Argentina - February 16, 2015

Yataheeh!
Hey mom, the best mom ever! So it is at this moment, 11:30 my time in Argentina, and in my new area we have to write a little bit early because the place we use computers at closes early for siesta, then doesn't open until like 6, and at that time we have to be getting ready for the day, so i am just hoping that in the next hour you will send me an email! Because it will be really sad not to get to read an email from my mom.. and we don't want a sad Elder Grover. This week has gone by, wait before I go into my week, yes I did send the Navajo word for hi, yeah, I use it sometimes down here, mainly with my companions and sometimes with some members - they get super confused. But in last week's e-mail you asked if I got anything from you and the answer is just the Christmas package and a letter from Amber and her Chistmas card, did you send anything else? Other than the calender, because getting stuff is awesome! It is like Christmas, but not. I will tell you when I get stuff, and like I said last week, we have a multi-zone meeting tomorrow in Resistencia, so hopefully I will get something then, right? I hope all is well at home that McKady is doing good and all of that great stuff. I realized that Saturday was Valentine's day, mom Happy Valentine's Day! I want you to know that you are my Valentine, and I love you very, very much:) Then I also remembered that it was state wrestling...weird! Okay, so a little about my week, it was really good. We had to go to our pension early 3 nights this week because it was that really big carnival thing they do in South America, it is more of an excuse for everyone to get drunk. We will change that, no worries, nothing like a good Word of Wisdom. So, like I said last week there are no addresses here, so members and investigators are so hard to find. In my area it is not just like all the houses are in the town, they are spread out in the jungle and you just have collections of houses in an area and it is so flat so you can't see anything. But do you want to know what i think of it? I love it, it is so great! There are horses walking around the town or kids riding them around town,it is great! I like it at least. And the other day we got caught in the rain, it was really great, fun. I do really like this area a lot! There are really amazing people here. There are only like 40 in our town that are members and in the other town where the church is, there are like 200 members.  But we only had 27 people in church yesterday, and that is including 4 missionaries. But one of the members in our area, she is a returned missionary, is super nice and helpful and so strong in the church! There is also this family that was baptized in August, they are so amazing. The mom has the strongest testimony, it is so crazy.  The story is really amazing of how she was looking for the church and just accepted it, and the crazy thing is that her house is like 4 miles from the church and she comes every week without fail, usually rides her bike or walks.  She is a single mom and has 6 kids, all super nice, just amazing. I decided I don't want to baptize people just to baptize, I want to really help people get converted to the gospel.  Because there have been people in this mission who have baptized over 100 people, but zero of them are active right now. That has how the mission culture has been down here, so now we have all these inactive members. But we will covert them too because this gospel is truly amazing and God truly loves us.  I bear testimony that He is real, God lives and so does his son Jesus Christ. He did suffer for our sins, and through the atonement we can be free and live with Him again.  He called Joseph Smith to restore this gospel in this time and to translate the Book of Mormon.  I testify that the book of Mormon is in fact the word of God, President Monson is the true prophet here on the earth to lead and direct us. We do have the opportunity to share this message to help others, to be a light to others, to go to the temple to do all those amazing things. I am here to testify that at times it is not the easiest thing, but it is always the most worth it. If we just put our trust in our Lord and Savior, everything will be alright, I promise with all my heart.
Love Elder Grover

Sorry, that is all my time - usually I get the emails from you at like 11:50. Sorry I have to write a little earlier in this area, but I hope and pray everything is okay and hope to get an email next week. Love you all and pray for you. Hope all is okay and going good.  Love you with all my heart, have a wonderful week and love life and our Savior. 
Later………..

