Happy New Year

well to be honest, i told you everything i have to say yesterday. but
merry christmas and a happy new year. i love you. Adios
Elder Jacobson

aloha from the islands

ha the first email was a joke. now that i think of it you will probly open
this one first, so it wont be that funny now. but at least i tried.
well the truth is that i dont really know what to say. Talking with you
guys yesterday was awesome. i cant tell you how happy it made me to see
everyone. i still cant get over johnnies voice, lonicas teeth, jordans beard,
and jalens ... lack of going on dates. ha just kiddin DOG, i didnt date alot
either, and i turned out ok. Mom you look great, looks like P90XTREME was worth
the effort, congratulations. i have to admit that for mothers day if they give
us the option to skype i think i wont do it. for one main reason. when i
called on the phone, i have never felt really homesick afterwards. but
yesterday was pretty tough for me. seeing the house and the yard and all of you
made me realize how much i love it there, and how blessed i have been. It
doesnt make me want to come home or anything, but i miss you all. but at the
same time i know that it was a huge blessing being able to talk like that.
(especially so you could all learn my new dance move) how crazy is it that the
sound and picture traveled hundreds of miles through outerspace making it
possible for us to be together on christmas day. it was a christmas miracle
that i will never forget.
but now that christmas has passed its time to get back to work. like
i said we have kind of wound up without investigators, so we need to find them
and start preparing them for baptism. when i think about it, its a pretty big
challenge, but im excited to see how Heavenly Father will bless us if we try and
do the best we can. ive seen many times how sometimes it feels like we have
nothing, but then God puts right into our hands someone who is ready. so pray
for a miracle to come, and i am going to do the same.
well i dont know what else to say. i imagine that the package should be
getting here any day, right about the time that elder skousens candy is running
out. so life is good. im ready to work, and start a new year good. i think my
new years resolution will be to study the bible more, because i havent really
even read it before (dont tell anyone) but we will see what other goals i come
up with.
But i love you all. Have a good week. enjoy all of the blessings you
have and your ipod touches too. remember that we are counting down the months,
and i know that they will fly by. thanks for everything.
Adios
Elder jacobson

I'm dreaming of a blistering hot Christmas

I dont know what the deal is, but nature is really confused in this part of
the world. these 3 weeks of december have probly been the hottest that i have
experienced on my mission. im craving snow more and more every day. for like 2
weeks in a row i have found myself super tired like every day, and i think it
has something to do with the heat. i drink like 5 gallons of water a day. But
in the end im loving life, and you dont really notice the heat that much when
you are working ( i wish)
its getting closer to Christmas. im super excited to talk to you all
and hear your voices. its going to be a good day. Today was our mission
christmas conference. It was alot of fun. each of the zones had to put
together some musical numbers. there were piano solos Polynesian dances, guitar
numbers, a native american hoop dance and more. our zone did a number featuring
a harmonica solo, and you will never guess by who. yep you guessed it, my comp
elder platero. ha he used my harmonica and it sounded really good. i tried out
for the part but didnt get it. ha ha maybe next year.
well what else can i say, things are moving a little bit slower as far
as the work goes. for the time that we had baptisms we kind of stopped finding
new investigators, and now it is kind of hurting us. we have a few from
before, but almost no one that is coming to church. we will have to work really
hard for these next two weeks to find some more investigators, but we are both
ready and willing, its not like we have anything else to do. Macedonio, jorge,
ligia, marvin and ana maria are all doing well here. i feel realy good about
our converts here because they all have alot of support from the members, so i
dont really worry about them inactivating. I imagine that they will all be
sealed in the temple someday. yesterday we had a cool experience. we went to
bring investigators to church, but no one really could, so we went to look for a
less active member. we found hna dominga in her house, and invited her to go to
church. dominga is a lady that got baptized only a few months ago, and hasnt
come to church since i have been here. she thanked us for coming and said that
she wanted to go to church, but that she didnt have time because she had alot of
work to do. so we started helping her. we washed clothes ( by hand) and swept
her patio and washed dishes. when everything was done she changed and came to
church with us. we showed up right on time to take the sacrament. I guess it
doesnt sound like that much of a story, but i think we really helped her alot
and it felt good to help.
if your worried about the package not getting here on time you should
stop worrying about it and ill tell you why. From now until new years every
person in this entire city is going to be giving us food, and they will be
offended if we dont eat it all and ask for seconds. so needless to say i will
be passing the next 2 weeks stuffed to my brains with food. if the package gets
here before christmas it will be a problem, because i dont have enough will
power to not eat the candy and other goodies in there. but we all know that
when we eat food when we are not hungry we dont enjoy it as much. therefor if
the package comes now i will eat it all and wont enjoy it. i would prefer it to
come a little later when i dont have mountains of food being shoved down my
throat. you may not believe me, but trust me, its better that way.
well, i dont have a whole lot to say. nor alot of time to write. but
i love you all. i imagine that i will be thinking of you all this christmas,
but not too much. have a good week and enjoy the beautiful christmas season.
keep working hard, but relax a little too. take care. Adios
Elder Jacobson

