June 28, 2010

Hi there!

This week was good. C. was so nervous for her baptism but it turned out really nicely. It was super funny because the piano player didn't show up and they needed someone, so I ended up playing the piano. It would've been fine if it were just the opening and closing songs, but they had a whole load of songs to play while they were changing. I laughed as I tried to play songs I've only heard before in primary.....they said I did good and they were grateful....It was funny. The end of that! Well, not really....it was a beautiful baptism. I was stoked. We reached our goal that I thought was so far fetched-5 baptisms for June. We made it and have 2 lined up for July so far (they are on Haylee's b-day). The picture is of C. and her family. C. is between Sister P. and I.

The Lord is surely shirley blessing us with plenty of people to teach. We are working hard in the humid sticky heat and it might just kill me, but hey, I choose to live with no regrets.... Work hard everyday, eh?

So...funny story....As I was reading my scriptures one morning I thought of Bro P. because it talked about how the earth revolved around the sun. This was before Galileo and all that, so I thought it was cool. Well, I just had the verse semi-memorized so I told him, "Hey, I read this verse and I thought of you! It is Helaman 12:5!" he opens it up and starts reading...."Yea, how quick to be lifted up in pride; yea, how quick to boast...." He says, "really? You thought of me?" I said, "Wait! No, verse 15! Not 5!" It was so so funny. Yep, Brother P., I'm telling you that you are prideful and quick to boast.....It is funny how the tune of the scriptures can change so much in 10 verses! haha....I think that'll be talked about again.....

So the next picture: We were in C. (which reminds me of Garland a lot because they actually have fields and such and a grass farm!) and we saw a cute little subdivision on the map. We decided we would go tract it. Well, we got there, and it was a trailer park type thing that every trailer had a street named after it....We were going to go talk to M. and the G. and C. and such (we assume they lived there) but we couldn't get the car to go back there...well, I decided I already did enough damage to the Lord's cars when I was in P. A. and the car got hit so we just walked it...well, the picture is of me on C. street on my way back....There were a lot of dogs barking and a lot of signs about dogs so we didn't actually get to knock on any of the doors, but we did try.

We found out that the Zone Leaders aren't the only ones teaching people in our area. there is a member that told us she calls the Assistants to the President and they will come over and teach her husband....I was so annoyed. I had a conversation with one of the ZLs in front of one of the APs on Tuesday morning, then later on that afternoon we found out they are in our area too....We haven't told them that we know yet, but I think that will be a fun conversation.... I keep telling Bro. M. that our area is just so amazing and there is so much going on that everyone wants a piece of A.....It is true though!

I have an appointment on Tuesday afternoon to talk to an Ear Nose and Throat doctor. The dizziness is still there, but then someone suggested that it might be from stress....I laughed...it wouldn't surprise me. I have a tendency to stress myself out....cough...shingles...cough.... ;)

JR is still doing well. He is accepting everything, coming to church and loving it and doing all he can do. No Word of Wisdom issues though he is a bartender...that is awesome I think. I am excited for his baptism. He is so golden....I am amazed and grateful to be part of it all..... :D

The B.'s went to Panama for 10 days....Well, M. and K. went for 10 days. J. stayed home to work and such and N. is going for the whole summer. I told him I probably wouldn't see him again until they went through the temple. It was sad. I've seen such improvement in him and the happiness the gospel is bringing him. We just need to find the church in Panama for them....;) We got our hugs, said goodbye, and had to leave.

In church on Sunday the bishop said that we are having a good problem....too many new faces and we are bringing so many people in. The bishopbric can't remember who they've met some weeks. The spirit of missionary work is high in the ward. I love it. I love them! We are working and they see that. Generally if the missionaries are running, the ward is walking (in respects to missionary work) but the ward is running right along with us. They keep joking they are going to build a church in H. and the ward will be splitting soon if we keep up this pace. Their goal for the year was 6. We are at 7 now and have 2 more lined up along with many other potentials. They are super excited. I love it.....in case I didn't mention that before. :)

You'll have to tell Brian that I met a woman from San Francisco. She knew where Concord was. I told her that if she saw Elders on bikes that she should flag them down and if there was an Elder T that she should tell him his cousin in K/A/H says hi....I could see her doing it too, that's the fun part. There was a picture of a bunch of doors and underneath the caption said, "Doors of San Francisco." I told her I bet my cousin saw a lot of those doors! I think I'm so funny sometimes....or all the time....Let's be serious.

