Find Today's Miracle

Hello! Its a happy rainy day here in Florida this morning. Man. This week flew by. I cherish every day out here. 

This week i went to my very last zone conference as a full time missionary. It doesn't feel real. Sister Sant and I wrapped up the conference and workshops with the passion to find. It was tender to reminisce on how far a mission takes you. I got teary at the close of the conference as i testified with my heart about the Savior and the Master Healer that he is. 

He truly has the power to change the desires of our hearts and i have felt that first hand out here. 

We saw miracle after miracle this week. God is so good. His timing amazes me everyday with how and when we are led to good people every day. 

 Some miracles you have to dig a little deeper than others to see. One prompting from God i still laugh about. We were driving down the busy road and saw a lady about to cross it. As we kept driving the prompting didn't leave so we turned around parked at Starbucks and chased this lady across the parking lot only to have her not break stride as she told us to GO TO HELL! Ha we stopped dead in our tracks and told her to have a nice day. As we walked back to the car we knew that wasn't it. There is no way God took us this far to go home. We ended up knocking on the window of a ladies car and got her info to go back to see her. Moral of the Story KEEP SEARCHING:) Miracles only cease because we do. 

I have really felt an increase in my capacity to love this week. Something Sister Sant and I do now is every time we are rejected we walk to the edge of their sidewalk and say a prayer together for that individual. That there hearts may continue to soften for future missionaries and that God will not give up on them. Its been a powerful addition to this work!

I have 100 more ridiculously funny stories i wish i had all the day to tell you. In due time :)

I love you all!! Keep reading. Keep praying. Keep searching truth. 

Sister Jackson:)

Departing Sisters from the Zone

Sister Smith

                                               Sister Sant and I celebrating her year mark with some Thai. 

Gulf Breeze Loves Sister Sant

Happy Monday!!

This week was great. Sister Sant is my new companion from Washington State. She is ready to get out and work our butts off so i am just excited for all that this transfer will hold. 

Its heating up real quick here. Our AC is currently broke so weve been sleeping with ice packs. You do what you got to do for Florida. 

Ha one of our first lessons together was WILD. We met this lady on the street the day before and she was angry with God for taking her husband. She let us come and she had some unfriendly family who was leaving so we sat on their floor and waited. We taught the Plan of Salvation with a reaking garbage can between our heads and a little chubby 3 year old who was on a rampage the entire lesson. Her hands were busy between tearing our book of Mormon apart or down her pants that were too small to cover her little bum.

At one point she came tackling me from behind placing her entire hand in my mouth so much that i could taste it. Nasty. 

I put some good ol mouth wash to the test that day. 

I love it all. The crazy, exhaustion, and the sweet filled moments of the spirit where i can testify of the Savior. 

I recently have been doing the TG Jesus Christ study that Elder Nelson suggested last conference. Boy it has already impacted me. I love the Savior. And i feel of his power. Nothing is better than it. 

Thank you for being my best friends. 

So much love, Sister Jackson

Blue Angel Week

HELLO!

This week was wonderfuly busy as usual. We had a inspiring MLC this week in Tallahasse. The spirit hit me hard with just how powerful this work and calling really is. How ready Heaven is ready to assist. It was a great reminder. 

I feel like my consecration and understanding of what this is all about is at its greatest poin in my whole mission. You wish you could be where you are now and have a year and a half all over to apply who you've become and the spirit you let guide. Its just the process of a mission though. It been through all the trial and error and experiences that have helped to this place. 

Yesterday it hit me again with just how in love with my life i am. There is nothing id rather be doing. I have felt the happiness the gospel brings evelope me this week. I am excited for next transfer. Ready to give all my heart and might to the end!

I excited for the upcoming adventures and memories with Sister Sant my new companion who will be coming to Gulf Breeze this week. 

I want to write off with something i read this week! We are not slaves to our circumstances.

How true that is. Whether spiritual or temporal. The Savior has all power to help create the lives and testimonies we need and desire no matter the conditions that surround. 

I LOVE YOU ALL. 

Sister Jackson

A member took us to see the blue angels and made took this great picture. They ROCK.

The Promised Land

Happy Fourth Friends!! I don't have much time but just wanted to share a quick tender mercy.

We went on an exchange with sisters in Brewton AL. Our appointment fell through so we tried the neighbors to see if they knew if they were in town/meet them! She was not having it and barely cracked her door. As we were introducing ourselfs she said thanks and shut the door ha. We started to walk away and i knew we couldn't give up that easy. We went back and knocked it again. Gave here our info and asked for referrals. She pointed to her two neighbors. The first trailor was a no go. As we moved on to the second house, barbra greeted us with hesitancy but then something flipped and she let us right in.