Temple Dedication

Ha something funny came to my mind when i wrote dedication. in the states
when we want to pretend that we are speaking spanish we just put an O at the end
of every word. ha well here when they want to pretend they are speaking english
they put the suffix "ation" at the end of every word. ha one time we all talked
like that and it comes out funny.
well another week has gone by. i dont know where the time goes, but i
also completed 15 months a few days ago. when people ask me how long i have i
always say just a little more than a year, I think im going to keep that going
till my last week in the field. its like a funny trick. It was a good week.
we enjoyed alot of blessings from Heavenly Father. I tell you about some
things.
One of the highlights was the baptism of jorge. My comp was super
happy because he has been teaching jorge for like 5 months. It was kind of a
stressful baptism. The first problem was that this whole week he has been up by
the border of mexico, about 2 hours away from here. so we couldnt visit him the
whole week. we basically just had to hope and pray that he would show up for his
baptism. but we talked to Hna Valeria, his friend that first invited him to
church and she said that he told her he would be there at like 8. so at about 7
30 we had everything ready to go. we waited and waited and he didnt com
forever. But finally he came like at 8 45. then we had to do the interview
because he couldnt do it all through the week. The interview was the most
stressful part i think because usually they last like 30 or 45 minutes. and his
lasted about 2 hours. I knew that he still had some doubts about if the church
was true and i wondered if he wasnt sure about his baptism. but finally they
came out and said that everything was good to go. We took pictures and started
the baptism like at 10 30. which is funny because we are supposed to be in the
house by 9 30. but the baptism went through smoothly. before he was baptized
he asked to say a few words and expressed that he still wasnt positive if the
church was true, but that he had liked everything he had seen. the part i liked
the most is that he said he was being baptized as a step to know if it is true,
and that he planned on doing everything necessary to gain his own testimony if
it is true. I know that one day he will be a powerful member with a strong
testimony, because he has the desire to know.
Another highlight was the temple dedication. you could feel the
excitement in the air among all the faithful members that will be blessed by
the temple. there were three sessions and we had permission to go to all three.
it was kind of sad because there was some problems with the transmission, so we
didnt see some parts of it. but we felt the spirit and were all uplifted.
In the second session a man came up to me and said "Elders theres 2
gringos over there, but we dont know where they come from, can you go talk to
them" so we went to talk to a man and his wife that were from the states. He
told me that he was a missionary about 32 years ago. after it was over he told
me that he had started a branch in san sebastian (my area) and asked if it was
still going. i told him that there was 2 wards with over 100 people in each one
and he almost died. he wanted to see the chapel so he took us in his car and we
showed him where it was. he couldnt believe it. he said that when he was there
the had the meetings in the tiny room where they lived. then he asked if we
knew a place called los brillantes because he had also started a branch there.
my comp had been there so we took him there as well. he said that out of
everyone he baptized the two that he wanted to see most were his first two
baptisms that lived in Los Brillantes. he said their names were Faustino and
Edela. then we arrived at the church and once again he was astonished at what
the church had become in that area. he then asked the bishop there who were the
oldest members there, and the bishop said "his parents" pointing to a man in
the corner. we asked what his parents names were and the man said Faustino and
Edela. ha so he met the son of his first converts. the man said that his
parents were about to get to church so we waited. then they got there and they
all knew each other even after 30 years. they shed some tears and took pictures,
it was a sweet moment. then they took us back to the church for the third
session. I guess that story doesnt have anything to do with me, but it was
pretty cool.
Well shoot, im low on time. but once again just know that life is
good here. we got all the christmas decorations up and are all ready for
christmas. Its the hap happiest season of all. I hope all is well there and
that everyone is happy this week. Enjoy your time with the family. remember to
read the scriptures and say your prayers. I love you all so much.
Elder Jacobson

And by the way. thanks to dad for his preaching to me, and to all the
people who wrote me at thanksgiving time. I got you letters and they meant alot
to me. Gotta go Love you all Adios

WATTAWEEK

the word wattaweek isnt a spanish word so dont look it up in the translator.

