March 5, 2016

Hey everyone.  This was a really good week.  First thing,  yesterday we did our visa runs.  We were in the center of Santiago like all day doing visa stuff so that we can be legal, which is good because my visa extension expires in like a week.  Elder Andersen was almost given a visa for 40 years.  lol  He would have been officially Chilean.  haha  For my birthday on Wednesday, President and Hermana Cook made me a carrot cake(my favorite!)  It was really awesome.  Also, the Salazar family brought me a birthday cake later on.  It was really awesome that they remembered my birthday and they personally delivered it.  We ended up eating it at night with some elders that we went to go help move.  I just met Brother Valtinson who was the trainer of Brother Peck.  He is what we know here in the mission as "my grandfather".  He is a super cool guy.  Him and his wife are.  We talked a little bit about his mission, his life afterwards, and his feelings about everything.  I´m way excited to finally get to know him.    

Mosiah 4:30 "But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your    words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, andcontinue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning thecoming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, yemust perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not."

I have been reflecting and meditating a bit about this scripture this past week.  This is a warning that King Benjamen gives us.  When I read the Book of Mormon, I often refer to King Benjamen as a "bold leader of righteousness".  I feel that this is one of the applicable and useful advertencies given in the scriptures.  It teaches us how to obtain "all righteousness".  Eventhough that seems like a forlorn endeavor, I testify to each of you that it is very plausable.  How do we know this?  

We know that Jesus Christ continued to progress mentally, physically, and spiritually during his mission on the earth.  That means that "all righteousness" was attained.  It is only be attained through dedication, faith,  willpower, submisiveness, and ultimate self-control and surender to the will of the Father.  I testify that as we do this, we will not only find ourselves in harmony with Heavenly Father, but that will will attain both "all righteousness" as well as "eternal happiness".  Of this I testify, in the holy and sacred name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Con Amor,

Elder Jackson