Week 7: NOT on Game Days!

If you ever decide to go to Washington and want to knock on some door’s, because that is what normal people do. Don't be knocking during a Sea Hawks game. They do not appreciate it at all.  They get mad and just tell you to leave. Also if you don't know why everyone has the number 12 everywhere don't ask anyone except another missionary. People look at you as though you are from a different planet. Because everyone knows that the number 12 stands for the fans...being the 12th man on the field. 

Sister Krummenacher and Elle

This week has been crazy! We have had the chance to teach so many people, but have also have had a lot of people telling us they have decided they weren't interested anymore. This okay because it means there is someone else who is ready to hear the message! We had the chance to go on a couple of exchanges this week and they are a ton of fun but also a lot of work. All of our appointments fell through, but we were able to get a lot of work done and have a ton of fun. Oh that reminds me! Heavenly Fathers likes a good laugh sometimes, because.....I will no longer be finishing my training, but have been called as a Sister Training Leader (STL) and a Trainer. Heavenly Father must know what he is doing because only a crazy person would ask me to do this. We will be in a three pack, so I get to still be with my Trainer and also be Training. I got a call on Thursday that I was going to have to go to a training, I was so confused. It’s okay because I love the training's because I learn so much and am able to learn things I never would have thought of. Now I have to learn and work even harder then I was before. This is a really good way to make someone have to think outside of the box.  

Anyways, Diggy is one of the people that we are teaching. He is 8 years old and is very hard to keep still so we can get our message across. He has ADHD and so we do a lot of hands of lessons but that doesn't even work most of the time. He is wanting to touch everything we put up or that we use. This time I got smart (well the spirit prompted me to) and I was trying to think of what I could do to help him have fun and to also learn. Well I remembered that I had put a small pack of M&M's in my bag! Oh happy day everything happens for a reason, but I pulled it out and told him that every time he gets an answer right we would give him an M&M. After that everything worked out amazingly!! Now he is excited to participate and get things done. Plus his grandma has a Chines hat that I got to wear!! 

Stake Conference was this weekend and the main thing that we talked about was keeping the Sabbath Day holy. I know this has been a big push in the church but Heavenly Father knows what he is doing. I know that as we do everything that we can to keep the Sabbath Day holy we will be so blessed and will be able to see the miracles in our lives. It is kind of like the Hokey Pokey, you put your whole body in you put your whole body out, you put your whole body in and you shake it all about. You do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself around, that's what it’s all about. We have go to put our whole self's in and work harder at keeping the Sabbath holy than we ever have before.

Not a lot of time to write today but I love you all and hope you have a great week! 

Week 6: Just Wait!

This week has been so interesting...I thought today was going to be a little better but I thought too soon. As we were walking out of the store we thought we saw one of the volunteers from the food bank. So we drove up beside her and whistled, when she turned around it wasn't who we thought it was.  She acted really offended then confused and she had a blank look. Being so uncomfortable we hurry and tried to cover it up and tell her how pretty she was and to have a good day. She laughed and said you too girls. So the lesson learned here was you should always make sure you know the person before you do something...well...out there. 

Good news, I only had to go on two exchanges this week instead of three! That is only because I got sick. My body was very tired, we had to stay in all day on Friday. Saturday I was feeling so much better! Just goes to show how important rest is, and eating a good diet. But lucky for me I have a good companion that makes me stop when I need to slow down.

This week has been a good week! We have built up our teaching pool and are teaching so many people! We went from teaching no one and not knowing anything to having two people on date to get baptized the weekend after conference (Morgan and Diggy).  We also found a family this week and are teaching so many people. We are getting all of our referrals from our ward members. We haven't asked for any yet and I have also not been tracking once the whole time I have been out. Everyone I have talked to (my companion and my bishop) this is how it is supposed to be. Heavenly Father has blessed me so much and I cannot say that he isn't looking out for me.

We taught one of our contacts on Saturday. She has actually ran into the missionaries before and she said she needs religion in her life. Well guess what! We have something for that! So we set up a time to meet with her on Saturday. We took one of our awesome members with us and we were so excited because we have been looking forward to teaching her all week. When we got there we went in, sat down, and started to do the how to begin teaching points. I felt not cold but I had no idea what to say. I couldn't feel the spirit and it was so weird! We kept teaching her and right at the beginning she got so sick. She was fine when we started, all of a sudden she asked us to leave because she physically couldn't listen to us anymore. I know for a fact that there weren't good spirits in that house because I couldn't feel the spirit and I didn't know what to say and how to say what I wanted to. Heavenly Father was getting us out of there to help keep us safe, because something wasn't right. I know that there were angels around us while we were there and of course all of the time. I was so sad we had to leave and that we couldn't help her. I know this is only the beginning for her and that when the time is right she will make the changes she needs to be able to come closer the Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. 

I have seen so many miracles and I know that we are never alone, when we need help we can pray to our Heavenly Father and he will give us the strength to accomplish all that we need to, even though it may be hard.

Conference is so soon and I am so excited! It is going to be such a spiritually uplifting weekend! Happy Day!  I hope everyone has a good week! I love you all!  

Week 5: Where is the Rain?

