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.

April 7th email

Hey Y'all! Transfers were this last week! Got a new companion! Elder Stilson from Pleasant Grove Utah! He is a bit odd. haha. He means really good though. He checks the phone like my Mother. I'll read him the conversation WORD FOR WORD and he still checks it. It makes me laugh. We hit a rough spot on Thursday and so last night we talked for about 2 1/2 hours together so we could get to know each other a lot better. Just talk about everything. So that we can become the best set of missionaries in the Macon Georgia Mission!!

But all we've done this week is go knocking. It's annoying. We've knocked SO many houses, with a couple potentials that end up not even being interested. Pisses me off. UGH.

But Every one that says "I already know Jesus, so I'm good" I always reply with "WOW! ISN"T HE THE BEST!!??" Lol :) It's fun to talk to people about faith. It's only awkward if you make it I figured out. But I'm still shy at first. 

Momma K took us to olive garden and I tried Shrimp! It was good. But of course it was covered in seasonings and other crap. lol

CONFERENCE WAS AWESOME!! I think my favourite talk was my Russel M. Nelson! Man, what a talk. Go listen to it!! But we stayed at the church all day Saturday and Sunday. In between sessions, we played volleyball and I ripped a pair of pants. lol. I sewed it up to the best of my ability though :) So I hope it holds. hahaha

  

My knee has been hurting a lot this last week so Momma K gave me a bunch of essential oils to help me out and it's definitely been a blessing :) That entire family brightens up my day any time of the day :) 

One thing I noticed that I've changed about since being on my mission is that I definitely recognize blessings a lot more. and I state it too! haha :) It makes you feel very grateful and you notice how well Heavenly Father cares and loves you. He pours out blessings to His children, so I encourage you all to try and notice blessings and state them too :) You'll definitely feel a lot more grateful :)

love always, Jacob :)

OOPS!

Why didn't someone tell me I was behind! OIY!!!!!

March 31 email:

Nothing really happened!! hahah Boring boring week! We had to drop Jenice cause she just wasn't keeping appointments so now we have absolutely nothing to do.. haha :/ But Transfers are tomorrow!! Elder Blain gets transferred tomorrow! (bittersweet moment) We don't know where. But it's his last 6 weeks then he goes home. ahah. So I'm a bit nervous of who my new comp will be. :l Wish me luck!

I went on exchanged again with Elder Cherry! Man what a guy! We spoke in a Canadian accent all day just for the heck of it! it was the funniest thing! Cause we made "Strange Brew" references the entire time! haha :) But he's from Arizona. he's gonna be the new District Leader cause Elder Blain was. 

I remember when I was little, I always say the adults at the table making jokes and laughing and I wished so badly to be a part of that!! Now I am. So it makes me happy :) hahaha. We ate at the Simmons this last Saturday and we just shared stories for a while and we did more laughing than anything! haha :) What a blast. 

Elder Blain and I went on Fort Gordon to do the Physical Fitness Test for the Army with Rick! Man, it's harder than I thought!! I could get into basic training. But that's all. hahaha. But it was really fun at the same time :) 

Elder Shelton is getting a new companion too! So it'll be 2 new people in our apartment so it is gonna be weird. haha :) but I'm excited for a little change!! 

Y'all could pray for us missionaries to have success..? :) That'd be fantastic :) haha

Love you all!! :) Jacob<3

He's sooo excited!....

ERRRRMEEEHHHHGERD!!!! ALANNAH IS PREGNANT!! I'M GONNA BE AN UNCLE!! haha :) She told us and I got so so happy! :) They're so excited about it :) It's adorable! haha :) we went and bought them a balloon that says "Welcome Little One" and it's got a cartoon of lion king on there with Baby Simba. :) we crossed out One and put Mabrey. So it says "Welcome Little Mabrey" :) hahaha

This week was a drag but it went by really really fast :) On Tuesday I was on exchanges with the zone leaders again. I was with Elder Poti in Augusta. we taught a bunch of lessons and contacted a lot of people too :) Elder Poti asked me "What do you expect to get out of this exchange" and I told him I was having a hard time with confidence when I am teaching. so we had an AWESOME companionship study that went longer than it was supposed to :) but we were jumping around scriptures and it was really neat. cause he pointed out that even Moses was afraid. He wasn't confident at all about what to do. He even called himself a little child. then a couple of other Prophets. It really stuck out to me that I need not confidence in me, but in the Lord. Cause it's through Him that I'm teaching. and I'm not really even teaching. It's the Spirit and I'm just there to bring the Spirit there :) It totally changed my point of view on that too. 

