Tuesday, January 3, 2012
I'm Alive!!
For those of you who were wondering, I am still alive (if any of you even check this still). I am now serving in Massachusettes in the mission office and finding it fun and chalenging. For those of you who have written me recently, thank you and I promise you will be receiving letters from me shortly. For those of you who haven't written, shame on you. You should just take a minute to do that. Love you all!
Monday, August 22, 2011
Day Trip Back to HARTFORD!
We had a really awesome opportunity yesterday to take a trip with the Phillips family to Hartford to witness the baptism of Franky. If you don't remember Franky, he is one of the people I taught in Hartford.
Brother Clifford and Brian Sanchez (the kid I baptized) were also at the baptism. It was so awesome to see them and everyone else from the Hartford ward that I grew to love so much!
I'm so grateful for the chance I had to go back and see Franky get baptized and to catch up with old friends. I'm especially thankful to the Phillips' for taking us! Thanks to everyone who made yesterday special! And for all of you reading this at home, you can make my future days special by sending me some letters!
Monday, August 1, 2011
I LOVE to See the Temple
This week, we had a great oportunity to attend the Temple. A woman that Elder Flake baptized a year ago went through for her endowment and asked that he be there. Since the temple is in our mission now, we're allowed to attend semi-regularly.
We drove up with a member in our ward, Brother Floyd and had a fun drive. He's hilarious and I'm so grateful to him for helping us out.
We drove up with a member in our ward, Brother Floyd and had a fun drive. He's hilarious and I'm so grateful to him for helping us out.
The whole experience was wonderful. Except the part where I got really trunky because for the last 14 months I've been told that the only time I'd be able to attend the temple was right before I went home. Well, I went to the temple and I still won't be home for ten months. That's ok though.
Write me! Seriously.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
It's Pick on Elder Jardine Week Again!
Jump on the band waggon before time runs out!
Technically, I suppose the clock has already expired since the afore mentioned week was last week. Also, this bandwaggon was only for police officers.
Here's how it went: 1 week. 1 poor missionary. 2 traffic tickets.
The first, the result of running a red light. A light that was run in order to avoid plowing in to the side of a mother and her baby who pulled out in front of me. Did the cop see that? Was he interested in that part of the story? NO! Of course not.
The second was on our way to transfer meeting. After having to PAY to get on a FREEWAY, I was pulled over and ticketed for going 75. Was the cop aware that all freeways should be at least 75? Did he realize I was going slower that my peers all around me? NO!
What'er. I digress. I just have a very sour taste in my mouth for the state of Massachusetts and police officers.
On a much lighter note, I got a new companion and we are doing great! Have a great week, y'all. Write me so I don't feel like such a loser! Thanks!!
Technically, I suppose the clock has already expired since the afore mentioned week was last week. Also, this bandwaggon was only for police officers.
Here's how it went: 1 week. 1 poor missionary. 2 traffic tickets.
The first, the result of running a red light. A light that was run in order to avoid plowing in to the side of a mother and her baby who pulled out in front of me. Did the cop see that? Was he interested in that part of the story? NO! Of course not.
The second was on our way to transfer meeting. After having to PAY to get on a FREEWAY, I was pulled over and ticketed for going 75. Was the cop aware that all freeways should be at least 75? Did he realize I was going slower that my peers all around me? NO!
What'er. I digress. I just have a very sour taste in my mouth for the state of Massachusetts and police officers.
On a much lighter note, I got a new companion and we are doing great! Have a great week, y'all. Write me so I don't feel like such a loser! Thanks!!
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
Happy Mothers' Day!
Yes. The apostrophe in the title WAS meant to come after the "s".
As Ross' son in "Friends" so appropriately put it, "I have lots of mommies".
My "first mom" is the original. She is the one who gave birth to me and has carried the vast majority of raising me on her shoulders. Through the years she has taught me by her incredible example of how to overcome adversity and find joy in the journey. She is the one who has taught me how to love and be loved.
My next mom is my grandma. Nowhere in the world could you find a woman who embodies such compassion and attributes of Christ as my grandma. She is the matriarch of all matriarchs. She can cook, she can clean, she can make peace among anyone and she never lets you leave the house without letting you know how much she loves you.
The third mom, "the other mother", is my best friend's mom, Joy. Since we first me, she has always taken me in and treated me as one of her own children, offering all the love, humor, and (at times) correction an adolescent boy could need. I'll always think of her as one of my mothers and she and her family will always hold a very special place in my heart.
My last mom is my Mission Mom, Sister Pehrson. Whenever I don't feel well, I'm homesick, or I have questions about laundry, I can always call her. She is an incredible woman and I am really going to be sad when she and President go home next month.
