How Much Turkey Can An Elder Eat?

MONDAY - Today was a really good preparation day! We went and did the usual and got it done quick because we were going to head down to oak cliff to play some basketball. I was super excited to get down there. We got down there and started playing and I was able to renew my beautiful marks on my wrists from the the rim :) I love it, its such a stress reliever. After I found myself playing soccer and I was the only white guy playing. Elder Rodriguez and Dominguez were both on my team against a member, elder Virrueta and the other elder Rodriguez. I had no idea what I was doing but I scored a few goals and it was so fun! I was so sore after though that I didn't play any Frisbee. We headed home and dropped off the other elders. I got a letter from Tasha! It was so good to hear from her again! We headed out to teach and taught Santiago in his home and then went to visit a less active that was so drunk and his kids were out just playing in the streets and it was just so sad. Made me angry. That was our Monday though! :)

TUESDAY - We headed down to the district meeting in Grand Prairie and it was a great meeting, lot of fun stuff and I learned a lot. After we exchanged and Elder Belnap and I went back up to Irving and picked up the North Elders who were also on exchange so Elder Dominguez and Henze and us went to Subway to eat real quick and then we dropped them off and headed to work. We did some tracting and found a way cool guy who let us right in and we got to know him. Obidio is his name and he is from Guatemala. He had a few kids pass away so we talked about the Plan of Salvation a little and then had to leave. We had dinner with the Barraza family and had some really good tacos. We visited a few other people and didn't have any luck before heading to the Villatoros. I love them so much! The hermano Villatoro talks about Faith every time we go over there, he is such a cool guy. We taught out of Alma 32 and talked about the importance of reading because that is what they are not doing right now. They are so ready except they have not read in the Book of Mormon. We set another baptismal date with them and ended our night. 

 

WEDNESDAY - We studied a bit before heading down to Grand Prairie to exchange back. As we headed home we stopped by the post office to send a package (Elder Virrueta) and I had to buy some stamps and get a box. We came back and ate some lunch and went knocking in the same ghetto apartments and got a return appointment with one lady but that was about it. Everyone is getting ready for tomorrow! We ended up seeing Obidio again and just went inside and had a lesson with him and his roommate. We taught the Restoration and his friend was trying to bash with us but he was saying things that didn't even have anything to do with what we were talking about! It was pretty pointless. We finished and invited them both to pray. That's what I love about this church is its all on the table for everyone to get an answer from God. We had some tostadas with the other elders at the Galvans and taught a lesson to Janette. We invited her to be baptized but she didn't accept but that's alright. With time. That was about it for the night. Thanksgiving tomorrow!

 

THURSDAY - HAPPY THANKSGIVING! What a day, we thought we would plan tomorrow because a lot of people will be home today. So we started visiting people and had no luck HA. It really stinks because so many families are home but they don't want to let us in! We headed to dinner with the Coronas and it was awesome, we all shared what we were grateful for and I just love the spirit it brings. I want to cry every time!! Then we began to feast! This was about 4. We had smoked turkey, potatoes and gravy, deviled eggs, banana and pumpkin pie you name it! It was delicious!! Then we headed to the Ayalas and... did it again, huge feast! then.... to the Mancias with the Villatoros! 3 HUGE feasts where they were yelling at us "Coman mas elderes!" EAT MORE! I felt like Pillsbury dough boy after... so stuffed. Could not even stand up straight. What a thanksgiving! :) I'm happy. Hope all of you had a good one as well!

 

FRIDAY - Black Friday! People going nuts over here and everywhere! We go from being grateful to who can spend the most money and spoil our kids the most. Who can get that TV that's half price even if it means killing people to do so. Crazy how it changes haha. I woke up with the worst stomach pains so I slept through studies. We then got invited for pancakes at a members house and we were there in a heartbeat! It was really good. We just took the other elders back to our apartment to do planning. We got it done and headed to dinner with the Abarca family and guess what we had? LEFTOVER TURKEY!!  We choked it down and then headed to the church to see a baptism, and to see sister Corona open her call. It was so intense, I forgot how exciting it is to get your call. Anaheim California! After we ate again.... I'm about to die at this point but I do it anyway, "Why do you keep eating?!" Elder Jorgensen said to me and I replied "Because its a good journal entry" I had ribs and potatoes and a little bit of turkey and surprisingly it helped my stomach. 5 dinners is too much but the 6th helps you :) We headed home and went to bed.