We had a ward picnic this last week. It was really fun to just be with the members out of church :) played some football with them. I threw my shoulder out and it still hurts. lol :P I'm never careful enough. My knee has been bugging me for the past couple weeks. So I bought a knee strap that fits under my pants that you can't see. it helps a lot actually. I feel broken. lol :P

We helped the Allens get some more rocks. again. lol. It was a flipping ton. We were there for 4 and a half hours helping them!! She gave us a drink and halfway through it I realized it was tea. hahaha so I stopped drinking it. It was like a V8 energy thingy. it was gross anyways. 

Sister Brenay made the best food! Oh my goodness. It was rice and gravy and beef! Best thing I could have wanted :))) hahahahah. her and her husband both served missions, so they say "Tell me what you don't like. Or you might get it." and she like interrogated me. hahaha xD but I ate bananas too so it was somewhat healthy :) he's in the Marines and he will tell us stories that he's gone through. It's so funny cause she hates the stories but we love them!! haha :)

This is all that really happened this week. :P

love you all!! <3 Jacob

BUSIER WEEK! * he makes me smile so much*

We got like 4 potential investigators that we knocked into that we're gonna try this next week.

We did get one new investigator. Her name is Jenice. She's like 25 and has a little baby boy. She let us in and we taught her the first lesson (the restoration) it was very spiritual and just awesome!! The Spirit was very strong! She told us afterwards, "I've been praying for help cause I haven't gone to church in like 8 years. So I'm pretty sure you're sent from God" :D IT WAS AMAZING! 

We also had interviews with President Cottle! it was really fun. I love him so much! After talking with him I could tell that he definitely was called here for a reason as well :)

Elder Wilde (Shelton's Companion) and I went on exchanges and we went biking!! We biked like 8-10 miles. I had to come back and change my entire attire!! I was soaked with sweat. It was AWESOME :) haha 

I had the worst meal I think I've ever had... I felt so bad. It was like these nasty stringy noodles that were lemon flavoured. Then it was a salad with lemon dressing already on it. It had red AND yellow tomatoes, PURPLE POTATOES (WHAT?!) and a palm tree heart (which was the worst thing I've ever tasted..)

We were helping Brother Allen and his wife dig up rocks and break them so that they could outline their garden with them. Well I broke a really big one and went to pick it up and it cut me halfway across my palm. It stung like a bee.

Then we also helped Mamma K power wash her fence cause they're getting it stained this week!! We were there for like 3 hours and barely got like 15 feet!! It was ridiculous. I got so wet from the washer. I might as well have jumped into a pool xD 

Mike got the Priesthood yesterday too!! I was able to stand in on that and it was a blast. He's so excited to do the sacrament next week :) We might help him with that. He's come so far. It's awesome! He came and played football with us this morning too cause he didn't have work.  :)

So on my mission I've been "diagnosed" with like 8 diseases. I have ADD (very possible), an Eating Disorder, Studders, "Dwarf Hands".. haha and Much more :P Elder Shelton says I had ADD Cause "I laugh at his jokes and his jokes are horrible cause he has ADHD. and I can't keep a thought straight and my train of thought is just crazy"

Apparently, the women in the relief society were talking about how much I eat. hahah xD This last week for one dinner we ate at the Lerches and she made a pizza with everything on it.. Olives, mushrooms, pepperoni, onions, carrots, and so much more. It wasn't HORRIBLE. But I saw that Strawberries were for dessert. So I had 7 pieces of pizza so I wouldn't be lying when I say I'm too full for berries.... Strawberries make me sick. I don' tknow why. It bugs me cause they're huge down here..

That's really about all that happened but it was a total blast :))

Love much, Jacob :)