Still Gimpin' Around

Here's me finding out I have to wear the
boot for 5 more weeks last Monday.

I am starting to get bummed about just how long this whole ankle-healing ordeal is taking. I tried playing Ultimate Frisbee today with all the other missionaries in the stake and needless to say, running in a knee-length boot is nigh impossible! It's more of an awkward speed-walk, but it's alright because I still scored twice! I think my new nickname will be Usain Boot. I am really hoping though that I can start physical therapy soon so I can get back to running around! I obviously will have to take it easy for the next few months until it fully heals (I heard it takes 6 months to a year! ), but still, I feel like lard just gimping along.

I'm glad your stake conf. was so good! We had a great one too! It was so weird though to have a stake conf. with 36 missionaries and a mission president and his wife in attendance! I've never seen that before! It amazes me just how densely populated with missionaries this area is! Our mission president committed the whole stake to help us as missionaries with missionary work! He told them just how important it is to help us if we want this work to go forward. It was awesome! He actually had everyone who was willing to help raise their hand so we could see who to talk to afterward haha. Our 36 year old stake president also told us that we need to prepare, just in case something happens! Scary eh!? Our mission has been building up food storage in each apartment for a month or so now. We also have had a big push to get more family history work and temple work done! It' s amazing the blessings that come from doing the selfless service of providing those who have passed on the essential ordinances, such as baptism, which they cannot do for themselves. It helps them and it helps us! We've been challenging each member of every family we eat with to prepare and find two names to take to the temple by Christmas. Think about if everyone in the stake did that! That'd be 3600 deceased baptized! Wow!

We were excited to be out of the mission
(for my appointment) in Redlands
(that's Jers Teichert's mission!)

This week has been really good! We are finally starting to see some success and it has been such a great feeling to have the Lord bless us with it after we have seen so little. We have always worked hard and yet seemed to not see the work of Salvation moving really anywhere. Both Elder Andrus and I have become discouraged many times at the lack of good numbers in this area, but we always had to remember two important things: 1) This is the Lord's work and His ways are much higher and supreme to our ways, so just because we aren't seeing success in an outward physical manifestation does not mean that things are not happening. We need to continue working in a manner that He would have us do by following the direction and direction of the Spirit. 2) A missionary's success is not measured by Key Indicators. Sure, we are far from perfect missionaries, but I think Elder Andrus and I work very hard and are obedient. We don't need to let bad numbers get to us. In fact, becoming discouraged decreases our faith and will make us less effective as a companionship. That being said, we have seen some great things happening! Our numbers have been waxing larger and for the first time we have not only one person on date for baptism, but two! Nothing is more fulfilling than seeing someone take steps toward the Savior and preparing to enter into the waters of baptism to make the covenant to follow Him for the rest of their life. It is amazing! 

Matthew 20:26-28 really stuck out to me this week. I loved how it said that the Savior, the Greatest of all, came here to earth only to serve others. If we really want to be a follower of Christ, we need to do as He does, and "give [our] life a ransom for many" in the sense that we are willing to give up our possessions and talents to help others and serve them. The more Christlike we become, the more we will serve others, rather than bask in our own righteousness. I thought this tied in quite well with Luke 12:15. It's amazing how much charity is stressed throughout the scriptures! It is awesome.

Love you lots,

Elder Jackson :)

AND: Ah I'm so happy for the two of them! That is so great! (Brandon & Sierra)