I think it is oddly appropriate that this past week in my Book of Mormon reading, I read the story of Helaman's army in Alma. Like the 2,000 stripling warriors, I stand in this fight with the knowledge that I can win because my mother(s) knew it. They knew I could be successful and they gave me the faith and courage to allow me to know it for myself.
I want to wish all my moms a Happy Mother's Day. You all mean the world to me and I love you more than you'll ever know! Thank you for EVERYTHING you have done and continually do for me.
"All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother(s)." -Abraham Lincoln
As Ross' son in "Friends" so appropriately put it, "I have lots of mommies".
My "first mom" is the original. She is the one who gave birth to me and has carried the vast majority of raising me on her shoulders. Through the years she has taught me by her incredible example of how to overcome adversity and find joy in the journey. She is the one who has taught me how to love and be loved.
My next mom is my grandma. Nowhere in the world could you find a woman who embodies such compassion and attributes of Christ as my grandma. She is the matriarch of all matriarchs. She can cook, she can clean, she can make peace among anyone and she never lets you leave the house without letting you know how much she loves you.
The third mom, "the other mother", is my best friend's mom, Joy. Since we first me, she has always taken me in and treated me as one of her own children, offering all the love, humor, and (at times) correction an adolescent boy could need. I'll always think of her as one of my mothers and she and her family will always hold a very special place in my heart.
My last mom is my Mission Mom, Sister Pehrson. Whenever I don't feel well, I'm homesick, or I have questions about laundry, I can always call her. She is an incredible woman and I am really going to be sad when she and President go home next month.
I think it is oddly appropriate that this past week in my Book of Mormon reading, I read the story of Helaman's army in Alma. Like the 2,000 stripling warriors, I stand in this fight with the knowledge that I can win because my mother(s) knew it. They knew I could be successful and they gave me the faith and courage to allow me to know it for myself.
I want to wish all my moms a Happy Mother's Day. You all mean the world to me and I love you more than you'll ever know! Thank you for EVERYTHING you have done and continually do for me.
"All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother(s)." -Abraham Lincoln
Monday, May 2, 2011
Vote for SUMMER!
So Summer is certainly in the air and that make a life of a missionary serving in a big city very interesting.
Let me set the scene for one of the worst days EVER. It's about 8 in the evening and starting to get dark. Elder Souza and I are walking down ghetto-trash, trailer-fabulous Park Street to an appointment. We're coming up on a group of men (the type that would be warming their hands by a trash can fire if it wasn't 80 DEGREES) and one of the starts shouting racial slurs about white people at us. As we walked past, giving him all the attention he deserved (which was none), HE THREW FOOD AT US. And not just any food. Cheap Chinese.
Being the level-headed and Christlike Elders we are, we still ignored him and kept on our way. About a block and a half further, we saw a police officer. We told him what happened and he said he'd go look for the guy. We went to our appointment and thus ended Tuesday.
Wednesday was much better. One of the best days EVER, in fact. Thanks to a State Representative in our ward, we got to go to the Capital Building and meet the UCONN basketball teams.
We met and got autographs from:
Jeremy Lamb
Alex Oriakhi
and Maya Moore.
Let me set the scene for one of the worst days EVER. It's about 8 in the evening and starting to get dark. Elder Souza and I are walking down ghetto-trash, trailer-fabulous Park Street to an appointment. We're coming up on a group of men (the type that would be warming their hands by a trash can fire if it wasn't 80 DEGREES) and one of the starts shouting racial slurs about white people at us. As we walked past, giving him all the attention he deserved (which was none), HE THREW FOOD AT US. And not just any food. Cheap Chinese.
Being the level-headed and Christlike Elders we are, we still ignored him and kept on our way. About a block and a half further, we saw a police officer. We told him what happened and he said he'd go look for the guy. We went to our appointment and thus ended Tuesday.
Wednesday was much better. One of the best days EVER, in fact. Thanks to a State Representative in our ward, we got to go to the Capital Building and meet the UCONN basketball teams.
We met and got autographs from:
Jeremy Lamb
Alex Oriakhi
and Maya Moore.Plus others including Coach Calhoun and Kemba Walker. Thanks Sister Kirkley-Bey!!
But what made this one of the best days EVER? A text message I received in the afternoon from the Spanish Elders which read, "Hey some cop just pulled up to us and asked us if we knew you. When we said yes he told us to tell you that he took that guy to jail last night. What's he talking about?" Justice. Served.
I guess in missionary work, just as in life, you win some and you lose some but those are the experiences that make things memorable. Have a great week, everyone. Much love!
But what made this one of the best days EVER? A text message I received in the afternoon from the Spanish Elders which read, "Hey some cop just pulled up to us and asked us if we knew you. When we said yes he told us to tell you that he took that guy to jail last night. What's he talking about?" Justice. Served.
I guess in missionary work, just as in life, you win some and you lose some but those are the experiences that make things memorable. Have a great week, everyone. Much love!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