Well, I love you all so much and I hope that you all have a great week and I'm excited to hear from you all next week! ;)

Jackie

June 21, 2010

Week whatever in A.: The weather is hot and the humidity is worse! haha.....just kidding...about the way I wrote it. Not about the weather.

It has been in the high 90s all week and super humid. You walk outside and glisten automatically....then, when you get into a house you almost freeze because of the AC and all the sweat that is all over the body. it is actually pretty nasty. I've stopped hugging people for the most part because it is just nast....just saying.

This week has been filled with miracles as well. I think last week I told you about L.R. calling us about her husband wanting to take the lessons. Well, he is planning on being baptized on July 10th (Happy Birthday to Haylee!). We taught him about the restoration one day and committed him, then went back two days later and taught the plan of salvation along with the word of wisdom. He is a bartender but I don't think he has WOW problems. He is awesome. He came to church (the whole fam did) and they enjoyed it. I was super excited. I love them all so much. It was really cool because when we went to teach them, L. told me that when she would get home from our visits with her brother that she would tell him what we talked about....that sparked his interest so I guess I'm doing something right!

We were tracting and I totally ate it...it was embarrassing....haha. I was walking on this sloped curb when all of a sudden there were some grass clippings and water mixed together on it. Well, I fell...hard....the best part is that I had my warm water bottle open to get a drink so that went up in the air and landed all over me. So in addition to the sweat, I had water....and grass clippings all over....and I was bleeding. I have a good road rash on my knee and down my leg and the part of my foot looks a little infected, but not bad. It was funny....don't worry. I tell people....and then I say, "don't walk on the curbs!"

We had a cool miracle story with a woman named D. It was right before I ate it....We were tracting and she is somewhat of a pilot so I was talking to her about airplanes (like I know anything about it). Then, she let us in. She admitted she didn't know why she let us in but she felt like she should. After a few questions she told us how she had recently lost a lot of family members.... We talked about how it was a spiritual experience to be in the room of a dying person.....(using the experiences Kell sent me). She agreed and I asked, "Do you want to know where they are?" she was so excited. We went through the plan of salvation with her. She LOVED the Book of Mormon. She said it was all just so great! We asked her to be baptized and she gave the response I know, "I've already been baptized." We proceeded to tell her that next time we come we would talk about the authority and the priesthood. She said, "Maybe I don't know as much about baptism as I thought. I'm going to have to read up on it.....thank you so much for coming!"
Basically, D. is a searcher. We found her. She is amazing. I wish that she wasn't MOVING to C., LA. That is definitely not where we are..... I'm pretty much in H.C....

We were given the opportunity to teach A.H., J.M.'s good friend. He is already in 2 Nephi and could tell us all that had happened. He has even taught in Priesthood at church....he is 12. We challenged him to be baptized on July 10 as well. Hopefully he will be able to. He is so ready and wants to be baptized.....His parents said he could take the lessons. We are hoping to get them involved too. We need families....they are the best.

Oh, sad story: K.B. went in for tests the other day and there is one spot in each lung....they just told her two months ago that she was cancer free. They are deciding on the treatment. she is just 13 and it is so sad. She has miraculous faith though. I love that family so much and just want them to be happy. they are happy in the church and I think that it is bringing great comfort to them. They want to go to the temple to be sealed together for ever! p.s. I'm coming back when that happens.....even if I'm driving...ya'll can come too. ;)

Well, I love you and hope that you are having fabuloso times, wherever in the world you may be. I'm praying for you and your safety.....

Oh, ps did you all have good father's days?

I love you!

Jackie

p.p.s. The pictures are of the H Family (C, the youngest is getting baptized on Saturday. I'm pretty stoked.... and of Sister P., Me, Sister B., and Sister H. (The other two are serving in H.).....

June 14, 2010

Hi all!

I am still in A...as you know...there are still many miracles unfolding! I think it is the greatest place ever! I tell everyone that they will want to serve here. I love it...again...

Sister P. has been sick so we haven't been out much this week....it has been really frustrating actually. I was so bugged but must understand that not everyone wants to go out and work really hard all day every day. I am learning to study for hours on end though....that has been different.

