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