Sea Urchin for Dinner

This week was another great one. Life as a missionary is always the best. It admittedly was a little slower than we would've liked, but we will do better this week and we were still able to see the Lord's hand a lot while we were laboring. 

Elder Jackson with President and Sister Mullen

I've really come to enjoy calling people to repentance. I've become a lot more comfortable with doing it and being bold, but making sure that people know that I am doing it for their own good, not just to rebuke them or make them feel low. I enjoy it because I feel so much more like I am fulfilling my calling that I have been given and am doing the same thing that the prophets, or even the Savior would've done. I am inviting others to leave the things behind that are holding them back, and that feels good. One such instance was an inebriated man at a gas station who asked us if we could give him a ride back home. I apologized and said that we weren't allowed to since it wasn't our car. I then told him that there was no happiness in the can of alcohol he was holding and that he were better off drinking water. I invited him to stop drinking and change. He said thank you and gave me a hug (that's the closest to alcohol I've been on my mission!). I don't know what happened to him after that, but at least he was given the invitation to come a little closer to Christ.

I also learned that no prompting is too small. I was on exchanges with Elder Dew and we were out seeking with faith. We saw a car filled with teenagers parked. The smell of a certain unnamed plant emanated from the van like a fog. We waved to the occupants of the van and they waved back. I felt that we should go talk to them, but brushed it off because of the activity that they were involved in and because all of the windows were rolled up and hazy. We kept walking. A few moments later a girl hopped out and asked if we were "God-people". We answered to the affirmative. She said that she was really struggling and that a friend of hers, a 17-year-old girl, had just been shot and killed in a gang-type confrontation just down that street a few nights prior. She really wanted to come closer to God. We testified of the healing powers that Christ had for her and she agreed to meet with the missionaries and to come to church. It was incredible. As we walked away, I remarked that I was ashamed that I had ignored the prompting and Elder Dew mentioned that he had had the same prompting and likewise ignored it. I think it is incredible that we both experienced the same thing. It goes to show that the Lord really does guide this work and that we must do all we can to follow His will for us so we can help His children. I must do better at following the promptings I am given. I will do so.

As far as the eating of the raw fish, it went alright! I also ate raw sea urchin. I don't think I'll do that one again if I can at all avoid it. It wasn't awful though. But I did eat something this past week that caused me gastrointestinal distress, as dad calls it. I was kind of out if it for most of that day and just stayed in and slept it off. I'm all good to go now though!

The work is going alright! We need to pick some things up but once we do there will be many more baptisms! I have total confidence. 

It was really cool to be able to go and see Norma Alvarado get baptized yesterday! I was able to see all of my old favorite members from the Jurupa ward and see some of the cool missionaries! That ward feels like home. It was so great to be back! That place is heaven!

I was thinking, what if we do some of my class registration when I skype home for Mother's Day? Or would you prefer not to? I understand either way!

I love you to the moon and back! You are the best!! Have the best week ever :)

Love,

Your Elder Jackson