Hello all you lovely people! I hope your week was good! We had a great

week full of hard work out here in Broomall! Tonight it's supposed to

get a little crazy, around 8 pm it's supposed to start snowing and

then not stop until 4 pm tomorrow, we are predicted to get 12-18

inches of snow so it's gonna make the work an adventure for sure!

We have seen so many miracles! James was baptized yesterday and it was

so powerful! It was actually really, really cool. His dad (who used to

be a member) came and spoke about how proud he is of James for

following Christ's example and for being baptized. His grandmother (a

nonmember) was asked if she is a member of the church and she

responded "Not yet." And his old nanny (also a nonmember) came and had

lots of questions about the Book of Mormon and Jospeh Smith and all

that good stuff! It was so spiritual and awesome and I just love

seeing this little family be complete, working with them has changed

my life.

Agnes is doing so well! She is so excited to be baptized next week and

to take that step! She has so much faith in Christ and in who He is

that working with her has strengthened my faith in incredible ways! I

love her so much and she's just awesome!

This week was so good! We really buckled down and got to work. A few

weeks ago we knocked on the door of a lady named Cynthia, and she was

just leaving for work but asked us to come back another day, well over

the last twoish weeks we had tried to stop by a few times and met her

son, Courtney and her husband Eric. Both times she wasn't home.

Finally last Monday we stopped by and she let us right in! We shared

#Hallelujah and got to know her. She isn't active in a church right

now but has been looking for a church to start going too, she accepted

and set up a return appointment right there! We are going back on

Wednesday and it's going to be awesome!

Towards the beginning of my first 6 weeks here in Broomall we were by

this apartment complex and we street contacted a lady who was outside

smoking, she wasn't interested so we just went on our merry way. Well

this week we were down by the apartment complex again and she was

outside smoking, she saw us and waved us over. As we were walking up

she goes "Are yous those Latter Day Saints?" We said yes and she goes

"sit down." We quickly took our seats, she began telling us that she

wants to go to church again, but not to her church, she grew up

Jehovas Witness but she knows something is missing there. she's going

through some trials and really need Christ but she feels like He isn't

listening when she prays. We asked if we could do anything for her and

she asked us to read out of the Bible. Well what a prefect opportunity

to bring up the Book of Mormon, so we did just that! We read a little

from Ether 12 and related Ethers story to her story. She expressed

that we made her heart happy and she's glad that we were able to be

friends, she couldn't remember her phone number so she's supposed to

call us sometime soon to come back! She's so sweet!

This week we also met with a man named Bruce, I think I mentioned him

last week. He was a potential so we stopped by and he let us in, so we

shared He Lives and he invited us back but he wanted to meet at his

church. Well we ended up asking him if we could meet at our church and

he had no problem with that! So we met there and did a church tour,

but the best part of this church tour was a little girl named Gwen,

she is the daughter of the member who came with us that night and she

was so excited to share the gospel! As we were finishing up the tour

we came to the picture of the first vision, Gwen was so excited that

she just exclaimed "That's Joseph Smith!" And proceeded to bear

testimony in a way that only little kids can about the restoration of

the gospel. The spirit was so strong! Bruce was touched enough by it

that he agreed to come to church even though he is heavily involved in

his church, he just needs to pick a Sunday where nothing to big is

going on. He also really appreciated the Book of Mormon and said he

would start reading it every night!

Also in our adventures of contacting our former investigators we found

Phyllis. Phyllis has a daughter and a granddaughter who are Mormons,

she watches Music and the Spoken Word every Sunday as she gets ready

for church and even tunes in to General Conference! She knows a lot

about our church, but has no desire to convert. It's sad sometimes

because older people will often tell you that they are too old and set

in their ways to convert to the church. So they don't even try or let

us try to teach them. She welcomed us to come back and visit but not

to teach.

Adventures as a missionary come in all shapes and sizes. First we went

to knock on a door and as we opened the screen door and before we

could even knock we heard "who is it?" We answered, and she reasoned

"Not interested!" We then went on to another house and the son was

sitting outside, we asked if his mom was home and he ran inside and

then his mom poked her head out the door "yes?" We introduced

ourselves and said she's met with missionaries before to which she

slammed the door. We then tried another house and no one was home, so

we tried the next door neighbor and get this, the house smelled so

good and I could not place the smell. The lady opened the door and she

expressed interest in us coming back, but she had a hard time

understanding me because she's from BRAZIL and her English isn't so

good! I could have died! The smell was food that I love so much, oh

man, Heavenly Father works miracles when you work through the hard

times! We are hoping to go back and teach her and her family this

week!

