Some Successes Turn To Failures.

MONDAY - We did our studies and then headed to play ball at 10:30 and had a lot of fun. Only 4 of us but we still played super competitive just how I like it! Played some horse, around the world and 2 on 2. We came back and did laundry and also emailed I had the opportunity to talk to President on the phone again and he talked about how we are doing such a good job out here as Leaders and that he is super proud of us. I love talking with President it just makes my day better. I was super happy to hear about Aric and his step to receive the Priesthood and I want him to know how proud of him I am and of Adam as well in his willingness to follow the example of Jesus Christ on a day to day basis. I wrote a couple letters before ending our day and then we took off to our appointment and taught Maricela. We only taught about prophets because we had a family home evening planned with the Plascencias and with Marlene. But we went over there and she didn't even show up! We weren't very happy so we went over to her house to find her there alone and to find she didn't have a ride. She should have at least called and told us that. But that's okay. I love her, she is great :) So we headed to Kikis for a lesson and it was just as frustrating because she had questions that were just not important at all! We tried to stay on subject but she kept talking about end of the world stuff and we left just frustrated.

TUESDAY - I woke up with a pain in my stomach that made eating, walking, studying and all the above (except sleeping) make me want to throw up. I slept through studies and then I dragged myself to district meeting. It was pretty good but I was completely out of it. We stopped at Wal Mart to get me a sprite and that kind of helped but not a whole lot. We came back and I had to rest. So I slept for a good while. Till about 4:15. Then we headed to dinner and I'll tell you what, fish was not the best thing to first put in your stomach after being sick. We tracted and worked after and the entire time I tried to keep the food down and still wear a smile on my face :) 

 

WEDNESDAY - I had some very good studies today and am feeling much better, we went to the Ford dealership to get the mirror ordered then we went to Firestone to get the oil changed and hit a pot hole and dented the car more hahaha, this car is just a target for Deer, mean people that break mirrors and also pot holes! So we are getting a new one when we drive into Dallas next week. That ate our entire day up so we headed to dinner after with the Whitmans and tracted a bit in that area and had no luck whatsoever. Lot of mean people. East Texas is tough I tell ya. We had Jordan with us for a little but had no luck with him either, then we picked up Jacob from Tennis practice and it was tough, made me miss high school so much! Advice to all teens out there. Make the most of High School! ITS THE BEST! well second best behind a mission. ;) Dinner was good, potatoes and roast except my stomach is still a bit sensitive so it was hard to eat a lot. Almost blacked out at the table. It was so good though! We then went and taught Charles and watched the Restoration video with him and it was very good! He loved it! Then we had our divisions and I went with Hermano Florez and Elder Chappell went with Hermano Plascencia. We went to Jose and had an awesome lesson about the Sabbath day and how he cant work on Sundays. It was powerful! Elder Chappell had a boss lesson with Marlene too. She is so ready to be baptized, and will be here in September.

 

THURSDAY - Well I had the privilege today to do the best thing we do as leaders and that's do baptismal interviews. I interviewed Sister Test and it was so awesome! The other elders picked us up and we went to Hallsville and I did the interview while they taught her friend. When we got done her friend had a Book of Mormon and cried during the prayer. Way awesome and spiritual experience we then headed home and that's when the happiness left... we got a call from the Sadlers who were just recently baptized saying they wanted their names removed from the list and no longer will be coming to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.... My heart just dropped as I heard this. We got back and all during planning I could not focus I questioned again and again. Why. We finished planning and went to the Gonzales for dinner which was good and then we met Brent at the church and had a lesson with him and had no luck after that with our visits in English... Spanish work is great right now but English is just depressing! We sat, brother Johansen and I, in the church waiting for my companion and brother Sellers and I just sat and thought of what could be the cause of this. Why why why! We talked about it when we went home for the night.

 

FRIDAY - Long day of no success. We made some fliers for basketball and for Spanish and English classes that we will be starting. We put them up in some high schools. and then we visited some Less actives and didn't have any luck. It was good to bust out the bikes again and ride around and hear all the pretty words people scream at us :) We had dinner with the Rossows and then went and tried to visit a referral and nothing. One of those days.

 

SATURDAY - We had studies and then worked more on the fliers and then busted out the bikes and rode 5 miles to an area to visit some less actives and tract in the area. It was so hard! so hot! so sweaty! UGH! It was good though. We were about to visit this one person then we saw the hill we had to go up and.... turned around and changed the plans. On the way back we had some girls honk at us in a slug bug and pull over expecting us to come talk to them. They had a BYUI sticker on their car. We just ran in the Monterrey tienda and hid amongst the Mexicans :) We got some water and headed home to head out to Gladewater for dinner. We got some updates from Brother Reynolds about the college season. So crazy football is about to start. We also got some news on the program on CBS they did on the church and how the election is going. Romney is getting blamed for a lot of stupid stuff he didn't do apparently. Oh well. We left and saw something you wouldn't expect to see in Gladewater... an orange Lamborghini Merci!! SO SICK! We headed back and had a short lesson with the Ramirez family but they were tired from their trip and also not paying attention. 

 

SUNDAY - We finally got to see the letter that the sadlers wrote about what happened. She does not believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet. Probably got involved with a lot of anti Mormon stuff... which is very unfortunate because her family will miss out on so many blessings from the Restored Church of Jesus Christ. This is why its so important that you do not take MANS word for anything but that you simply do what Joseph Smith did. Pray. God will tell you the truth and nothing but the truth. The Internet and friends that aren't members? probably something different. We will miss her though and we hope she comes back some day. Church was good though, we had 2 investigators in Spanish and 2 in English. We had a pot luck after church and had some good food and then we headed out in the pouring rain to tract. Got in with a young couple that were not prepared but really nice and talked about the respect they have for what we do. Then we ended the night doing numbers. It was pretty good. It was not the best week but that's why we are here to learn and grow. Not to have everything simply given to us. I love representing the only true church on the face of the planet and actually being commissioned of God to represent Him, His church and the Saviour and Redeemer of the world, Jesus Christ. I love you all and thanks for following. Hasta la proxima semana!

Elder Aaron Jackson