happy holidays

Merry Christmas all! here's my tacky photo of my dog to warm everyone's heart from here to idaho!

hope this season is full of snow, not rain, and family fun! love you all!

-jeorge & bear

you can leave the mission, but you can never leave the field

well for those that haven't heard from my mother or my best friends or my great aunt twice removed- i'm home after serving a mission for about 34 days (most in the mtc). before i explain why i'm here writing this instead of knocking doors in Hawaii, i would like to make sure that for anyone that reads this (the five followers, holla) that they know that i have a testimony and that i in NO WAY think less of missionary work or the gospel. in fact i have found my testimony has grown immensely and i've really understood the importance in the gospel in my life and the importance of it being in other's lives! the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is true and the Atonement of Jesus Christ is in everything and should be. every time my sister throws a pillow at me whether she's mad or messing with me, each hug my 13 year old brother gives me and makes me feel like a midget and every pick-me-up i was given from our Heavenly Father when i didn't think i was strong enough.

but these are also the reasons why i wasn't able to find the strength to function in the mission field. i've never realized how close i am to my family and how much we rely on each other for all that we do. which i believe is the greatest blessing that i have been given. my family is my rock and i love them so much. and as embarrassing as returning from a mission (especially this early) is, i am grateful every minute that i'm home and that i'm with them. my mom likes to compare me to a way sweet high tech cordless home phone. does really well close to home, but once i get to a certain distance i don't really work. i love this but i definitely don't think that it will always apply... hopefully. ha ha!

my baby mission was amazing. it wasn't anywhere as amazing as full time missions, i'm sure, but to me it was. the things i learned and the growth that i made is something i will use for the rest of my life and i will never ever regret those days. i loved the mtc. loved it. i had amazing teachers, fellow district pals, and the girls in my district made life so much fun, we were birds of a feather! but i'm most grateful for how much i fell in love with scriptures and was able to understand them and be able to apply them. i will never stop growing with them!

my companion in the mtc was Sister Blackburn from Iowa and she is easily the greatest person i know. and i know some pretty sweet people. she taught me so much, and always put up with my crazy forgetful personality. i'm excited to spend more time with her in future.



when i got to Hawaii i was in awe of its beauty and was on cloud nine because the sun just made everything so much the better. i was assigned to the Hon-West area, i covered two wards, the Aliamanu and Halawa wards.


Aliamanu was a very poor area. extremely diverse extended families were living in small homes and were sectioning them off for each family so there would be about 25 people per home. it was hard to know how to help them without just giving them all we had but it made for the warmest, most humble, amazing people.










Halawa covered Ford Island, Hickam Airforce Base and the memorial areas. it was basically Pearl Harbor and was rich with American spirit. it was a difficult area because we weren't allowed to proselyte in almost the whole area because it was military housing. my favorite part of Halawa was that it was full of strong saints that had moved all over the world and had never let their faith slide. and had the most inspiring stories.














my companion was Sister Hauata from Tahiti, she spoke Tahitian, French and pretty good English. and was the bomb.com. she was so crazy and fun i loved her so much. and i still find myself quoting her or thinking i wish Sister Hauata was here she'd think this was hilarious. she helped me so much and never lost patience with me, even when i couldn't find any for myself. she was the greatest blessing on my mission and i will always be in contact with her. and fun fact, she told me i was the most Polynesian companion she'd had, and no she hadn't had any Polynesian companions, but i was the most either way! and i asked her why and she said because i tweeze my eyebrows in front of her... yeah didn't ask her to explain any further that's all i needed! ha ha ha Sister Hauata taught me to find the Spirit in everything and to recognize it and show respect for the gift that it is. i will never forget that.


i was so blessed to have such amazing people around me in the mission field and to have a wonderful President. when he was driving me to the airport i told him, this mission has been like winning first place in a marathon that i'd been training for for a long time, and when being handed the gold medal just giving it back because it made me sick when i wore it. i am so grateful for this last month, and i'm so grateful that i'm home now. i know that there are people that are disappointed, but no one will ever be as disappointed as i am that i couldn't make it through the emotional, mental and physical illness that i struggled with.

so now i've come home with a desire to continue serving, within my ward, at the temple, anywhere anyone will take me. so if you're reading this and you know someone that needs someone to help paint their fence or carry something or just anything let me know!
i know that this Church is true, and that through it we are able to be with our families forever, we are able to have guidance from our Heavenly Father through the Holy Ghost and we are able to know the fullness of Christ's Church and are able to use his Atonement to its fullest. I know that President Monson is a true Prophet and that he is guided by our loving Heavenly Father, and that he knows what's best for us. and i know that Joseph Smith restored the gospel back to this Earth, how grateful i am for him! i love this gospel and i will always have the desire to share it with all who will hear it! its now time to move forward!

