Hello my peeps!

I hope your week was incredible! It's been quite the week out here in

glorious Downingtown! I'm loving it though! Since Sister Nutting packs

up and leaves me tomorrow everyone and their squirrel (there are

literally so many squirrels here) wanted to see us. It was insane. We

had so many double dinners and a packed schedule. Oh so crazy.

We were able to teach a lot of lessons this week which was awesome! We

met with a less active, Sister Loveland, who was so cool! She's had a

lot of trials as of late but she keeps turning outward in efforts to

help other people overcome problems and getting them clothing that

they need to stay warm sometimes! She's so awesome! We saw the

Hemmingers again twice! We had dinner with them Wednesday and then saw

them on Sunday because they had Christmas presents to give to Sister

Nutting and I! They are the cutest people! We also met with Bonnie

again, she is doing better with everything and still has a goal to get

to church once the time changes in January! Her health issues are the

only thing keeping her from coming back which is really sad but her

doctors are working with her to get her a motorized wheelchair that

she can take places since she can't walk very well. She's an amazing

woman with a very cool background! We had dinner with the Banguras

this week and man, African food, it's a little weird. I tried Okra for

the first time, it was slimy and gross, not something I'll try again.

They are so fun though! I love them! They all got dressed up for

dinner so that we could all have our nice clothes on! We also met with

the Bradshaws, sister Bradshaw is active but brother Bradshaw is not.

Brother Bradshaw is from Hurricane Utah so we have some great

conversations about Utah, he's super cool and so sweet! Plus they are

way good cooks so you really can't go wrong with that! They are just

cute and Brother Bradshaw loves missionaries so much, he was so sad to

see Sister Nutting go!

In regards to our investigators we saw Susie this week! Quick recap,

the elders were teaching her before they were taken out and she was

interested. We met with her a few times and we were about to invite

her to be baptized when she told us that she doesn't want to become a

Mormon. So we dropped her, well this week we heard she broke her hip

so we went by the hospital so just let her know that she was in out

thoughts and we were able to share the Light the World video with her

and just see how she's doing! She was excited to see us but isn't

interested in having us back but it was still really cool to go see

her! We also saw Oscar, he gets baptized next week! He's so excited to

finally join the church and take this step in progression! He's so

awesome!

So I know you're all dying. Darren & Maurice. So sadly Darren did not

get baptized this week, he has had a hard time with a commandment that

could easily be fixed if he would just listen to the answer we know

he's gotten but he's being stubborn. Keep praying for him because he's

going to be baptized by the time I leave Downingtown. He's still cool

though! We also were not able to meet with him more than once this

week. Our one lesson with him we covered the interview questions and

what baptism really is. It was all great and he was ready to be

baptized until we got to a question of the interview that messed up

some plans that he already has in motion. So yeah, everything's a

little off track with him right now.

Now to the good part, Maurice! He was baptized on Sunday by Brother

Williams and will be confirmed a member of the church on Sunday! it

was the most amazing experience to be a part of! It was something I

will never forget. The spirit that was around in the meeting was

incredible. It was a long road to get here but it's the sweetest fruit

ever! The ward is just so supportive of him and so happy to have him

in the ward! He just knows his stuff and one of the coolest things was

Sister Seaman invited him over for lunch with us on Sunday! She was

able to invite a YSA and Neil was an answer to our prayers for

Maurice! They hit it off right away and we are hoping that Neil really

gets Maurice involved with the YSA so that Maurice can find friends

his own age who are living the gospel and can be that example to him!

He's so cool. I can't describe the feelings that cam yesterday,

knowing I have been apart of this story and have helped Maurice find

his way to Christ, It's been incredible. The things I have learned

about our Heavenly Father and His love for His children could have

never been found in any other way. It's just amazing.

So in regards to transfers, I will be staying in Downingtown as sister

nutting heads out to California! That's right folks, she's leaving me.

How rude! She's ready to go home though, you can tell she's tired when

you look at her. She's an amazing missionary and will do great things!

My new companion is Sister Briggs, she's from Idaho somewhere, I

haven't actually met her yet! I'll meet her tomorrow and we will head

into Downingtown to get to work!

I spent Friday in a little town called Havertown with Sister Payne and

Sister Taylor while our companions were at the temple for their last

time! It's so crazy to know that this really is it! We met the cutest

couple that elders had tracted into a long, long time ago! We were

walking past their house to another house and they had just pulled

into their drive way so they called out "Are you sisters?" We answered

with a yes and they were so excited that they let us right in and we

were able to get to know Joe and Christine very well as we shared the

video with them and encouraged them to serve those around them and to

share Christs light!

 Oh hahaha back to Maurice's baptism, I was able to do a musical

number for it and to share with him my testimony through song. It was

cool to see how fast the spirit was brought in to truly show Maurice

the way. It's incredible.

I was reading in Alma this week about the 2,000 warriors. If you don't

know the story Alma 56-59 in the Book of Mormon is where to find it!

Anyway, in chapter 56 there is a verse (47) that talks about why the

warriors were not afraid. It says in it that they had been taught by

their mothers that if they did not doubt God would deliver them. Which

made me think of the scripture in Mormon 9 that says "doubt not but be

believing." Which then led me to President Utchdorf, "Doubt your

doubts before you doubt your faith" This scripture has become a

foundation for my mission, because it reminds me that I do know that

God will deliver me as I do my best and doubt not. I know the things

I've been blessed with so far on this journey have come because I am

believing. I know with God all things are possible, and without Him we

are nothing. My friends, my family, please doubt you doubts, not your

faith. Do not doubt God, He will provide.

Do your best and the Lord provides the rest.

A few weeks ago sister Nutting and I were talking about scripture

reading. Well that night I was praying and I had the best analogy for

scripture reading pop into my head. "Reading the scripture because

someone tells you too is like takin the bus tour in Philly. While it's

great you only see the big things but miss the hidden gems. Reading

the scriptures because you want too is like walking the streets of

Philly for hours, you see the big things, but you also find hidden

gems in places you never though of before." If any of you are

struggling I invite you to read the scriptures, wether it's the Book

of Mormon or the Bible, you will find comfort and an answer. Because

if we want to talk to God we pray, but if we want God to talk to us we

read the scriptures.

Love you all! Miss you all! Merry Christmas!

Remember he's the reason

Love,

Sister Jackson

Sent from Downingtown ❤️

Josie, Maurice, Sister Nutting

Maurice, Brother Williams