GRRREAT WEEK.....Moving Forward

Elder Jackson attends Seminary once again, now the teacher?

Sorry I am emailing on such a weird day. We can't use the Library to email on national holidays (like MLK day), and yesterday we had a multizone conference. Today we also had a worldwide missionary broadcast, and last week we had a Seventy visit, so it has been a crazy couple of weeks! 

It was really weird, I was at the mall on P-day after eating at Cheesecake Factory (Elder Cornia's parents sent gift cards!) and guess who I saw?! An old buddy from High School Swim Team! Dakota Flanagan! He's in the Marines and stationed at Camp Pendleton and is recently married! It was super cool to see him! I should have given him my email so I can keep in contact with him, but it was so sick!

I can't believe it is already week 4 of this transfer! It's flying by! Elder Cornia and I are having so much fun! I am really enjoying being with him and we work well together. We did something I've yet to do thus far on my mission: we achieved the Standard of Excellence this week! It was so great. We taught more lessons than I ever have and it was so much fun. I think the coolest were both yesterday:

1. For Multizone conference, we have car inspections. Elder Cornia and I won for cleanest car and got a $20 Taco Bell gift card. Being the health nut I am, I didn't want to eat there but felt that it would be ok. We got there and had some gourmet, artisan-crafted delicacies of the taco. As we were about to leave, a lady was like, "Oh, it's Mormons...". She had always thought we were a cult and worshiped Joseph Smith and didn't think we believed in being saved by grace...typical stuff. Anyway, we got to talking and the Spirit was really strong and by the end she was like, "I was totally wrong about you guys!" and she took a copy of the Book of Mormon. She didn't agree to meet and I don't know what will come of it, but I thought it was so amazing how the Lord really does have His hand in this work. It is amazing to be a tool in His hand, to be guided to where He wants us to go, even when we don't realize it. All we have to do is just be moving forward. The way we receive revelation is by acting; moving forward. 

2. We have been meeting with the _____ family for a while (a less-active husband and non-member wife) with no success. But last night, we shared a video called Mountains to Climb and the Spirit was so strong and they both were very touched. We should have invited them to do more (our mistake) but we did commit them to read and we are meeting with them again soon, which they are very excited about. I was just amazed that in the Lord doesn't work on our time but on His. I've been here 5 months and haven't seen anything, yet all it took was the right message at the right time to allow the Holy Ghost to really touch them. It was so cool!

3. Even though I said two, SURPRISE! There's 3. Today at the Worldwide Conference, we talked about the purpose of our work. It isn't to just get baptisms, it's to baptize converts and teach repentance. We are called as representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ to preach His Gospel to the whole world, so that the world can prepare for the Second Coming of Him. It's to allow families the opportunity to stand before God spotless and remain with Him for eternity to live. It is the most important work on the earth. We bring the Holy Ghost to them, but the Holy Ghost is the thing that does 100% of the teaching. It was also very spiritual and so uplifting. I feel reinvigorated and so ready to get back to preaching the gospel!

I also heard about this awesome website thing called Missionary Mailbag that downloads all of your mission emails and you can save them. I think I want to try it! 

I would love just simple prints (4x6) of whatever pictures! I just love pictures. The more the merrier! 

I love you so so much! Miss you tons.

With love,

Elder Jackson

Zone Conference January 2016