Brothers and sisters,

This is my last weekly email. I am saddened at the thought that this 18 month journey of mine is coming to a close, but I am so thankful for these 18 months. I have been blessed of the Lord exceedingly. I had no idea what I was getting into on that bright summer day in August of 2016. I had no idea how much I would love this part of the country. I had no idea that part of my heart would always belong to Philadelphia.

I love Philadelphia. I love the culture. I love the intensity. I love the music. I love the loud ness. I love the craziness. I love the diversity. I love the soul food. I love pretzels. I love the smell of the city. I love the history. I love the colors. I love the people. I love being a missionary. I love sharing the gospel. I love being Sister Jackson. I thank my Heavenly Father every day for the blessing of being His hands in this glorious part of His vineyard.

There is so much to say, and so much to do. I am excited to see my family again. I know that the work of the Lord will go on, and I will continue to play a part in it. My work isn’t done just because I take off the tag, in fact it’s all just beginning once again.

I love you all, thank you for sticking around this long, for your prayers and support. I’ll see you soon!

LO
VE,
Sister Jackson

“After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the gospel.” -Joseph Smith

Maggie and Josie

Mariah, Josie, Heather

Maggie, Josie, and Sister Roberts

Fife Life

This week has been so good! Woot! So here is a quick recap of the week because I’m lazy and we are creating at the Fife’s :)

Ed is on date! Woo! He was 40 minutes late for his lesson, but we taught him! He’s doin well and really understands that baptism is life changing. He is excited for baptism to be the start of his new life in August! 

Faith is also on date! It was amazing! We finally met with her this week and found out that she doesn’t need to be retaught anything. Since she met with the missionaries we had been memorizing the pamphlets they gave her so she could remember the doctrine. We set her to be baptized in May! She is so excited and she is so faithful, she will be an amazing member of the church. 

Maggie is so amazing! I just love her with my whole heart! Not much has changed, she just continues to live the gospel and soak it all up!

We haven’t met with Emaani or Venita lately. We also haven’t seen Elizabeth, but from what we know she’s doing well. 

Well, that was pretty much our week! Sorry this weeks is so short, but you can ask me questions soon enough!

This week we also had the departing temple trip, and that was so good! President Winn (the temple president) talked a lot about how we need to read and pray every day. It was a really good meeting, and the temple was amazing as usual! I am so thankful for a temple in Philadelphia. It was so amazing and the spirit was so strong. I know that the spirit of the Lord in unrestrained within the temple walls. 

Love you all and tune in next week for the last weekly email from Sister Jackson! 

Always,

Sister Jackson

The Woodwards

The Stechers

Maggie, Sister Roberts, Josie

Us LDS memebers

In case you’re curious fast and testimony meetings in Woodstown are the best thing since sliced bread. This week we were reminded that we only have 1 wife, we belong to the “LSD” church, there was a secret meeting about the government and if we didn’t know about it, it’s because we are protected, and if we hover around our children we will squander them and they will be eaten by hawks.

Relief Society is another adventure in and of its self. I’ll spare you the details, because it’s rather life scaring, and just say the counsel thing is rather interesting. Oh, and life is not a pink bubble.

In other news this week was great! Faith bore her testimony this week about how Heavenly Father will give you something that you want with your whole heart. It was so sweet! She kept asking us questions about how to bear a testimony, what to say and all that! She spoke right from her heart, and it changed the whole spirit of the meeting. She saved the day, literally.

We met with Ed again this week! He continues to do really well! He loves to learn, and he’s expressed to us that he is feeling closer to God as he has met with us and read from the Book of Mormon. He told us that Jesus has become his best friend and has helped him with so much. 

We also met with Elizabeth! She’s doing the best she can! She is really striving to reach her baptism date and overcome the obstacles holding her back. I think this time is different for her, she realizes that the gospel has something she wants. 

We also met with Lisa, a lady we met a few weeks back. She brought her minister friend to the lesson, and I’m 95% sure it was going to be a bash. So we stuck to common ground and talked about prayer, but once the minister found out we were Mormons we lost all hope of talking to them again and quickly left. 

We also met an amazing woman named Jen! We were stopping by some formers in the areabook, and they had moved, but Jen lived there now! She was so sweet! We got her hooked when I started loving on her golden retriever (but really, fastest way to get someone to listen is to start talking about their dog)! She soon let us in and we were able to share a short message with her and she accepted a Book of Mormon and said we could come back! She’s been watching Mormon vlogs on YouTube and has been impressed with what she has seen! You never know what living your faith can do. 