 

SATURDAY - We headed to the meeting we had in the morning at the Ayalas home and had breakfast and all that good stuff. We were there for a while but then headed back. We headed back to those apartments to knock a bit and didn't have any luck, people just weren't interested. We then had a lesson with Santiago in the park, beautiful weather!! We got a call from the other elders to take them to wal mart to get a new tube for the bike. By then it was dinner time!!!! Time is just going to fast.... We went to dinner and it was with the Erazo family and she talked our ear off forever. We finally got out of there and had a lesson with Tony before ending our night.

 

SUNDAY - Good Sabbath day. We had 3 investigators at church. We ate dinner at the church and it wasn't very good. Then we had some really good success! We taught Raul Pacheco and he hasn't smoked at all since we fasted with him. MIRACLE. We then taught Janette a quick lesson then had a lesson on tithing with the Villatoros. We headed to numbers and Hno Ortiz after asking one question about Halo just starts showing me his art book and his new xbox and all this stuff. It didn't really make me lose focus because I know its going to be the same thing when I get back. We got numbers done on time. Sorry for the lameness of the blog this week. In fact this transfer has been really bland. I promise this last week I'll have a miracle for yall. Love,

 

Elder Aaron Jackson

Things Are Going Great As I Head Into My Last 6 Months!

MONDAY - Another crazy Pday, we ran around trying to get everything done and to help the other elders out as well. We finally got back and threw the football some more and ordered pizza and just relaxed before starting the day again. Elder Virrueta and I had a talk after and we just talked it out because things are just not going as we want them to go, we aren't on the same page, we aren't teaching how we want to and I bet its not the last of our talks. We are just two completely different people, nothing wrong with that though. We will figure it out, The kid is great! I love him. We then went and taught a lesson with Tony and set a date with him for just right before Christmas, he loved the lesson and we loved teaching it.

TUESDAY - Today in the morning we had exchanges with Oak Cliff. Unfortunately I didn't get to go with my old companion Elder Rodriguez :( But instead I had a great day with his two companions who are both EXTREMELY new in the mission. One of them played ball for Copper Hills and I knew he looked familiar. We went back and had a study together and they were just asking about how I learned Spanish, what I did in my studies and all that good stuff. It made me feel really old in the mission. We then went and taught this less active member and I just let them do all the talking. I jumped in when they got stuck with the language but they both did a great job. We then went to dinner with the other Oak Cliff Elders and had Chiles de reeno and I just didn't like them at all. We ate and as we were about to leave the dad asked for a blessing and so I had the privilege of giving it. We left and tried to find these 4 Less active members in an apartment complex and had no luck and spent so much time looking for them. It was a very scary apartment complex haha, it was good though. When we got back I got to know them both a little bit better and what they like to do and such and then we hit the sack. 

 

WEDNESDAY - This morning was a great start off for the day... no hot water at all, let alone warm water. Just ice cold waiting for Elder Jackson. So, I was screaming like a little girl as I took a shower in ICE! We headed for the building in Duncanvile and had an awesome meeting! For some reason President talked a lot about romance and love stories and all this non missionary stuff haha, it was really good though. We had some great food and then we had what are called break out sessions where the zone leaders take groups and train them. So we got the hardest subject, the pages in the handbook and we made it really fun and had a lot of good comments and Sister and President Durrant really liked what we did. It was a lot of fun. After we played Jeopardy for the conference talks and there was one question that I knew and Elder Drake said something that the rest of us will always remember. The question was how long had President Monson been an Apostle and I stood up but I was 2nd behind Drake and I knew it was 49 years and then Elder Drake says "Uh.... 84 years?" and we all just start laughing and President told us all to make sure and give him a hard time about that at the mission reunion in 10 years. It was a lot of fun, after we watched the slide show with all the baptism photos on it. Got to see the two we had in Longview up there. We then headed out of there and went to dinner with the North Elders at the Abarcas home and had some really good food. We ate and dropped off the Elders and went back to the apartment to grab stuff for English classes and went to the classes. I got a letter from TDizzy, thanks so much! We taught English classes and then came back and realized I forgot my backpack so we ran back to get it. I was pooped afterwards. 