We ended up teaching her the restoration and setting a baptismal date. The lord provides!! 

The love continued when we met an AWESOME guy while he was tanning his feet on the side walk. He reminded me of the hobbit. He ran and got his dog for us to show us his pride and joy.

Note to self: dont ask if you can hold a dog who come to find out was fed a joint for dinner the night before, because when you give the pup to your companion it may cry while peeing all over her. 

I hadn't laughed that hard in a long time!!

I love you all so much.  I know God is in the work of every piece of this Life. Keep reading. Keep praying. Keeping seeking.

Love Sister Jackson:)

Dark Stormy Nights at Waffle House

Hey Yall. Happiest of Mondays. 

This week had some wild storms and memories. It is the small moments where time stands still and you just feel gratitude to be out here, that i live for now a days. 

One happened on an exchange with Sister Baker. Its been pouring buckets lately here. One evening after eating dinner it was getting late and we both were drenched head to toe from from the day. We swung into waffle house to try to tract down one of our former investigators who we lost contact with that works there. We ran in there drenched. It was late and only the workers were inside. We ended up contacting every one of the workers all with individual heart touching stories. One girl had dropped out of highschool to take care of her mom who passed away. Another lady was in tears with nostalgia from her journey with God. It felt so natural to testify and teach as if i were standing there talking with my friends from home. How i LOVE this work. Later on i realized friends from home they really were. 

Another cool experience happened at a door step where we were able to talk to a kid from California who was atheist and had no desire to know if there was a God. After an hour back and forth of questions from the heavens he was able to say his very first prayer in his life. 

Afterwards he said "im confused." "I don't understand why I just did what i did." The spirit is so cool. Surely we were accompanied by it that day. 

I love you. Thanks for being the absolute best. Jesus Christ loves and lives. Be bold for what you love!

Love,

Sister Jackson

ALSO if you have some spare minutes go give Dealing With Uncertainty by Bruce C. Hafen a read. One of my new favorite talks:) 

Happy Fathers DAY!

Hello loved ones. I hope you all had a wonderful Father's Day. It was bitter sweet being away from home in the arms of my Hero of a Dad. Yet i felt such a love and closeness to my Heavenly Father. How grateful I am.

As i was studying for an Exchange this week i came across Romans 8:28 

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

It hit home because in the chaos of life and the internal battles we all fight daily it comes down to the simple promise that ALL things work together for good when we love God. And when we truly truly love God with all that we are, our lives and purposes will fall into His will. 

I am grateful for the opportunity He gives all of us to find our selves and find out what His personal will is for us. It is a beautiful, intimate journey!

I love you all. Keep reading. Keep praying. Keep searching. You will find Him.

Sister Jackson!

 

Johnny my Diabetic buddy on and exchange in Brewton Alabama hah! 

Sister Hulstine and I reunited!

So on one of my last days in Madison we were driving home and there was a huge family reunion outside a house and i had the internal battle to pull over or not to talk to them( Huge groups intimidate me ha) Anywho we did and showed a mom and a nother lady the prince of peace video. Sister Hulstine my old comp sent me this pic and the son got baptized last week. Cool huh! 

This is Real.

Hello!!

Gosh this week was incredible. Elder Uceda from the 70 (spoke last conference about missionaries at Machu Pichu) visited the mission. I wish you all could just sit in on some of these meetings because at times the spirit almost feels tangible. I promise. It is the coolest. He is a humble, inspired man of God. 

One of my most cherished memories of my mission happened this week. Words can not and will never do justice but i am going to attempt to try. 

I went up to Tallahassee for an exchange with Sister Leavitte. We were in a smaller part of town and all our appointments fell through so we were just contacting. Inside some of the doors reminded me of my days in Africa. 

Many City workers were mowing lawns and such and as we stopped each one of them they were not interested. As we began walking back to where we had left our car to head to our next appointment we said lets try one more person. Then we met Gary. He said "so whats your message? I know God stopped me for a reason today." We began teaching the Restoration. So there we stood in the heat of the day with sweat running down our faces teaching and testifying our hearts out on that little sidewalk. Sister Leavitte handed him the pamphlet to read the 1st vision. He stumbled a bit as he read aloud. As he finished he paused and looked up with tears in his eyes. All he said was "wow. i really feel God at this moment." The spirit was touching him. 

