November 22, 2010

Aloha!

How are you all doing? Things are going well here. I survived Transfers...I'm still in KW2 with Sister K.. This is a small transfer....Only 3 people in our whole zone moved so I'm pretty happy.

The nativity exhibit at the church is a pretty big community deal so I'm pretty excited to be able to see everyone there. Christmas decorations are up everywhere.....you know me. I'm overjoyed that the season is started.....woot. I get to listen to Christmas music for the next month...another favorite....haha

Aside from Christmas though, things are pretty awesome. We only have 2 dinner appts on Thanksgiving and a dessert. It is working out that we are able to go to all of them...Pray that I don't get stuffed.

I had legitimate chicken fried stake the other day. I think I have about a half pound of grease sitting in my stomache right now. Southern cooking is good, but it is so bad for you. I'm going to be running that one off....haha....but it was good.

We've been experiencing many miracles. I love miracles. I'm learning to be a better person. I'm working on not overdoing it....I have a tendency to work harder than my body wants to allow...

I was able to get a blessing the other day. I was feeling a bit dizzy again, but it wasn't too bad, just getting there. I feel a lot better now...plus transfers are over....One day I will learn to control stress.... ;) Anywho, the blessing was amazing. The Priesthood power is real. I love it.

Oh, did Justin serve in Brampton? I forgot...but I met someone from there. He said it was joked to be "Bramladesh" now.....but I don't know. If he served there, he may get that.

The Temple was amazing! I was able to feel the spirit so strongly. I was doing a family name of someone sitting next to me. She thanked me. It was pretty amazing. I'm excited to attempt to do family history to help my family get through the Temple too. The picture is of the sisters in the zone in front of the temple. If I had more than three minutes I'd write their names...but I don't have that much time.

Since I'm in KW, I can pick up my package the day that it gets here....they don't have to haul it all around the mission....so if it comes a little later, I'm sure that would be ok....

Hm....I don't know what else to say....I love you all and I hope that things are going fantastically....I'd tell you more stories but I can't think of any...

I'd just say....you should call M....I'd love for ya'll to meet them.

Oh! And I heard that Sister M. called. I was super excited to hear that. I love her so much too.

I didn't know that I could love people that weren't my family so much, but I totally do! They are so so amazing! Everyone is! I love you my family too!

Have a great week!

Jackie

November 15, 2010

Hi! How are you all doing!?

This picture is of me and K.V. She is so cute! The day was great! The service started an hour late...Spanish time. She was there on time. They started filling the font when it was supposed to start. No worries though. It happened.

She actually asked Sister K. and I to speak on Baptism. she wanted us to speak in Spanish so everyone else could understand. We told her that may not help them to understand, but we did it. The Elders translated the talks and we read them. I'm not brave enough to write my own in Spanish. Anyway, it was quite the adventure. I liked it. K. told me I needed to come back after the mish and she'd help me with my Spanish. I think it sounds fun! I may just not come home until June or July of next year....I'll let you know. :) Anyway....the baptism was awesome. She was so happy! The Spanish branch loves us and they want us to come to their Thanksgiving dinner party. I think it would be fun, but we will see....actually, that would probably be the beginning of our stuffing, if you will.

For Thanksgiving, we already have 2 meals and a dessert planned. We had the first planned a long time ago. Then, at church, one of the ladies said, "cancel that one and come to mine." I told her we couldn't do that. She just kind of assumed that we would go to hers. She asked me a couple days ago if I canceled the other dinner. I told her no because it was scheduled way far in advance and it is a family we love too. Hopefully she doesn't get offended. She wouldn't want me to do that to someone else! President said it was just going to be a day of eating....This is true. The other missionaries are coming to that second dinner appt. Apparently it is also a free for all...

Wow, I have three random stories about food.... The second is....our dinner calendar is already over half full for December too. We have people feeding us all the time. It is nice, but I'm also going to need to exercise harder or ride the bike more...We already have Christmas breakfast and Christmas dinner....I'll inform you of Christmas lunch....probably next time the calendar goes around! It is great though. The ward loves us and we love them so much! I get excited to see who we get to go visit and experience the spirit in their homes.

