Sister Josie Jackson: “These are days never to be forgotten, days of harmony” -Oliver Cowdrey

Well fam and friends, another week has come and gone. The transfer is over, and my best friend is leaving me for her next adventure. It’s like leaving family, Sister Taylor has been with me from day one and now she’s headed somewhere else. It was so sad last night when we got transfer calls, we did not see that coming, at all. It’s really weird to see her go, and I’m going to miss her greatly! She’s going to do so good in her last area though, she’s going to kill it!

This week has been mucho insane. Let’s start from the top, shall we?

Tuesday we had exchanges with the Cherry Hill Sisters! It was so fun! I got to spend the day in Cherry Hill with Sister Scott! We did a lot of finding, and taught a recent convert! This recent convert has a glass eye, a cochlear implant, and an amazing testimony and love for God! It was so fun to read the scriptures with him and to discuss their meaning with him. He’s got lots of great insight!

Wednesday after exchanging back we had to stop by the police department to pick up some final paper work and as I was explaining who I am and the date and time of the accident the cop goes “Wait, was this the car accident with the nun?” And we explained for the 50th time that we aren’t nuns, we are missionaries. It was pretty funny though. After that we went into Penns Grove and saw some awesome miracles! We met a few awesome potentials and got into contact with a bible referral! We got to give her her bible and as we talked about the Book of Mormon she was very open to it and set up a return appointment! It was so awesome!

Thursday craziness ensued. We did our normal Thursday stuff, like weekly Planning and such. Then we had back to back lessons. We met with Terressa! She was our waitress a few weeks back at the Woodstown dinner, and it was such an awesome lesson! She brought up baptism! She told us that she’s been looking for a fresh start and that she thinks baptism can give that to her. We also got to go to the Storehouse, which is always so fun! The Storehouse is a very happy place, I love it so much!

On Sunday we had the interesting experience of being interviewed by two Muslim people! Nasi, the wife, is doing her masters thesis on religions. So they attended church and then interview us and Bishop Whitcomb, it was so cool!

The most interesting part of of the week is when we met with a man who will be referred to as Amalikiah. He was found by Sewell and showed interest in the gospel, and then we met with him. He was very kind and charming, but as soon as we sat down it all changed. We started to teach the Restoration and he goes, “Can I share something with you?” We say yes, and he begins to pull up Anti material, bible scriptures and all that jazz. As he’s trying to convince us we are wrong Sister Taylor goes “Are you here to learn or to prove us wrong?” Amalikiah was so caught off guard that he said “Well, both! I was praying to witness to some one of the truth of the gospel and then I met you and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.” We tried to hard to testify to him about the truth, and each time he denied it, over and over again. Eventually it got to a point where we just ended it, and that was that, but it was a very interesting experience.

The best part of all of this is on Friday, right after our Amalikiah experience, Sister Taylor and I were able to attend the Priesthood Restoration Site in Harmony, PA. The Spirit was so strong there, and I knew without a doubt that it was true! The spirit testified over and over again, but the most powerful part was as we were standing in the Smith home. We were in what is believed to be the translating room and we each took turns testifying of the Book of Mormon on the soil it was translated. The Spirit was tangible, undeniable, and real. The Church is true. The Priesthood is restored. The gospel is on the earth again. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. It will all be here until He comes again.

I know this all to be true. Truly I join with Oliver of old in saying “These are days never to be forgotten, days of harmony, days of hope, days of peace.”

“I don’t know how it all worked out, but I know God did it.” -Sister Berhan

Much love,

Sister Jackson