 

THURSDAY - Planning day. The one thing I will not miss after the mission. But its important, Fail to plan=plan to fail. We planned and had dinner with the Barraza family and they were asking me a bunch of questions about the family and such. I told them about the A's and how I loved basketball and how I wanted to play after because they kept trying to give me sugar drinks and I turned it down a hundred times hahaha. We ate and took off to pick up the Maganas for the 3 awesome lessons we had planned and... all 3 of them canceled within like 5 minutes. So we just started visiting people. We visited Jasmine and had an awesome lesson with them and then to end our night I got my stuff and went to spend the night with my son, Elder Dominguez for an awesome exchange. I was coughing all night though. ALL NIGHT! Didn't sleep at all.

 

FRIDAY - Today was awesome! So we got up and stayed in bed.... what is with Elder Dominguez and when I'm with him we never are healthy. We walked to get lunch and taught one lesson but that was about it. At 2:30 Fernando came and picked us up and we got back to my old stomping grounds in D10, the Grove that's not Pleasant. We got there late because of a crash and a huge fire. It was so good though, we had time to catch up with Fernando and his life. I miss them so much, such an awesome family. We got back and Tim picked us up and took us to Burger Island, what a great guy Tim is! Now he just needs to be baptized! ;) (Because I know your reading Tim) But he took us there and to get Pie Shakes, he is still as awesome as he was before! We got dropped off at the church for the baptism and a rush of memories hit me like a brick wall, times in the Grove. Seeing Sister and Brother Price was amazing and Gaby and the kids!! Elder Drake and all the other elders. We had the wonderful and amazing spiritual baptism. Then about 2 minutes before the confirmation Elder Drake leans back to me "Hey... You want to confirm her? This is your family" So I got to confirm her. It was so amazing. I love the mission. Afterwards she asked why I had to leave and we went to their house for some food before heading back home. We just ended up staying together another night because we didn't get back till way late. What an experience though. I love that family and the opportunity I had to take part in a step they made to get closer to reaching the Celestial Kingdom. Their is no other church that even offers that first step. The Authority has been restored and I testify of that. 

 

SATURDAY - Even more sick this morning. I felt absolutely terrible!! Elder Adams and Virrueta just stayed together for the lessons we had all day and we exchanged back at 9. I learned how to solve a Rubik cube. That should tell you the capability I had. We finally switched back and headed home.

 

SUNDAY - Another good sabbath day. We got to church and only had 2 investigators there but it was a good day in church. We all had dinner together after and it was so good. Italian/Argentinian... food. It was amazing. We ate and then dropped the elders off and went to a few lessons. We had one with Vanessa and we just talked about Thanksgiving and the things we are grateful for. Then we taught this new girl and as we were teaching this HUGE cockroach is just chillin on the wall. HUGE!!! Size of a mouse i would say, then half way through the lesson.. ANOTHER ONE!!! Right by my foot!!! Other than that, it was a good lesson :) Spanish feels good for being out 18 months. We went to do numbers and the unthinkable happened. Right as we were going to send them in the computer crashes.... this is why you don't by PC's! So the numbers that were due at 10:30 were turned in.... at midnight! We finally got it off the computer and sent in. The guy who does them was not happy. We returned home to find the east elders asleep in our beds!! and that ended our night!!! :) I'm officially a 4th quarter missionary, 18 months in the mission and 6 to go. Time flies. I love yall and I love the mission!

 

Elder Aaron Jackson <3

Tostada Burgers?

MONDAY - A very good Pday today but a lot of driving around. We took the east elders to the library and then shopping and then to sports authority to get something for Elder Virruetas brother for his birthday. We finally got back with just a little bit of time to relax and talk and throw the old pig skin around a bit. We had a lesson with Santiago and taught him about tithing and I flipped out on my companion a bit because I would have to interrupt to teach and then I would teach and he would just re-explain everything that I just said and then just act as if I wasn't even there! UGH! I told him after and we went and visited Hna Barraza and we didn't talk the rest of the night. So off key, which is terrible. Not on the same page at all. Gotta love the mission.