P.S.
So we have a little bit more time because we had some extra time to do this survey thing, but wow!!! That is crazy, I thought things were crazy with the carnival thing, holy cow, it sounds super crazy home. But no worries, I got to read the email and see it. I already sent a big one like 3 seconds before I got yours, so I got to read it. But thanks for all the information, it sounds super crazy. I hope everything is okay with Tamra and the baby this week, I hope to get pictures! Just so you know, everything is okay and happy here in Argentina, so don't worry about me. And if there are more crazy things that go on, I would love to hear about them! Tell everyone to stay healthy and Choose the Right. I love you all, and don't worry mom, I got the email and it was awesome, other than it was sad too.  But I hope you have a great week and keep God in your heart because through Him all things will be made right. I love you all and wish the best for you all.  Life is great, tell me how everything goes. Love you all!

Love Elder Grover 

Argentina - February 10, 2015

Hey mom,
My week has been pretty darn good. It sounds like everyone is coming home, but that is good because it means they served our Savior, it is a wonderful thing. I am sorry to hear about McKady's accident, but I am so very, very grateful she is okay. Remember the Lord watches over us in all we do, and we have angels around us at all times. I am really glad she is okay and that she was still able to do state drill, I hope she had lots of fun. So the little red car is dead...poor little car; it lived a good life though, but then McKady had to go and kill it..;) I am only joking. I am glad she is okay though, that means prayers are answered because I pray for your safety every single day.  So now she doesn't have a car, but she could walk, because that is what I do, all day every day. I walk and walk a lot! I have realized that walking to school or church in Blanding, or anywhere for that matter, would be a blessing. But I don't have holes in my socks and my shoes are still good, that makes a happy missionary. Jade is already getting to work huh, that is awesome! Great to hear he is dating a returned missionary, which makes it all the better, it means she has a strong testimony, which means God's team is the best team!!! I am happy to hear that. So things are progressing with Jesse and Malyn, that would have been nice to know;) Well you can't blame her mom for liking Jesse so much, he is awesome. So if I am understanding correctly, things are really good with Jordan and Erica, I think personally that they have the potential to be the first to get married, but just like in sports, whoever has the most drive, ha, I make myself laugh! But no, that is really cool and awesome to hear. Other than that all 3 will probably get married while i am gone...their loss because the best man for all 3 is preoccupied with other very important business for the Lord in Argentina. But really, it is exciting and I love to hear about it because they are my super awesome brothers whom I love very much. Except that they will leave me rockin' solo, wow I am on a roll! If you are wondering why this letter is cool and longish and more detailed, it is because Presidente Franco gave us 2 hours to write...crazy right? So I have all this time to write to my wonderful mother, whom I love with all my heart. Also, the reason I am writing today and not yesterday is because we had transfers, and I am now in a different area, well, I have been since like 10:00 last night. So my new area is in Chaco, the providence, it is like an hour from Resitencia and it is called Las Palmas.  Me and my companion are doing a white wash. There are no addresses here, and that makes following up on what the other missionaries did very difficult. Oh, my companion is Elder Trotter from Gilbert, Arizona. He has a year in the mission, so we are just going to do amazing. It was sad to leave my last area, espacially with that family we just found, but they are going to be just fine. I am excited to see how it works out here, it might be a rough couple of weeks but it will be great. The church is like a 40 minute walk from our apartment...oh yeah, walking is awesome! So that is the big news of this week, other than that is was just great, like always, preaching the gospel. Oh, and my zone has the apps and all the office elders do too, so that will be good to be able to learn more. Oh, I ran the other day, and I am sore...just to let you know. So I got the Christmas package, did you see the picture I sent? Anyways, and then I got the Chirstmas card from Amber; tell her thanks, I love the pictures. I don't know if you sent anything besides the calender, which I hope I get this next week, because we have a multi-zone conference and it is in the mission office, slash stake building, so I should be getting things then:) Oh, and I wanted to tell everyone a neat story, well kind of, because it was during my personal study. I had the wonderful opportunity to read in Alma 5, amazing! I would suggest that everyone read it. It makes you think a lot and the questions Alma writes are amazing, we need to ponder them, and I did - super amazing. Anyways, hope everyone has a wonderful week. I want you to know I love everyone very much. Mom, you are amazing and I love you very, very much! I am extremely grateful to have a wonderful mother like you.  I pray every day for you, just want you know that.  Just remember to be happy every day, love every second we have. The gospel is true, I know it with all my heart, I could never ever deny because I have felt it so strong. Jesus is the Christ and through Him we can become clean, to return to our Father. My goal lately is to make me sacrament experience more spiritual and apply the atonement more in my life, and I invite everyone to do the same. I think that is all, well all the stories I got for now. Wait, I've got one more, I was drinking a coke in the street because it was so, so hot, and then these kids came and asked for it, but the big mean Elder Grover didn't give it to them. Anyways the kids had killed like 5 little birds with this sling shot thin, even killed a hummingbird. I love you all and hope you all have a wonderful week. Don't keep the faith...share  it!:) Oh, one more thing, you can't get mad at how bad my spelling is because here in Argentina on these computers, everything is spelled wrong! I've got one more thing, my apartment is a lot better than my other one and that makes for a very happy Elder! Once again, I love you all! Tell everyone hi and that I love them, and to remember the God loves them also.

