Greetings from Santiago!!!!
The sector is doing really well. We are changing a lot of things. In the beginning of this change, we had a ton of people to teach...like twenty, but we realized that the people that we have been teaching really were not progressing. So we had to make the most difficult decision and stop teaching several people...until we had about three people remaining.
In the beginning, this was really hard for me personally. I have been here for almost five months working with these people, building relationships with them, seeing them grow. But somewhere along the line they hit a wall....and stopped progressing. President Cook said in his letter to us a few weeks ago that when we leave people that aren`t progressing, we are acting on our faith in the Lord and his timing. We have to realize that this is HIS TIME...and not ours. I always think about my conversion story. From the beginning, it took about six year until my baptism. I had three baptism dates, but I wasn`t really ready until my last date. The Lord hadn't quite prepared me to the point that I needed to be. I know that it is the same for these people.
As missionaries, we want them to act on these things immediately. But, we have to realize that this isn`t our time, it is the Lord`s. In his time, he will gather them for his kingdom...when they`re ready...when they`re prepared. Then we will see miracles happen in their lives like I have seen miracles in mine.
I`ve hit another milestone on my mission. I`ve gotten to the point that I don`t dream about people or thing back home. I dream about the people here. The people in my dreams are the people that we are teaching. I think that is just about a sure sign that I am immersed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I don`t have a message really for this week, but I want all of you to think about these things. Think about your faith....where are you? Are you depending in yourself? Your own plans? Your own strength? I promise you...that if you do this...you will fall. You will realize, at some point in your life, that you NEED something more...someone better to help you. This person is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is ALWAYS here to help us.
(Luke 18: 8-14)
If the Savior visited a church meeting and heard the person say the opening prayer like this, "Thank you Lord that we are not like the other churches...that we follow thy commandments closer. I have fasted twice this week. I shared the gospel with 3 people this week. Thank you for my success in the gospel."
Then he hears another person pray like this, "Lord, I`m sorry for where I have failed you. I drank this week. I cussed at work. I had angry thoughts in the car driving to work in traffic this week. I`m sorry for being disobedient. Please help me to be better and forgive me for my shortcomings."
Can you see the difference? Instead of hiding from our difficulties and problems, if we will trust in the Lord and his promise to us...to help us be better, YOU WILL SUCCEED. You will understand life better, and you will be received into the Kingdom of God in the Last Day.
I invite all of you to think hard about this...about which person you are. If there is something that you need to change..do it. Don`t wait. Put your faith in the Lord, and be happy. I give my testimony that I know that these things are true. That faith is the cornerstone of the gospel of Jesus Christ. That if we practice faith then all of us will understand better who our Heavenly Father is. And, when we understand who He is, we will in turn understand ourselves more, and our purpose here on this earth. Thank you all for your continued prayers!!
Con amor,
Elder Jackson
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