TUESDAY - Yes a certain game did come out today but we aren't going to talk about that. We had a multi-district meeting in Oak cliff. It was really good to see the whole zone together for the first time. The meeting was really good. Afterwards I ate probably the biggest burger I have ever seen in my life at one of the best places ever! Burguesa burger... yum! The thing was huge! Avocado, tomato, tostada, ham, 2 patties, beans, cheese, lettuce etc. Thank goodness for my fast metabolism ;) Still haven't gained a pound on the mission. We got stranded in Oak Cliff trying to find a ride for the other elders and finally found one. We talked as we waited about a set of missionaries that got beat up by several people and how crazy it was. I'm thankful I have been safe. We then went and ate with a RM that just got back from Utah a few days prior, he said he served in Midvale and loved it! I asked him about Hillcrest and he said he remembers the school very well hahaha, so crazy to meet someone who served there. We then went out and he still has the fire. He contacted everyone he saw before we could even try haha. We got 2 referrals out of the 1 hour with him. It was great, such a good guy. Said his mission president talked only about marriage in his exit interview and gave him 8 weeks to be married :/ is that really what's next on the list after the mission? haha scary stuff. We got done and headed to the lesson with the Villatoros and they are just awesome! We taught he second part of the plan of salvation and headed home.... president decided "4 more years of debt" 

 

WEDNESDAY - We spent 4 hours in the Chevy dealership this morning trying to get a sensor put on our car and a new battery, we checked out the vettes and they are just so sweet! The zo6 b e a utiful. We sat in the waiting room... waiting haha and finally got the car back. we ran back the the apt and ate some food and made the genius ward mission plan and picked up the papusas from hna escotos house... papusas are so good! I love Mexican food! (I want to go back and count how many times I have said that in my emails) haha, we ate at the Alfaros and headed with Hno Alfaro to Raul's house and talked about fasting and we gave him a blessing so he can stop smoking. I was privileged to give the blessing. It was one of those awesome lessons that you go in about to teach something and the Spirit just takes you a whole other way hahaha, its amazing! church is true. We then went to the church where we taught English classes to end our night.

 

THURSDAY - Planning! yay... NOT. Orlando called and canceled so we didn't end till dinner. We headed to the Mancias and Hna Mancia is sick so Brian takes us to... da da da da! the all famous Cicis pizza. All you can eat garbage! We ate as much as we could to feel grateful for the money they spent on us but that was it. We then had another lesson with Santiago, really short and then went to the Villatoros again and talked more about the Plan of Salvation and I love Brayan! He is so cool!! He is so smart for being 11. He is going to be an awesome missionary. 

 

FRIDAY - Crazy day! So we went to the East elders apt to eat pizza with them during lunch hour and then we went tracting till about 3 and headed to the Temple. Hna Almazan in the Casa Linda ward got sealed so we were invited. We got there and guess who was there.... all the way from Idaho married and all. My trainer!! Elder Olsen!! It was nuts to see him! We talked a bit but then headed back home. We ran into Wal Mart and got a bottle and went back and ate and boiled an egg for the egg lesson with the Villatoros. We taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ and It felt good to teach again. They loved it, I invited their daughter to be baptized and I love that feeling too! No sweat now! She has excuses but give her time. We ended our night fasting for Raul.

 

SATURDAY - We fasted with Raul and again my head hurt waking up, I slept it off though and was up and ready to leave, very low energy but ready to go. We left and taught Raul at 1 and visited some people until we went and picked up dinner at 5 and ate it at the North elders apt. We also found a new family in Grand Prairie while tracting down there. After dinner we visited some people trying to get more lessons. Started to get cold here.

 

SUNDAY - I love the Sabbath day, its so nice! Its even better when there is a primary program!!! we had a lot of investigators today at church and they all enjoyed the service. We had a talk with bishop and some things going on in the ward with the missionaries and they need to be changed. Just another mess that needs cleaning up. I'm not complaining though, that's why we are here, to help others come unto Christ, including ourselves. We ate dinner with the Arrazola family and Hna Arrazola told me she was talking to Elder Rouse on Facebook and he said to say hi haha, he served here a very long time as well. We ate and left, we went with Ismael their son to some teaching appointments, he was teaching us Portuguese, he said the prayer in Portuguese and I understood almost everything, its really cool. we ended our night doing numbers and with a sore throat. yuck. Love you all!