Love Elder Grover

Argentina - February 2, 2015

Hi mom,

I have been okay with the dogs mom, don't worry, they have no power over me:) The food is good, I am used to it now; everything is just about the same, bread, pasta, oil and some meat, that is pretty much all they eat here.  So everything is cooked in oil, so I am like 50 percent oil...and then add the coke in there - I am so skinny, but then I have this fat little belly...I am not that skinny, I've just lost all of my muscle.  Spanish is coming harder than I thought, I just need to start talking more. But when I talk about the gospel I feel like I know a lot, and now I know what most everyone else says, unless they use vos, but it is getting better. Tell McKady good luck in state drill.  It is weird to say this, but I miss wrestling.  I found I really love it and miss hanging out with JJ, even when he made me cry in some practices;)  Mom, you didn't tell me you got a bow - what the heck?  That is so so awesome, I am so excited!!!! Oh, speaking of hunting, tell JJ to put me in some hunts so I can get some points while I'm gone. This week we had an amazing experience that came from plans and back up plans that didn't fall through. I believe it was all due to the Lord. Contacting this week has been hard, we had a guy come and pretty much spit in our faces, yelling at us that what we are doing is of the devil that the Catholic Church is the only true church.  It was hard, and really crushed my spirit. That was how most of our contacts were going, and the people that had set plans were not there. So the Lord had mercy on us. We were down and had run through all of our plans, so we were just walking. We ended up at the far end of our area where the sewer runs to the river, we stood and looked at it for a minute and then noticed a house. I turned to Elder Buckles and said, "we should clap that house, I bet they have never talked to missionaries". So we clap the house and the lady that came out said she talked to the missionaries 9 years ago but had lost contact with them. She said that she didn't have time for a lesson right then, but wanted a Book of Mormon because in the 9 years she had lost the one the missionaries gave her. We set up a lesson for the next day, and when we went the next day, she was actually there!  We taught her and her husband the first lesson and asked them to read and pray. They wanted to have another lesson the next day so we said we would stop by,  and when we stopped by the next day they said they had read the whole first part of the Book of Mormon and prayed and felt like it was true. They came to church yesterday, and said they loved it and the people, and that they look forward to the next lesson to learn more. It was an amazing experience to find this family because they are awesome.

Mom, I want you to know that I love you, you are the best mom in the whole wide world! I love the whole family and I am so grateful for your prayers and the love and support you show me. Have a wonderful week! I love you all and I know God loves you all.

Love Elder Grover

P.S. I got the package on the 21, so here is a picture:) I love you guys very, very much - thank you, thank you!