This week has been a little hard for me. I’m constantly reminded by members that my time is coming short, and it’s true, but it’s been hard. However, this whole week I was reminded of how much my Heavenly Father loves me and all of His children. It was no mistake that we met Jen, no mistake that plans canceled over and over again this week, no mistake that I’ve been serving in the Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mission, no mistakes are ever made by God, because He is perfect. That includes in your life too, it’s no mistake that you didn’t get a job, it’s no mistake that you married who you did, it’s no mistake where you’re going to college. Nothing is ever a mistake. We just need to trust in God, and rely on Him. It will all work out, I promise. 

Sister Stecher

face masks

the district

Love you all!

Always,
Sister Jackson

Sister Jackson, or should I say Sister Johnson? I've heard it both ways!

Hello friends and family! It is been a crazy P-Day and even crazier week. So I’ll just try and break this down and keep it short because I’m running out of time and I’ve still got stuff to do.

Here’s a quick update on all the people we met with this week and the area!

Edward: he was a referral from Morgan.org! He is so awesome! He came to church this week and he’s super open to the Gospel! He actually just texted us earlier today and thanked us for meeting with him and helping him see the purpose of his life and finding God and all of these amazing things! He really enjoyed church and how kind the people are! He is been having a rough go of life lately and as we’ve met with him I think it is just helped him find the Savior. He excepted both Book of Mormon and the Bible and we hope he’s been reading from both of them! We are looking forward to meeting with him later this week.

Jack: he’s this old guy. He’s super nice but was definitely more interested in what the member had to say than what we had to say. He doesn’t like young people. We’re hoping to establish a better relationship with him this week and continue to meet with him!

Faith: we haven’t been able to meet with her but she came to church again! Another amazing thing is that she went to seminary all week last week. Now that’s dedication. There are members who don’t even go to seminary every day all week. We went to seminary this morning and she actually gave the devotional! This girl is so faithful. It amazes me. Hopefully we will meet with her tomorrow and be able to set her on the track to baptism! We are so excited and so thankful that we get to work with her!

Elizabeth: she’s great. We actually sent here with the baptismal date this week! It was one of the best lessons that I’ve had with her. She expressed to us that she wanted to be baptized and to overcome the things that are holding her back from doing that. She also came to church this week and it was really good to see her! Her baptismal date is set for June so it’s a ways out but that was the time that we felt was right for her.

Emaani: we haven’t met with her this week we are hopefully going to be with her next week.

Shirley: she’s awesome! We met with her and talk her the restoration and she expressed as her she’s on a spiritual journey and is looking for the right church. We are going to be meeting with her again tomorrow and hopefully will be able to help her on the spiritual journey.

I think that’s probably all the updates in regards to investigators. We haven’t met with any less actives this week really, we did meet with Maggie though! She’s doing great! So  are her parents!

This week we had zone conference! It was so awesome! We talked a lot about the plan of salvation and about charity and having love for the people around us. Charity so important! If the people you talk to don’t feel your love for them than they will ever understand or progress in the Gospel. Christ was the ultimate example of charity and as we continue to strive to be like him he will bless us with the love that we need to help those around us continue on their path back to Him.

President Sikahema also spoke. He told the story of how he knows Maggie’s dad for the 500th time. He also kept calling me Sister Johnson and everyone giggled every time he said that and I don’t think he ever noticed. Then later when I gave my commencement testimony, as president Randall now calls it, President then said “Sister Jackson, or should I say Sister Johnson?” Then proceeded to laugh. Ha ha. It was actually super weird to know that this was my last zone conference. I am just so thankful to have served my mission and to have known so many great people. I am excited to finish out the next few weeks strong!

I love you all!

Always,

Sister Jackson

Sister Roberts and Josie

Rita's is open!!

You best stay prayed up!

I think I always start my weeklies the same way, and that’s so boring. These get harder and harder to write each week, just to let you know. 

Anyway, this week has been another good one! It’s been crazy with the weather, it snowed Saturday night and was melted by Sunday morning. It has rained so much that there has been flooding, so that’s been fun to drive in (thankfully I’m not the driver). I just have so much love in my heart for New Jersey! 