Hasta luego

 

Elder Aaron Jackson

Week 2 in Shady Grove

MONDAY - Today was a great preparation day, we didn't get JP so we didn't really shop but we did go get stuff for a little Halloween party we wanted to have as a district. I love the district here. Elder Jorgensen and Henze, Dominguez and Adams... Cant wait for Christmas with them. We went to email and I had to call Elder Chappell and Crosby out East to get his library card number. We had a great conversation. Elder Chappell is so awesome and so is Elder Crosby. He is definitely in the running for my favorite companion of all time. The library has a touch table top screen thing with chess so as we waited for the rest of the elders to get done I smoked my son (Dominguez) in a game of chess and checkers :) we then went and got the stuff at the store to make smores and we threw the football a little bit and played a hot potato game that was so fun! We talked about skating and laughed at good times we had. I love these elders! We finished Preparation day and we headed to visit a less active member that the bishop assigned us to visit. Hna Barraza, her non member 25 year old son, Tony was there and so we got to know him. Incredible artist!! He showed us one of his sketches and it seriously looked like it was a snap shot from a camera! He was way cool, very humble and willing to learn. Good way to start off the week.

TUESDAY - We had a good district meeting today and after we enjoyed some very delicious pumpkin pie with blue bell ice cream! SO GOOD! We then headed to the store so that I could buy some food for the week because we had no money yesterday and we didnt have any today but my oh so sweet peruvian companion payed for me and I'll just pay him back when I get money. Yes I bought some Mountain Dew for the first time in a while only because Master Chief was on the cover. We then went to an apartment complex called Kirkwood Apartments. Ha. Visited a few people there and visited the relief society president there as well. We had dinner at her house (Abarca family) and we had my favorite! Authentic tacos. I could eat a million of them I tell you! estuvieron bien ricos! we ate and discussed the presidential campaign a little and then we were on our way. We had a lesson with Vanessa and Kimberly and talked about eternal families and also baptism. We reset their dates for November 17. I love the Plan of Salvation, I love talking about families, especially my family! It is my favorite thing to teach by far! We committed them to read one verse from the Book of Mormon every day. I apologize of some of these things are lacking details, I was 4 days behind in my journal and thats what I use to type my blogs. Just know it was another amazing day in the mission :)

 

WEDNESDAY - HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! (^^) We had a meeting in meandering way, Zone Leader Council. Great meeting from 10 to 4. We learned a lot and talked about the holidays coming up and what was going to happen. President Durrant wants to have another talent show, so looks like I will be able to show case my dunk one last time in the TDM. I will probably prepare weeks before, training in the mornings. I want to do something I havent before. Maybe an under the legs or a crazy oop. Not sure yet. The meeting was good and time flew, I loved seeing all the old missionary friends especially my main man Elder Chappell! We got done with the meeting and went to a 7/11 to get gas, I had to get money off my card to get a new Preach my Gospel in Spanish. Ive wanted one of the mini ones since day one in the mission and they finally have them again. So I went in and they had it there in the fridge.... GAMEFUEL!!!! I had to get it! It was so good! we went to the mission office and I got my new mini Preach my Gospel aka (The best manual in the world!) I love it. Its a manual for life. We then headed to the Mancias for dinner, it was just us and the North elders there so we talked and had a good time and ate. Then I found out that Elder Henze has a Christmas tradition similar to ours... Christmas Vacation!!! So we were laughing so hard as we brought back those memories. I love the holidays, such a great time. We got done and dropped by Vanessas and Kimberlies house to see their haunted house and it was awesome!!! I got pictures but I will have to send them next week because I forgot my camera! But it was a way cool, I got pics of me next to this guy with this HUGE clown mask haha, then we headed to the church to support the ward in its Trunk or Treat activity and it was a lot of fun! It was a good Halloween. Last one in the mission! :O

