friday when we were coming back from Maio on the plane.  Spent the entire day with my comp, Elder Figs from Portugal, and Elder Camargo, from Brazil.  And while at different places throughout the day, people would as us, "So you three are American? Or you three are from Brazil? Or you guys are Portugese?"  And we passed the entire day together, teaching, and going on the plane and what not.  And we were all just great friends.  A Brazilian, Portugese, and American just hanging out all day, just like we best friends. The church brings together so many cultures and different types of people, its incredible.  We spoke Portugese half of the day, and English half of the day.  They are both learning English, and both speak it very well.  They are two of my favorite Elders on the mission.

Assomada is Made a District!

Yesterday Assomada was made a district of its own!  Before, it was part of the Praia Stake, and they had to travel a long way to Praia for meetings and what not.  Now it is a district of its own, and it will be such a blessing for the people there.  It means a lot for me because I had a chance to visit every part of the Island when I served in Assomada, and I know all the bishops, and people from all the branches.  I am really good friends with the newly made Branch President Torres, and I am really excited for all those people up there.  It was one of the more rewarding days of the mish for sure.

Small and Simple Things

It was such an incredible experience to go to the Island of Maio.  Knowing that the church didnt exist there a year ago, and to go and see the members, and see their love for the gospel.  These people may not have much, but the have faith, and that has a lot of value in the eyes of God.  Literally all of the members there have been members for less than a year, and they are all still learning how the church is suppose to function.  They are all doing there best, and it was incredible to see them.  

We had the chance to hear from Elder Morreria of the 70.  He came down for the creation of the District in Assomada.  He said something that really hit me hard.  He said that "Cabo Verde is an inspiration for the rest of the Europe missions and areas.  You may not have a lot of material things, but you have something that has a lot more value in the eyes of God.  And thats your faith.  The entire europe areas look to you as examples of faith"  

He's right, the people are incredible.  From small and simple things, great things are brought to pass. 

Cape Verde is incredible.  I love being a missionary, and love you guys for the emails and the support.  Have a great week!

Much Love, Elder Jarvis

The Jarvis/Figs Era Begins

January 19, 2015

First week on the job with my new Portuguese comp, Elder Figueiredo.  We have been friends for a while, and it is really nice serving with him. 

Rosaria

This week we baptized a woman named Rosara, and her little daughter.  We actually found her on Christmas Eve, at like 8:55, and we were really close to going home for the night, but we went to the house of a less active and she was there.  She told us that she had been waiting for Elders for a while, that she had already talked to them in the past, and she was close to getting baptized in the past.  She changed a lot over those 3 weeks, and her baptism was sweet. 

Fogo Elders

The Fogo ZLs came and spent the night at our house before the council on Tuesday.  It was funny to see those guys, and talk with them about people and experiences from Fogo.  I have so much saudades for that place, I am in love with the people there.  And I miss the Kreolo so much haha.  Everything was good with them, other than them dirtying up the house, it was great to have them over. 

Funny Things

We had two extremely funny things happen this week, and its worth writing about. We were teaching the plan of salvation the other day, and we were talking about the glories.  Like cel ter tel stuff.  And elder Figs explains the Celestial kingdom, and explains that God lives there.  They we point for the Ter kingdom, and we said ´´this place is for...´´  ´´The Animals´´  Aw... So close Evandoo, the answer we were looking for was not animals... 

The other was a man explaining to us that the trinity, was like an egg.  Where God, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost are like the shell, yoke, and the egg white.  Just thought it was a little humerus.  Elder Figs and I were a little confused, we just thought it was a funny analogy. 

Spiritual Stuff

I had a chance to give a training on Obedience at Zone Conference.  It was really good, and I learned a lot while preparing it.  We started off talking about the nefi story with laban.  Where he was asked to kill him.  And we talked about why Nefi put that in the book.  Why didn't he just say, and we went back the third time to get the plates, and he was successful, or we obtained them, or something.  Why is that story even in there. Of if he is going to put it in there, why didnt he hide it somewhere in the Alma Chapters, to ensure that it would go unread by all of us.
 For me, I think he is trying to teach us something. I think he put in there,  on pg 8, so even the most casual reader will read it.  And I think he did it to show us the importance of doing the Fathers will.  Because he was taught from a young age not to kill, this was drilled in his brain from the time he was a little boy.  It was all about doing the Fathers will, over his own.    So we had a discussion on that, then talked about how it applies to us.  I may have gotten some of the stuff from E. Holland.  Then we watched a video, baller video, and it went well.  Here is link if any of you want to watch it.  I love you guys, have a great week! 

I had to send this to all the return missionaries from CV, so someone would understand the kreolo.  Had a great week from Lem Fer.  I saw this little kid walking with the "I <3 Jesus" hat, and asked him if I could take a pic with him.  After, he asked me for 10 escudos, or a dime. I gave it to him, and we had ourselves a deal.  

Evandro

One of the more rewarding moments of my mission was watching Evandro get baptised.  He was pretty deep into trouble, and had a pretty messed up life for a really long time.  Elders have tried to talk to him forever, and he just never really wanted to change.  His mom was baptized a couple weeks ago, and I think that helped him.  Three weeks ago he decided he really wanted to change, and he did.  When he bore his testomony after his baptism it was so sincere.  He referred to the spirit as being "This Energy Feeling".  Sometimes we refer to it as a burning, but I feel like "Energy" describes the spirit pretty well. 

Int. with President

Had a chance to do interviews with President this week, and that is always a great learning experience.  He is so good at what he does, and I learned a lot that should help with the work.  

Cheese and Chocolate 

Possibly the highlight of the week was our neighbor from Holland giving us cheese and chocolate from Holland.  It was so incredible!  We hadn't had normal cheese is over a year and  half, and it is soo good!  

Spiritual Stuff

Elder Carlos A Goday gave a talk that I really enjoyed in General Conference.  Partly because it was in Portugese.  But he talks about the question "If I keep living, the way Im living right now, will I cumprir all the promises in my Patriartical Blessing?"  I was thinking about this a lot, because one of my biggest fears, and IM sure it is for a lot of missionaries, was wondering if  was doing everything I could to become the person God wants me to be when I go home.  And if we look at it like he puts it, cumprir our promises, I think thats a good way to measure if we are doing things right.  

Love all you guys! Deus Ku Tudo de Nhos! Sempre fé e coragem.  ´

Elder Jarvis

The Weekly (with lots of pictures)

January 12, 2015

Elder Bazarrone the AP

Baptisms the last couple of weeks. 

Christmas package from Grandma and Grandpa J

Nate and Zendemela (?)