Elder Aaron Jackson: Zone Leader!

MONDAY - We woke up and had everything done by 10:30 and were ready to go email, really good to hear from the fam every week, it really helps you throughout the week I tell ya, we went and shopped and we were doing really good on time so before going to basketball we hit up Genghis Grill, SO GOOD! We headed to the church and there was like 20 people there, we played kings court and we ended up winning again and again, some really close games that I put away with driving layups or fade away un blockable jumpers :) People asked about my high school and if I played, I explained why I did not play my senior year and they did what everyone else did. They didnt understand. It was really good though, love to get out and just play hard, give it your all cause its only once a week. We came back to a popped tire and we left our phone in the car so we went to Hno Beares house and he took us to Wal mart, we had the tires in our hand and walked out and found out Dahlberg bought the wrong one and so we went back in and as he was exchanging his I realized I bought the wrong one haha, so I exchanged mine, we came back and didnt have time to go out, planned and ended our night.
  
TUESDAY - We had studies in the morning and we went out tracking, trying to talk to at least 140 people this week, lot of white folks, we picked the wrong area to tract today, We had dinner so we headed back and ended up waiting a long time in the apartment for dinner and finally got out by 7, headed to some apartments to tract, found a girl that lived in Utah WOOT! haha, but other than that we didn't get much, we did have 27 contacts and 4 other lessons though, which wasn't bad, found a black guy who will be baptized for sure, only bad thing about being Spanish... find golden people that you have to give up.

WEDNESDAY - Studies were good, Alma is such a boss! We went and had a lesson with Hna Franco that was all over the place about the Atonement and then we went to Hno Berr Jimenezes house, wasnt there, of course. We came back to the Francos for dinner, Sopas... SO GOOD!!!! avacodo, tomatoe, cheese, salsa. Amazing. We went back to work and it started POURING, I was running around dancing and singing in it because I love the rain in Texas, so crazy. My companion wanted to head back, but I told him not untill we talked to 5 more people. So we did :) Came back and checked mail, letter from Tim and package from Dad, THANKS DAD!!! LOVE THE TIES!

 

THURSDAY - Alarm needs new bateries... woke up late and it threw everything off! We planned and then went and tracted a trailor park that has a rent pay of 95 dolars a week.... so if you can picture that. Discusting and very sad! We had dinner with the Zone Leaders, Pizza from Dominos, it was good, talked a little about the meeting tomorrow and then went back to tract till we headed home. Made pancakes :)

 

FRIDAY - Specialized training!!!! So good, heard the testimonies of many good missionaries that are leaving us, Elder Feild... My favorite Zone Leader... besides Elder Willman, both are haha. We did some really cool activities and I was so happy to see Elder Dominguez, that kid is awesome, he is going to move to Utah after the mission and become a foo! It was way good to see Elder Drake too, I miss that kid! We did some great stuff, we had 4 groups and 4 activites, we first wrote (because its in between fathers and mothers day) a talk about how our parents have made us who we are today, we only had like, 20 minutes. I could have written all day! Second we taught president Durrant, third we learned about health from Sister Durrant, and how soda is like drugs (Dad already told me that, he is on the ball) and last we shared a 3 minute talk about prayer, I shared mine, mind you this was all in spanish too, spanish is getting better each day. Felt really smooth. We then all met in the chapel and President said he was going to call on some missionaries to share their talk about their parents and I KNEW I would be called on so I got it out and sure enough "Elder Jackson would you like to come talk about your parents?" I got up there and said "Escribi en ingles porque mis padres no hablen espanol"  haha, or I wrote in english cause my parents dont speak spanish. Then I told them I would try not to sob like a little baby. I muggled through the talk fighting back tears and just feeling so much love and gratitude(So when you get it mom and dad know that I read that in front of everyone, and the president, FEEL SPECIAL :) cause ya are) Then the meeting ended and we stuck around and talked for a bit and headed back, appointment with the garcias? cancel. My companion decided it would be smart to be dropped off an hour befor nine in the middle of nowhere with out our bikes... We waisted a ton of time and ended up walking back. I was not happy. On the way back we saw a Racoon just chilling outside the apartment, sure thats normal around here but in Utah no! haha. I was looking at my camara before bed and my companion kept bugging me about it and I finally snapped at him again. Not cool.

 

SATURDAY - Studies, not very happy all through them, 3 hours of trying to be happy and talk to people at their doors and finally we stopped and I just told him everything, we talked and I felt a little bit better but not all the way. I told him it was people like him that made me not want to go to church as a kid, people that go to point out every flaw as if its breaking every commandment and rule when really its not bad at all! We then went and taught the very next person we talked to, then headed to dinner. Went to a taco place owned by a less active, SO GOOD! Authentic. It rained for 13 seconds, no joke haha and then we got on our bikes and were looking for a referral when the phone buzzed away in my pocket, missionaries all know saturday calls are the most intense thing, any time that phone rings it gets ya, I pulled it out and sure enough, Presidents name showed on the screen, I answered in spanish, saying I was Elder Jackson, he replied "the same elder jackson that played for Hillcrest High, the Huskies right?" I replied yes. "well elder Jackson I have a new assignment for ya, I want you to be a Zone Leader out in Longview." My heart sunk that I didnt even hear what he said after that haha, "I got to go, say high to your companion" I couldnt focus the rest of the night, and was just mind blown. Planning that night I knew Drake or Dominguez would call, they have been teasing me forever, telling me I would be zone leader. They called and Elder Dominguez is going out east too!!! WHOOT!! Crazy stuff.

 

SUNDAY - HAPPY FATHERS DAY!!! I hope all of you love your dad as much as I love mine, I couldnt ask for a better one ever! He is the best in the world! Thanks for everything you do dad! Church was weird because everyone was saying how much they would miss Elder Willman cause he is awesome and he has been here for a while, but I didnt say much because I still dont know much about the branch! haha, and I'm gone too. We came back ate real fast and went out and tracted for hours, about 5 or 6, Helped some guy well... tried to help some guy fix his car and then on our way back had some people call us over who were having a party and we found a golden family, so ready! They gave us food and said they respected so much what we do and everything, it was crazy. Companion irritated me during planning again... so hard for me, trying to fight it but I did grow a lot and didnt freak out like I would have a year ago thats for sure, well thats it. 6 Weeks just like that gone, off to Longview on Tuesday, blogs wont be as detailed cause I'm going to be super busy, in and out of exchanges and meetings all the time, trying to help all the missionaries of east Texas. Love you all, thanks for following.

 

Elder Aaron Jackson