I think that it's so great that with y'all havin' sammy that you're getting more and more missioanry opportunities! I will keep praying that you have them. I laughed at the story where she got out of her cage. Was she doing anything that she wasn't supposed to do?
Our investigator didn't get baptized this week but we have faith that he will receive his answer that the church is true and follow the example of our Savior into the baptismal waters this next month. He is awesome! He's great. Jorvik would like him too. He was a marathon runner before he came to msu. He has ran like 5 marathons and he said he took 8th place in the Ogden marathon, he's qualified for boston several times and his best marathon he averaged like 6.5 minute miles for the whole thing-26.2 miles. It's crazy. He's awesome though.
I got a letter from the Hills this week so that was good (they sent a simple card and it was a nice reminder that people love me. Thank you Hills!!!!) I will probably write them a simple letter back.
Our zone is doing good. Our ward is doing even better. I don't know how but they are. Ducks just keep falling in place and the more we work the more I look back and realize we have been led by
the spirit as we have managed this zone and our area.
sweet realizations.
So this email made me feel really good. I can't wait to hug him too- it will be a glorious day! Enjoy these photos Jake shared-
Mission Tour with Elder Carlos A. Godoy, Mission Leadership Council, Ate Bush's Baked Beans for dinner on Sunday, and someone who believes Christ is an Alien. That's my week in a nutshell..
Mission Tour was phenomenal. Elder Godoy made it very clear again that our mission is #1 out of the 22 missions in our area. He said that if this mission can't baptize thousands then none of them can. We need 84 a month for 12 months to get 1008. Our mission is striving to live a higher law of obedience and the things that we consider an obedience problem, most missions would probably not. Like, "Don't say p-day say preparation day." I think that kind of obedience is ultimately why our mission is doing so well. We are the same as the other missions in the sense that we all deal with obedience matters but ours are minute to the things the other missions have to deal with.
Mission Leadership Council is great! I am thankful that I know about Family History. We broke up into a few groups to talk about some things our mission wants to implement or get better at. I was one of the few people in the Council that knew anything about how to use and work Family Search and Ancestry.com. It was great! It will be something that we use a lot more in our missionary work. Our zone conference in July will be dedicated to it.
Bush's baked beans for dinner-Heck yeah! Hahaha University ward problems. I love it (: We have a full week of dinners this week though so we're excited. One of them is with a less active member and her non member roommate.
Found a lot of potentials this week. One of our investigators needs your prayers. She knows she needs to be baptized but she text us last night and said she doesn't want lessons or to go to church because she wants to sleep in on Sundays. We asked her if she had prayed about what to do and she said that God told her AGAIN that she needs to be baptized this month but she doesn't want to.
there's an update!
Here are a few pictures of Jake from his Mother's Day Skype call - Enjoy! (I sure do miss him!!!!)
Must admit... I think the blue on the cup brings out the blue in his eyes. hahaha
Transfer calls came this week and Elder Packham and Elder Johnson will be staying in Bozeman. I do believe he is happy about that. However, I think he would be happy with whatever President Mecham asked him to do. Here is his update:
Things are going
great! We had a great week. We had our presidents interviews this week and
those were incredible. Things are just going good. So much has happened. I love
President Mecham!
Elder Johnson and
I are staying in Bozeman and we are happy about that. The work is going great!
We are having a baptism in 2 weeks and that is Melissa. We are not teaching
Cole and we can't find him. That's okay though, if he doesn't want our message, we are going to move on.That's crazy about
the ward alignments! If we know the church is true than it shouldn't matter who goes where. It's the same. People just need to be reminded of there covenants that's
all. Mission Tour is
next week. Elder Godoy was actually missionary companions with Elder Aitukaitus
who spoke in general conference. They are really great friends. This morning
Elder Johnson and I were able to sit in on the staff meeting that is held each
week-that consists of the aps, president and his wife, and all of the office
staff. That was fun. President and Sister Mecham also fed us dinner last night
and we were able to teach them a lesson and extend them some commitments. We
spent the night in the mission home with the assistants and Elder Mamea. The
mission is on track to hit our goal of 70 baptisms. We are at 65 or so at the
end of this week, and we have 1 week left. We are now shooting for 80.