There was a scrip I thought about for all, but I can't remember why. It is Hel 5:2. i think it has something to do with the government. I don't know what is going on, but someone asked if God still loved Obama.....we said yes...I really wonder what is going on out there! lol.

Our ward is on fire with missionary work. People are inviting their friends over when we come. We had a woman call us and tell us her husband wants to become a member....we are overjoyed at all this news! Things are happening. Even Bro. M. said we are doing a good job. He doesn't know the numbers from the last week, but he does know that Sis. W. and I worked so so so so hard!

We had a Sister's day activity today. It was good. I got my hair cut and she gave me bangs. Weird bangs. I don't like the hair cut. All the Spanish sisters said, "oh you need to get your hair cut because Sis. R. says that she won't cut it unless you do because you both weren't going to cut your hair on your missions." Well, we both did. I just thought that was funny. I love most of the sisters and we had a really good time. It just got over around 5 so we are putting in our emails until we have to go.

How long will ya'll be in Scotland? I did get the dried strawberries from madre...are those the packages being talked about? Thank you for that by the way...that'll be nice during hurrication....lol.

Well, there are people waiting for the computers so we actually have to go right now...sad day. I hate it when I only get a half an hour on the computer, but maybe we can go and write letters! I owe some to some people. I love you all so much! I hope you all have a wonderful week! Be safe in all your travels!

Love,

Jackie

June 8, 2010

Hey All!

That is so exciting that you are going to Scotland. I know you will have so much fun....Yesterday with transfers we didn't get time to email, so we decided to come today. Sister W. went to V. Hopefully the racism isn't as bad as we've heard....She will have so much fun though. She is with Sister M. I am still here in A. Rockin it!

My new companion is Sister P. from M, Idaho. She is very nice. She was sick yesterday and a little today, but she is awesome, I'm excited.

Man, last week was the best week ever! Well, the Bs told us they wanted to be baptized on June 5, before we left. Their interview was on Friday night. On Thursday night we got a call from Bro. M. to call them. It sounded not so good. we called them. Sister B. answered. Sis. W. talked to her. She said, "Oh, by the way, N. got his answer and wants to be baptized too. Can he?" We, of course, said yes! The whole family was interviewed on Friday and on Saturday they were all baptized.

The service went really well. There were a few little catch-ups, but all in all it was great. K. sang a song. It was so beautiful! The spirit was so strong! The H. sisters and we sang a song as well while they were changing.

I am so grateful for the experience to see a whole family baptized. The Confirmation the next day was amazing as well.

There is a new program the mission is trying to get members more involved. There is a DVD that goes with the presentation and Sister W. and I are the show pretty much for the first minute or two. I laughed. The man that made it was in our ward and he'd call us to bring him pictures. Plus, the B. baptism has been long awaited. We now are living up to our nicknames: The Closers.

The week was just so amazing! I love the Bs! Now, more than all the missionaries but me that were teaching them have been moved to other parts of the mish. We will keep them close! We also need to work on all the part members. I know that one reason I am still here is to help Bro. P. He and I think a lot alike. He has some doubts and some issues that he is working out. It is a little scary to me because I have a lot of the same doubts and fears. This week I called him out on his issue...I told him he feels like he is plateauing....he told me I was right and how did I know that. I told him we have the same brain waves....He laughed and said it was true. I am working on finding a good talk on plateauing and good advices as to not do that. If you think of any, please send me a letter...haha. I'm going to conquer that on Saturday night.

Today is super rainy. The thunder was so intense! I was a little nervous. I don't like the rain. I have come to Texas to learn how to appreciate the rain.

They closed out the sister area in P.A. (that is where Sis. P. came from). Apparently it was getting a little dangerous. Plus, they wanted to have every area opened, so the areas with multiple missionaries were decreased. There is now a sister area in J. They have a truck. Pray for me to go there. ;)

We have a lot of work to do. There are many people who are prepared to receive the gospel. We just need to go out there, exercise faith, and find them! I am so excited because we are going to reach our goal of 5 baptisms for June. Now I am praying of how to find our 3 for July. If we have faith to find families it will happen. There isn't a doubt in my mind. I am grateful for Sis. W. helping me to exercise more faith, and for the lord for strengthening my desire to experiment.

Tell Justin to pray and fast for the families that they will find. He needs to exercise that faith instead of just going through the motions. It can happen....I know it!