"you can leave the mission but you can NEVER leave the field! its always white and ready to harvest!"

ps Merry Christmas! love you all!

Forgot to add the pictures!

Loving Missionary Work Not the MTC!!!

I am always surprised when I am able to get onto this blog to update all three of the people that are reading about Jordie and her mission experience thus far.
Things have changed immensely after dropping her off, I am sure that you MM (that is shorthand for mission mom) knew that and were not worried that she would be ok, but for about 6 1/2 days I was pretty sure that I was going to have to go down to the MTC and demand to see my child. T.J. is a man and he did not show any of that kind of emotion and I had no idea if he was suffering because he did not say anything about it, he didn't even send us a letter on the first night like he was supposed to :)
The letter that we received on Wednesday (P-day) was so encouraging that I decided to let her stay there and keep on serving and we have received a few other messages that she is still progressing. A few excerpts and shout outs follow:
Jordies companion is Sister Blackburn, she is from Iowa and she is going to Everett, Washington. FYI all of Jordies district is going to Everett. She has loved Sister Blackburn, I think she helped Jordie understand how blessed she is and how much support she has.
Jordie's new motto is: I can do hard things!

Hey a couple of things, one I am definitely going on a mission now!!! I am happy! I am going on a mission "fo sho". I just need to get through this cause the MTC stinks, literally! I know that what I am doing is right and I am happy.
I wanted to bare my testimony to you cuz I have not done that yet. Fam, I know the church is true , I know that God is our creator and gave us all we have! just look outside at the peaceful, yet cold weather he's such an artist. I know that Christ is my brother, my redeemer and suffered for all that we have to go through and I know that he's been with me through every hard moment, I have had of missing you. I love him so much and I feel the Holy Ghost whenever I struggle and am so grateful for his loving arms. I know that the Book of Mormon is true! I love finally coming to know it and understand it. Missionary work is wonderful and inspired work! And I am so grateful to be in it! I love you my family and friends and I'm so grateful for all you do for me and for the church. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
OK a few shout outs:
Will you just tell Colby, Annette, Gary, Allie, Nate, Lisa, Liyah and Mads thanks to high heavens! And that I fully intend to write them back but they time my showers, not really, JK, they should so that I'd know when I am losing seconds to the minutes "I'm allowed".
Tell gram that I love her so much! You're so tech savvy! Keep it up! I love hearing from you thanks for your words of advice I love you. So glad you were able to do everything with me and I love you more than you will ever know. Thanks!
Tell dad I went to the temple today and I literally felt Grandma Louise with me through the whole thing! she says she loves him! And I say ditto! ha, ha! (inside joke Brad always says ditto to sappy love stuff)
Please tell Amy (Jordies trainer) the food here is good a little too good, I am having soup and salad for lunch and dinner. I am eating oatmeal for breakfast make sure Amy knows this and that my eating and work out habits are good I ran an 8 minute mile this morning. Tell Amy I love her!
Madi-I Loved !Loved! the note, thanks sweetie "you're da bestest"!
Faith guess what? I'm in Provo so I can't send you pics of Hawaii! Ha Ha! But loved the note. I miss you, I'm going to look at the note to remind myself that I am going to see you in a short eighteen months.
Colby! I'm taking your insights to heart, NOT! But kinda I'm eatin up the MTC, not though and I loved the letter. I hope I see you but also hope I don't, so I won't hug you, haha! Love you so much! Also no way on that one topic :)!
Annette and Gary----
THANK YOU for the words of advice! Netty (I bet Jordie is the only one that gets to call her that) loved the story, you know the secret one! It killed me! I love you guys so much and really, really want to write you, but I'm afraid they are timing our bathroom breaks! I love you both, tons!
Lisa-Good Gracious, I love that you wrote! Thank you! I'm Happy now that I figured out my purpose, keep truckin sista!
Liyah-thanks baby cakes! I'll look for those Hawaiian foods that you mentioned, I love you kiddo, please take care of my girl for me! Love you sis.
-oh wait- new joke when we can't find our way around, we just say "you know the building with the stairs and the picture of Christ" haha! don't get it? All the buildings fit that description.
I'm sure that she has received lots more encouraging words and I will update soon, (if I remember how). Gotta stop now cuz I am running out of exclamation points!!! :) Each letter that we get seems to be better and better, our family is really feeling the blessings that come from having two missionaries in the field. Wow, the new joke around our house is "what is the difference between an Elder and a Sister Missionary? About Eleventy thousand words!

