Sister Elle Jackson's Adventures in the Washington Everett Mission: Week 42: Happy Dad? Lots of Pictures

Brother Coles Baptism

This week has been the craziest most rewarding week I might have ever had while I have been here in Washington! We started off the week having to go all the way up to Mount Vernon so that one of my companions could meet with the counselor up there. We feel asleep while she was in there. All I remember is that I was reading the Book of Mormon and all of the sudden I was being woken up. I was on the ground in the church, honestly it has never been more comfortable then that moment-the church floor that is.

Sister Nichols and Elle

We then had a crazy Wednesday with all of our normal meetings, with service, and trying to fit in a couple of appointments that couldn't be put off. I never realized that miles could be so stressful, but they are! So we were running around and hopefully we didn't look like chickens with our heads cut off (Sharee I still don't like chickens at all...that has not changed).

We then had to go on a double exchange back to back. On our way to the first exchange with Sister Belliston and Sister Nichols (Sister Belliston is the Blond and Sister Nichols is the one that I am wearing a jacket and my hair is all over the place). We had to call President about this referral we got. It was super confusing and I still am not 100% sure what is going on but I do know we get to teach this super cute family and I am super excited. We are still working hard on finding people and so it is nice when we get a little help from the members.

So I was with Sister Belliston and we had such an amazing day! We found so many potentials and people that we are going to be able to go back and be able to teach and or give service too.

Sister Meininger, Pickup, Elle, Hermana's Jensen, Spackman, Hubner

After my exchange with Sister Belliston we then had to go all the way over to Snohomish for exchanges with Hermana Jensen, Spackman and Hubner. They are the ones where I am wearing that yellow shirt. It was so much fun being able to spend the next day with Hermana Jensen! She taught me so much and I am excited to be able to apply everything I have learned. It was funny because she never really contacts white people and so we were working on it and helping her feel a little more comfortable with this. She thinks White people are so much more mean then Hispanics and she asked, "How do you do it?" I laughed and said that you brush it off and just keep going. in my own opinion I think any contact can be hard it you go into it thinking that it is going to be hard. We had a good day and got to go and teach that referral. It was nice to finally have Sister Leininger back with us!

Elle, Sister pickup, and Hermana Jensen

We then had Brother Coles baptism on Saturday and what an amazing beautiful day it was. He is so happy and his family is so excited to be able to be sealed together in one year. It is so cool to watch those that are willing to take a chance and how it ends up being the best choice they have ever made! I love his little family so much and am going to miss them when they move. But I don't have to worry because I know that they are doing some amazing things! He got confirmed on Sunday and he was just glowing!

Brother Coles and his wife

Church was awesome! Sundays we have no time to think and that is just how this last Sunday went. We were able to go to Come See for Yourself! It was in Lake Stevens and so it was first off fun to go with Brother Coles and his cute little family; and then to have the Mergens join us as well. It was also nice to see everyone in Lake Stevens and be able to say Hi!

We received this pictures from Brother Mergen Sunday
night. He said, "I'm in a Come See for Yourself meeting
with your daughter and Anthony. He is a convert that was
baptized this weekend. One of the speakers was another one
of her converts.You have so much to be proud of. This guy
changed his life because of your little girls prayers. This
picture is of your daughter and Anthony."

What made the night the best was that Michael Hammel spoke and told his story about joining the church. I don't know if you remember but Sister Foster and I got to teach him and his wife and they were baptized back in January! Anyways he talked about Sister Foster and me and told about how it was really hard for him to quit coffee, and that we worked so hard on it -all of us together. He switched to Perro and everything was going well until they ran out of it and decided that it wasn't going to be a big deal if he were to drink a little coffee. So he did and it ended up being the grossest taste to him. We had a lesson that same day and I remember going over and he was telling us about it and instead of being sad or disappointed (mind you he had been drinking coffee for 38 years, and it had been like 3 weeks that he hadn't touched it) I started to laugh. He asked me why I was laughing and I told him I had been praying that coffee would task gross to them. Prayers are answered because it did! It was amazing to see how converted he is to the Gospel and that he is working toward going to the temple. I cried a little, It is moments like this that make being a missionary the greatest thing I could ever do!

Sister Meininger, Brother and Sister Coles, Elle, and Sister Pickup

I love being a missionary and am grateful everyday for the chance I have to be one!

I love you all so much and hope that you have a great week!

We received this picture via text message, it said, "Met your daughter
Sister Jackson!Very lovely missionary! She says feel better Dad and
she loves you."