November 11, 2015 Another Eventful Week in Santiago Chile

Well, this has been a very eventful week!  First off, Elder Sarceno and I have been kind of on and off sick with some stomach virus.(Thanks Elder Tejeda! Haha)  We had a “Tunnel of Times” activity in the stake center this Saturday.  Elders Sarceno and Tejeda weren´t feeling very good, so I went with Elder Brown!  Some of the members from the ward had asked us if we could help them with the stand and recording the dance.  Our booth was the decade of the 40s.  For the dance, we did the Tango and Swing.  It was pretty neat to see all of the dances through all of the years.  Also, everybody was dressed up, so it was pretty much the real deal.  

I found out Saturday night that I would be leaving Las Industrias for changes, so Sunday and Monday were spent more than anything saying bye, sharing my testimony, and trying to balance teaching with all of that.  We went ahead and rearranged the house for Summer(moved the beds downstairs so it wouldn´t be so hot.) and I packed everything up….I have A TON OF STUFF!  I swear I looked like a sister at the change meeting.  Haha  It´s all of my winter jackets and weights and stuff like that, so I don´t feel that bad…it all worked out. J  I got called to a sector  called Las Araucarias. It´s in the stake Las Araucarias. Lol It´s in the communities El Bosque and La Píntana, so there is a part of the sector that is flaite.  I was excited about that.  Also, it´s right by my first sector in Gran Avenida and about 15 minutes in bus to Ducaud, so I´ll probably be seeing people that I know fairly frequently.  My comps name is Elder Bahamóndez.  He is a Chilean from Chillán. I´m way excited to be with another latin finally!!  :D  I love having a good time with other grengos, but I have a great time with latins too AND my Spanish gets better.  We actually already knew each other and were friends.  He was being trained in San Miguel my first three months there, so it was really awesome to hear that!  We have a ton in common.  We are both only members, members of little time, we have similar interests and desires….we have decided that it was completely revelation that President Cook assigned us together.  I am really excited for everything that awaits us here! :D Also, I am temporarily living with Elders Anderson and Velueta whom I lived with before!  So the house is super fun!  We have a blast!  :D

With all of the changes and all, I have been thinking a lot about a scripture I found a while back that talks about our job as missionaries.

It spells out VERY clearly what we must do as missionaries.  We must harken to the voice of the Father, or the scriptures, prophets, and Holy Ghost.  He will give us council in all things and even be with us.  Then we must bring our causes unto Him.  That is our responsibility to God Our responsibility to the people here is to teach/show them the path they must take in life.  I really like this scripture...that it includes the act of showing.  As missionaries, we have no power if we merely tell someone what they must to do achieve eternal happiness, but if we show them THAT IT WORKS...with our lives as living proof...then we have the power of God with us.  That is what we NEED as missionaries...to show that God is still all-powerful.  That He lives.  And that He guides us.  I testify of these things.  That this is possible to achieve for everyone...missionaries and members.  If we want to make a change in the world, this is the way that we must do it.  One God led decision at a time.  As we do this, we will see the power of our Heavenly Father manifested in our lives.  Of this I testify, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Con Amor,

Elder Jackson

19 Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel,and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God:

 20 And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, andshalt show them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.

Nov. 4, 2015 Wow

haha  I knew that one day in my mission I would reach a point that it would take me less time to respond to emails than it takes me to write to President Cook...that day is today.  haha  That`s alright, more time to focus on the work! ;)

This week went by really fast.  I haven`t really felt myself the last four or five days, sick to my stomach, headache, but you gotta tough it out out here!  Like the Mensajero said last week, we have to choose to be "fighters" and not "survivors".  I remember thinking much before I came here that a mission was all fun and joy and games.  Although yes it is ALL of those things, IT IS WORK!  To really have sucess, you have to work harder, push yourself further, and focus yourself more in this time than you have EVER done before in your life.  Sucess isn`t baptisms, reactivations, a skyrocketing assistance, or even knowing the scriptures perfectly.  For me, sucess is being able to kneel down at your bedside before you go to bed, and tell your Heavenly Father that you gave it your all.  That even though you aren`t perfect, you did the best you knew how.  That you put in 110%, and that tomorrow you`ll give him 111%...that for me is the definition of sucess.  

I just wanted to share a miracle that happened last week.  While I was in Ducuad, we taught a young woman named Janice Saez and her sister Jailyn.  They were PERFECT!  Golden!  Super smart, caught on fast, didn`t drink or smoke, had manners, and were just fun!  We taught them for a while.  One day, they went on a Scouts camping trip.  We didn`t hear from them, so we called.  Janice told us something bad had happened.  We thought surely they`d done something that went against our teachings. The next day, we met with Janice and she told us that one of her friends had died.  From that point on, her sister, Jailyn, didn`t want to listen to us.  Even though we were still great friends, she never sat in on the lessons after that...up even after I left.  Last week in the mensajero, I saw her name on the list of people that had been baptized.  I can`t express the excitement I felt in that moment.  At first I thought that maybe it`d been a mistype, but as I read it again, it said very clearly JAILYN SAEZ.  I thought to myself "NO WAY!?  HOW?" I began to meditate on that question, how?  I have come to the conclusions of two deciding factors in the event.  

1. God makes a way-God loves all of us.  Although sometimes things happen in life and it changes our process of conversion, our loving Heavenly Father will ALWAYS present us with more opportunities to accept His son Jesus Christ and to follow Him. I don`t know exactly what happened to make her change her mind, but I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that  it was divine and that she saw/flet the hand of God in her life.  No other sensation could make a person change their life in an instant. 