Argentina - January 26, 2015

Wow, that is weird, it is just Jade now.. tell him sorry for me, there is something special when it is Elder Grover. Tell him to continue to put his trust in the Lord and all will turn out just perfect and fine. The church is still true and God still loves us very much. It sounds like everything is great though and that is super awesome that everyone got to be together. Tell everyone I love them, mom don't worry about the dogs because I have like this crazy super cool missionary ninja power.. it is the truth! It is crazy that all of those people are going home or will be home. I know that they are all super amazing because the missionaries that have gone home from here are super awesome. Spanish...well let's see, I think I am better than I give myself credit for... it is coming, I still have lots of room to improve, but it is coming. Like all the gospel words and terms and things I know really well and understand what is going on and being said, other things are sometimes a little difficult. I've got time to learn, before I know it I will be a little Argentine, but white. In my area most everyone is dark because most of them are from Paraguay, other parts of Argentina are more white. So anyway, life is great, tell the aunts and everyone else thanks for the oil kit it is the best. I feel like a potion master sometimes, "Elder Grover the Potion Master", ha ha! It has been really hot. Oh, cool experience, we had we were walking and I was like, I am thirsty, let's clap this house and ask them for some water.  So we did, and the man who lived there was a member that hasn't come to church for 3 years!  The spirit worked  through my thirst, but still he didn't come to church. People here just love to sleep...all the time...and people lie to us, it can be frustrating.  But then then the Pulp is from Argentina, so sometimes I feel  like Argentina is the Bible Belt of South America. I love it other than that it is so flat, I want hills or mountains or something, but it is great. Oh, I don't know if I told you this or not, but our bishop speaks English, he was born in South Africa and then moved to Paraguay. His English is British, it is so cool! But he served in Paraguay on a mission for a year and a half, then served in Chicago for 2 years, then played rugby. He is cool! Kinda crazy, the church has a lot of potential here, so we will just have to see. Anyways, tell everyone I love them and pray for them. Here is a quote that my bishop said, or told me, "Don't keep the faith, share it."

Love Elder Grover

Elder Jade Grover Returns with Honor!!!

Coming down the escalator at the Grand Junction airport

Behind every return missionary are some really amazing parents!!

Jade had a lot of fans in the stands while serving his mission, and they are so excited to welcome him home!!!

We love you Jade!!!  And are so proud of your hard work and dedication in serving the Lord for the last two years.  You are truly an inspiration to all of us.  Keep up the hard work and dedication throughout your life and there is no limit to the things you can accomplish and the lives you can touch.  Welcome Home!  And Best Wishes in all you do!

Argentina - January 19, 2015

Hola la mejor madre en el todo mundo,

That is so crazy that Jade is coming home.. seems like it was just yesterday that he left!  It's weird to think I won't be able to see him for another year and a half... but then I think him and Jesse have not seen each other for like 4 years. You will have to send me a lot of pictures, that is going to be really exciting. So I have not gotten anything yet.. we are going to have interviews this Wendesday, so when the assistants come they should be bringing the stuff if it has gotten to the mission. I guess we will just have to wait and see - I really want the calendar!!  So this week we had a baptism, a girl named Soledad Malvina Benitez, I will send a picture next week if i can.  Anyway, she is a cousin to the family Benitez family that we baptized close to a month ago.  The work is good, we found a super cool family who the parents are members and have not been active for the past 8 years, they have 7 kids. The father was crying during the closing prayer, is was super spiritual.

Elder Grover's message to the Blanding 6th Ward:

There are lots of good things that are going on here in Fermosa Argentina... well first off, this last week I got bit by a dog... just on the pants though, thank goodness it didn't get my leg!  But all is good. I am super happy. So far I have only been in one area and that is the city of Fermosa, it is located in the province of Fermosa.  We have one stake here in the province of Fermosa. In our ward we have  close to 800 members, and this last week we only had 60 people in church, which is not good at all.  So there is a lot of work to be done here, the trick is trying to balance everything out. They made a new change in the South American area where we no longer record numbers, our main goals are to baptize, retain and reactivate. So in our day to day work we try our best to do all of these. We want to baptize and find the prepared people, but also keep the recent converts going and get the inactive to start coming to church again. We are really trying to focus on the spirit and recieving the spirit in our work, because it is only by the spirit that we can do these things. I have 3 stories that fit into each of these areas, the first is that God prepares people, there was a guy who came in to the church and said I want to be baptized because I read the book of Mormon and I know it is true, 3 weeks later he was baptized!  The next is about a whole family that just got baptized, they walked 3 miles in the rain to come to church! My heart was so spiritually touched when I saw the family walk in, dripping wet. And then the last is how by the spirit me and my companion were led to this new family with 7 kids, the parents are members but have been inactive for 8 years. It was not be accident that we found them. From all of this I know the church is true. I am where I am to help the people that God wants me to help. Always remember the importance of the sacrament, to take it every week and to become closer to our Lord and Savior.

Sorry it isn't super long, and probably not very good, but I've got to go, I ran out of time. Sorry, I type slow.. Mom, I love you! Hope your week is good.  Say hi to Jade for me. I love you and pray for you all!

Love Elder Grover

Ohio - January 19, 2015

Good Morning :)

I'm doing good for the most part! It is kind of scary to think of, not knowing at all what I'm doing! But I'm excited as well, God has a Plan, i just need to be in tune enough to go with it. There is not anything I know of that I need, it just will be really good to see everyone! See you in a few days, Love you Much! 

Elder Jade Grover

Argentina - January 12, 2015

Hola mom,

Tell dad happy birthday for me, that i love him and think the world of him. That is cool that McKady got asked to prom, sounds exciting! And that is great that the drill team is doing so good. Too bad the Cowboys lost.. oh wells, they don't have to be good until I come home. But we just had some super big changes in the mission, we don't have to write down our key indicators... so we just go out and teach. It is not about the numbers anymore, so all we focus on is baptizong, retaining and talking to inactive members. This puts more responsibility on the missioonaries to be more dedicated. I like it because we get to focus more on the spirit and really do all we can to do everything through the spirit, which is the only way things really get accomplished because in our ward boundary there is like 900 members and only about 70 come to church. So it is our job to reactivate them and find more people to come unto Christ. It is a lot of work, but with the spirit I know it is possible. All things are possible through God. We have interviews with president this week, I am excited because he is great and very spiritual. So we have a girl that is really progressing, her name is Solidad, she is really quiet but she has come to church 3 times and believes the gospel is true, so it will be fun to teach her this week. Her mom has to give permission for her to be baptized so we will see. I love you all and think the world of you. Mom you are the best mom in the whole world! Whatever happens, trust in God and he will always be there to help, I promise. I love you and pray for you all.

Love Elder Grover

Ohio - January 14, 2015

Hello there,

Things are good this week, nice and busy, just the way I like it! Sorry for not emailing on Monday, this whole going home thing is kind of crazy and well, my mind has not wrapped around the idea of that yet. But yes, I received my travel plans - I actually helped with compiling them and sending them out - weird, I know! And I just got back to the office today from a trip with the housing coordinator, Elder Moring. Then I helped gather emails to send out the updated version, which is what actually was supposed to go out, so you should have that.  I guess you should be seeing me next week! 

Love Elder Jade Grover

 

P.S. If you need me to do anything let me know :)

Argentina - January 5, 2015

Hey mom,

It sounds like you have, or will have, a crazy week! I bet they had a lot of fun at the game. Wish everyone luck from me with school and all that is going on. I love you all and pray for you. It seems to be getting hotter here, snow sounds so good right now! I wish they had snow cones here, but they don't.  But it is okay because I get to preach the gospel, and that is the best - and fun and awesome and hot - but I love it. So all is good. Yeah, we have a group email with all the kids in my grade, so I get to hear stories about the other guys. We had to be in the pension at 7, 3 days this week, so work was kind of slow. But this next week will be good. Oh, and I am still in Fermosa and I have a new companion, Elder Buckles from Seattle, Washington, he is awesome and has helped me so much! He was in my district already, so we knew each other and were friends, so it was really nice and we were able to just get right to work. He has me talk in lessons, is it awesome, i love it!  I don't know how things are going to go this week, but we should have success - people just don't like to wake up... and they lie to us all the time.  But tonight we have a super good noche de hogar set up.. it is going to be amazing, we have like 5 families coming! I love you all and pray and hope for you all the time.