The Lord really is hastening his work. I see this in the things that Jacob shares and in the work here in Iowa. It is pretty amazing! I wish that it were easier to share the gospel. I don't know why but it just seems difficveryult at times. I try every single day to live my faith so that others can see what I believe. I work hard to be who I say I am. I hope that shines through to others.
I love the Savior and I have a strong testimony of the love that He has for us. I know, without a doubt, that He will never forsake us. Let's face it - life is just plain hard some times and I have no idea how I would do it without my Savior by my side. I know that He hears my prayers and I strive to have Him close in my life.
President Monson gave this beautiful talk that I want to share with you. He speaks of losing his dear wife... and I know all too well the feeling of losing a dear companion that you love beyond measure. But he makes the point that we are all given challenges... and we all ask at times...why me?...but the truth is... the Lord will not forsake us... He will never abandon us and never leave us alone. Each of us have to ask ourselves at one time or another... shall I falter or shall I finish? It is my prayer that each of us will be able to draw strength from the scriptures....consider Job...he kept the faith... may each of us do the same. When burdens come, may we endure... and overcome and know, without a doubt, that the Lord is always with us - He will never forsake us.
The title of this post, totally legit! haha If you read his post below - he says it twice! Trust me when I say that every lesson must be the best lesson he has ever had/taught. Wait... What is going on with the world!!! Check out my week in a nut shell. We went on exchanges for 3 days and that was awesome. It made me grateful for serving in a University ward. I witnessed so many miracles. Our zone made it! We reached our goals! Our streak has not yet ended and we only plan for our numbers to get higher and higher, we ended April with 52 baptisms. We taught this Vietnamese man on Friday, he is from Vietnam and he is Budhist. It was very interesting teaching a man with no christian background. Seriously we could have been filmed and put on the district videos. The lesson was phenomenal. Just fundamental teaching. Easily one of the best lessons of my mission. We invited him to pray and he said he would. He offered one of the most beautiful heartfelt prayers I have ever heard and it was his first prayer to a God ever! I know that the spirit was helping him and prompting him with things to say. I told Elder Johnson the spirit helped him in his prayer and he said he received that confirmation in the prayer as well. Friday night we went to the Vocal Point concern. Oh boy were we jammin'. That's the first and last time I will be able to listen to 'other music' on my mission. It was such a great community event! We had several investigators and less actives in attendance. One of the singers is from Bozeman actually and it was his last performance with Vocal Point. On Saturday morning there was a morning side that Vocal Point led and that was fun too. It was nice to talk to the guys about there missions and enjoy some good laughs. One of them is from Cedar Rapids as well and we had a good talk about good ol' Iowa. Catholic Mass?! Sunday Morning we went to Catholic Mass with our neighbor. Needless to say it was very interesting. The Catholic Priest bashed on us and the islams. I wasn't to happy about that but I took it as a grain of salt for everything he said wasn't true. We talked to our neighbor about it and told him it's one thing if he does it in conversation but to talk about other churches he clearly doesn't know about when instructing from the pulpit is wrong. He tried to defend his faith but there wasn't much that he could have said. It's pretty plain and simple.While we were there for Mass they baptized a baby. I wonder what the little guy was thinking. It built my testimony that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the ONLY true church upon the earth today with the priesthood authority and prophets of God. The same church that existed thousands of years ago. God IS the same yesterday, today, and will be forever. Mass was from 7:30-9am.
Another investigator.... He's a champion. I don't know if I have told you about him yet. We have been trying to meet with him for 8 weeks and finally last week were able to meet with him. Ironically it was the same day that Elder Johnson and I committed to having more faith. He came to FHE last week and loved it! We had breakfast with him this last friday at Perkins. He showed up to break the fast at 5pm on Sunday, Stayed for the CES Devotional at 6pm and we had a lesson with him at the Heaps house at 7 along with dessert. Literally the best lesson I've ever taught. It was fundamental, Straight from preach my gospel. We did how to begin teaching and set the tone for the lesson and then as we started to teach things just happened. We asked inspired questions, our member participation was nothing less than great, and he was involved and engaged as well. I recited the first vision to him and you could physically see him overcome with the spirit. Elder Johnson followed and invited him to baptism. Knowing him I'm sure he wasn't planning on saying yes but how could he say no? He couldn't... At least not with the spirit as strong as it was. He is on date for June 7th, we may move him into May.