 

THURSDAY - Today was a long day, we finally got money on our cards so of course us being the only ones with a car were asked by the north elders to go shopping. We took them and they took forever!! So we didn't get back to plan untill like 3. We planned for an hour and a half and then headed to Bishops house for dinner. We had some amazing Carne asada which we all ate like pigs! Then Bishop and his two councilers all came out with us to our appointments. We went with el Obispo (bishop) and visited first Raul Pacheco and taught about prophets and the Book of Mormon as well. Bishop is such a boss, he knows when to talk and when he does he always says something awesome. We then went to teach Santiago and we taught the 10 commandments and also the Sabbath Day. He is ready, he just needs to tell his parents and he will be good to go!

 

FRIDAY - Today we had the Stake President Report, President Porter bought us and the English Zone Leaders both our own 10 dollar box from Pizza Hut in which we devoured within minutes like Voltures (as my dad would say) We had the meeting with President Porter and Durrant and talked about the Stake. Its so exciting because we set a new mission goal on Wednesday of 670 Baptisms for this year and we are at 532 or something and so we are also about to hit the stake goal, the wards goals and my personal goal of 25! Im so excited!!! We could baptize a lot here, we have so many great people! The meeting was great and it was good to talk to President after as well. We then went tracting and ran into this crazy Catholic girl who pointed to her neighbors (who just got out of jail) and said "Now I'm not christian when it comes to them over there, a few years ago their house was on fire and we called the fire apartment and I regret it! I should have just let it burn!" hahahaha, we got a few return appiontments and headed to dinner with the Ayala family and had chili dogs! It was really good, all 6 of us were there and enjoying each others company. We then went and taught the Villatoros and talked about the Book of Mormon. They are just such a solid family. We will baptize at least 3 of them and maybe even 5! So thats going to be a great day! We ended our night on that note.

 

SATURDAY - Today we went back to the Ayalas house to have a coordination meeting where we talked about the work and I brought up some of the ideas we did out in Longview and we are going to put them into practice. Im excited! We ate breakfast with them and had ham and eggs and cheese and hot chocolate and it was really good! Hno Ayala showed us some pics of missionaries that went home... including one of my past Zone Leaders (Elder Solis) who got married with a Sister missionary that was here too!!! They were engaged while they were both still on the mission. Elder Solis baptized a ton but I lost a lot of respect for him after that. But it was weird to see Elder Feild too, I miss that kid. We then took off and got some stuff at Staples for our ideas for the ward. We dropped off the North elders and headed to our lesson with Raul and taught the law of chastity and he is almost ready for baptism too! Just needs to stop smoking and he will be good to go! After that we had to take the car in to get the brakes checked and then we did some more tracting before dinner with the Erazo family, it was really good chicken but we were there for too long. I hate getting to members house when we should be eating and waiting 15 minutes till its done cooking and then just being there over an hour. Its a waste of time. I love the members but ugh! So we had time to go and teach Kimberly and Vanessa and invite them to church. Tonight the clocks went back!!! EXTRA HOUR OF SLEEP!!! Couldnt ask for a better gift on a mission. 

 

SUNDAY - Today was a good Sunday, there were some changes in the bishopric but also in the meeting with the leaders before church we were told members have been complaining that we flirt with the young women and that we don't ask the members to turn off the TVs and Radios when we get into their homes... UGH!! Its not us I know that, I stay away from girls at all costs and I have never had a problem like that before. So a great situation to walk into... Now we have to regain the trust of the members (which is one of if not the most important things) gotta love the mission. We will do it though, its not really a big thing but we will change that. Church ended and we went to eat dinner, we had meat loaf with the Ortiz family. I think that's a first for me, meat loaf on the mission. It was so good! You never eat better than on a mission I tell you. We finished and headed to our appointment with the Villatoros and taught my favorite lesson El Plan de Salvacion! It went really well and they are doing so good. We met their daughter for the first time and we are still trying to get their rebellious 12 year old involved but with time. We finished and headed to do numbers. I was so tired, because my body was telling me it was 10:30 when really it was only 9:30. What a good week though. Thanks for reading and I love y'all.

 

Elder Jackson