Brother Waters is doing so good! He came to church and stayed for all

three hours plus the baptism after! There is something in him that is

changing. We've had members who knew him from the time he converted

telling us that he's never been so happy and that whatever we are

doing to keep doing it! He has struggles, just ask every person does

but he's overcoming those struggles step by step. Watching him change

and become the man he is becoming has helped me change, and has

reminded me of what this gospel really means. Just as a general

authority once said "The Church is not a country club for saints, it

is a hospital for sinners." I can see that at work in Brother Waters,

he's changing.

We saw Sister Kerns again this week and she's doing okay, she's still

hesitant to come to church but the spirit is slowly working on her.

She used to never have her quad out and now it's taken it's place on

the table and she reads from the Book of Mormon more often than she

did before. She's incredibly sweet.

We met with Abby again this week and she's so awesome! She just gets

the gospel. We were talking about the Ten Commandments and she just

talked about how she feels like they are rules from a loving parent

and as we live them, life is simple! Yes, as we live and obey the

commandments of God life is simple, sometimes it's hard, and we still

have trials but overall our lives are easier as we follow Christ with

a willing heart and and open mind.

Kevin is also doing well! His schedule has been a little crazy lately

but he's doing good! He loves the Book of Mormon and he loves sharing

the impressions that come to him as he reads!

We had an awesome dinner with some Korean members last night, I love

Korean food. Like I could eat it all day every day. I don't know what

they do that makes it taste so darn good but whatever they do I hope

they keep doing it. I can say if I was called to Korea I would gain so

much weight, even if all we did was walk. It's that good.

This week I have been rereading the conference talks from October to

help prepare for the one in just a few weeks! I was reading the talk

"The Master Healer" by Sister Carole M. Stephens (relief society 1st

counselor) and she said something that really stuck out to me.

"May I suggest that we begin, as Nephi says, “with unshaken faith in

[Christ], relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to

save.” Our faith in Jesus Christ enables us to meet any challenge.

We, in fact, often find our faith deepened and our relationship with

Heavenly Father and His Son refined in adversity."

When we are faced with trials and temptations, or faced with illness,

sadness, hopelessness, or the afflictions of this mortal life, let us

remember Him and that He is mighty to save. Most of us know the

scripture in Alma 7

11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and

temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled

which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his

people.

12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of

death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their

infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to

the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his

people according to their infirmities.

He suffered not just for our sins, but for everything! My friends and

family the things you are going through right now, the trials,

temptations, pains, and afflictions, He has gone through too! Don't

forget to turn to him because He knows better than anyone what you're

going through, and He knows how to help you. Christ is the Master

Healer and can heal us from anything and everything. Don't forget to

turn to Him, in D&C 6:36 it said "Look unto me in every thought, doubt

not, fear not." We have no need to fear with God and Christ are near.

I love you all so much, I miss you all. I love my mission. I love our

Savior, Advocate and Redeemer. He is my rock, my foundation and my

Best friend.

I hope you all have a great week!

Until next week,

Sister Jackson

Sayles Family (James baptism)

Bongia, family and friends! It's a balmy 47 degrees here in

Pennsylvania and I hope that all of you have had a great week! Life

out here is so good, I am loving it!

James gets baptized this week! He is so ready and so awesome!

Yesterday we met with him and taught about missionary work. We role

played with him on how to be a full time missionary and it was so

funny! Sister Shin and I demonstrated it and then he role played it

with us. It was hilarious, he wasn't sure how to act or how to respond

to questions and things like that! He cant wait to be baptized, and he

is so excited to step into the waters of baptism!

Agnes is doing so awesome! We are meeting with her today and she cant

wait to be baptized either! She is so awesome, so so so so so awesome!

I wish I could teach her all day everyday and never do anything else.

I cant wait for her to be baptized in two weeks! The work is going so

good and so awesome, I love the people out here so much!

We met a YSA aged lady named Briana this week as we were knocking on

doors and she was so awesome! We shared the old #hallelujah video and

it was so cool! She was visibly touched by the spirit and was so ready

to learn more! When we asked to come back she told us that anytime

works, so we are hoping to stop by sometime this week!

We also met with a former investigator named Bruce! We shared the He

Lives video and he really liked it! He wants us to meet with him again

but he wants to meet at his church, so we are trying to figure out how

to get him to meet us at our church instead of at his but we never

know how to work it. Its an adventure, being a missionary.

We had a great time with investigators this week! We also met with an

investigator named Nisa who had a lot of questions! She is incredible!

She is so willing to learn and grow and has a love for Christ that is

just awesome!

Brother Waters came to church again! He's so awesome, three weeks in a

row is quite the amazing feat for him! Watching him progress and

change and realize how important church is is amazing. I love the fact

that I am able to help those who already have made these covenants

keep these covenants, it helps remind me how important this gospel

really truly is in every stage of our lives.