The third food story is that I talked to someone who has hypoglycemia and explained it out to me. It totally makes sense....my pancreas is apparently "overworked and underpaid" as B. would say....jk....it is just overworked so my blood sugar runs low and I get weak. I told her I always carry around something to eat....It works well....hence...I'm constantly eating it seems like... Every morning I eat a few dried peaches or a few dried strawberries or apples (not the pineapple....I'm unfortunately allergic) and then I'm good to go for a while. Hence, THANKS for sending them mom! I appreciate it mucho!

The second picture is a sign on an inactive member's house. They didn't answer when we knocked. We may have to just drive by until they are outside one day. It'll be an adventure.

We get to go to the Temple on Thursday. I'm pretty excited. We get to go to the bookstore too so I can get my own conference ensign to mark. It will be great. I really love reading through the ensign and hearing the words of prophets. The ensign is scripture! I heart it.

The weather is getting cold. I forgot how dreary the winters are.

Basically, the sum of the week, K. is awesome, the weather is bleh, and we are working hard to bring this area up to where the Lord wants it to be. It is difficult and sometimes depressing, but I am striving to do my best....that's all I can do!

I love ya'll so much! Keep me posted with where everyone is going to be for Christmas and addresses and phone numbers....I've lost some of the phone numbers and addresses I once carried around in my brain.

Have a good week!

Jackie

November 8, 2010

Hi There!

Wow....can you believe how quickly time flies? I can't! I am still shocked that it is another preparation day!

This week has been pretty amazing! We are exceeding the goals for the area by a mile. I love it. We are working hard and the lord is blessing us a lot. Awesomely, we've been running into a lot of different types of people. We are finding some who are prepared but we are still looking for those who are ready and willing to commit.

We met this lady the other day tracting, L., and she was at first seeming like, "What in the world are ya'll doing here?" but then I asked her a question and we started a good conversation. We showed her pictures from the pamphlet about the Restoration. Then, when we got to the picture of Joseph Smith and Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ standing above him in the air, she started crying. She told us that she knew that it was true. She said that she knew everything we were telling her was true. Keep in mind we are standing on the doorstep as this is all going down. It really testified to me that THESE THINGS ARE TRUE! Even though we don't have angels appearing to us or HF of JC, we are able to feel the converting power of the Spirit.

I am continuing to change and learn and progress. Sometimes I feel like such a spaz, but as long as I'm trying my best it all works out and the meaning goes on.

C. is going to be baptized on either Friday or Saturday. We are pretty excited. The Spanish elders came with us to our last appt (she will be going to their ward--we were teaching her bc of the convenience) and they thought this whole time that we were teaching someone else. It was pretty funny. She is so prepared for the gospel. I love visiting her and teaching her more about this happiness.

I am doing just fine health wise. I have no major ailments or anything. The only thing I could complain about is the fact that I'm freezing! Blasted 60s make me so cold! Sis. K. and I are going to look for sweaters at the goodwill today. I'm pretty excited. We are going to drop the elders off at Walmart and then go look at clothes for a little bit then pick them up.

My wish list for Christmas.....I don't have one. I've got tons of stuff and I already have a hard enough time fitting everything into my suitcases. I can purchase sweaters and nylons here, so I don't know what else I would need or want....

I'm glad Brian made it home safely. The pictures look oh so fun. He looks good and happy! Pam looked like she was beaming just a bit...just saying.

I don't know what is going to happen with transfers and it is a bit unnerving.....I hate that! I'll know in 2 Mondays....

We passed around our dinner calendar and it is completely full for November. I'm going to gain weight and hate lasagna....that is my conclusion on that.

Well, I hope all is well for ya'll. Things are good here. We are working hard and striving to find those who are ready to receive this message. Taking names and ...what is that phrase? kicking butt and taking names? Man, I can't think.