I will be able to skype for 30-45 minutes on Mothers day.
I am happy, safe, healthy and well.
Our zone is doing great! We had 3 baptisms this last week in our zone and at least two more this weekend. Starting May off right!
Haha - he is so funny!!! It does my heart good to know that he is loving where he is at in his life. I have seen him grow so much over the last 14 months - sometimes it is hard for me to believe how much he has changed. For those of you who know Jake well, you will understand what I mean when you read this next thing he shared.
I'm grateful for the conference talks. I have this
journal that is for meetings-It has general conference, district meetings,
mission leadership councils, zone conferences, zone trainings, etc. I have it
color coded as well. I have one of those mini pens that has all those colors on
it! If it's green It's something that I wrote that will apply specifically to
me in the future, for example something about parenting, a thought provoking
questions, etc. If it is blue it applies to me right then and now with whatever
calling I'm in (Now looking back on these will be a source of inspiration as
well.) And if it's black it's just general statements that apply always or just
little notes. If it's red then it's a scripture or a source of reference, for
example, pmg, the bible, the bom, books people have written etc. I have loved
looking back on this journal! It's incredible and I'm so thankful that I was
inspired to color code it as I sat in Mission leadership council 6 weeks
ago.
Did he seriously say he is color coding things?!!?! I LOVE IT!!!!! As I said, it does my heart good. I actually have taken his suggestion and I am using it as well. He is brilliant! haha - but don't tell him that!
He has now been a Zone leader for 5 months. I think it has been a heavy load to carry but he is doing well. For me, I think being a leader is hard. In my own experience there is always someone who is not happy with your decisions.
So conference - I love Conference!!! I made some goals for myself. It was terrific! But I want to share one talk with you that was really poignant with me. It was by President Uchtdorf and titled: Grateful in Any Circumstance.
It was really quite wise and touched my heart. Here are the words to the beginning of his talk:
Over the years, I have had the sacred opportunity to meet
with many people whose sorrows seem to reach the very depths of their soul. In
these moments, I have listened to my beloved brothers and sisters and grieved
with them over their burdens. I have pondered what to say to them, and I have
struggled to know how to comfort and support them in their trials. Often their grief is caused by what seems to them as an
ending. Some are facing the end of a cherished relationship, such as the death
of a loved one or estrangement from a family member. Others feel they are
facing the end of hope—the hope of being married or bearing children or
overcoming an illness. Others may be facing the end of their faith, as
confusing and conflicting voices in the world tempt them to question, even
abandon, what they once knew to be true. Sooner or later, I believe that all of us experience times
when the very fabric of our world tears at the seams, leaving us feeling alone,
frustrated, and adrift. It can happen to anyone. No one is immune.
I have always felt that Jacob is blessed to love others and I pray that he is able to help those he meets and comes in contact with to know that they can find Joy in the Journey.
It is really hard to choose just one or two conference talks to share because they were all so important to me in different ways. If I could leave one more with you today it would be this one by Elder W. Craig Zwick called, "What Are You Thinking?"
He, too, gave me much to think about. One of the most important was this:
The willingness to see through each other’s eyes will
transform “corrupt communication” into “minister[ing] grace.” The Apostle Paul
understood this, and on some level each of us can experience it too. It may not
change or solve the problem, but the more important possibility may be whether
ministering grace could change us.
Sometimes it is too easy to be upset at others without even looking at things through their eyes. All of us could do to be a little more patient and understanding with one another. I had asked Elder Packham if he had a favorite talk and he said that he couldn't choose just one. I completely understand. So here are the goals I set for myself after watching conference:
-continue daily scripture study
- be more grateful-strive to make it a disposition
-work on my marriage - always
-study & use preach my gospel- incl. in letters to missionary
-let my faith show more
- follow impressions from the Holy Ghost
-spend 1 hour a week on family history
Your email about the people that have helped pay for my mission brought tears to my eyes. Literally. I wish I could pay them back but I know that the only way I can truly do that is to continue serving like I am.
This last week was phenomenal. We were able to get the bikes out and bike a little bit. We had a baptism on Saturday and that went great! Rachael is so awesome! She bore her testimony at her baptism and that was special. I will send you pictures here in a second.