Like it says there this was quite a week for the humble elders in san sebastian. you said you liked when i wrote about some of the miracles that happen here. well this week ive got a few.

one of our investigators name is Hna Ligia. She has been going to church for about a year, but has never accepted baptism. its always been crazy for all the members and missionaries, because no one can ever figure out why she wont accept. and whats more is that her husband is a member, him and all his family is always encouraging her to do it but she just wont. My comp and i decided to leave her for a little while with the hopes that when we came back she would be more accepting. but lately the members started saying more and more that we needed to go visit her. so we went to her house but she was busy so we talked to her husband and asked if he knew why she didnt want to be baptized. he started talking to us weird, like a kid when he has a secret, and saying all these indirect statements, like he was hinting that she was ready to be baptized. so we made an appointment to go back later that night. we went back and taught her and at the end of the lesson her husband said. "i want you to give me your answer in front of the elders." then he explained to us that he had asked her if she would be baptized with macedonio (they are related by the way) and he said she didnt answer, just hugged him tightly. then we looked at her for a response. her eyes filled with tears as she explained that her parents had forbiden her from being baptized. but then she said that she had her own family and that her husband and kids were the most important to her. She said she didnt want to get baptized with macedonio because it was his special day but that she had made the decision to do it. we planned the baptism for saturday.

So Macedonio was baptized on tuesday and Ligia on saturday. how awesome. they are both completed families with the goal of being sealed in the temple next year. I would like to say that it was me the great missionary that did it, but the truth is that all the work was done by the spirit and by the families of the people. It was a blessing to just be part of it.

but the good news continues. Jorge was in church on sunday and we talked to him about baptism, but he kind of dodged the question and said maybe next week. but then in the night we ate dinner with the family that brings him to church. with him and us sitting there the oldest daughter valeria asked if we had scheduled a day and we all said that he wouldnt accept a day. so she started asking when he would do it. he ended accepting a baptismal date thursday night. how awesome. we have worked alot here, and now all of the work is paying off. things look good.

Im continuing to enjoy life. im learning about how powerful prayer really can be. if we pray with faith Heavenly Father has to answer our prayers and give unto us according to our righteous desires. Ive seen time and time again how i receive specific things that i ask for. im also learning how powerful the scriptures are. im doing something where i memorize a scripture that has to do with all kinds of things, like patients, or humility or love or diligence. and every time i feel like im lacking that thing i just say the scripture in my mind. the scriptures are becoming part of me and changing me character. how awesome.

Well its late and im out of time. but once again know that i love you all. i hope you all enjoy the cold and snow. i hope you enjoy no school and 1000 mile an hour wind. have a good week. work hard. im about to finish another month in the mish. Adios

Elder Jacobson

Week 1

DO YOU COME FROM THE LAND DOWN UNDER

well there goes the first week of the change. It also happened to be the last week of the month. the last week is always crazy because everyone is trying to reach their goals, so we all work like crazies to get as many baptisms as we can. I think it would make more sense to work really hard at the beginning and then be able to relax at the end, but we as humans have a tendency to procrastinate. But it was a good week for us. We will see if i can give you the highlights

Tuesday we went to the temple again. once again it was absolutely amazing. this time we as a Zone of missionaries paid for a bus to take investigators. it was pretty awesome, we managed to cram about 60 people in there. we brought the wife and kids of a recent convert, and the mother and aunt of our 2 converts. Everyone loved it. before it was sometimes hard to get them to find time to let us teach them, but before we left the temple grounds they both asked when we were going to come to visit them. we left the temple at about 3 and realized that everyone was starving. i think most didnt eat breakfast or lunch. so we stopped and ran into the store and bought 5 loafs of break, 3 bags of sandwich ham and maya-nase. then we started the trip again and started making ham sandwiches. i was in charge of the mayonnaise, 1 missionary would take out two pieces of bread, then i would spray it down with mayo, then another would throw the ham on and pass it down the line. they were super cheap and probly not well made, but everyone was fed in under 30 minutes. the trip was a success.

Wednesday was the change meeting. i didnt have changes but we went anyway because my comps trainer was leaving for the house and president gave us permission to go. it was cool to see alot of people i knew, and it was weird to see alot of people i knew going home. it made me think of when i finish the mission. i know its not any time soon, but it seems so weird to me that within a year i will be done being a missionary, how crazy. but it motivated me to work as hard as i can for the remainder.

On sunday Macedonio came to church. it was cool to see him exercise his faith and take off work for a day. They presented him in sacrament meeting and announced his baptism for this tuesday at 7 00. the faces of almost the whole ward lit up. i think alot of people had waited for his baptism for a long time. its going to be a great day. With jorge we still havent put a specific baptismal date, but it will be this week im almost sure.