I've really not got a lot of things to say! Things are going well. We just need to keep working hard so the Lord will continue to bless the people here.

Have a fabuloso week!

Jackie

November 1, 2010

Hi There familia!

How are things going? Well....I must say, they are going here! They are going super fast. I can't even believe that it is week 4 of this transfer (out of 6 weeks). It seems like Sister K. just came to K..

Well, there have been many experiences this week that have really and truly strengthened my testimony. I love it so much! There was a woman that we tracted into about a month ago (Sis F. and I) and she seemed like she had good potential. Well, last time we went over there her fiance saw us at the door and just walked away (we talked to him once, but never sat down and met with either one of them...e.ver! I just felt like we needed to keep trying). Well, she called us at 2:22 in the AM on Sunday and told me that she needed help. She wanted to be saved. She said that she read the pamphlet that we gave her and she believed it all. She told her fiance and he broke off the wedding and told her to leave. She is living with a sister now somewhere in Houston (from what I remember...this was super early! and random!). She was just sobbing. I was trying to teach her about how it was for the better if he wasn't ok with her spiritual journey and getting closer to God. She agreed but it is so hard. I get that.....
I told her to kneel down and I said a prayer with her over the phone. The Spirit was so strong as we kneeled there and talked to Heavenly Father about the things that were going on. I felt that peace. I was in awe.

Also....someone randomly called us up last week and said that someone they Home Teach had two kids. One was 9 almost 10 and the other was 7 almost 8. They needed to be baptized. So...we set up an appt., went over and taught them. They were asking us...."when can we be baptized?" We set a date of Dec. 10 so they can both be baptized. They are super cute. I'm excited for them. I'm excited to keep teaching them.

We had stake conference on Sunday. It was the best ever! 1 because I get to see A. again and 2 because of the powerhouseness of everything! Because I can "choristrate" as Kelly would probably say, Sis. K. and I got to go into the Recent Convert meeting. Well, in that meeting, they all bare their testimony and meet the stake leaders. I was able to hear the testimonies of the B. family, A., D.B., and S.. I felt so much love! I was so so happy! Bro. M.(I mean Bishop M. now) was sitting behind me and we were both just in Heaven! It really taught me a lot about why I am here. It isn't just to get people "dunked" or whatever. It is because of the happiness that the gospel brings. It is because of the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost and the amazingness of that! I was in heaven on Sunday...just saying!

I was also able to see the P. family. Sis. P. came and found me and said, "stay right there! I'm going to go grab everyone!" They all came and I was able to talk to them. Bro. P. was making sure I was taken care of. Sis P. and I had a good conversation. I was so happy....they are planning on coming to Utah....Probably Summer 2011....I'm way excited. She told me to make sure I told them if I was getting transferred so they could come say goodbye....I hopefully will be in K. for quite some time. Cross your fingers and pray for me!

Halloween was fun. I held a giant snake. I don't know why you don't like them dad, they are so soft! ;) I thought I'd send a picture. This kind can get to be 30 feet long. When they get that long they are dangerous to handle because they could eat you at that point. This one was 10 feet long. Because of my growing up with a fear of snakes I was a little nervous. When it was wrapped all the way around me and tightened a little to get its grip I almost freaked out, but at the point that a 10 foot snake is wrapped around you, it is a little late to pull the afraid card! Just saying....

E.A. from A. was baptized this weekend. I talked about her a while ago because she was going to get baptized while I was there but wasn't able to because her family wasn't coming but apparently they are coming to church again. For the intermission part, Brother M. called on me to give my testimony. I was freaking out a bit because it was on the spot but it was short....and good, right!? haha.... I was really happy. Their family was so happy and I'm glad they are back at church!

Well, that is quite the novel, but this week I guess I felt like typing. Next week may be this long, but then it also could be very short....It all depends on how I feel I guess.

I heart you all and hope that you have an amazing week! Prayer is vital and really will help calm the troubled soul. I know it!

Jackie