We met with Sister Cofield again and it was good! She's so funny, and

she LOVES the Book of Mormon. She talks about how she's already

reading it and praying. She said she prays in the car because it's the

quietest time in her day and it allows her to feel like Heavenly

Father is in the passenger seat. It's incredible.

We had a double lesson with our recent converts his week! Kevin & Abby

are doing so awesome and Abby is so powerful to have in lessons! She's

a little less active so to hear her testimony of the gospel and why

it's important to her is so awesome. She just has a way of bringing

the spirit into each lesson. She's incredible. She went to New York

this weekend to visit her brother and on her way out of Philly the bus

passed by the temple and she texted us about how overwhelmed she was

with the spirit and how thankful she is to be a member of our church!

I love her!

We had an interesting experience this week. I always feel awkward when

people flirt with me as a missionary. We were knocking on doors and

went to see a lady who had expressed interest in learning more, well

her son opened the door and said "were good." But then kept talking.

He asked if I was married or if I had a boyfriend. I wanted a

boyfriend so bad in that moment that I said "Yeah, I have a boyfriend

back home." And that lead to him asking where home was and I said

Utah, which then brought up the Jazz. I told him sadly I don't watch

basketball, then he asked what I do watch so I said soccer. Then he

asked what my team was, RSL (obvi) and then proceeded to show off how

much he knows about soccer by talking about how Beckerman is on the

USA team. I quickly brought up Jesus Christ and the door was shut.

Only on a mission.

We had exchanges this week and it was so good, I love Sister Payne! We

had a good talk and a great exchange and some great talks about the

work and it was awesome! I love exchanges!

We had the craziest dinner appointment this week. Remember last week I

mentioned the Mack's? Well we had dinner with them and the Matthews

the night before they were supposed to leave. We are sitting at this

dinner table and Brother Mack is talking about his college days and

how his grandpa helped him get into BYU, Sister Matthews laughs and

turns to us "Do you know who grandpa is?" Obviously we said no.

GRANDPA IS SPENCER W KIMBALL. I literally had dinner with a direct

descendant of a prophet. Sister Shin and I thought we were going to

die. It was crazy.

We also had dinner with the Randall's! President was off on mission

duties but it was so fun to have dinner with them and to get to know

them more! They are incredible people and I'm so thankful for their

help, guidance, and kindness. I couldn't have asked for better

leaders.

If there is one thing that's constant in this roller coaster of

mission life it's the Book of Mormon. My last few weeks have not been

easy, my last few months have been really hard, and the Book of Mormon

has been my comfort, my guide, my light. I know Christ lives. I know

through His Atonement we can over come any and all things.

This church is true. I know it with all of me. I love you all. I miss

you all. I love my mission!

With love from PA,

Sister Jackson

Pennsylvania Ave.

Sister Jackson and Sister Payne

Sister Mack, Sister Shin, Sister Jackson

Hello lovely people! Gosh I hope your week was as good as mine! We had

an amazing week out here in Broomall. I love this area and I love the

people here.

Just as an FYI transfers are coming up this week! I know its been six

weeks already?!? So crazy, so I will let you all know next week what

is happening. I am pretty sure I will stay here but it isn't unheard

of to get transferred out after one transfer!

Our investigators are doing awesome! Sister Agnes is killing it,

literally! She asked us this week if she could be a missionary just

like us after she is baptized! The smiles on our faces were so big! We

happily told her yes! She is so excited guys, like so excited to get

baptized! She just loves the gospel, and loves sharing it! We took her

to a baptism for the Wiedner Ward and it was for a lady from Sierra

Leone, so they spoke in Creole. Then Sister Agnes was so touched by

the spirit in the baptism that she just expressed how excited she is

to be baptized and asked if Sister Shin or I would baptize her. We

quickly explained that we don't hold the priesthood so we cant

baptize, but we can talk or pray or do whatever she would like us too!

She is seriously so awesome and I love her so stinkin much, I cant

wait for her to enter into the waters of baptism to truly enter into

Gods kingdom! She is getting baptized on March 19th so Sister Shin and

I have had to plan all her lessons out so that we dont have to

postpone her baptism because she is so ready, she would've been

baptized in our first lesson if she could have!

James is doing so awesome! HE GETS BAPTIZED IN TWO WEEKS!!  March 12th

he gets to enter into the waters of baptism, and he is so ready! He

loves the gospel and he loves primary so much! He's starting to really

open up to us too, hes more talkative and focused each and every

lesson! He is incredible and his parents are too! Sister Hansen-Sayles

is just amazing, she has had an incredible life and has an incredible

story. I love her.

We had dinner with some non-members this week and it was incredible.

