TUESDAY - HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! 2013! Wow! We made it this far, so
crazy. I was super tired, didn't sleep well last night. We headed to
Grand Prairie to go to their district meeting because we had an exchange
with them. After all of us (except the sisters) went to their apartment
to eat tamales. Elder Drake, Browning, and I were talking about all the
good times in Lufkin. Then we started the exchange. Our appointment
canceled with Aaron and Juana so we went and visited Guadalupe (guy who
doesn't believe in God) it got crazy, he believes that the Urim and
Thumim was brought to us by aliens... how is that more plausible than
having a loving God? Anyway we then had an appointment with Santiago in
the park in the freezing cold 
and
shared Matthew 10:35-39. Way good lesson and perfect scripture. There
is no way that this church is NOT true. We went tracting after and found
nothing but English speakers and then headed to pick up the north
elders for dinner. We had dinner at the Carrillos but before had a
family home evening with one of the east's investigators that was all
over the place and an hour and a half. We ate more tamales. After we
taught Milagros and retaught the Restoration and she understood, we
watched the Restoration video and like always I felt the Spirit testify
to my heart that Joseph Smith really saw God the Father and his Son
Jesus Christ. I would never doubt that, I would die before I denied the
truthfulness of this Gospel.
WEDNESDAY - We went and dropped off some scriptures that Elder
Adams ordered for a recent convert family and then went to Taco bell
before heading to exchange back with the other elders. Then we get a
call that Elder Adams has the north's phone so we go there get the phone
and take it to the north elders apartment. I think I'm going to ask to
step down as a zone leader. I know President Durrant wants me here and
probably plans to keep me here the rest of my mission but I'd rather just
be thrown into some area with a brand new missionary and just go work
till my legs fall off and my feet are bleeding. We will see though, its
very time consuming. Not a lot of time to just go out and work. But I
love it in other ways as well. We knocked one street that we had no
luck, just a bunch of old ladies slamming their doors in our faces haha,
this is the best work ever! I learned something very important though.
When you go somewhere you are being guided to that place by revelation,
the Lord has something for you. If you have an appointment and it
cancels there is something more there for you, because the Lord knows
they aren't there, so why wouldn't he prepare something else for you? So I
told my companion "from now on every time we get out of the car we need
to talk to one person before getting back into the car" So we did it.
We went to visit a referral and they didn't answer so my companion
suggested that we knock the neighbors door. We knock, get in, (randomly
the Spirit tells us to teach the Plan of Salvation even though it was a
single man) and we set a date with Martin Garcia. BOOM! Miracle. We had
dinner at the house before heading to Raul Pachecos and teaching about
Christ and being clean through him and doing what we can here to follow
him. It is by his grace we are saved. But Faith without works is dead as
stated in James 2:17, so if you have nothing but Faith in him and no
works? If your not striving to show you love him by keeping his
commandments? Your Faith is dead and it might just be better for you not
to have Faith. Faith without works is a mokery to his Atonement. It was
a good lesson though, he is trying to get an answer and he will get one
because he is acting upon the feelings he has and what teaches the
scriptures. Not acting is like buying a movie ticket and not going to
the movie, how stupid does that sound? Its the same
thing. We talked about Alma 5 and the fruits of repentance. Then we
taught him how to tie a tie and headed out. We went to the church to see
if anyone came for English classes and we waited. I watched some punks
playing basketball and it made me miss showing punks like them how to
play the right way. We visited a few other people before going home.
Emergency transfer happened in Oak Cliff. Elder Rodriguez is getting a
new companion. We have to drive there tomorrow bright and early.
THURSDAY - We drove to Oak Cliff at 6:30 and picked up and
dropped off elder Talbot. We got back and had little time to study and
so we got ready and headed out. We decided to try something different.
Here its common for the elders to go straight to apartment complexes and
knock them because there are a lot of hispanics there. We decided to
try and weed a little bit and go to richer areas because A)chances are
they have never talked to us because missionaries never go to those
areas and B)since they are living in rich areas they have good jobs with
adjustable schedules, maybe. So we gave it a shot and talked to a few
Hispanics. Got a return appointment with one lady, super sweet lady from
Mexico. Then we ran into a guy who was Islamic. He gave us some stuff
and we gave him a Book of Mormon. Then we took off to the Coronas who
werent there :( they invited us for hot chocolate too! So we headed to
dinner with the Escotos, and had my favorite meal ever! Lasagna!
Favorite food in the world! Oh it was so good! We then had an
appointment with Milagros and she was leaving to get food as we got
there so we said we would wait and we decided to knock on the neighbors
door. We got in right away. Crazy guy, but way nice! He was talking
about how he sees things, that he has seen Hell and Christ and the Devil
and how he always has 3 black spirits following him
(haha it was kind of funny cause me and my companion were wearing all
black haha) First thing that came to mind was the Priesthood we hold.
