June 2, 2014

Crashed my bike! hahaha. I hit a trashcan and I flipped over the handlebars, I landed on my elbow and realized I would get hurt doing that so I maneuvered so I would land on my helmet so i didn't get hurt :) it worked surprisingly haha. the bike is okay too! but that's not the worst story about the bike. So we were on exchanges, I was with Elder Hunsaker, and Elder and  Sister Foster (senior couple) and they were giving us a ride to our appointments cause we were out of miles. well, something came up so they had to go back to McCrae, so we had them drop us off at our apartment and it was about 4:30. We looked at our planner, and we had an appointment at 6. I looked on the map... IT WAS 11 MILES AWAY. I was pretty upset... So.. we started biking. haha, We got there at like 4:40 ish, but when we got there, they weren't even there!! can you believe that?! but their son was there and we taught him the first lesson. he really liked it all :) we'd teach him more but he leaves for the Army on June 11th.

we had interviews with President Cottle on Saturday, and since we didn't have miles, we got a ride to McCrae and had the McCrae elders give us a ride there. but we get back from interviews and all that, we got dressed to do service in McCrae, and Elder Hatch locks the apartment door cause he thinks everyone is done. BUT, he locked the keys and phone inside the apartment.. So that was fun. Lol.

We got a ride from the Fosters to take us back to Baxley, and when we get to our apartment door and the Fosters have driven off... elder Hatch mumbles "Uhm.. I forgot the keys." !! So we were locked out of our own apartment for 1 hour. We had to have the landlord come and unlock it. Within 5 minutes of us getting inside it starts pouring rain. The streets were flooded pretty bad. and it was recorded that within 1 hour there was about 280 strikes of lightning. It was really crazy, but very beautiful at the same time. Wish I had taken pictures of the lightning. 

The Branch is so tiny! It's so different to me! I'm used to a fair sized ward where you only talk once like every 6-8 months! I've been here for 3 weeks and I'm talking next Sunday in Sacrament meeting! I get to speak on following the prophet, so it shouldn't be too hard. I just hate public speaking with a passion. But I did bear my testimony yesterday. :) It was a really good meeting! I really enjoyed it! The only downfall here, is that one of the sister Missionaries reminds me of a close friend I had back home and that makes me trunky. The way she talks, looks, acts, her attitude, everything. hahaha. I complain to elder Hatch about it every day. Elder Hatch is the best! he's such a good example! He's always trying to find ways to improve and he loves everyone! 

In my testimony, I shared the thought I've been thinking about lately about a blacksmith. When a Blacksmith is making a sword, he gets it really really hot and then puts it on an anvil and gets a hammer and beats the crud out of it and whacks it! I shared my thoughts on how I feel like I've been beaten and whacked a lot. But when a blacksmith is done, he picks up the sword and looks at it. he'll know it's done when he sees his own reflection in the sword. Heavenly Father is our blacksmith and we are his sword! He's going to let us have our trials, but when it comes down to it, when we're finished, He should see His reflection in us. and others should see that we are His sword with His reflection when they look at us! and then I shared the scripture Doctrine and Covenants 24:8 (I'm paraphrasing) "Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many, but endure them, for lo, I am with the, even until the end of thy days." This scripture has meant a lot to me on my mission cause I memorized it and then a week later it was quoted in General Conference several times. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want to be with us. We just have to open the door. He's already suffered for us. We need to do our part and follow his commandments and He will make all things easy. Cause through Him, ALL things are possible :)

Our main investigator, Russ, told us yesterday "Guys.. I'm really thinking about being baptized soon. Who do I talk to to get that rolling?"  We were in awe! we were like "US! TALK TO US!" hahaha, it was really cool cause he's been taking lessons for like 3 years or something like that :) but I've come to love the people of Baxley, mostly. They're really loving and caring. And everyone likes to talk about Jesus! hahaha. That's really the best part about the South!! you just have to say "Hey, y'all wanna talk and learn about our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ?!" and every one likes it :) but there are a lot of different faiths and religions that are reallllllyyyy out of wack. hahaha. I'll leave it at that. but these peeps be CRAAAAZZYYYY .