So let’s start at the beginning! On Monday one we got to go visit one of the less active families we’ve been working with for a while! It was so good to see them, it has been a long time! The mom is super pregnant and actually had her baby later in the week! She’s like super mom and already had professional pictures taken of the baby. Now that’s dedication. 

Tuesday we had district meeting and then had a day full of finding. Towards the end of the day we had a lesson with Gwen! She is awesome! She has so much love in her heart for God and she really related to Joseph Smith’s story. Later that evening we went to mutual to help out with the 55+ valentines dinner the young men were putting on (plus we got leftovers, score!) and Gwen came! She really enjoyed herself and it was great! 

Wednesday, oh the wonderful Valentines Day! Hahaha, we had a most interesting day. We started our morning off with a lesson with a family in Salem. Who turned out to be not as interested in we thought. They gave a half-hearted attempt at bashing, and we tried to explain, but it just wasn’t working. So we left. They were still super nice but just couldn’t get over the whole Prophet and Book of Mormon thing. Because revelation ceased with the Apostles and you can’t add anything to the Bible. As stated before we tried, and we testified, but they just weren’t ready to listen. 

We also got to go see Sister Johnson! She is the most amazing lady, and she’s been lonely since her husbands passing a few months ago. We went over and just visited with her for a little and talked about all of the super fun stories she’s got. She and her husband were some of the first members to live in Jersey and spent most of their lives trying to help build the church. She is truly amazing. 

We had dinner with the Nolin/Naval crew that night! My heart just loves that family so much, especially sweet little Ellie, who spent the whole night telling us about her Valentines Day party at school. Sister Naval is also one of my favorite people and so it’s always fun to chat with her! However; as we were leaving the house Sister Nolin opened the door and I started to walk outside only to be hit by a bird who was flying into their house! It was crazy! The bird had been hiding in the wreath on their door and got scared when it was opened, so it took off in flight, only it was towards my face.

On Thursday we had exchanges with the Sewell sisters! I got to go spend the day in Sewell with Sister Connelly and it was so fun! We started off by going to temple Prep with one of the recent converts in their ward, and that was amazing! Temple Prep is always fun to take part in! Later we did some finding and then taught an active family in their ward and it was so fun! Meanwhile in Woodstown Sister Roberts and Sister Trommlitz Set Emaani with a baptism date for late April! It was so awesome to hear about when I got back!

On Friday we finished exchanges by walking around Woodbury and it was the cutest little town! We also got to talk with some amazing people on the streets who had already met with missionaries before and were interested in meeting again! Woot! Anyways when I got back to Woodstown we headed over to Penns Grove/Pennsville and it was amazing as usual! 

We spent the day finding and we found our new investigator, Angie, who lives where an old investigator lived! She was so awesome, she let us right in! It was a miracle for sure! We also taught a less active family and they are doing much better than they were last time we saw them. They seemed to finally really understand what we are saying. We ended our night with dinner with one of the sisters in our ward, Sister Rhea! She is the sweetest person ever and I just adore her! 

Saturday was a relatively normal day, lots of tracting. Dinner with the Fife’s, a lesson with Sister Leuallen and then we got a referral who wants both a BOM and a Bible! We are super excited to meet with him on Tuesday this week! I’ll report back and let you know how it goes! 

Sunday was so amazing! So let’s dive in! First, President Sikahema is the most powerful missionary ever. He texted Maggie’s parents and invited them to church since he would be there, and they came! He also taught the Restoration over the pulpit, so that’s awesome! The Spirit was so strong the whole time! Second, THE biggest miracle happened! So let’s flash back 8 months ago, so way before I was in this area, the missionaries were meeting with a young woman named Faith, who really wanted to get baptized. A few weeks before her baptism her parents told her she couldn’t meet with them anymore. So she cut off contact with the church except for her one friend Spencer and kept reading her Book of Mormon. So flash forward again, this week her parents told her that she’s almost 18 and if she hasn’t lost interest in the church yet that she could make her own decisions! WHAT?! So she came to church and set up a time to meet with us! MIRACLES ARE REAL FRIENDS! It is a miracle that her parents had their hearts softened enough to let her make this decision, and a miracle that she has stayed as faithful as she has. I’m so excited to work with her! 

