Week 75: Humility it Real

Happy New Year!!!

It is crazy to think that I am going to have to start My Plan... Not going to lie I am not looking forward to it because that means the end is nearer than ever before. But I am grateful that my leaders have come up with something to help make my transition into the real world better and a little easier then it has been in the past for other missionaries. I consider that a blessing all in itself.

This week has been full of blessings and calling to repentance. But that is okay, because that means that I am continually learning and becoming a better disciple of Jesus Christ. Also, I don't know if I just didn't know how to recognize blessings before and it has become a new thing or if the Lord is blessing me more...but it is AMAZING and I love it and don't want it to ever stop!

This last week was a good week for Sister Lindsay and me. The Lord's hand was in everything that we did. It was cool because when I slowed down and was still it was easier to recognize the blessings that Heavenly Father was giving us then just thinking that it was all coincidence. Because if there is anything that I have learned it that there is no such thing as a coincidence. 

Elle's District in Oak Harbor.

This last week in District Meeting we talked about the Atonement. How that when we repent and use the Atonement we don't have to carry that weight on our shoulders and allow life to weigh us down and really not enjoy ourselves at all.  We were told to come with our favorite scripture about the Atonement. Wow! That is a hard one. So I spent some time in my studies finding my favorite scripture about the Atonement...or one of my favorite scriptures and I came across Alma 34:8-17 which says, "8.And now, behold, I will testify unto you of myself that these things are true. Behold, I say unto you, that I do know that Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon him the transgressions of His people, and that He shall atone for the sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken it. 9. For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made. 10. For it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice; yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice." 

You can look up the rest because its long but you need to! It is so good. 

Elle and Sister Lindsay wearing their face masks.

We had a couple of baptismal interviews this week. Aaron and Jordan are doing so good, they are scheduled for baptism this Saturday!!! There were a couple of others scheduled for baptism but because of some things that have happened they won't be getting baptized this weekend. I was so sad because I have been working so hard and so long with these people and everything was set up and working but they made the last call. It was a good reminder to me that you can't "make" people ready for the Gospel but that it has to be on their time table. I'm sad about it but I know that God has a plan and I don't want to do anything that is going to frustrate God's plan. All I can do is follow the promptings of the spirit and pray.  

Elle and Sister Lindsay with some New Years Eve planning.

So the lesson that Sister Jackson learned this week: Don't give up on the Lord and think that it's not going to work out. Saturday we just needed one more new investigator so that we would be able to hit standards. We were limited on time and were not going to be able to spend as much time out finding and talking to people. So we planned some good potentials in to our schedule and had breakfast with our bishop, then we were out. We were going to find a new investigator if we had anything to say about it. Lunch time was coming and we still didn't find anyone. We decided that before we could eat we needed to knock at last five more doors. So we did and we were able to get into a couple of them but came out with no new investigators. More people knew what we believed and kept the pamphlets. Which is a win all in itself but was not what Sister Jackson wanted. First thing that I forgot was that this work is not what Sister Jackson wants but what is in Heavenly Father's plan. Went for lunch, then went to a couple of lessons. By the time that dinner came we still didn't find a new investigator. I wasn't discouraged but we had worked so hard and talked to soo many people and nothing came from it. I can just see Father in Heaven shaking his head and saying repent Sister Jackson, repent. We walked into dinner and our members had invited a non member family!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!! All in all we were able to teach the Restoration and invite them to learn more. They said yes!!! Them made it to the last two hours of church! Blessings!!! I never should have thought that we were going to be forgotten...because we weren't. I just needed to align my will with Heavenly Father's and take a step back, and know it was all going to work out. Lesson learned, check that off the list of things that I need to do.

I love you all and hope that you have any amazing week!