Sometimes it is easy to doubt what you or other people are feeling. But in this day there is not a single thing someone could say or do that could detract from the reality of the spirit that he felt testify to him. The spirit that we all felt. It was undeniable.

Just as we finished the lesson his van pulled down the street to pick him up. God allowed him just enough time to hear this message. We all held hands as he prayed allowed. Before he left the spirit was playing its roll and I said Gary we have one more question for you. When you come to feel and know that this message is true, will you follow Jesus Christ and be baptized by his authority? Amidst the cars and yelling neighbors it felt as if us three were the only ones on the block as time stood still. With his humble teary eyes he replied "yes."

The sisters called me last night and said that as they went back to teach him, his cousin who had been baptized two years ago showed up saying she wants to go back to church and just wasn't sure how to transfer her records. They are now teaching His cousin and interested Non-member husband. 

Miracles. 

This work is real and I love my Savior. Thank you for the support and love you send me from across country. I love you all!

Sister Jackson:)

My two babes are companions. How i love them!

All About the Delivery

Happy Monday! WELCOME TO THE FAMILY ELLIE MAE. I can't wait to kiss her lil cheeks. 

This week I truly felt the awareness of God. I will tell you two simple times real quick!

Im not sure if you guys remember the lady that broke down in the laundromat that we prayed with right then and there. We lost contact with her for a bit then tried her one day and she was in a very very terrible place and there was not a thing we could say or do for her but pray. WELL, yesterday was a breakthrough. She came to church with her little daughter. She looked so good and i promise the spirit in the church brings out the best of people. It was fast and testimony meeting and as she sat there she leaned over to me and said something inside me feels i need to get up there (she has terrible social anxiety so i was totally taken back). I told her i would get up there with her if she wanted to go! So up we went!

As a missionary you always get a little nervous for what is going to come out of the mouth of the people you bring to church.  AND it was BEAUTIFUL. She was a completely different person. She was in tears with her story and the day the "sisters knocked on my door and saved me from the lowest place possible". That whole day she just thanked us again and again for saving her life. It was a humbling place to be that day. 

Second story: Sister Shank and I were both praying one evening and a pizza delievery guy knocked on our door (a loving member sent him). We ended up talking to him for a good while about the restoration and the Book of Mormon and set a return appointment with him for next week! Cool guy just searchin for peace in his life. 

I love you all. The Savior has trod the very path He asks us to follow. And i love Him for it.

Sister Jackson:)

Our pal Esther who just got back from her mission!

Staying In The Breeze

Hello family and friends! Transfers have come and gone and Sister Shank and I are here in Gulf Breeze for another. We are excited to hit the pavement and do our best to get this area flourishing. 

We mainly had another week of finding! We are in the push through phase of the work because as always miracles are abundant you just got to get out and find them!

After a long day of every single appointment falling through we got "stood up" at a park and we began looking for others to talk to. We ran over to a boy getting in his car and ended up having a great chat with him about the Savior and what he can truly offer. We watched the #Because of Him video with him and testified our lil souls out. I know we were meant to be at that park for someone.

I have felt such strength from my personal prayers this week. It really is a refuge and thats something i never experienced before my mission. Gosh what power genuine prayers can bring! I know the Savior has trod the very path he asks us to follow. And I love Him for that. 

I love you all dearly! Thank you for being such a strength and inspiration to me:) 

Last Monday we went to a Blue WAHOOS baseball game SO fun.

An exchange last week with Sis Mantlo! She hit her 19 months and so we celebrated with #3 best ranked tacos in AMERICA... good but debatable! 

Hey Hey

Hey my favorite people! I don't have much time this week but just wanted to shoot a quick email! We had two exchanges this week in Pensacola and Gulf Breeze! The sisters continue to amaze me. 

ONE cool tender mercy happened after a long day of tracting and on our way home we felt impressed to turn around and go back to a guy we saw. So after we knocked that last door we went back for him. He had just moved here from Alabama and happened to be roomates with a guy(Chris) from my first area who got baptized my first week in the field! It was crazy. He said he totally saw Chris's  life changed as he was baptized and wanted that too. So a few days later we went taught him the Restoration at a park and set a Baptismal date with him. Teaching and testifying to him with passion felt so natural. THE LORDS HAND IS IN THIS WORK!

I really do see the blessings of pushing and fighting through the long hard days out here. And nothing makes it more worth it then our Savior and doing it in His behalf. 