That's really all. I loveyou :) Live long and prosper.!! <3

May 26th

Fun fun week! Went on Exchanges with Elder Young! we were in Douglas and we just talked to everyone. A lot of people were super funny and really nice. We ran over and killed a possum. Really cool :P

 

Elder Hatch and I are super super low on miles, so we've been biking everywhere. just on Saturday alone, we biked around 20-ish miles! But It's all gravy baby :) We're going to join the gym today and start going hardcore! He's going to take some legal steroid pills and I'm going to take a dietary thingy. hahaha.  We've been talking to everyone we possibly can. It's been fun but a bit difficult. It's hard to just open your mouth and just speak. But we're getting better.

 

We went to Russ Carters house. He's an eternigator. Lol. He's been looking at the Church for a while. He's an eternal investigator. He goes to church every week and knows all the doctrine. He just hasn't been baptized. We had a very good discussion about the church while we were over there. He's a fur trader or something like that. He catches his own animals, skins them, fleshes them, dries them out and sells them. We were helping him out with that :) We staple the Hides to a board and hang board up and that's how it dries. haha. He catches Beaver, Racoon, Coyotes, and Hogs. We just help him out with the beavers. but it is a lot of fun. Elder Hatch put a beavers face on his and I took a picture of it. It's very weird cutting a beavers face off. ahah.

 

But I forgot my planner back home. So I don't remember much of what happened this last week. sorry for the short email. but I love you all :)

 

<3/ Jake :)

May 19th 2014

Well then!! Got transferred!! Hahaha.

 

 Got sent to Baxley Georgia!! It's a teeny tiny place! There's not even a building for church here. The nearest one is like 35 miles away. And with Hazelhurst and Baxley combined, it makes a huge branch of like 35 people. hahah. I didn't know that branches actually existed!! I thought they were just a little myth! But yeah. Tiny little branch. They had me go up and introduce myself and all that Jazz. It's a nice place here :)

 

Stupid me forgot my helmet in Grovetown... So we're driving everywhere and now we have almost no miles left. haha It really stinks.

 

Elder Hatch though! Oh my gosh! He's fantastic!! He's from Spokane, Washington! Super cool guy :) We hit it off right away! I love it!! On the ride back, the member who was giving us a ride asked Elder Hatch if he'd ever marry a black lady and he said yes so brother McCall yelled "AHHH!! YOU NIG--R LOVER!! YOU'RE DIRTY!" HAha! I almost died! Everyone here is pretty much racist. It's flipping hilarious :) Elder Hatch is like my twin I swear! He's the best :) He calls me Whinnie the Pooh a lot of the time, or his little friend in Spanish. :P He's just hilarious :)

 

But it was a good week! Met a lot of nice people! Very busy! Taught a lot of lessons :) People are so nice here, most of the time.

 

Elder Hatch got pulled over! hahaha! He did a California Stop at a stop sign, and right as he went, I saw a cop and was all "Oh crap. Copper." and right as I said that, his lights went on. So Elder Hatch got a citation. $196! Geez! We're so poor!! We've been living off of burgers and bread! hahaha. I forgot all my food in Grovetown and I spent all my money. But this lady at Church came up to us and gave us 20$!! What a blessing! We were able to buy groceries today :)

 

Wish me luck :) Love you all!! :)

 

Jake <3

May 12th! Mother's day!!!

Hey guys! Busy week! Jeff is super excited for his baptism on May 31st! He's asked me to baptize him as well! Hopefully I can :)

Transfer calls were this last week. Elder Shelton and I both thought we were leaving cause he's been here for 6 months and I've been here for almost 5. :) but, much to our surprise, we both are staying! Crazy awesome :) he's been one of my best friends these last 5 months. He's done so much for me. 

Talking to everyone was awesome! Definitely wasn't expected at all :) but it was a blast. Lol. Ended up talking for about an hour and a half or so and Elder Stilson kicked me off, then he ended up staying on for 3 hours. Haha. But i made dinner for the Kasper family. :) made some cheese burger macaroni and also cupcakes for dessert :) it was fun. It was my good deed cause I couldn't make dinner for Mum back home. 

