Migraine

Mar 20-26

Monday, Mar 20-
After a day full of taking care of our cars (washing, vacuuming, waxing), our Zone got together and we had a talent show. There were some cool ones. I didn’t pick earlier, so they had me do wheelbarrow…. We then did some sports and then came back down here for dinner with the Hansens. They were nice and they remembered Elder Choi and Short and really liked them. I hope to leave a legacy of members fondly remembering when I was here, it helps me try my best to be a good example to everyone.

Wednesday, Mar 22-

So today has been Zone Conference, and it has been super good! I got to see Elder Gurr and that was super good! He seems to be doing really well with managing his stress! The trainings were good, talking about dealing with stress, being baptism minded and how to best extend the baptismal invitation. I really learned a lot! At the end of every Zone Conference, we have a testimony, where the Elders and Sisters that are going home and have finished their missions share their final testimonies. This one was pretty tough. The two elders were Elder Jackman and Elder Leon and I have known them and seen them throughout the mission. It is weird to see them leave. It really is great to see how they have changed for the better. We then went to visit more people that we didn’t know and it led us to a dirt road that we only survived because of the clearance on our jeep. It was real pretty and it actually saved us a bunch of miles! We then came home and did language study! Today was awesome!

Following the GPS off the beaten path!!

Friday, Mar 24-

On the drive over to Tahoe

So today has been pretty interesting. We woke up to a text from RJ saying call him immediately. We texted him and he got back to us like two hours later. Before that we went on a “morale boosting” trip to the other Elders apartment to make breakfast with them to make sure they don’t die and stuff. That was pretty good, they were in high spirits when we left. We got ready and then RJ called back and told us about one Michael who was less active and wanted to meet with us immediately. We called and set up an appointment for 10, in like an hour from then. We then planned and I wrote more of my talk and then we went to see Michael. We got to know him and his story, he has had a ruff past and wants to change his ways. We set up appointments every day we are in town at 6 so that was good and will be good. We then went up to Tahoe and grabbed some lunch and then we went to a lesson with John and Alexis. It was really good, we answered some of John’s concerns about the Book of Mormon and then we taught the Plan of Salvation. It was good and they still seem to be very open and we used a ton of scripture and it was way cool. Then we went to Darrians for dinner and a lesson. We taught pray often and read daily and used a lot of scriptures for that and it was really good. The whole focus of the lesson was to get Darrian and Adam reading and praying together and they are already doing that so that was pretty cool.

Saturday, Mar 25

So today has been interesting. We went to morning program and then we came back. I showered and then went down to eat and Elder Jones did the opposite. I came upstairs to find him laying on the ground in the bathroom with his dirty clothes over his head. The migraines struck again. One thing I love about Elder Jones is that he is determined. He got up from the bathroom floor and went to his bed but was determined to plan. I tacked my blanket to the window so that it was dark enough for him. We then planned out the day. After that, I got to do like an hour and a half of personal study and that was real great. I got to finalize my talk for tomorrow and prepare part of District Meeting. Then I did some cleaning and whatnot and by then it was 12 so we had lunch. Then Elder Jones slept more and then he was feeling good enough to go to service and that was good. We helped out a guy named James get rid of a bunch of stuff and it was way chill moving everything. Then we came back and Elder Jones was still feeling awful so he rested and I read. We then went to a lesson with Michael again and we read the rest of the intro and shared some spiritual thoughts.

Sunday, Mar 26

At church today, we had sacrament and that was good. And then came the talks. Elder Jones went first and I went second and I did pretty good at not freaking out until Elder Jones was done. Then I freaked out. But I gave my talk and peeps said it was pretty good so that was cool.

We found, and turned in, a Samsung phone.

What's up with Elder J?

If you've been following Elder Jarnagin's adventures for the past 18 months, here is a long overdue update!  Elder Jarnagin has been writing weekly and is doing fantastic, but as his mom and head blog updater, I have been slacking.

Here's a look at his past 5 weeks-
Elder Jarnagin was transferred to Gardnerville, NV and is serving in that area, as well as in South Lake Tahoe and covering any Spanish needs in the area.  He is also serving as the District Leader and learning so much.

From February 27th-

Elder Jones and Elder Jarnagin

Elder Jarnagin said, "It's weird how much I have changed out here, things like loud music and a messy house bother me now.  I need to feel the Spirit more than those two things."

Tahoe snow- and don't worry, those aren't REAL legs!

From March 6th-

Elder Jarnagin was asked by the Young Men's president here in NH what was one hard thing he's had to do on his mission and how that hard thing has blessed his life... Here's his response-

"I think one of the hardest things that I have done on my mission is trying to help a companion that struggled with anxiety and homesickness. It was really hard because I had not dealt with it before and I have not really dealt with what he was feeling. It is really hard to help a companion when you can't emulate. To deal with the problem, his anxiety, my own feelings, everything, I turned to the Lord. That really is the best thing to do in any trial, turn to Him who knows all and has conquered all. Jesus Christ knows what we are all feeling and what we will feel. He has already suffered for our sins and all that we will go through. He knows how it feels to be homesick, and anxious, and impatient. When I turned to Him, I was able to be less stressed, I was able to become more like Him, and in doing so I was better able to help my companion work through what he was going through. When we humbly turn to the Lord, we can find the strength to make it through any trial that besets us! I know that is true!"

Dad's favorite game lives on in Nevada!!!

