The Two Elder Jacksons

From Monday October 26

We have zone conferences all over the mission with different zones so mine was just this past Tuesday so I don't know if they'd be up yet. It took an hour to go 7 miles to get to ZC and we were sooo late because of traffic! I sure miss Winnemucca when in this traffic!

My ankle is doing pretty well. I am still in my boot. It is stiff and is still a little swollen, but the bruising is gone and if I wear my boot it doesn't bother me. I should get it off next Monday (the 2nd) and then will probably do some physical therapy (our Bishop is a physical therapist and said he'd do it for free!) to strengthen it again. I can't wait to run around again! I've made up for it by doing a looooott of push ups so that I don't get fat.

This week was full of so many things! We had Multizone, Elder Andrus hurt his knees and we were in for a day and a half, and we had our ward's Trunk or Treat party! They were all (besides Elder Andrus' injured knees) great experiences and I am grateful to have been able to go to them. I learned a lot at Multizone and can't wait for another.

The Elders Jackson and Jackson at Trunk or Treat
(he was me as his costume).

1 Samuel 16:7 was my scripture this week. It talks about how God calls those he chooses. I thought it was a great scripture. I have also been learning a lot about John the Baptist and I thought it was amazing to realize that he was a prophet involved in three dispensations: the last Old Testament prophet, the first New Testament prophet, and the prophet that restored the same priesthood power that he used to baptize Jesus to Joseph Smith in this current dispensation during the Restoration of Christ's gospel. I thought that was amazing!

My Halloween costume keeps me safe in this hood!

I've come to realize that every preconceived notion I had about California before I came here was 100% accurate. This land is filled with some real nuts but I am glad to be here and teaching the gospel. This work is amazing and I love it a lot!

1. There was a super chollo riding around on what I deemed a "chollo-cicleta" (bicicleta is Spanish for bike), blasting this weird Mexican R&B/Funk/Pink Floyd type stuff. #OnlyInCali

2. There was a perfectly good car parked on a perfectly good porch. Why not? #OnlyInCali

There's a book you NEED to get mom. It's called "He Walked the Americas" by L. Taylor Hansen. It's a nonmember who did a lot of archaeology in South America and, with the evidence from all the different native tribes' historical artifacts and cultural stories and such, came to the conclusion that Jesus came to the Americas. It's an older book but a member showed it to us at dinner and I was amazed! So if you can get a copy or two, do it! I really want to read it when I get off my mission! 

The best costume award goes to our Elder's Quorum Pres. and his son
as Calvin and Hobbes!