Week #53 Starting to Train

This week has been really weird!  I was in a trio (with two companions) until Tuesday when we had changes.  Elder Dueñas had changes, so we saw him off to a new area.  He was a bit sad, but its a part of the mission.  I think he was just sad because he had just gotten to know the people well and then he had to leave them.  I do understand those feelings..it`s the same thing that happened to me when I served in Gran Avenida.  It was tough to see a good friend go, but the Lord needs him in another part of the vineyard.  :)  

So I guess the news is that I got called to be a trainer this week.  I got my new companion yesterday.  His name is Elder Sacero.  He is from Spring, Texas. (Kind of cool that we both lived in Texas)  His parents are from Guatamala and Honduras.  He is 19 years old, full of energy, and just a blast to work with!  I can already tell that he will be a powerful missionary.  He has the desire to "treasure up the words of God."  He is earnestly seeking to better himself.  He is humble, admits his weaknesses, and seeks counsel.  I don`t know what more I could ask for in a companion!  :D  This morning, he even got up with me an hour early to do morning workouts, clean, and so that we could both study a little bit extra together.  I pray that I will be able to help him obtain the tools that Heavenly Father needs him to have to do His will.  

More than anything this week, I have learned thatthe way to grow, is to put others in front of needs and desires.  To put the well being of others above that of your own.  I understand a little bit better what it means in the scriptures when it says, "he that findeth his life shall lose it;and he that loses his life for mine sake shall find it."  We truly have to lose ourselves in the work.  We have to put the needs of the Lord above our own desires,fears, and doubts.  That is something that we ALL have to do.  Now that I understand better how to do that, I will do everything I can to make it happen "for nothing is impossible with God."

I love the gospel.  I love the little messages of the spirit that are learned if we will listen.  I invite each of you to do exactly this.  Find the will of God at this point in your life, and then, do it.  I testify that if you do, your life and the lives of your loved ones will be blessed beyond your comprehension.  

Con Amor,

Elder Jackson

Week #52 It is his year mark!!!!

This week was a little difficult.  Ya my dear Elder Miller went back home. We kept on working right up until the end.  We continued learning from each other, right until the end.  I am very grateful for the things that he taught me, the experiences we were able to share, and for the spirit that was felt.  I can`t wait to hang out with him at BYU!  :)

Also,  my dear friend Elder Cabrera went home.  My Poolcito!  haha  He is a great friend of mine.  I will always remember the nights we spent up just talking about life...our aspirations, our goals, our lives, and most of all, our God.  I am certain that I will be getting into contact with him very soon after the mission to plan a trip down to Manchu Pichu and Pisco!  :)

To kinda catch things up, I am now in a trio with Elders Dueñas and Hawkins for a week.  I am going to be with them until we have changes next Tuesday.  It is pretty weird to only have three elders in the house, but it`s a lot more tranquillo.  It is easier to focus.  I am leaving every day with members of the ward so that my sector doesn`t  die...so I can continue to teach my people.  It should is fun.  Today,  I went to play soccer with about fifteen other missionaries from the zone.  ;)  We played soccer and had a barbecue at one of the chapels.  It was super fun.  I`ll have some new pics next week...I don`t have my camera right now.  

So I learned something that I feel is very important this week.  I honestly got really sad when I got back to the house when we dropped off Elder Miller.  I cried a little while I finished cleaning up his stuff, changing my bed to the bottom bunk, and just getting everything back into order there.  I was sad because he really helped me to see my weaknesses and he helped me to know how to overcome/better them.  I felt that now, I was alone in that fight...that I was alone.    As I continued cleaning, I had an epiphany.  I thought to myself, "You know what Elder Jackson, this is dumb.  It`s dumb to be sad about this...IT IS A GLORIOUS THING TO SEE A YOUNG MISSIONARY COMPLETE HIS SERVICE TO THE LORD.  If you just get sad, it`ll take away from the sacredness of this moment.  Also,  it`s not what he would want, so stop." In that moment, I began to think of all of the special moments I had with both of them.  Of all of the things that they both taught me about life, the gospel, and myself.  I came to the realization that it was actually very simple what I had to do at this point.  I have to remember the miracles we saw, treasure their teachings and counsels, and apply it to the rest of my mission and my life.  If I do that, this sacred experience not only won`t be in vain, but that it will actually be to MY advantage in the future and that, as a byproduct of my future success, it will play a role in the success of many others in the future.  WHAT MORE COULD I WANT!? 

I testify to each and every one of you that this gospel is true.  It is the gospel that changes us, not ourselves.  It is when we put ourselves in circumstances to grow that the spirit guides us.  It is when we fall, that we succeed.  It is in our growth, that our Heavenly Father finds joy in us.  This is the road to happiness.  This is the road to peace.  This is the road to eternal glory and exaltation.  