The same Priesthood Jesus himself and his Apostles used to cast out
deamons. Sure enough my companion was thinking the same thing and
offered to give a blessing. So we did, really cool expierence. Love this
work.
FRIDAY-Elder Lee is gone :( crazy! What a day today. I was
smacked in the face with some great learning experiences. First we had
the SPR, we got the church at 12 and enjoyed some Dominos pizza from the
Stake President. YUMMM! Then we had the meeting which was great, talked
about how we almost reached the stake goal for that year. We had a goal
of 120 and we had 112. President came a bit late and had is older
sister with him... who was taller than me haha. Good meeting though.
okay some of the things I learned today. Like I said before you are
directed to every spot for a reason, find someone in that area the Lord
has prepared for you. The second thing was referrals, I dont know why it
hit me so hard but we have to start asking for more referrals. We were
at dinner with a member that said he had some referrals in the past for
us and so we asked for them and after some girl walked in and was really
good friends with them and we just simply asked if we could come by
some time. She said yes! All members have non member friends. Ask untill
they say they have no one. If they give you one ask again, untill they
get annoyed. Number 3. Wow I love the mission. So its 8:15 and we have
nothing to do. The idea of knocking comes strongly to my thoughts and
right after all the bad expiernces that I have had in the past come
along with it. But my favorite words come tumbling in my head after as
well "If they are elect, they WILL accept" Satan is saying, "hey its
dark, people are going to bed, their kids too, just dont bother people
its not effective." But those words keep coming, "If they are elect,
they will accept" It doesnt matter if its raining, snowing, hailing,
sunny, dark, if they have 8 kids sleeping and 85 dogs trying to bite
your legs off, if they are the elect they will know we are sent by Jesus
Christ and no one else. That we are his called and set apart servants.
They WILL let us in. So we put it to the test. I had picked 5 streets by
inspiration the previous day and we had knocked 4 of them. The last one
on the list was, Sandy ln. So put it in and drove there. It looked
really american, like there was no Hispanics. Again the doubt crept into
my mind, "lets try another street" NO NO NO! Every place has something
prepared by the Lord. So my companion points to a big beautiful house
with lights and says "maybe thats Hispanic?" So we go with it, as I walk
up to the door about to knock I see that the tv is on, and they are
watching the Texas A&M vs Oklahoma BCS game. Doubt comes again "What
hispanic watches college football?" I knock it, putting it out of my
mind. A sweet lady from Mexico comes to the door and her and her husband
gladly let us in to have a lesson. Family is very important to them,
they have 5 kids and would like us to come back the following week. As
the living President of the church today once said "Faith fulfills,
Doubt destroys" I testify that is true.
SATURDAY - We had a full day today, we had lunch with the north
elders and then headed to Raul Pacheco. Awesome lesson with him, we read
from Moroni's promise and then out of nowhere I promised him that he
would have an answer before this Friday and that he will be baptized on
the 19th of January. He accepted and we walked out happy as could be. Garcias
canceled so we offered to help their neighbors move, they said they were
ok. Then we went and interviewed Elvia and Felipe (investigators of the
East elders) and they both passed easy. We contacted a bit before
eating some argentian food at the Erazos house. Then we visited Martin
to remind him about church and he wasnt there. So we went to visit Marta
at 7 and her husband said NO haha, So we taught a less active who had
no understanding of any of the Doctrine of Christ and so it was just
nuts. As we left there was a bunch of teens partying outside and calling
us sinners and sarcastically saying "sorry we are sinning" felt like I
was walking either through hell or through a play pin. Still acting like
children. Actually... children are smart. I shouldnt compare them to
children. Just idiots. I'm so happy with the decisions I've made in my
life. I'm glad we can all make those decisions too.
SUNDAY - Fast and testimony meeting. I love it! We were fasting
with Raul so he can get his answer before Friday and he will. Also
Santiago came and asked when we usually baptized... then after said he
had received an answer and will be baptized on the 16 of Feb. He went
home and told his family that and his sister and mom freaked and said he
was like Judas and was rejecting Christ, he said she doesnt even go to
church. As Christ would always say "O ye Hypocrits..." The pharesis and
scribes of these times thats for sure. We met in the park and just
talked about how he will grow so much from this, he said nothing will
stop him from being batptized this day. Now that is a true follower of
Christ. I love that kid and I admire his example so much! We broke our
fast with the other elders at 5 and then tried a few people before going
to do numbers to end the week. Exhausted from doing good and showing
our love for our Lord Jesus Christ. No other better feeling then to drag
yourself home after trying to do nothing but invite others to come to
Christ. This work is true, again we can either hear that here in this
life or at the last day from the mouth of the Great Jehovah. I pray we
all act and follow Christ now while we have this life, that we humble
ourselves and open our eyes to the truths of this wonderful Gospel. I
love you all, thanks for your prayers and support.
Elder Aaron Jackson
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