Hi There.
I don't really know how I feel about this being the last email. It is quite a weird thing. Maybe I'll email next week just to do it! jk.....I'm done.
We got to see the M.s yesterday because Bishop M.'s dad died and they left last night to go to Arizona for the funeral so they called us over for last night. We just went and talked for a little bit and I got my picture with them. Then we left. We had an awesome lesson afterwards with our friend J. (the recently through the temple S.'s mother).
Sunday was just awesome in a lot of respects.....we had a giant stake conference thing that was broadcast from Salt Lake. It was broadcast live and covered Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico, if not more....It was awesome. I. and G. came, P. came, and so did S.! It was so amazing! Plus we got to hear the prophet speak. Yay for that! Plus, afterwards, we had 40 minutes until our lunch appt so I asked S. if she had time for a lesson. We were able to teach her the plan of salvation at the church with Sister M.. It was so amazing. Her son just had a baby (you know what I mean) and little E. is the highlight of S.'s life. We personalized it to that and it was a pretty spiritual experience. I was super happy. We asked her to be baptized and she said yes. Yay! It was a huge step that she came to church.
This week is filled up already. We have our last dinners and our investigators are all planned in too. I've decided to be open with the fact that I'm going home so people don't freak out. Plus if they know and I blow it off then I don't get trunky jokes....at least not from members. The missionaries are having their fun....but their day will come. It always does....hahahaha
We are going to have a Zone P-day today so everyone is coming to play at the K. chapel....
So....this week was super random. Mostly because it was so so cold! The cars were completely iced over last Friday. I've never experienced that and I don't like it....we weren't allowed to drive or walk or do anything for a while. It was icy and apparently people don't know how to drive in adverse conditions. The news was apparently telling everyone to stay inside too..... Well, the elders had us meet them at the church for their appt because we had keys so we walked there, then we walked to our lunch appt because they gave us permission to do so...It was freezing but we survived.
I. gave me a coat that was much warmer than the one that I'd been wearing. Friday.....again....freezing! Saturday, it started out like it was going to be cold because it was icy. Well, it ended up being 60 and then Sunday it was up to 70....it was so weird. I hear it is getting cold in the middle of the week but for now it feels so good! I'm a fan of the 70s.....Not much hotter, not much colder, but the 70s are where it is at!
Hmmmm...Well, I'm not gonna lie, I don't really know what to say. Things have been going well and we've been experiencing many miracles. The Lord is truly blessing the people here. It is an awesome experience to feel the Spirit work through you to help other people. I truly feel blessed to be part of this great work.
So a great scripture I read recently is Mosiah 9: 17-18. In this chapter Zeniff is telling Ammon and his people how they got into the predicament they were in and recounting the history of his people since they left Zarahemla. Anyway, they talk about how they went in the strength of the Lord because of their prayers.... it says:
"Yea, in the strength of the Lord did we go forth to battle against the Lamanites; for I and my people did cry mightily to the Lord that he would deliver us out of the hands of our enemies, for we were awakened to a remembrance of the deliverance of our fathers. And God did hear our cries and did answer our prayers; and we did go forth in his might;...."
With the Lord we can do all things. As missionaries we go forth in his might as we strive to be obedient to the rules and commandments, as we earnestly pray for the Spirit and as we go out and work hard! I've truly felt the Spirit so strong. I love being able to teach, and in return, learn so much about the gospel. It is basically the best thing ever. I'm going to miss this.....but....I will be able to continue as a member missionary. There are many things I can continue to do.
Sorry this is so scattered! I don't really know what to say and I'm just rambling on I guess. Basically, I love being a missionary. I love the gospel and know that by consistently being what I want to become, I can become it. I know that by doing the little things in the gospel (reading scriptures, going to church, praying) I can stay on the path and be where and who Heavenly Father wants me to be.
I love ya'll and I'll see you later!
Jackie
Monday, February 7, 2011
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
February 1, 2010
3......2.......1......BLASTOFF!
Hi There!
So....let me just start by saying NASA was AWESOME! I hearted it mucho. I was going to upload pictures but the computer is being lame. Therefore, you will see them maybe next week, maybe the week after. Who knows....but soon, I'm sure.
All the space stuff was cool. We even saw an armadillo! It was right outside Mission Control Center. It was alive....and now I'm complete....jk....it was awesome though. I have pictures of it too!
There was this simulator game where you got into a tube and it was shaped like a space ship (but it was an airplane shooting game...riddle me that). One person shot the guns and the other person drove.....uh....flew. Well, I was the pilot. As I was moving the control the tube moved too. The people outside could see us from a camera....we went upside down, all around. It was so stinkin fun! We have video. Don't worry. We....me...I have video. My hair is super long now (dang humidity) and you can see as we are going upside down and such. It was so fun...if I didn't mention that before!
The weather has been super nice lately. It was in the high 70s earlier this week....but it is freezing cold today! Ok...it is probably in the 40s or 50s but it is so cold! Texas weather is so bipolar. It was seriously 66 and sunny the other day and then today it is freezing and rainy. I don't get it.....