There is only one word for our experience yesterday, EPIC, we went from loving life and wanting to go out and serve, to really second guessing the decision to go. It was so tough to leave Jordie at the curb, she looked like a little lost puppy. We are, of course, still waiting to see how she is doing, I am going to assume that she is rockin' it like she does everything else and I will keep everyone posted. I guess it is my job to keep this blog going so wish me luck I am not at all blog savvy! Jamie

well i'm off! i leave wednesday afternoon for happy valley. to spend the next three weeks in the provo MTC, then on to hawaii! yeah baby! just wanted everyone who follows my blog, i know hoards of people, that my mom is now in charge and will be updating it throughout my mission with pictures and letters! so if she has questions don't be bugged if she calls anyone that i'm friends with! love you all! see you in eighteen months! the Church is true! -Sister Jordie Rohwer

yellowstone was lookin more greenstone... not complaining!

the fam just got back from easily one of our funnest family road trips.
so thanks mom and dad! we love you!we started in island park, where we...went horseback riding.matching ghettos.... they're both so cutesometimes faith resembles horses.we hung out with adorable parents, who were constantly giving away where we were from.i tried to take dips in the water, way too cold!stared at beautiful water and took lots of photos of ittraveled to john sack's house, no jokewent canoeing...with the siblings. saw lots of birds, which i of course made me a little uneasy, especially this one, it got too close.beat the brothers at a canoeing race, yeah!decided that pelicans really aren't as bad as other birds. the pelicans flew at us and went right above us and it was probably one of the neatest things that's ever happened to me. it was so beautiful.some of us weren't always happy to be there. yellowstone's skies are the best!my dad is the coolest tight rope walker on the planet!my talented siblings showin their stuff.saw some pretty sweet views.and had a blast! enjoyed every minute, even when i was car sick! (not pictured but was there in spirit, thomas james grady, my older brother who is kicking washington dc's pants on a mission!)
-jeorge

here goes gang...

all my adorable married friends (and ali...which will be soon, i'm sure) have been pestering me to start a blog, and facebook is getting kinda old so here we go!
hope it doesn't disappoint, but bare with me, i'm still learning ya'll!



so i'll start it off with a things that make me, me list.



-green laffy taffy, i will always eat green laffy taffies



-the Church, as in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (fyi), it embodies everything i do all my interests, the things i choose to be and love. i wouldn't be anything close to what i am now with out the Church. the Church is true!



-biting my lip, i bite my lips when i'm thinking, so when i'm not talking...



-harry potter, its very possible that jk rowling has been the instigator to eighty percent of my imagination, dreams and happy places



-my mom, well duh! she's the greatest woman who has ever walked the earth, seriously i fully believe that. love her so so so so so much!



-the smell of oil paints, i honestly don't think i would paint if the smell didn't come along with it. i wonder if they make a perfume of it...



-taking a huge, deep breath in stressful or frustrating situations instead of explaining why i'm stressed or frustrated. you know what's funny i've noticed lately that both my parents do that too, i wonder who started it, probably me.



-my friends, i have been insanely blessed with friends who are constantly supporting me and helping see things in perspective. that's you peter and ambs!



-the fact that my family is an outfit a really crazy four year old girl would pick out. we mix and match at the same time and i love every bit of it!



-music, i also owe avril lavigne (don't judge, she's got talent) and a million other musicians for making me the happiest girl in the world! that's why i named my adorable little blog after one of her songs



those are just a few things, if i think of any others i'll let you know.
one last thing, to anyone who reads this or knows me or has impacted me by just saying hi. thank you! i love you all for the examples and kindness you've shown me
-jeorge