Sept 30, 2013

Dear Family,
I love being on a mission. I am learning so much. You have so many experiences out here that you could not have anywhere else! Transfers are comeing up next week so we will see what happens. I am interesting in how everyone is doing. I love to get pictures as well. I hope you are all doing well! have a good week. I love you all.
Elder Jolley

Sept 23, 2013

Sorry I was unable to email last week! Hopefully you all didn't get too worried, all is well. Again thank you so much for the pictures, I love getting those. This week has been a good one. It's been a week full of finding and I'll tell you about a few interesting people we ran into. Well first off there was a lady at church last week that was very interesting. After sacrament meeting we walk out and there is a homeless lady on the couch. The first councilor tried talking with her but she wouldn't give him her name and wouldn't talk to him at all so we decided to try and talk with her. She was wearing a sweatshirt as her pants. I felt bad. She also had the weird contacts in that made her have all white eyes except her pupils. She was kinda scaring the kids. But we started talking to her but she wouldn't talk to us either really. So invited her to class and convinced her to come in. That was good, she actually started to participate a little, her questions were a little off though. It was going well untill we read a passage of scripture and she interpreted it to mean that she wasn't going to heaven? So the teacher tried to tell her otherwise and talk it out but then she lost it and started talking loudly/at times yelling kind of about her life. She had a pretty rough life. She talked about her Dad dieing and she still had his obituary in her backpack, and her family ex husband... ect a lot of bad stuff and then just got up and walked out. So we obviously got up and followed her out and ended up talking with her for another hour or so about all of that and trying to help her. But she was not all mentally there, it was a tough situation but she ended up saying "I am going to get up and go to the bathroom and wipe away these tears and then I am going to leave." So that is what she did. After she was gone there was another bishop that came out of his office and we talked to him about her and she had actually been to their ward for about the past month and he was also the agent bishop. They had talked to her a lot to and she is just not mentally stable. It is tough to see people in that kind of situation and try to help them but there is no way to. All you can do is your best. There are A TON of different ethnicities  here too. I think I have talked with people from every area of the world. This week we have talked with quite a few Indian Seiks. We also talked with a 10 year free mason and we are very excited to go back and teach him again. It is just a melting pot of everything out here. A lot of great learning opportunities. But you are able to see what types of people are nicer and who will actually talk with you. It is funny how different people react and how you have to work with and handle people differently. I hope all is well at home! Tomorrow I will have been out for 7 months, it is flying too fast! Have a good week! Love you all!
Love,
Elder Jolley

Sept 9, 2013

It is so good to hear from you. That is so crazy that you know the Varney family! Were me and Elder Varney (Spencer is his brother, he is Jared. He was one of the twins) were we good buds in Nursery? Because we are now! haha He is a really good companion to have. It is crazy that we are not only in the same mission but companions now! If we would have stayed in Georgia we would have grown up being good pals probably.

That is fun that the family all talked in church. I bet it was a really good meeting. I have such an awesome family! I love you all! That is really neat that there were three Authorities that came and Dad had a meeting with them and Jessica could go to the fireside too. That is really neat. Why did they come down? That is unusual to have 3 of them! Is there crazy things happening there too? Or were they there for the temple possibly?!?! Is there any news on it?

I love being a missionary and I love learning! I miss you all but we will have plenty of time together eventually ;) Thank you so much for being an awesome family and supporting me. Thank you for the letters from everybody as well, sorry I don't have time to respond to them all but I read them all and love them. They keep me going some days. Especially you Mom and Dad though, you are amazing parents and I appreciate everything you do for me. I love you!
Elder Jolley

Sept 2, 2013

Dear Family,
The transfer has gone very well so far, I really like my new area and companion. Speaking of, I need to ask before I forget. In Georgia did you know a Varney family in the ward? Elder Varney is my companion and he is from Snellville and growing up his bishop was Scott Johnson and now his stake president is President Johnson as well. He thinks that we had to have been in the same ward! It is a small world! He is an awesome Elder, I am very glad to have him as a companion.

We have already been able to do good work. The district is awesome as well, they are going to make my job easy. There are 8 of us total, 4 elders and 4 sisters. The ward is good as well, it is an older ward but a good one.

Elder Varney just got out of training but you would never guess it, he is really good. We share an apartment with 2 Spanish elders who are 1.5 months and 3 months old so our little apartment is fresh missionaries.

The people are a lot different here, it is funny seeing how religious choices, dedication, pride, and curiosity changes due to peoples circumstances. I am excited to get to work here as well.

Thank you for all the pictures and hearing the updates of everybody. When I get home I have to go around and visit everyone! They are all growing up and getting big and I am missing it all! So I will make a world travel trip. Are there any updates of the Cedar Temple? That is going to be so nice. Glad to hear all is well! I love you all! Have a good week!
Elder Jolley