Last week I mentioned the Enoch (Enos) family, we stopped by and the

dad was so excited to see us! He had us make an appointment right then

and there! So on Saturday we went back for dinner and it was

incredible. We sat down and were greeted with so many questions "What

the Book of Mormon?" "Where do you get the nickname Mormon?" "What

place do women have in your church?" "Who is Joseph Smith?" "What is

it like to be a missionary?" "What do you do?" And so on. Sister Shin

did our very best to answer these questions but the best part was when

we shared the message. We shared the Children's Bible Video "Who is

Jesus?" (If you haven't seen any Children's bible videos go watch them

right now) and we asked the same question right after. The answers

were different from what a member might give, but they were spiritual

none the less. The spirit was so strong and the father said something

at the very end that I will never forget. He got teary eyed and said

"The softness and the strength with which you carry your faith did not

go unnoticed. It is powerful." They happily accepted a return

appointment.

We also met with Brother Diamond this week and discussed the plan of

salvation, he had so many spot on questions about God and His plan for

him specifically. He is a little slower on the progression but he is

incredible, he is truly striving to understand this gospel and his

position in it.

We saw Brother Ha again this week and hes awesome! I cant understand

is lessons because it is literally all in Korean, except for when

Brother Kim translates, which isn't a whole lot. So I try and follow

the spirit for most of it and when I do that I can kind of tell what

they are talking about but not enough that I could teach without a

translator. I can just understand what subject they are on and thats

about it.

We met with Brother Waters again this week and guess what?! HE CAME TO

CHURCH AGAIN! Guys, to understand this Brother Waters has not been to

church since 2014, and he is coming. The best part of this is that the

Sayles saw him and invited him to sit with them. He just makes my

heart smile because I think hes starting to realize all that this

gospel has to offer and all that it can do for us. He looks happier

than he did when I first met him, and I know it's because of the light

of Christ entering into his life even more than usual.

We saw Sister Cofield with Sister Holladay. Sister Holladay is another

missionary who came with us because her companions are also the STL's

and had to go to a training meeting. Anywho, Sister Cofield is doing

awesome! She really wants to come to church but she always gets stuck

babysitting her godchildren and grandchildren, because she is too nice

to say no. We love her so much though! She just loves everyone and

she's so funny, the stuff she says sometimes is hilarious.

We had another awesome phone conversation this week! We went through

our area book just calling potential investigators and we called a man

named Michael. Michael called us right back and told us he wasn't

interested in discussions at this time but he would hold onto our

number. Anyway, we talked with him for a minute and he just kept

changing the subject but right before he gets off the phone he just

pauses and goes "God's awesome, isn't he?" We agreed and he just kept

talking about how God is so awesome and then told us goodnight and

hung up. These are only the kind of phone calls you will get as a

missionary.

We also did some service this week for Sister Mack, who is moving back

to Arizona on Tuesday. She is hilarious, she needed to clean the

apartment from top to bottom, including the light fixtures. Well she

is pretty short and couldn't reach the one in the kitchen and I am

pretty tall so she asked us to get it down for her. Well it ended up

turning into a thirty minute adventure because one of the screws that

wasnt supposed to come unscrewed came unscrewed, so we ended up almost

taking the whole fixture down. It was crazy, I will attach pictures.

This week I was reading in 3 Nephi chapter 2. In verse 4 the leader of

the Gadianton Robbers proclaims himself to be an "unconquerable

spirit" I was thinking back because I knew I had heard that before

because I liked that it was a great adjective, and in Alma 52:33 it

describes, Jacob, the Zoramite leader as an "unconquerable spirit" I

found it interesting that these two wicked men are described with

having an "unconquerable spirit" so how do the righteous describe

themselves? In Alma 62:1 we read how Captain Moroni's heart did "take

courage", in Helaman 5:24 we read that Nephi & Lehi's hearts did "take

courage", in Alma 5 we read that we must have a "change of heart", in

Mosiah 5:2 King Benjamin says we must have a "change of heart" and

lastly in Alma 19:33 we read that King Lamont had a "change of heart."

Now, I love the difference in these descriptions, the righteous all

focus on the heart and how our hearts can change into better people

and become "unconquerable" with God, but the wicked focus on the

spirit and the natural man, instead of letting their heart change to

be with God, or to take courage because of God.

I also read a conference talk this week that I loved! Its called

"Models to Follow" by President Monson. In it he talks about people in

who we should try to emulate, both in scripture and in modern day. He

says "May we have the unfeigned humility of John the Baptist, the

unquestioning obedience of Abraham, the unlimited patience of Job, the

unwavering faith of Noah, the undeviating loyalty of Ruth, the

unflagging determination of Nephi, the undaunted courage of the

Prophet Joseph Smith, and the unfailing optimism of President

Hinckley. Such will be as a fortress of strength to us throughout our

lives." I just love the qualities he talks about and how it is so

important it is to have all of them, not just some of them.

I love you all and miss you all! I hope you all have a great week and

before we know it ill be emailing again!

Until next week,

Sister Jackson

Broomall Zone

Service