From March 13th-

Elder Jones un-denting the car

Fixed???

Elder Jones got a typewriter!  

When Elder Jones feels like dying from drinking too much milk...

More Tahoe Snow

We've been giving service at Fish. Fish is a thrift store, except it’s a chain all through Gardnerville and Carson. They are super nice as far as thrift stores go.

From March 20th-

    Service with Elder Landrin on exchanges-

    Yerington never leaves-

 I was on exchanges with Elder Franco. I found out I am allergic to Green or bell peppers….. Like bad. We did morning program and then we planned. We then made breakfast which was breakfast burritos which was more peppers than egg. My vision started to go while cooking and eating. I couldn’t see my plate to eat my food. We got ready and I was feeling better until studies where I couldn’t see my page and my head felt really bad. I tried to use the bathroom, but to no avail. I then sat on a foam pad in the bathroom for an hour until I threw up. I then cleaned myself off and then we went to a lesson with this guy named Ryan who doesn’t believe that God loves him so we talked to him about that for an hour.

 Service with Elder Franco.  (Elder Franco was Elder Jarnagin's trainer and is now his Zone leader!)

I lost my tiwi card, so Elder Jones is driving :/

My (Mom's) Early morning Seminary class is studying the epistles of Paul.  I had asked parents, adults, leaders, and friends of my students to write a modern day epistle to my students.  Here is Elder Jarnagin's Epistle-

Epistle of Elder Jarnagin

It is good that you are where you are at right now. Seminary really is a great place, one of learning and one that I am so grateful that I was able to participate in. It really is a sacrifice to get up earlier and to come and to get ready to learn. Even if you are forced by your parents, you are showing good desires by coming. 

That is what this whole thing is about, our desires. What do you desire? Do you want to live with your family forever? Do you want to be happy forever? Do you want to live with Christ and Heavenly Father forever? I would be sad if you said no to any of those, these which are all parts of eternal life are the greatest blessings that we can have, and living a life worthy of those blessings is a blessing in of itself. 

Now that you have those desires, how are you going to get there? What are you willing to give? What are you willing to give up? There are many things that we have to set aside in life and things that we have to do in order to receive the greatest blessing of all. These teenage years are hard, I know, I have been where you are right now, I am not much further down the path than you. I know that what you are faced with daily is hard, some of the things we go though are unlike anything any people of the past had to go through. When you are trying your best to live the Gospel and the commandments, most of those around you are doing the opposite and are trying to drag you with them. Don't let them do that. There is so much more in store than what you can see and what you can feel now. It requires faith but the blessings of Gospel living are there; I know, I am feeling them now. Living the commandments brings a joy that I had never felt before, it comes with feeling the Spirit more strongly. There are some things that you need to do right now to feel the Spirit more strongly in your life. Feeling the Spirit starts with living worthy, and that means cutting unworthy things out your life. There are so many excuses that you can make, "oh, it's not that bad" "It's just a little" "I'll figure it out when I go on a mission" No! No excuse works! If there is something unworthy that you are doing whether it be breaking a commandment or bad music, language, whatever, you know it is bad! Stop doing it, using it, whatever! It many be hard, but you can do it! I promise you as a representative of Jesus Christ that the moment you take the proper steps to rid your life of sin and unworthy actions that you will feel the Spirit more strongly than you have ever felt and that you will taste of the joy that comes from His companionship.

There are laws of commission, things that we do that make the Spirit leave. Then there are laws of omission, things that we don't do that if we did do them we would have the Spirit more. Some of those things are the "Seminary answers". I hope that when you answer a question with "Prayer, scripture reading, going to church" That you mean it. These things are vital. Out here in the field, when we talk about those three, we call them CPR (Church, Pray, Read) and remember that CPR is that thing they do so people don't die. I love it when people don't die. When we don't read, pray, go to church, we are spiritually dying, that's not good! I don't like it when people spiritually die! I can promise you that if you SINCERELY do all these things and not just because your parents force you, that you will feel better than you ever have before! Don't miss the opportunity to get closer to your Savior! Really read, don't just skim on your phone. Skim milk is gross, it's like white water, no one wants colored water when they want milk. Drink whole milk. It's super good, just like studying the scriptures. Don't do a skim study, do a WHOLE study! It's way better! Way more spiritually tasty. Really Pray, the all powerful creator of us, and everything, our own father is right there, waiting for us to talk to Him, to ask Him for the things we need. Go to church! Really go to church, don't just sit in a church building and derp on Facebook or send snaps of your bored mug to all your friends, really go to church! Listen to the speakers, to the Hymns, to the Sacrament prayers. There is a peace that you will feel, again, going to church is so vital to feeling the Spirit. 

To wrap this up, it may seem like this has gone all over the place, but really it still is about our desires. Do you desire to be happy? Then you need to have the Holy Ghost as your constant companion. If you want the Holy Ghost as your companion then you need to really do the things you are supposed to, and you need to mean it. This life is a test, and it is a choice, if you don't want to be happy, fine, no one is forcing you. But if you want to be forever joyful, here is the path, take it or leave it. Your older brother, Jesus Christ, is beckoning you to follow Him, He knows the way, and if you follow Him, you will never be lost. I have found no greater joy than following my Savior's path, becoming like Him, serving Him. The same course is open to you, if you desire it. I close this in His Holy name, even Jesus Christ, amen.