Yesterday was fast and testimony meeting. Felt the spirit so strongly. There is this guy named Wes and he was in a skiing accident a couple years ago and he broke his neck. They thought he wouldn't make it but he's here today and he's still recovering VERY well. He's so great, he has so much faith and optimism. He blessed the sacrament. Once again, it brought tears to my eyes seeing someone exert all of the energy and will power that they had to bless the sacrament and hand the trays. I was reminded of my Savior more so than ever before during sacrament. The sacrifice that he has gone through to give us the atonement and the sacrament each week. I'm thankful for Wes and his testimony that carries him when days seem dark. We have another lady on baptismal date. We will have one for sure in April, hopefully one in May, and one in June. We had 2 total baptisms in March in the University ward. We had almost all of our zones baptisms. Mike is working towards getting the priesthood! (: He's so great. We teach him at the institute directors house, brother heap. Brother Heap is a phenomenal teacher! He's so great! He will make a great mission president, and I'm glad the Lord has called him to Texas (: Even better.
We are seeing Miracle after Miracle.
I wrote a letter to President Danielson today! I sent a post card to Aubrey and hopefully I'll be able to get some other letters out. I think I want to write one to Patriarch Coleman.
Things are going great! I refuse to speak down on my zone or any missionaries but there are a few issues. I wish that there was a way to teach the importance of not evil speaking against your leaders without having to endure the things that are being said. Evil speaking is a sin worth confessing too. It's major. A part of me says "You know what?! Who cares, let em talk." But I know that it can't continue. For if it goes on in the mission it's likely to happen after the mission. Sometimes I feel a little bit like Nephi and the prophets of old contained in the book of mormon. We're doing great though! Relying on the Lord for his help, his guidance, grace, mercy, and comfort. Leadership is lonely. But it's not the cloak of comfort, it's the robe of responsibility. Sorry I'm just blabbering. Things are going well.
This is what I will share with Elder Packham next time I write him:
Leadership
Position or leadership will come to those who the Lord feels can do the work or to those who need a particular calling. Each calling you receive prepares you for additional service and for a future calling. Every calling prepares you for the next one—you just don’t know what it will be.
As missionaries, each one of you is a leader. Even though you must work under the direction of the bishops and ward mission leader, even though you are cautioned not to get too pushy with members, even though you are reminded that you are here to assist the members in their missionary work—nevertheless, you must gently persuade, remind, guide, and move the work along. Surprisingly, the members expect this of you. The bishops expect this of you, and the ward mission leaders expect this of you. If you sit back and do nothing, they soon lose confidence in you. If things are not going well in a ward, you cannot sit back and blame the bishop or ward mission leader. As missionaries (leaders), you must find a way. If the work is going well, you must give credit to others. You must follow the Lord’s counsel:
“Only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and love unfeigned; by kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile” (D&C 121:41–42).
1.Persuasion. It’s not so much what you say that counts; it’s the total impression you convey. Enthusiasm, persistence, awareness, empathy, and patience are all virtues of persuasion. Aggressiveness, impatience, and pressure do not persuade.
2.Long-suffering. Work with the members and leaders. Recognize that they do not yet have the commitment to missionary work that you have—that their time and interests are divided among their family, employment, Church callings, and other responsibilities. One of your challenges is to teach them how to include missionary work in their list of top priorities.
3.Gentleness. “There is nothing so strong as gentleness, and there is nothing so gentle as real strength,” said St. Francis de Sales (in Favorite Quotations from the Collection of Thomas S. Monson, 210). Gentleness is consideration, tenderness of feeling, and love. Take time to be gentle.
4.Meekness. Meekness is the quality of being teachable and open-minded. “Teach them to humble themselves and to be meek and lowly in heart;... Teach them to never be weary of good works, but to be meek and lowly in heart“ (Alma 37: 33–34).
5.Love unfeigned. Everyone can sense when a person is not being genuine. As a leader, you must learn to love your fellow Saints and to work closely with them. Unfeigned love is love with genuine concern. You must really care.
6.Kindness and pure knowledge. Learn how to build people up, to make them better, to make them happier, to bring them closer to God. An act of kindness is an act of love. When you do something for others, you are generally the one who gains the most. The more you know about God (pure knowledge), the more you become like Him.