2. Her sister was there to guide her-Though Jailyn was passing through a hard time in her life, she always had the example of her sister Janice to guide her.  Having first handly seen the change in the life of Janice, I know that she is strong, that she was always there pushing her sister, showing her what to do, helping her through her struggles, and inso doing all of these things, becoming an "instrument in the hands of God."  

I want to testify of something that I`ve learned to be a truth in my time here. The influence that you have on other people, is the most important asset that you posess. Whether it be for good or evil, you are always influencing someone.  People that you know, people that are just passing by you in the street, and the people on the other side of the veil that are watching you.  Every action that you make is doing one of two things, edifying the Kingdom of God or tearing it down.  I have seen this to be the case in 100% of situations.  I invite each of you to meditate about this, to decide what affect you are having on others.  If you don`t like the answer you come up with, change it.  Make the changes necesary to obtain the answer you want.  As you do this, you will feel the power and influence of God in yourself.  You will see yourself become an "instrument in the hands of God." Of this I testify, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Con Amor,

Elder Jackson

Week #58 This is my scripture of the week

77 And I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom.

 78 Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you,that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand;

 79 Of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are,things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which arena the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms—

 80 That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you.

This is my scripture of the week.  Even though we have been super busy with great new families, a ton of service, lots of studying, and lots of fun, it is something that I have been thinking and meditating on a lot here lately.  I read this about three weeks ago and it still comes to my head, so I feel it important to my ministry.  In these scriptures, we find a commandment and promises from Heavenly Father.  The commandment..."to teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom."  I like the wording here.  It doest`t say teach what is cool, interesting, nor what YOU feel will touch a person.  It is very clear. "Teach the doctrine of the kingdom."  We are to teach the gospel to all creatures on the Earth!  Now, you may be wondering, "What is the doctrine?  The scriptures say a ton of stuff that`s important."  Luckily for us, we have prophets and apostles to guide us in this endeavor.  As a missionary, we teach the doctrine of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The doctrine and the fundamentals that make everything else true.  When we get a grasp on these foundations, we expel on our our newfound knowledge in other mysteries of God.  These fundamentals can be found in chapter three of a book called "Preach My Gospel".  I exhort each of you to seek this book, if it doesn`t have a place in your house, and study chapter three.  I promise that when you do that, you will understand the true doctrine of Christ.  

When we complete with this sacred calling from the Lord, he promises us the company of his grace, or in other words, the blessings of living the gospel.  One of which, is the company of the Holy Ghost who teaches us "the truth of all things."  By the power of the Holy Ghost, you will be instructed more perfectly in theory, principle, doctrine, law, and all things that pertain to the Kingdom of Heaven.  When we obtain this said perfection we understand things not only as they are, but as they were and how they are going to be.  We understand the eternal prospective, which is the key in obtaining Salvation to our souls.  As it says in verse 80, we will be "prepared in all things" when the Lord calls us to magnify another calling,or commission, in His kingdom.

I testify that as we accomplish His will in all that we do, we will have a perfect understanding, perfect happiness here on the Earth, and eternal glory in the kingdom to come.  Of this I testify, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Con Amor,

Elder Jackson

Week #55 I find myself trying to send all emails in Spanish

 I find myself trying to send all emails in Spanish more and more.  :p  All is well here.  We had a very busy week.  We have been working with Yerko and Frecia since they have baptism dates.  We are just super excited for that!  :D  Also, Elder Sarceno and I are starting to work a lot on teaching more fluidly together.  He is becoming much more confident with his abilities.  It is just so amazing to see!  

Today for pday, we went to a nature park and went to a place called Las Aguas de San Ramón.(The waters of San Ramón for you grengos :p)  It was a VERY long trip.  It took about two hours in bus and metro to get there.  After that, it was a three hour hike through the mountains until the last waterfall.  It was absolutely gorgeous!  It made me feel very much at home to be out in nature.  I think from that, I have learned that I will always be a country boy at heart.  I just feel so much better hearing the running trivets, the birds chirping, wild horses....it`s just amazing. :)  We went as a group of 14.  It was some of us from the zone and some other friends from other zones.  :)  I feel so blessed to call these servants of God my friends.  It`s truly amazing how the gospel can unite people.  Without anything in common, different stories, different languages, different personalities...and yet you love each other for your mutual love of the Savior and your desires to serve Him.  I just love it!

Another lesson I have learned this week, as weird as it sounds, is the blessing of being a father.  I really do feel that training my dear Elder Sarceno is preparing me to create a family of my own;of which, he will always be a part.  I can`t really describe the way I feel when I am able to help him learn, to understand something new, to feel joy in the gospel, to grow as a man of God.  Though I know that I fault in many, many aspects of this sacred calling, it has and continues to bring me great joy.  I can`t really describe it, but I imagine what I am feeling is very similar to the way that God feels when he looks down on us learning, understanding his gospel better, serving others, finding  real joy in living his commandments, and smiling.   I mean this in the least trunky way possible, but this gives me so much happiness in the knowledge that one day I will have my own loving family.  That I will teach them, guide them, and help them to understand the will of the Father in their lives.  This makes me want to push myself to be just a little bit better every day. To be just a little bit better as a trainer so that Elder Sarceno and I together can call down the blessings of Heave. 

I know that Jesus Christ lives.  That he is guiding me.  That when I ask for his guidance to better complete my calling, he answers me through my study of the scriptures.  My invitation is this, that each and every one of you, it doesn`t matter what your calling is...mother,father, bishop, ward missionary, gospel principles teacher...would meditate on this message, pray to Heavenly Father to ask him what it is that YOU can do better to magnify your calling, and in such exalting his name.  I testify to you that as you do this, you will find unexplainable joy.  You will see your prayers answers.  You will grow more than you EVER thought possible.  And best of all, Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ will smile down on you and bless your endeavor.  Of this I testify, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Con Amor,

Elder Jackson

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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