We had time to go finding on Sunday and we found the best lady ever! She was not interested at all, and after telling us about how she didn’t go to church because she over slept and washed her hair and how she had received the Holy Ghost at 17 she asked us if the only calling we hold at our church is missionary. So we briefly explained how missions work for us and she goes “Oh girls, I’ll tell you one thing, you best stay prayed up! Mmmhmm!” We about died laughing! We also complimented her sweater and she went “$2 at consignment! You don’t have the pay a lot of money to look cute!” I seriously love the people here in Jersey!

Along with this lady I know that prayer is a power to be reckoned with. Prayer is so important to our relationship with our Father. Think of how often your kids talk to you, or how often you talk to your parents, it’s almost everyday right? Well, how often do you talk to your Heavenly Father? Is it everyday? I know that if we take time each day to talk with our Heavenly Father our lives will go much smoother and I promise that you will find answers to your questions. He will not leave His children in the dark if they are truly searching for the light. 

Always,

Sister Jackson

 

Josie and Sister Connelly

Pres. Sikehema and the girls

decorating with Sister Roberts

You've done lost your everlasting mind! -Sister Wilson

Hello hello! What a great week it has been to be a servant of the Lord! Just to clarify for some of you who have also been getting my MTC districts emails. Yes, I am still a missionary. I extended 6 weeks! Woot! It’s going to be the best 6 weeks ever! It’s already started off with a busy week, so you know that’s a good sign! 

To start off on Monday evening we went to stop by a former investigator. She was home and she let us right in! She proceeded to ask us about the super bowl and then tell us all about how she does not believe in medication so she was not going to be taking all the medication her doctor has prescribed her. She then set up a return appointment and we are super excited! 

To be honest, it’s easier to write these if I do it in bullet point form, so buckle up kids! 

-We spend a day in Salem (my FAVORITE ghetto town) and it was so wonderful! Not much happened, but it felt so good to be there. (Yes Sister Taylor, it was the first day of the transfer. The tradition continues) We did get to see a whole bunch of formers and even get into contact with a family who “avoided” missionaries! 

-We spend a day in Pennsville, and it was hardcore raining all day. It was rough! It was cold and no one was outside or wanted two soaking wet women to come into their homes, BUT we did met this super nice man named Jesse who asked us to come back when there was a woman home.

-While in Pennsville we stopped by this less active family and visited with them. It was interesting. We found out that the Brother spent some time in the insane asylum, and while he was there he tried to choke one of his doctors. It was interesting. 

-Thursday we went to the Storehouse! It was so great! I always love going to the store house.

-We taught Maggie again this week! Well, more like she taught us. We went to teach the Plan of Salvation and she set everything up and then told us what each thing was. It was impressive! In her own words she explained the pre-mortal life “We were there with God, just chillin, hanging out with Heavenly Father.” I love her! 

-Later that evening we taught our new investigators, Emaani! Emaani is the daughter of Venita, and we have started to teach her the lessons! We taught the Restoration and it was so awesome, the only problem? Sister Roberts was sick, like we spent the next two days inside sick, so she didn’t teach much because she was trying not to throw up and she couldn’t concentrate. Venita asked us if we believed in deliverance prayers and I had absolutely no idea what she was talking about, but Sister Roberts did, but she was to sick to explain, so I tired, and probably failed. 

-the next two days we spent inside, due to the flu. BUT we still taught two lessons! We spent some time with a member of our ward who is blind, and talked with her. She’s been going through a lot and while we were talking she was talking about her friend and gave the quote for my subject line! We also visited with Gwen! Gwen is a former that I’ve met with a few times and she’s going through a rough patch. She was so open to listening last time we saw her! She even came to church this week and was telling a member that she really enjoyed it and really needed to have the word of God in her life AND the young men are doing a valentines dinner for women 55+ and she is going to go to it on Tuesday! WHAT?!? Miracles are real friends! 

This whole week has been full of miracles. Even on those two days we were stuck inside the miracles were real.

I KNOW that God is still a God of miracles, and sometimes that miracle is the answer to a sincere prayer for help from one of us. I know that He hears and answers those prayers in His own due time. I know He listens. I felt that again and again this week, I felt that love as I knelt in prayer at the end of each day. I felt that when I poured my heart out to Him in pure gratitude for the last 18 months. I feel a lot like President Monson did in April 2015 Conference when he said “They have been busy years, filled not only with a few challenges but also with countless blessings.” It has been a busy year and a half, and the blessings and love I have seen and felt are REAL. God lives, I know it and I cannot deny it. 

