Madison Madness

Happy Monday:) 

Madison is AWESOME. I love it here. SO country. I live in the middle of no where. It is TINY. I'm in a lil branch of about 40 people on a good day. It is the strangest feeling here. We are an hour away from all the other missionaries and you will go miles and miles at night sometimes with out seeing a single light or a sign of civilization. In some places it truly feels like a third world country with its poverty stricken and neglected people. Most don't have phones or internet here which makes it tricky but the people are Wonderful. Simply wonderful. We live in an old hotel from the 60's that smells like a cabin ah. Sister Anderson is great. We could not be more opposite but we will put in some good work together. She is teaching me a lot!

I will give yall just a few glimpses into Madison....:)

We had a powerful lesson the other day. We sat in plastic chairs at the end of Kathlene's ( a Recent converts sick momma) bed. Her lil sassy son got baptized a few months ago so him and kathlene and his sister all had a great lesson from the Book of Mormon. NOthing is better than teaching people who are genuinely trying to learn more! Despite their being cockroaches everywhere literally (all over the walls, falling from the ceiling, and running across my feet) but no one seemed to notice besides me ha so on we went. Now I just shake them off my feet with out breaking thought. God provides:) We invited them all to be baptized. And we are really making progress.

Another night we went to a less actives house who is a strange man. OH Brother Starlin. I chased one of his 12 cats with pink eye around his yard trying to catch her for him. She bite me and he said " I hope she don't give ya cellulitis." He thinks one of them gave it to him and isn't sure which one... I just laughed and said "ME too!" 

The second day here Sister Anderson told me we were singing in a rest homes Christmas Program. When we showed up it was all the residents and all their families and all the workers. Hahah it was actually a pretty big event. First a female Deacon got up and praised her soul out with Hallelujahs and Amens and then another minister got up and taught from the Bible. And then the missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints got up and we sang silent night. Hahah yall know my singing is less than average so i was lucky that every one was so good and loving and we all worshiped together.

Almost everyone here is African American and we went to Methodist Cantada last night that one of our investigators was preforming in. Man. I love that no matter where we are as God's children, or what we believe, or how we show it. We simply show it. We all are here worshiping and trying to love.

I love this Gospel. No where eles do I feel the spirit stronger than within this Divine, Christ led religion. I really felt the power of prayer sustain me this week. No matter how far away we are from those we love our loving Father is only a prayer away. Prayer is something so subtle and the help it gives is hard for me to put into words or feelings but it IS REAL. He lifts us to do and be who he calls of us in this life. To rise us in our environments to stay true to the Sons and Daughters that we are. I can't wait to see you all on SUNDAY! I love you!

Sister Jackson