I love you all!

Sister Jackson

Happy Mother's Day :)

HI fam! I so loved talked to you yesterday. I am oh so lucky. I just wanted to share a neat experience from my week.

Sister Cook one of my past companions came down for an exchange and we were tracting in an apartment complex and one person led us to another and we ended up teaching all sorts of people in the laundromat. We had our portable dvd player and copies of the Books of Mormon with us. It was so neat. One lady in particular broke down into tears in despair because of where she was in life. 

We sat her down hugged her and counseled with her about the healing power of the atonement of Jesus Christ and after a while we just asked if we could pray with her. So there in the middle of the laundromat we all got down on our knees and prayed aloud. Gosh the spirit filled each one of us. 

We went back a few days later and taught her the Restoration and set a Baptismal date with her. 

Amongst the heartbreaks this week was full of tender mercies. As it always is. 

I love you all dearly. Jesus Christ Lives!

So much much love,

Sister Jackson

Bay Side

Exchanges with Sister Whatcott

Doors on Doors

Hello! I don't have much time today but i just wanted to shoot yall a quick email! My zone leaders and I sang at MLC this week (Missionary Leadership Council) and we had exchanges with the Pace sisters. Which was SOO fun because Sister Fox and I got to be companions for a day again. It was a riot. They came down to Gulf Breeze and I just took her tracting in the rain all day. We were able to testify of Christ to a lot of neat people. 

Other than that our whole week was basically full of good ol door knocking. It was a tougher week from getting told to shut up to threats of getting the cops called on us. All day everyday. I could tell by the end of the week it was beginning to wear on me. SO when Sunday rolled around I couldn't have felt more relief to be able to take the Sacrament. Gosh what a blessing it is in my life. I could not raise myself to do what i do and be who i am with out the Savior and his matchless life. 

2 Nephi 11 teaches of the truthful principle about opposition in all things. I have read this scripture time and time again but for some reason it hit me hard this week! In order to feel greater happiness we have to feel greater pain. To grow our testimonies stronger we face even greater doubts or temptation to get there. I felt that this week. How true this is on a much grander scale! 

If we expect a place in the Kingdom of God we best be expecting TUMULTUOUS  seas to get there.

I am grateful to be on the front lines of this battle. For all of you who inspire me back at home. Jesus Christ is the Master Healer and will forgive and strengthen us time and time again! I LOVE YOU ALL!

Love,

Sister Jackson:)

The Good Life.

Hello! Loads of tender mercies this week. I went up to Fox Run this week to do an Exchange with Sister Johnson who is awesome. UWF (University of Western Florida) is up there and they do family history booths on campus there. Gosh nothing is better than proselyting on a College Campus with your peers. I could do it all day! 

Sister Shank and I trained at our Zone Conference this week on a tool that helps you set goals for baptisms. The conference was remarkable. It is always refreshing after weeks of work to be around missionaries who are doing the same thing in a spiritually filling environment! I LOVE my mission. For more than just the homeless men you find behind warehouses who show you all their scars:) I want to tell you 2 quick moments this week that make it all worth it. 

FIRST we all went to the bishops store house to help hand out food to people. There was one lady that i was talking to who was visibly shaken a bit and struggling. After she left in the swarm of people I had the small impression to go find her. Sister Shank and I went out to the parking lot and all i said was "I just wanted to come give you a hug." She had no idea who i was but just hugged me and sobbed. Saying she hates having to do this (come here). Amidst a whole slur of trials i felt such gratitude to have the opportunity to commend her for strength she possess and testify of better things to come.

SECOND as we were driving home yesterday and pulled over when we saw a guy working construction on a house. We walked over and at first he said im busy but as we got talking it turned into a 35 min lesson/discussion on where we came from, why we are here,  where we are going, and role Jesus Christ plays. Hahah he had some wild ideas and philosophies but really AWESOME questions. Nothing makes my days as a missionary happier than to be able to testify to anyone about simple truths that bring meaning and understanding. It is thee best.

Jesus Christ did a whole lot more than just die for us. This week i have come to feel of his power in a much more real sense. Something Elder Bednard said i love..."The enabling power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ strengthens us to do and be good and to serve beyond our own individual desire and natural capacity."

I feel that strength push me past my own natural desires. I love you all always!!!!

LOVE,

Sister Jackson:)

A view while tracting... Right?!

Sister Johnson

Zone Conf.

The Breeze!

