Week 64: Why Won't We Die? Because We are on the Lord's Side!

Liana and I wanted to share to this week’s blog entry an experience we just had concerning Elle.  Last night we were in the living room when Meatball said he received a text with a picture of Elle. The text was from our former Bishop in Spanish Fork, Bishop Monte Marshall. He is now the Stake President and had Stake Conference this weekend. Elder Dube was the visiting General Authority and had mentioned he was just in the Everett Washington Mission.  Elder Dube had a picture of her along with some other sister missionaries.  Bishop Marshall’s text said, “Elder Dube came to our Stake Conference this weekend. He said that he was recently visiting the Washington Everett Mission and took this picture. He said that he interviewed a few of the missionaries and Sister Jackson was one. He was very impressed with her. He said she is a sister training leader and impressively spiritually mature. It made my day to hear about her and to see this picture. I thought you’d like it too.” This was such a surprise to receive this and to hear how well she is doing. Elder Dube was the visiting General Authority a month and a half ago at our Stake Conference, what a small world. We are thankful to our Heavenly Father for watching over Elle and placing people in her life to watch over her.

Picture taken by Elder Dube at Elle's MLC.

This last week has been CRAZY busy!! I can't even begin to tell you how grateful I am for all of the blessings that Sister Perry and I have begun to receive. It is crazy because everything we do wouldn't happen unless Heavenly Father had his hand in this work every single day. I have done my best to really take a step back to see His hand in all things.

For starters Elder Dube (Click here to meet Elder Dube) came and toured the mission!! So at MLC on Sunday we were able to talk with him and all of that fun stuff. Then on Tuesday was the day that he was to be up in the North part of the mission. The meeting started at 8:30 am and so we had to leave early, but it was soooo worth it! He taught us among many other things about the importance of teaching from the scriptures. Everything that came out of his mouth as he taught, he was able to tie to a scripture; it was so cool!! All I could keep thinking is that I wanted to be able to do that! Then at lunch he came and sat at our table and was asking us where we were from and about our family. I was sitting by him and so I was last. Come to find out he just came from Stake Conference in Hobble Creek ward and knew President Wilding. So we were talking a little more and I had told him that I grew up in Spanish Fork and he asked where I lived. I told him it was up by the Canyon. He laughed and said I am going to Spanish Fork this weekend after this. So he was looking up the information on his phone and I couldn't think of what our Ward and Stake name was in Spanish Fork! Ahhhh. So after thinking and thinking I told him that I thought it was Canyon Ridge Ward and Stake. Well that is where he was going! Haha, he said the Stake President was President Marshall and I laughed and told him that he had been my Bishop. So he took a picture of all of us and said he was going to show President Marshall.

After the Conference I had the opportunity to be interviewed by Elder Dube and it was AMAZING! He asked some very good questions that made me reflect back on my testimony. I can definitely say he has been called by a prophet of God. 

Sister Skousen and Elle

We had an exchange with Sister Thompson and Sister Skousen and it was so much fun!! They are amazing Sisters and have such a strong conversion to the Gospel. It is so much fun to be able to work with other missionaries who love and care about missionary work as much as I do. I definitely learned a lot and I am so grateful for the exchange. Don't worry because we didn't go to the "zoo" this time! On the exchange Sister Skousen and I were here in Oak Harbor and we had an appointment with one of our investigators, Debbie. Sister Harris said that she could come to the lesson with us and so we were super excited. The lesson we had was on Repentance. This lesson is one that people either are okay with or the get frustrated, it is very interesting. Well Debbie was okay with it and she was getting really excited, so we in invited her to be baptized on December 3rd and she said yes!!! We were so excited. Sometimes it is all you can do not to jump up and down. She has such an amazing testimony and has many trials in her life. She has MS and things are very difficult for her but she won’t make any excuses. She does what she can but only does her best. She is amazing!  She told us she wanted to get rid of her small entertainment center and so we told her the YSA Elders could help her move it the next day.

Elle said, "I think I killed her".

Friday (the next day) we went and had our lesson with the YSA Elders and Brittany. We decided since we all are teaching her the lesson it would be good to meet before and decide what we are going to do. Well somethings happened and the Elders were running late. Brittany wasn't feeling well and so she was going to cancel. We ran in to stop her and was just talking to her while waiting for the Elders. They got to the lesson at the same time her ride did and so we decided we would have the lesson at her house. We were walking to our cars and I asked what we were going to be sharing and the Elders said they didn't know. We hadn't prepared anything and so we were talking about possibilities and didn't have anything. Elder Carver suggested we say a prayer. Good idea!! So we did and we were all thinking. I looked at Elder Stewart and asked him what he was thinking, because if it was what I was thinking then it was meant to be. I told him if he was thinking what I was thinking then we would know what we needed to share. I was thinking the Atonement. He hesitated and we were all looking at him. HAHAHA, he said he thought of the scripture Alma 7:11. Click here to read Alma 7:11 Bingo! The spirit!! So that is what we shared and we were all so united in that lesson! It was incredible. 

Elle's apartment food storage that she can't even eat.

After the lesson we were heading over to Debbie's to move her small entertainment center. Brother and Sister Dayley have a truck and said they could come and get it and take it to the DI trailer! Best members ever!!! As we were walking to the car to the left of us were a big group of people. We all kind of just looked at them and were going to go our merry way but I started to feel guilty, so I shut the car door and walked over to the people and started to talk to them. Lucky for me they all came over and we set up appointments, with all of the people! BLESSINGS!! We ran over to Debbie’s and were now running late and lucky for us it was all okay. We moved it into the truck but the Elders had an appointment they had to run to so they couldn't help us unload. We didn't know what we were going to do, so we got to the church and I decided we were going to go knock on people’s doors and ask them if they could help us move it. I was so excited to knock on doors because I never get to knock on the door for anything other than sharing the Gospel. Once they realized we needed their help they were a lot more willing. HAHA

This week has been amazing and it helps to have a phenomenal companion. I love you all so much and hope you have an amazing week!