Love Elder Grover #5

 

P.S. I could get letters on Wendesday, so I will let you know if I get any.  I love you and wish everyone luck.  God loves you, I promise, and so do I.

Ohio - January 5, 2015

Hello Hello,

Things here are going good! And yes, I'm back down in the big city, the great old Cincinnati, Ohio! But no, it doesn't have anything to do with me being demoted or anything like that, President just knows me very well and is helping me feel like I am able to continue to accomplish things here at the end of my mission. For example, we just had that a couple come in to the office, and with the Big Age change, Rush going home, we are having to close down a lot of apartments and President is quite overwhelmed, so I am well helping him out. We cleaned and moved out of three apartments last week; I actually quite enjoyed that! I am slowly getting used to helping the Elders that I am housing with out too, ( my companions) big word, you know me and large groups of people.  I actually sat with some of their investigators while they sat across the aisle, so in other words I am slowly adjusting to some of the people! But yeah, things are good, I'm still working and doing all I can! I love you much!

Elder Jade M. Grover

Argentina - December 29, 2014

Hi mom, :)

I hope your Christmas was super, super amazing. How was it with Jordan's girlfriend? She didn't talk much, but that is okay.  It was amazing to see you all and to talk to everyone, I love you all so very much. Hey, I want to go to the fiesta bowl, that is so cool that dad and Jesse are going, tell them to send me a picture because that is cool and I would love to be there!  We have transfers this week, I guess we will see what will happen. My companion will probably go for sure becasue he has been here for 6 months, so I will tell you next week where I am. For the next 4 days we have to go to the apartment early, don't worry we will be safe and I have the Lord on my side. The work has been slow this week, all the poeple we were teaching went and visited family and it is probably going be the same this week, but it will be good, I love the work. Mom, God loves you very much, I know that!  I hope you have a wonderful new year, 2015 is going to be an amazing year, and I am going to become fluent in spanish and teach the gospel to all of Argentina! I love you, I love you all and pray for you every day.  I want to testify that God loves us, without end, he wants us to succed in this life. If we do something wrong and repent, he will forgive us, becasue he loves us. And I testify that he will comfort you if you ask. He will bear your burdens, I know this because he has helped me so much! I am so excited to help people come to feel of the Lord's love. This work is real and it is to bless and help people feel of the Savior's love and to bring peace and love. I love you all and hope the new year is the best new year ever! Happy birthday to dad and Clark, Jr.  Families are forever mom, I promise you that in heaven we will all be together. How great the plan of God is, to have us spend eternity with our families! I love you mom, and familes are forever, love you all!

Love, Elder Grover #5

 

Tell Aunt Denise thanks for the Christmas Stocking!  It was awesome to have!!!  I love Christmas and I love Christ!

Indiana - December 29, 2014

Good Morning Family!!!

I'm doing well! Christmas was awesome! I love the people in Winchester, they have taken very good care of me, it was sad to leave them again.  I'm back in Cincinnati now and will be here for the next few weeks. After that I guess I will be transferred back to Utah, not Winchester! Lots of work to do in the office so I'll be nice and busy! I don't know exactly what we will be doing for New Years, I'll probably be in the office and then be in for the rest of the evening! But yeah, I'm doing good, don't worry about me! If you need me to do anything let me know and I'll see what i can do.  Love you Much! 

Love, Elder Jade Grover