Always,

Sister Jackson

favorite building in Salem

Heavenly Helpers

Fly Eagles Fly

Did you know the scriptures reference eagles 37 times and patriots 0 times? Well, now you do. 

Hello friends and fam! It has been an amazing week in the work of the Lord! We had transfer calls last night and I am staying in Woodstown with Sister Roberts! Woohoo! We are so excited to keep the work rolling in this glorious part of the vineyard! It is going to be so fun, and I am so ready for the next 6 weeks! 

We saw Terressa again, she is in the process of moving and so she needed help cleaning her “new” trailer home. We went over twice this week to help wipe down walls and clean the bathroom. Her roommate (the person who actually owns the trailer)has probably never cleaned it the whole time they’ve lived there. The bathroom was so nasty, Sister Roberts is allergic to dust mites so she got a super great reaction from cleaning this week. 

We also saw Elizabeth! She is doing good. It was the first time we had seen her in about 68 days, and she really opened up about some concerns that she has had. We talked a lot about how we are children of God, and nothing we do or say can change that. He still cares for us deeply, and will always love us. I am so thankful for that knowledge and that I get to spend everyday helping people see and understand that they are children of the Almighty God. 

This week we spent a LOT of time in Penns Grove. So here are a few tidbits of the things that happened:

- we ran into our investigator on the street and found out they are a cross dresser. Later our relief society president asked us about said investigators and asked if they were a cross dresser.

- we visited a less active family and the sister collects angels. She asked us if we wanted one and we politely declined. She then kept asking before finally picking two out and giving them to us. 

- we went to go give a bible referral his bible at his address. As it turns out that’s actually not his address. He just puts that one as his home address. His wife answered the door and was so confused as to why we were there and asking for her husband. We have also stopped by that house multiple times since receiving the referral, and no one has ever bothered to tell us he doesn’t actually live there. 

-We met a lady who was getting out of her car as we were walking past. We asked if we could share a video about Jesus Christ and her response was “Are you Jehovah’s Witness?” We said no and she let us right in and set up a time for us to come back. 

A few miracles this week: 

- we received a referral for a lady who lives at the bottom of our area. She wanted us to come by yesterday and give her her bible. So we went down before the Super Bowl and she was so awesome! She told us she orders free bibles all the time to give to her children to point them in the right direction, and she was so happy to take a copy of the Book of Mormon! She expressed to us that she is looking for a church right now, so she is just church hopping and was very open to meeting with us later! 

We had an awesome training with President Randall this week. We talked a lot about faith, charity and obedience. We have to have all three to become “effective advocates and messengers of the truth.” When we love others and the Lord, we desire to be obedient, when we are obedient it builds our faith because obedience brings miracles. 

Yesterday when we got to our dinner appointment, it didn’t look like anyone was home, but we tried anyway. We spent 25 minutes on their porch knocking on their door and ringing their doorbell, as it

Sister Roberts and Josie

Working at the Storehouse

was raining outside. We ended up calling them and they had been downstairs watching pre-game stuff. It was just an awkward night last night. 

We had a rough time at the beginning of last week, we were down to no miles and we had appointments in the most random of places. We spent one whole day in the richest part of our area knocking on doors and it was awful. We met one person that said she would read a pamphlet, and how thankful I am for one person! One of my favorite songs recently has been One by One, which was written by Elder Bednar and put to music by Paul Carrdall (if you haven’t heard it, go look it up). This week I have been thinking a lot about how the Savior ministers to others “One by one” in a few different places in 3 Nephi it talks about this idea. 

3 Nephi 11:15 And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.

3 Nephi 17:21 And when he had said these words, he wept, and the multitude bare record of it, and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them.

3 Nephi 18:36 And it came to pass that when Jesus had made an end of these sayings, he touched with his hand the disciples whom he had chosen, one by one, even until he had touched them all, and spake unto them as he touched them.

Jesus Christ comes to each of us One by one. He comes in His own time and in His own way, but He always comes. He loves each of us individually, and wants each of us to come unto Him, one by one. 

“The Lord just wants you to know how awesome you are! How you’re doin it!” -Sister Bergin

Always,

Sister Jackson