Well its as hot as ever. i sometimes get used to the heat, but i feel like im thirsty all of the time. sometimes i drink water until i think i will explode, and after i still can only think about drinking more. We havent been to the gym in like 2 weeks because of all the work we have had with the temple open house, but we will go tomorrow. TIME TO GET RIPPED.

it sounds like everyone is getting into the christmas spirit. Christmas here is similar and yet different. they hang up alot of the same decorations. the difference is that everyone makes tamales and gives them away. my poor comp greatly dislikes the tamales, ha but what can you do. the other big difference is that everyone burns fireworks. the first time i saw fireworks next to a christmas tree i thought Jack the pumpkin king must have fallen into the 4th of july door. but its fun. there is always an atmosphere of love and joy. I guess thats what happens when everyone takes time to think about Jesus.

Well, i love you all. i hope you are enjoying life as much as i am. keep working hard and remember that you are almost half way done with the school year. Have a good week

Elder Justin D. Jacobson

P.S. if im aloud to make requests in my christmas package, i would ask for a bag a jalepeño beef jerky.

that is all.

You better run you better take cover

Cambios

well i can hardly believe it, but 6 weeks have passed since i first landed here in San Sebastian. I have to say that it has been a tough 6 weeks, but i have learned and grown alot, i have seen miracles, and come to love this area alot. In the end im happy, what more could i ask.

so this week started the open house for the temple. on tuesday we were able to go as a zone. its incredible the spirit that you can feel there. i thought alot about the times that i went before the mission, and i really missed it. I think before i took it for granted how special of a place it really is. Alot of peoples lives were changed just by going to visit and hear about all of the things that we do there. i was super excited when we got there because it just so happened that La Grandeza, my first ward in the mission was there. i saw a lot of people i knew and felt a little bit home sick to go back and visit. the best was that i talked to the mother in law of Armando and she says that he is second councilor of the priest quorum, and that he is preparing to be sealed in february. I was so happy. It was a great experience

after that started the busiest week of my mission. All of the members here have really worked hard to bring people to the temple. now our part is to go contact all of these people and start teaching them. my comp and i both agree that we have worked harder this week than in any other time in our lives. Last night we got in the house at about 8 45 and i told myself i was just going to sit on my bed for a minute. ha next thing i knew i woke up and it was 9 30, i was beat. but we are seeing some results the majority of people come back from the temple with the curiosity of what they felt and why our church is so much different, and alot of people have accepted the invitation to hear our message. one cool experience was on friday. our zone did like a call center to call all of the references we got. so we all brought our phones and were making calls. i called a few and most said they would accept a visit. then i called a lady named natali. i told her i was a missionary and she said that her family is all members and that she had heard the missionary lessons a bunch of times. i asked her about the temple and it was crazy how she answered. she said that she always was looking for something to convince her that the church was true. and she said that when she went to the temple she felt something incredible like she wanted to cry or something, and she said that she was sure now that it was true. She isnt in my area so i got her adress and sent it to the area where she lives. but it was awesome for me to see the power of the temple and more than anything the power of the spirit.

in other news the man who wants to be baptized in december is named Macedonio, and everything is still looking good for his baptism. he might even do it sooner. he says he just wants to go to the temple and then we can plan his baptism for any day we want. his whole family is excited and we are super excited. Also yesterday an old investigator named jorge told my comp that he had gone to the temple and had told a member family that he wanted to be in the dedication. they explained to him that he had to get baptized first, so he accepted the invitation (from the member family) to be baptized. on thursday we will work everything out and plan a date.

its crazy, they always talk about how building a temple in an area blesses the church so much, but i guess i never really understood the extent of the blessings. alot of people are accepting baptism, less actives are reactivating and the members are all being strengthened. How amazing.

Its been fun living in a house of 4. its really a good chance to learn to understand people and try to compromise so that everyone is happy. we all get along really well. yesterday we had a wrestling tournament after breakfast ( its not someting that we usually do) but i think you can all guess who won... ha i put my companion in the double jack knife and they all said. when he was in the army he must have had training by the special forces. ha i love all three of them. and good news. no one has changes. it will be another 6 weeks with these locos. here we go again

well hate to say but its time to go. but i love you all so much. right now the radio is playing the song that says "It´ll take alot to take me away from you... theres nothing that 100 men or more could ever do, Ill chase the rain down in africa" ha i dont know if those are the words, but its makes me think of home and the family. weird how little things take us back. but i hope you all know how grateful i am for you and the life you have given me. Im happy.

Love Elder Jacobson