Week #56 Another Great Week Saying Goodbye to Elder Hawkins

Well, this was another great week.  We had a lot of fun, we worked hard, we laughed, we cried, and we grew.

As I`ve done previously, I`d like to take this opportunity to say how grateful I am for my beloved friend Elder Logan Hawkins.  Monday, he ended his service to the Lord as a full-time missionary.  We lived together for three changes, or almost five months.  I have learned a ton from him.  I would just like to hit a few of these key things that I have learned from him.  

1. Enjoy the mission-  Elder Hawkins really taught me to enjoy the experience of the mission.  He expanded my understanding of the joy that a mission brings a person.  He helped me to see the beauty in everything...in the success, in the hardships, and also in our own faults and shortcomings.  He taught me that you can put all of your efforts into serving the Lord, but if you don`t enjoy it, you`ve "missed the mark".  This brings to my head a scripture that Elder Sarceno and I have recently memorized. 2 Nefi 2:25 "Adam fell that men might be;and men are,that they might have joy."  The point of our existence is that we feel joy in our lives and in the Lord.  If we don`t, we`re doing it wrong and MUST change it.

2. Love the people more than the rules- As missionaries, we have many rules.  The rules are here to protect us, to inspire us, and to help us to have the Holy Spirit with us always;however, when we let that get in the way of developing a christlike love for the people we are teaching, we have "missed the mark".  Some of you may say, "WHAT IS HE SAYING?!  YOU SHOULD ALWAYS FOLLOW THE RULES WITH EXACTNESS!  I do agree that you should attempt to live in exactness with the rules, but that also calls another scripture to mind. "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart , and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength : this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these."  The gospel calls for us to love.  If we cannot see that, that the central subject of all is love for one another, we need to sit back, and pray. 

I love the gospel of Jesus Christ.  i love the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  I love the opportunity I have here to help others, grow as a person, and to serve our God.  He truly is a God of miracles.  He lives.  He loves us.  He puts people into our lives to guide us.  I invite you all to pray and think about the people that have been brought into your lives.  When you do this, you will see just how truly blessed you are.  I invite you when you feel this sensation of everlasting joy in your heart, to praise God!  Praise Him for all He has done.  As you do so, you will feel an increase in His love for you, and your love for others.  Of this I testify, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Con Amor,

Elder Jackson 

Week #54 It's Starting to Warm up!!!!!! Feels like summer:)

This was a super great week.  We had a ton of success and blessings.  We, as a companionship, are all getting to know each other really well.  I went on divisions with Elder Tejeda yesterday. (He and Elder Hawkins are our district leaders now.)  It was really fun.  We talked to a ton of people.  

It is starting to get hot here again...it`s in the high 80`s low 90`s.  I think we might have missed Spring entirely.  We did a ton of service.  As a zone, we helped a church clean up part of their lot and are helping them to build their chapel.  The Zone is going back again this week to help finish the work.  It was fun to work with everyone.  Feels good to have the sun back on me...I officially like the heat.  

We had a cool experience this week.  Following my guidebook for training, Elder Sarceno was supposed to invite someone to be baptized, so we planned on with a lady named Fresia who we have invited before, but she always says "in my time I will be."  I got finished saying my part, and it just got silent.  Elder Sarceno knew it was his turn, but was scared.  After about 30 seconds of near silence, he mustered up his strength, bore his testimony, and invited her to be baptized.  She accepted before he even finished!  We promised her blessings and that her life would never be the same.  It was such an amazing experience...I am very proud of Elder Sarceno for overcoming his fears and allowing the spirit to prompt him and guide him.  We can plan ahead of time all we want, but if the Spirit doesn’t bear witness at the very moment it is uttered, then we just have to move on.

This week, I realized something during companionship study.  I am the "trainer" in the companionship, but I`M THE ONE BEING TRAINED!  I realized that there are some simple truths that I have overlooked in the big picture of everything.  These things were brought to my attention during this companionship study.  It`s funny how such little truths can have such dramatic impacts on people.  This experience has helped me to open my mind to how the Lord really works.  It`s so true that "God uses the weak to lead the strong."  I really feel like Elder Sarceno is training me!  I am by no means a "powerhouse" of a missionary, "the fourth missionary", or a great missionary....but, I am the BEST MISSIONARY THAT I CAN BE.  I am doing my best to continue growing every day...learning from my mistakes, rejoicing in our success  and learning to love our Savior deeper and more passionately daily.  

I am so thankful for my mission.  I am thankful for the people who have helped get me here, my companions, and for my Heavenly Father`s guidance   I don`t know where I`d be without it all...probably in a bad place.  I know that our Heavenly Father is watching over all of us.  We just have to humble ourselves sufficiently to see it, hear it, receive it, and apply the teachings.  I testify of this simple truths, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ.

Con Amor,

Elder Jackson

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!!

Read the Book of Mormon!!

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Week #47 Great week

This week was really great.  It went by super fast!  We had interviews with President Cook to go over our three month goals and to set new ones.  I`m really excited about mine.  I set a really ambitious study goal on accident, but I`m going to try to meet it anyway!  :D  I am really happy with the way things are going here.  I have recently started trying to refocus my mission.  It`s funny how you can literally feel and see a difference in yourself when you put in even a little extra effort to draw nearer to Heavenly Father.  It makes a difference not only in your life, but in the lives of those around you.  People note the change as well, and it at least somewhat makes them want to change as well.  :)

This week for my spiritual thought, I`d like to share a miracle that happened this week.   SInce arriving here in Las Industrias, we have been sharing with a less active young man named Miguel.  He is the same one I talked about before.  In the beginning, it was hard to even find him, much less get into a lesson with him.  Last week, we had a lesson with him and we invited him to come to church on Sunday.  Before, he told us that he wasn`t ready to go back to the church yet.  This time, we felt that he wanted it...that he wanted to go back and that he was ready.  When we asked, he told us no because he didn`t want to tell us yes and then end up not going.  He is a little bit lazy. After that, we asked if he would go if we walked over to his house in the morning to get him and went together.  He was slow to respond, but HE SAID YES!  I was so excited!  And that was exactly what happened...we passed by, got him, went to church all three hours, and he left.    Yesterday night, we had a meeting in the church with some of the members of the church. We got to the church, AND MIGUEL WAS THERE FOR MUTUAL!  He had ridden his bike all the way from his house to the church without us inviting him or anything.  I felt such happiness in the moment that I saw him.  I don`t know what`s going to happen to him from here, but in that act, he showed me a true desire to close m to Christ.  

It is so amazing to see the fruits of the Spirit!  It really does work miracles.  It makes the once impossible, a reality.  It brings me joy as a missionary to know that we have helped this young man to feel the Spirit of the Lord in his life.  I just want to say, don`t EVER think ANYONE...ANYONE..is a lost cause.  If you can bring the Spirit back into their lives, all can be restored.  "For the worth of all souls is great in the sight of God."  They should be in your sight as well.  Remember, even the slightest acts of love resemble the love of the Savior.  

Con Amor,

Elder Jackson