​​Hello from Gulf Breeze! Gosh this place is beautiful. I almost feel out of place here because it is so nice. Its a very well off lil beach town. Tracting here is a whole different story! Im figuring it out slowly and surely haha. We are working from the ground up to build a teaching pool which im excited for. 

The highlight of this week was yesterday. We didn't have much success all week but certainly had a tender mercy in a real cool lesson. It was with a 21 year old potential who had read parts of the Book of Mormon in Jail. Her mom and her and the two of us sat around there table all sharing our stories of how we came to find God in our lives. Truly powerful. Her mom was not lovin the Mormons and her daughter went off for a solid 10 minutes about how the bible teaches there is another book to help us today and that's why this all makes sense. We are stoked to teach her. That is one of my favorite things out here is to listen to the journeys people take in their life to find whats missing. Its the coolest.  

Even though this week had some long days. Long days full of exhaustion, frustration, spiritual internal fights and growth, It was the best. Many nights in my prayers I just felt gratitude and real happiness to be living the live I live. It is so neat to me to be able to feel joy amidst the hardships. That's what this Gospel does. HE IS SO GOOD.

I love you all. God's Plan is real! Keep finding the simple truths in your lives! 

So much love,

Sister Jackson

Madison last catch.

Goodbyes.

Robinsons.

Sister Shank. She's awesome.

Transfer Week

Hello my favorite people. I hope you all had a beautiful Easter and week full of the Savior. It has been a bitter sweet weekend saying goodbye to the people I love! I've been called to be a Sister Training Leader in Gulf Breeze. Gosh I sure have a lot of learning and growing a head of me. Like usual:)

This Easter season It felt good to truly focus on the Savior all day. It made me reflect on what his resurrection in reality means to me. 

So many good good times with good good people these past few months. And so many less good times that you love all the same.... HAHA ill tell you about one this week. 

We went to see a Less-Active couple who lives in a trailer in the town over. When we got there Willie was beheading catfish and his wife was eating chili in her bed. She summoned us in there and so sis Jarvis and I sat on the edge of her bed while Sister Hulstine sat on a portable toilet all talking to her and showing her the Easter Prince of Peace Video. It is sad the hurt she carries in her heart. She's a very bitter woman with health problems and a very negative view on life. As I asked her if she has ever felt peace from Jesus Christ she cut me off swearing and yelling about the horrible life she has and at the same time cursing and yelling at her husband about how greasy he made her chili. That statement was yelled at least 21 times while we were there.

It testified to me that the hope of Jesus Christ is a very REAL thing. And so is the absence of it. How deeply we all need it and should yearn for it.  We did the best we could to comfort her and testify to her and right as we finished the closing prayer she yelled "WILLIE GET DA BUCKET.'' The next 10 minutes we sat at the edge of her bed as she hurled up every foul liquid in her body. I have never herd such horrific noises. 

I am typically pretty good when it comes to not getting grossed out by things but I found out real quick that the sound of someone throwing up is not strong suit. The next 8 minutes was my ultimate test of self mastery to not throw up as I rubbed her leg and listen to her continue to hurl and yell at me to look at all the grease that's in her bucket. It finally broke when my body physically started dry heaving and I ran out the room to the door to get some fresh air. God loved me that day because on heaven knows how I left with my lunch still in me. 

I am grateful for all the opportunities that God has given me to share his Son's Gospel. I love him for it. This world is filled with remarkable people with remarkable stories. What a journey we all travel!! Jesus Christ Lives. Thanks for being the best family I could ask for. I LOVE YOU. 

Sister Jackson

Live Within The Blessing

Hello!! So so many adventures this week doing the best thing around.

They began when we got caught up in a tornado warning storm on the otherside of the mission during a doctors appointment. If i had hours to type i would tell you of hilarious, stressful, exhausting hours that followed. I ended up crashing on a couch at a randoms sisters apartment somewhere in between, dress and all. We got up early and kept driving in time to make it to a morning appointment. Ha we were a hot mess. No make up, same clothes, sleep and study deprived.All part of the gig:) 

We helped a less active who i have grown to love so with his farm. We shoveled shucks of corn of out of one of his abandoned houses that was full of it. It was a riot. We shoveled it through a window into a machine that broke them down for cow food. Nasty corn dust literally everywhere. We all now feel as if we have head colds from the pounds of dust we inhaled. Worth it.

SO I'm going to go all missionary on you and give you all a commitment because its a powerful one. On Mormon.org the church came out with a new easter video called #Princeofpeace. And there are 8 videos on the priciples of peace. WATCH them all!! They will change you. We have been showing these videos left and right out here. One of my favorites talks about the concept to "LIVE WITHIN THE BLESSING."