I love you all so much. I am grateful for the opportunity I have to serve. Thank ya'll so much for allowing me to come and to help me here. The work is pressing onward. The gospel is true. The Book of Mormon is true. The Savior loves each and every one of us individually and wants us to return to Him.

Have a great week!

Jackie

June 1, 2010

Hi There!

Happy Memorial Day yesterday! We pretty much played all day yesterday. We haven't gone shopping for food in a couple of weeks so we are out of eggs and bread but that's ok. We'll just have to figure something else out...haha.... I've eaten my weight in food the last couple of days with members so I'm not too worried....I'm getting a gut. It is no bueno. I need to lay off the super dense brownies and the fried seafood....unfortunately the last few meals, my plate was fixed for me.

I think it is so funny...they all say, "want me to fix your plate?" and I say, "no ma'am!" well, I don't say that, but I do try to get them to allow me to fix my own. Sometimes it works, others it doesn't. My plate fixin is about half or a third of what they give me. I have a little stomache but it is expanding!

Poor JFace! I hope he enjoys his time as a broken. He has weak bones like his Madre. ;) Just kidding! but not...haha
Luckily he and H. get along or she'd probably have bruises these three weeks!

So...the B. are getting baptized on Saturday. We are pretty excited. We have two chapels/bapt fonts lined up because our building might not be done with the renovation. The program is done and all will work out. We just need to keep them in our prayers. Sis. W. keeps bragging to the other missionaries about them and I just keep thinking, "they are close, but not there yet...." so...moral of the story, keep them in your prayers please! :) I'll let you know how that goes next week....

I have holes in my black shoes on the bottoms because of all the walking....I only have one little hole in the brown danskos though. I think the black shoes have a year warranty on them. They are Merrels that we got from Big 5 or something. If you want me to send them home, let me know.... I would like new shoes if they are free...if they aren't, I can wear them for a while longer....haha

Some random people gave us tomatoes and cukes from their 'garden' yesterday. We sang them a patroitic song that opened the door for us to talk to them about the book of mormon and what we are doing. There are many people who are dissatisfied with churches because of the hypocriticalness. I don't blame them. Shoot, we had a lesson on not judging, then in the next meeting there were people judging. The church is true, but we as humans are not. Their garden was pretty funny though. It was all of his plants in planter boxes jumbled together. That is how people garden here. I am so used to the straight rows and the order that it makes me laugh. I like Dad's garden the best.

Brother M. invited us to his neighbor's bbq yesterday so we went and hung out (it was still during pday hours so we hung out...haha). Sister M. and I were trying to get the neighbors to commit to taking the lessons. It was good. A. and B. are allowing their 12 year old son to take the lessons. He is already teaching in his age group when he comes to church. We are hoping the parents will follow. I also talked to the man whose house it was and said how grateful I was he let us come. I said, "maybe we'll have to come back sometime." and he was excited for that. He told us anytime....I don't think he realized he just allowed himself to be on our weekly try to visit list... He is really cool though. They all were/are. I was following sister M.'s example of being bold...We had fun with it.

I didn't get to sleep til after 11. Luckily I took a nap after exercise instead of showering.... haha. um.... We just plan forever and I am an A-B person...not an A-CD-B person so sometimes that frustrates me as well. We should only be planning for 30 minutes but it ends up taking forever because of the side things that don't matter. AHHH!!! there. Thanks for letting me vent. I should be good now.

We do work well together but I am thinking one of us will be transferred. It is really likely to happen... I don't know who will go, but at least the work has been rolling along here and whoever comes will just be so so happy...just saying.

So K. said she was going to send pictures but then she didn't. I was going to send pictures but forgot the cord....hmmmm...lame. I will send a picture of my shoes next week hopefully.

With the transfers on Monday now if I get moved (or am waiting for a comp) I guess once we are together again we email. So you will be one of the first to know where I am...whether here or somewhere else. (hopefully not the stinky place). We are the only sister english area that didnt' get moved around last time so it will be a surprise who gets moved. Craziness.

Oh, the dizziness is doing better for the most part. I refuse to take the dumb drugs now. I am sick of sleeping my life away. I do the exercises. They help a lot. I was really dizzy this morning though and last night for that matter. I am working on it.

well, I love you all and will talk to you at a later date! Thanks for your prayers! I appreciate them! Sorry I'm not emailing individually this week! I won't make promises for next week either.

Love,

Jackie