Week 2 in Garland

February 25 - March 3, 2013

MONDAY - Week 2 already!! Good pday, we went and played ball after studies at 10:30 and had over 20 people there. Some how, I kept ending up on Elder Chappells team! It didnt help that i missed almost every shot i put up. Its the age in the mission! I just havent played in so long. in and out, in and out, in and out! Every shot! Email was good, things are getting better. But looks I still need to continue spend time on my knees praying for whats to come and to push through these last weeks here in the field. We relaxed and at night I just planned my district meeting for tomorrow.

TUESDAY - Good thing I planned a good meeting because President Durrant and his wife came to my district meeting and sat in on it. It was a good training on planning. I talked about being accountable with the leaders and with the Lord in every goal and plan we set. President ended my meeting with some words and interviewed a few people. We ended and went to Mcdonalds to eat before heading to get a haircut for Elder Trover. Then we went straight to work! We knocked a bit and found our first new investigator. Then we headed to dinner with the Ordaz family and had some good chicken fried steak. Rudy came and got us and we took him to a few lessons with us. First, we went to Normas house and taught the Plan of Salvation and extended a baptismal date, our first date! Things are progressing! Then we went to visit the Canales family but the son wasnt there, who isnt a member, so we gave blessings to both the daughters at the moms request. It was a very successful night.

 

WEDNESDAY - Happy bday elder Chappy! We had another day full of work today, We went knocking and saw very little success but we did it, the Lord knows we are working. This isnt easy work, few will accept and be the elect and will follow in the strait and narrow path. Interesting how the scriptures put it that way. Strait not straight. Its not easy being a member of the Lord's one and only true church. We visited a few less active members before heading to dinner at the Fuentes house. Then we rode all the way to the top of our area and made a list with our ward mission leader and ended our night going to Albertos and dropping him because he just wants to be a punk haha. He wants proof only temporaly and not spiritually. As Elder Ballard said, if the priests and pastors of the world were to see the actual golden plates, they would still be as laman and lemuel after seeing an angel. They would not believe. The Spirit is the key, even though we could prove every doctrine in our church right... only using the bible and none other could, but thats not how the Lord's work is to be done. We headed home for the night. 

 

THURSDAY - Planning days are even more brutal then before. We did get paid though so during our lunch hour we went and bought groceries with the Rowlet elders. We came back and planned and didnt even get close to done. So much to plan! We had dinner with the Montelongo family and it was really good, fajitas! Then he took us to the church to get picked up by Hno Jimenez and go teach hno Reyes, an old investigator. Then we went to English classes at 8 and ended our night on that note, Elder Witbeck's convert gave us a ride home.

 

FRIDAY - We got up and continued planning and still not finishing it. Lots to do and plan. Lot of people to plan to meet and teach and ask referrals too. We had an appointment at 4 with Ed. Nice guy! Has crazy dreams of future events. He told us to watch the news cause soon an event will occur where women get trapped in a church and die trying to get out and take out the soilders guarding them in Mexico... pretty crazy! We left and canceled dinner and went and did an interview for Falk and Scott. I interviewed a 13 year old whose dad was from Jerusalem and her mom from Honduras! First time and probably the last time I'll meet someone like that. She passed easily. Elder Falk and Scott are sick. We went to Braums on the way back and then stayed up late talking before hitting the sack for bball tomorrow. 

 

SATURDAY - I played a lot better today, I felt my defense was better than it ever has been. I was a captain and some how got Elder Scott and Falk on my team. We won the first two games and barely lost the last cause Chappy nailed a three to seal the win for his team. I played a lot better though. After we went to get breakfast and then went on exchanges for a while. Elder Falk and Trover went and did service while Elder Scott and I stayed at our aprtmnt to wait till 2 for coorelation meeting. Elder Wirth and Hardy came over and our aprtmnt got trashed by them. I hate that! I was so pooped though I just sat there. They almost ate all our food too. We exchanged back and headed to an awkward dinner with a white fam in the ward. We had, for the first time since home, american enchiladas. Yuck! Barely any chicken and just full of sour cream. I didnt like them. We came back and finished planning. We also grilled up some burgers. 

 

SUNDAY - Sabbath, PEC meeting wasn't that bad. We had Ed at church! We handed him off to the other elders though because he prefers English. We had dinner with the Gomez family and ate some good Mexican food before heading back to finalize our plans and get numbers from the district. Week 3 starts tomorrow... nuts! Thanks for following!

 

Elder Jackson