We all have the capacity to live within the blessings of our lives. Our Heavenly Father wants nothing more for us. We are dearly loved. Thanks for being the best family i could ask for! I LOVE YOU ALL!

Sister Jackson:)

Happy happy happy Conference days

HAPPIEST of Conference weekends. I hope everyone was filled with love as much as I was. It broke my heart a little thinking this was my last conference as a missionary. How I'm grateful for it. 

"BLESSED ARE THEY WHO HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD. "

Elder Neil A. Anderson taught that this is a private, personal battle. Internal and personal indeed. 

What joy in magnitude i have come to feel as i'v seen small tender victories in the lifes around me and in myself to overcome the world. 

It is a life long quest but a joyful one! It comes by coming to know God and Jesus Christ. By understanding Christs character and experiencing His healing hands daily! 

Elder Joaquin E. Costa taught "Nothing draws you closer to Jesus Christ than the desire to change." Gosh, how true that is. 

I love you all dearly. I know as we all ponder what overcoming the world looks like in our lives and embrace the beautiful opportunity of change we will experience this magnificent JOY. This Gospel is real!

Sister Jackson:)

I Ride With Jesus

Hey hey my sweet family. I have embraced a real love for the South again this week. Hahah so many hilarious wild stories i wish i had hours to tell you all. Some newly learned skills (or attempted to learn) include; hacking trees with a machete, whip cracking, skinning and gutting fresh shot turkeys, finding and ridding ourselves of ticks, and becoming best friends with/sharing the gospel with motorcycle gangs. It's.The. Best.

We had exchanges this week and i want to tell you briefly of a neat experience this week. Sister Pau'uu and i had the chance to go teach a less-active. After dinner we began the lesson and with in minutes the course of the lesson changed and the spirit took it from there. the whole lesson went to the core of a previously unspoken concern of the existence of a God. The way we can feel Him and of truth in this life. She was in tears as she spoke of a time she was sure she felt the spirit. Not only did my understanding of her heart grow that evening but my love as well. I shared a recent personal experience about my own test of faith and prayer and how i came to fell of the reality of a God. I saw the power that sharing a deep, raw, personal experience can have in the teaching process. The cool thing is that that experience had just just happened days prior to her lesson. It brought me again back to the knowledge that our trials aren't for us, but more importantly for the benefit of others. 

It reminds me of the thought by David A. Bednard "the work you preform is a whole lot more about who you are and what you are becoming, than what you will ever say."

That's SO true with everyone of us. Whether its our callings, schooling, work, family relationships... our character trumps all eloquence of things said and taught. 

Be REAL and be true to YOU! This is something I've come across over and over again in the mission field and am passionate about if you can't tell:) I encourage you all to go out  and find whats real and whats true for you! Find what fills your soul and have the courage to obtain it..TODAY! I love you all immensely. 

Jesus Christ Lives!

Sister Jackson 

"Joker" and "Big show" from the Madison Motor Gang. We connected real quick with their patches of "JESUS IS MY BOSS" and "I RIDE WITH JESUS" #attaboys

1 YEAR

MAN. I live a good life. This week was nothing less than hectic but, the absolute best. I hit my year mark last week and it is a little surreal. So many laughs, tears, heartaches, faith-trying and faith-promoting experiences. So many days full of exhaustion and devotion. So many countless days on my knees. So many lessons learned about myself and inner battles and victories through the Savior.  So, so many tender mercies and people I adore with my whole heart.  

Sylvia was baptized on Saturday. It was tender to watch her son, who was once taken and raised in the branch due to the drug environment, become a member, serve a mission and come back to baptize his momma. The Gospel of Jesus Christ elevates us to our divine potential with courage. That I know.

Every heart wrenching, exhausting, lonely day out here is completely worth it. They do not compare in the slightest for the joy that is felt for people like Syliva. I have hope and gratitude in my heart for this Gospel. I love my Savior. It is hard not to love someone who loved you first. How much more fully I have come to know him personally over this past year. I would not give that up for the world.

I know God answer prayers. It amazes me in the way He does, but he does. Never have I felt such fulfillment and purpose in my life than on my mission. And the cool thing is we should always create our lives to feel that. How lucky we are to know what creates that. It is the Savior and His Gospel. What a beautiful life WE LIVE!

Sending you so much love!

Sister Jackson:)