Con Amor,

Elder Jackson 

Week #50 Emotions Overflowing

This week has absolutely just flown by!  It has been filled with flowing emotions for me.  Elder Soulier went home on Monday.  Elder Miller and Elder Cabrera are going home this coming Monday.  I complete a year in Chile today.  It is really a surreal moment for me.  Three of my four comps are going home right now.  I have an arsenal of feelings for all of them, but more than anything...I am just so thankful humbled by the opportunity I have had to serve with each and every one of them.  I have learned so much about my Heavenly Father and myself from each one of them.  They have all taught me very distinct things.  I cannot wait to see the miracles that they are a part of in their lives.  :)

Having a year in the mission now is very weird.  I feel that I have been here for four months..that each sector has been a month, but here I am...one year.  But, I also feel that I have come a very long way.  I have progressed in my personal conversion in so many ways I could never even of thought of.  I have come to a better understanding of who my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are and what they expect from me.  I understand their role in my life...and what I must do so that their efforts are not in vain.  I am very grateful for the opportunity that I have had to serve the Chilean people.  To serve with them, to rejoice with them, to understand them,  and most of all to love them.  

I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for my mission call.  I have come to the realization that there IS NO OTHER MISSION I COULD HAVE BEEN CALLED TO!.  This mission is literally perfect for me.  I can`t imagine this time anywhere else.  I still have a long way to go, but I`m well on my way to being the man Heavenly Father wants and expects me to be.  I find happiness in the scriptures, I find comfort in the scriptures, and I find answers to all of life's problems in the scriptures.   I so love assisting others in getting to know Heavenly Father better and progressing spiritually, mentally and seeing them happy through the  gospel of Jesus Christ.  

I really am at a loss for words.  Words can`t describe my feelings.

I am a disciple of Christ.  I am called to preach repentance unto the world.  I pray that my Heavenly Father would give me the strength to always remain humbly.  And to remain proud of this fact, to maintain the vibrance to share it with courage, the diligence to stay loyal to this call for the rest of my life, the optomism to put my faith in His will always in my life first, and the faith to doubt my doubts before I doubt the miracles of my God.  

I love the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I love our God.  I find happiness in things of righteousness.  This is who I am. I pray that each of you could come to desire this state of serenity as well and that you would take appropriate actions to achieve it.  This is my humble prayer, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Con Amor,

Elder Joseph Nathaniel Jackson

Week #49 Miracles

This week was super great!  The work is starting to pick up a little bit here.  We are finding some new people to teach.  Lots of walking.  haha.  We are also beginning to find more service, which is super cool for me because I love it.  There really is no better way to share the love of the Savior than to serve others humbly without expecting something in return. I am finding more out about myself now.  Who I want to be, who I don`t want to be, and how to achieve my desires.  I LOVE THE SCRIPTURES!  I love studying them, praying about them, and receiving answers from them.  I have such a testimony about studying the scriptures.  If you aren`t studying them, I invite you to start now.  

We celebrated Peruvian Independence Day at the church with The Chavez and Cruzado family.  :)  We ate a bunch of Peruvian food.  It`s literally amazing.  haha.  I ate pizza like four times this week...first time in my mission. haha  We kinda went crazy.  

I would like to share a miracle from the last seven or so months.  

About seven months ago, at about 9:45 at night, Elder Soulier and I were walking to pick something up from Ivan`s house...I think it was some food or something they had made for us.  We were walking by a park and out of nowhere we hear "HEY GRENGOS!"  There was somebody yelling at us in English.  We like messing with people who do that, so we went and talked to them.  It turned out to be two young twin sisters and the boyfriend of one of them.  We talked to them for a couple of minutes, explained what we do, got to know them, and set up a time to go visit them.  We began teaching the sisters.  Their names are Janis and Jailyn.  

After a month or so, Jailyn decided not to listen anymore.  It was a hard blow, but we continued with Janis.  After Elder Soulier left, Elder Cabrera and I continued teaching her.  It was a little tough, but she was progressing slowly.  She started assisting the church every Sunday for like my last month in Ducaud.  We had set a date to be baptized for her.  Then Elder Cabrera and I both we transferred.  She made me promise to her that I would return to baptize her, so I did.  I found out about two weeks ago, that she hadn`t missed a Sunday and that her date was still set.  I got into contact with her and she told me that she still wanted me to baptize her!  I was super excited because I hadn`t heard anything about her since leaving.  

This Sunday, Elder Soulier and I took a trip down to Ducaud to see this amazing young woman baptized.  I had to honor and privilege to baptize her.  It was one of the most special moments for me on my mission.  The gratitude that I felt in seeing her dressed in white, dedicating her life to serving the Lord.  I, for a brief moment, got a glimpse of how our Father in Heaven feels when we make those steps towards him in righteousness   It`s unexplainable.  I`m just so happy to see her happy and to have been a part of this process from the beginning.  

I testify that the Savior lives.  That the gospel works miracles.  That the gospel changes you.  I don`t know what I would do without these miracles in my life.  I just want to invite everyone of you to never give up.  Even if the odds are against you and your cause...NEVER GIVE UP...NEVER GIVE IN....ONLY BELIEVE.  

Con Amor,

Elder Jackson

 I know our Savior Lives!!

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