Well, no word on the VISA. Sister B. is still here. We are all having so much fun! The gospel is true and it is so fun to share it with everyone! I'm glad I'm here. We are getting some good opportunities because of the faith and the obedience we are expressing.
Thank you so much for the package! They told me I had it right before we went to NASA. I didn't open it then in case it had food that I would feel obligated to share, but I did open it after. I was super excited and so were Sister B. and Sister K.. All my companions have agreed that I have the best mom ever...it is pretty great.
Today we were going to do service at the local thrift shop. Both sets of elders called to see if they could email with us and if they could do service. So we are making an outing of the day I guess....All 7 of us piled in the van and went to Porter. We'll be here for a while. It makes me laugh.
Things are going really well. I'm learning more and more each day. For example, today as we were role playing in our companionship study, we went over the How To Begin Teaching bullet points (we memorized them for NASA) but we were personalizing them in the lesson. One of the points says, "As you sincerely seek to understand our message, you may face challenges but God will help you." I was saying it to sis. K. and I paused after challenges. It hit me hard. We do face challenges from the world and Satan by living the gospel. Whatever our inevitable challenges are, God will help us. He will bless us as we strive to do what is right and keep the commandments. The gospel is simple. Faith leads us to action. Actions include reading scriptures, praying, going to church, repentance. Repentance leads us to change to be better. Baptism and renewing our promises each week lead us to have the Spirit more strongly. The Spirit teaches us what is right. It is a voice we must tune ourselves into. Then, we must do these things consistently, continually, and faithfully. If so, we will be able to live with our Father and our families again. I do know these things to be true.
I love ya'll. I'm excited for the work that is happening in this area. Satan is for sure working hard on all of us and all those we work with, but he will not prevail. The challenges we all face our only minor....in the perspective of eternity.....in the perspective of the now, they are HUGE.....but..... God will help you!
I'll talk to ya'll next week!
Jackie
Hi There!
So....let me just start by saying NASA was AWESOME! I hearted it mucho. I was going to upload pictures but the computer is being lame. Therefore, you will see them maybe next week, maybe the week after. Who knows....but soon, I'm sure.
All the space stuff was cool. We even saw an armadillo! It was right outside Mission Control Center. It was alive....and now I'm complete....jk....it was awesome though. I have pictures of it too!
There was this simulator game where you got into a tube and it was shaped like a space ship (but it was an airplane shooting game...riddle me that). One person shot the guns and the other person drove.....uh....flew. Well, I was the pilot. As I was moving the control the tube moved too. The people outside could see us from a camera....we went upside down, all around. It was so stinkin fun! We have video. Don't worry. We....me...I have video. My hair is super long now (dang humidity) and you can see as we are going upside down and such. It was so fun...if I didn't mention that before!
The weather has been super nice lately. It was in the high 70s earlier this week....but it is freezing cold today! Ok...it is probably in the 40s or 50s but it is so cold! Texas weather is so bipolar. It was seriously 66 and sunny the other day and then today it is freezing and rainy. I don't get it.....
Well, no word on the VISA. Sister B. is still here. We are all having so much fun! The gospel is true and it is so fun to share it with everyone! I'm glad I'm here. We are getting some good opportunities because of the faith and the obedience we are expressing.
Thank you so much for the package! They told me I had it right before we went to NASA. I didn't open it then in case it had food that I would feel obligated to share, but I did open it after. I was super excited and so were Sister B. and Sister K.. All my companions have agreed that I have the best mom ever...it is pretty great.
Today we were going to do service at the local thrift shop. Both sets of elders called to see if they could email with us and if they could do service. So we are making an outing of the day I guess....All 7 of us piled in the van and went to Porter. We'll be here for a while. It makes me laugh.
Things are going really well. I'm learning more and more each day. For example, today as we were role playing in our companionship study, we went over the How To Begin Teaching bullet points (we memorized them for NASA) but we were personalizing them in the lesson. One of the points says, "As you sincerely seek to understand our message, you may face challenges but God will help you." I was saying it to sis. K. and I paused after challenges. It hit me hard. We do face challenges from the world and Satan by living the gospel. Whatever our inevitable challenges are, God will help us. He will bless us as we strive to do what is right and keep the commandments. The gospel is simple. Faith leads us to action. Actions include reading scriptures, praying, going to church, repentance. Repentance leads us to change to be better. Baptism and renewing our promises each week lead us to have the Spirit more strongly. The Spirit teaches us what is right. It is a voice we must tune ourselves into. Then, we must do these things consistently, continually, and faithfully. If so, we will be able to live with our Father and our families again. I do know these things to be true.
I love ya'll. I'm excited for the work that is happening in this area. Satan is for sure working hard on all of us and all those we work with, but he will not prevail. The challenges we all face our only minor....in the perspective of eternity.....in the perspective of the now, they are HUGE.....but..... God will help you!
I'll talk to ya'll next week!
Jackie
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