That really was all. But I'm at a members house and using his iPad so idont wanna take up too much time. I love you all. Thank you for everything you've done. :)) 

Elder Johnson

May 4th, 2014

Okay. Not a lot happened this week. BUT!! On Wednesday Jeff texted us and said "Guys, I have something to tell y'all" and this worried me. Cause he's a pretty hardcore Southern Baptist. So nothing more than the Bible. and nothing less. But he did let us give him a Book Of Mormon. We gave him reading assignments and he read them and seemed to like them. We watched a movie that was about Joseph Smiths life. After the movie he turned to us and said "Wow. That makes so much sense now. He translated the book of Mormon through the power of God." So I wasn't too worried about his thing he had to tell us but I was enough to not prepare a lesson. Lol. We took Brother Jesse Norris, an ex Southern Baptist Anti Mormon Preacher, with us to go see Jeff. and The first thing Jeff says is "Guys. I know the Book of Mormon is true! Now I just have to give up Coffee and Smoking! Then I can get baptized!!" I was awestruck!! haha :D He is preparing for baptism on May 31st! I really hope I'll still be here for that!

This last sunday was super good! Something funny: After church, I was standing next to Brother and Sister Jennings. and Brother Jennings owns the little ceasers around town and we get it for free. So I was thanking him for being so nice! Sister Jennings looks just like my sister, Kenzie, and I've never really talked to her. But I told her that she looked like my sister, and brother Jennings says "Is she super hot?" lol. flipping awkward! I was all... "I'm not answering that cause if I say yes, I'm saying my sister is hot which is weird and that your wife is hot. and if I say No, I'm saying your wife is ugly. and so it's a lose/lose for me" They both laughed pretty hard at that :) hahaha She was all "just ignore him. Act like He didn't say anything" haha :) but this dude is MASSIVE! He's just a massive steroid pill! He's super funny!!

I bore my testimony this last week. I felt impressed to talk about the Saviour. This last week I was watching a video. It had President Monson quoting a Hymn. "Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives, I know that my Redeemer lives". It hit me out of no where. Jesus lives! like. he has a body of flesh and bone. That could talk to me like I am talking to you! He breathes and moves like we do! as does our Heavenly Father! :) Just hit me like a brick wall out of no where!! :) 

This week is transfers. So I'm really worried I'll leave :( *knock on wood* I don't want to leave Grovetown. I'm really enjoying it here. I just want to stay one more transfer if I could! But I find out on Saturday. So if you write me this week, write it to the mission home just in case. 

I love you all! :) Be safe and love the Lord!

hmmmmmmmmm (april 28th 2014)

OKAY! So on my 2nd day in the mission, I taught this guy named Jeff. His GF is a member of our ward but has never came since I've been here. We taught them the one time and we never got a hold of them ever. But this last week she called us and rescheduled an appointment.So we taught them again :) He came to football this morning and played with us. We're going over there again tonight to teach them again. and He's so cool! Surprisingly open-minded for being a Southern Baptist! Loves his bible. :) He's an ex-marine and just super polite! One of the most polite people I've met so far.

During my down time, after 10 oclock, after i've written in my journal and all. I've started to write my book!! I haven't told a lot of people this. but I plan to write a couple books :) and I've finally started it! it's very very difficult. I give authors a lot more credit now. hahaha. 

nothing else happened at all this week. Sadly enough. but it's awesome that we finally have a solid person to teach :) It makes me happy :)

Sorry for no big long email. But, I love you all :)

Live Long and Prosper :)

Love Jacob :))

We all have rough weeks,, here's Elder Johnsons

So this week was especially horrible!!

I had to go to the Dr's 3 different times. Ended up going to the ER, and getting an ultrasound (Felt so so funny and awesome! ) but I almost had a hernia. I pulled a groin muscle really well. they said if I don't take it carefully it will become a hernia. So I stayed inside most of the week cause it was really hurting. (This is the short story of the experience) lol

On Thursday, I was taking the pills they gave me and I wasn't feeling good. So we ended up staying inside Friday and Saturday, but then I was puking at church. It was just a rough week. :/ 

but on Thursday, Sister Kasper gave me a blanket and Brother Kasper gave me a tie :) He's giving me some more today too!! But this blanket is just awesome!!!! :)) It makes me so happy. Its all fuzzy. 

This was the extent to my week really. Very boring. very petty. hahaha.