When I opened my mission call and read Washington, I immediately thought of rain; and oh how happy I was that it was going to be cold and rain all of the time. Which made me really happy because I do not like the sun that much. However the entire time I have been in Washington it has rained three times. Not at all what I thought, now I am probably wrong about that number three but you know... But most importantly I need to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my mama! She is so amazing and loving and will sacrifice anything she needs to make others happy! Plus 21 has never looked so great!

This week has been awesome! We have been working so hard with our members. They are so amazing to help us with whatever we need! This week was a little crazy. Lucky for me I didn't have to go on any exchanges! But this next week I get to go on three....I guess that is what you get when your trainer is also the Sister Training Leader. I had the opportunity to attend MLC (Mission Leaders Conference) and to be the one that takes all of the notes. Which was fun because I got to see a lot of the behind the scenes and hear how a lot of things worked. I learned a lot! But the only bad thing was we were in the meeting for six hours and I had to take notes the whole time...therefore I felt like I was back at school. I might be in trouble when I get off of the mission, lucky for me I am only at the beginning! 

The Pet rock Elle and Sister Mahoni were given.

There is a bug going around and so just our luck Sister Mahoni got whatever the bug was. She dropped dead to the world just a few days ago and was gone. The only problem with this is that we had a few important lessons that day and the next that we couldn't miss! One of them was with our investigator Morgan who has a baptism date and her family aren’t members. The other two were with a new investigator. They were so amazing and so I wasn't passing that up! So Friday when she first got sick was when we were going to meet with Morgan. Morgan is 13 years old and she has been doing the church thing without her family. I was not missing that even if I haven't taught the lesson before. So I called a few members to see if they could go on splits with me and no one answered except for a young woman. So Sister Mahoni and I went and picked her up, doped Sister Mahoni off at the Bissells and then Erin and I were off to Morgan’s. All I could do was pray to Heavenly Father to help me teach with the spirit because I don't know what I am doing. But the thing is Heavenly Father works in the best ways and I think that it was one of the best lessons I have had the chance to teach yet!

Saturday was when we were meeting with our two New Investigators, so I went to meet with Katie and she is so awesome! She has met with the missionaries before but never felt like anything was going to happen. She said she has since then changed her mind and wants to learn more and maybe get baptized!! What!! She is so cool. Again our members did all they could to help us because Sister Mahoni was sick and so we dropped her off to the Bissells again and Sister Dinsmore went and taught the lesson with me. She served a mission in Alaska and after the lesson she said, "It has been to long! Call me whenever you need help! I love this work!" How lucky are we to have such an amazing ward. Then Sister DuPape called and wanted to see how we were doing and I told her how Sister Mahoni was sick and she said, "I'll be right over." She brought over some doTERRA to help her and all this medicine. 

The lord has truly looked out for me. I am so thankful for the amazing ward members he has blessed me with. I can't deny that he is looking out for all of us even when we least expect it. 

Word of advice - When a cute old lady asks you and your companion if  you just woke up...its time to start caring about your hair and how you look. Because what your are trying to do isn't working. 

Love you all!

Week 4: WOWZA

The elusive baby goat!

So this week started off with me chasing a goat.....for thirty minutes.....Why was I chasing a goat? Well I was on exchanges and we went to visit one of the Lundeen Park Sisters potentials. Walking up the driveway on the left was a mamma goat and a baby goat in their cage. If you didn't know I speak goat naturally, and so I thought if I am going to share the Gospel with people I might as well share the message with the goats. So when we were walking up the driveway I was talking to them. As soon as I couldn't see them anymore I quit talking. The mamma goat started to go crazy so we turned around and the baby was out walking around (I am sure that he was so moved by the spirit that he jumped out with joy). This led to us playing tag for thirty minutes. We got really smart and put the baby back in the cage, but the baby goat was smarter. He waited until we walked away and he got out again and that is when it got a little harder.

Elle and Kristey, owner of the pet rock.

After that I thought that was how my whole week was going to go. But I was completely wrong and have learned so many things. There is such an amazing family in our ward, they are the Bissell's. This family is so amazing! She is a single mother with three daughters. When we first met her we didn't know that she had only been a member of the church since March of this year. She is always helping us and giving us so many people to teach. Her daughters are so nice! Kristey let me hold her pet rock. I was so honored that she was going to let me hold her pet rock! But about half way though holding the rock she reminded me that he likes to be pet. Which was great! But then she wanted me to clean it with hand sanitizer. I told her that she could bathe the rock later. Another minute went by and she quit talking, looked my square in the eye and said, "He doesn't want to be pet anymore." I was trying so hard not to laugh because of how serious she was.

Because of Sister Bissell we were able to meet Sister Willhouse. She is so amazing! If anyone has been dealt a bad hand of cards she has, but she knows that with hard work she will be able to come out of any bad situation. But this time it is a lot more then she can handle. She has been inactive for almost her entire life. She knew that we could help her so we are. She is now letting her daughter take the lessons and be able to learn more. The lord has tender mercies for everyone.

What Have I Done for Someone Today? Thomas S. Monson President of the Church

 We then had the opportunity to hand wash a homeless mans clothes. We were weekly planning at Taco Bell and started to talk to this kid named Ryan. He is homeless and loves God, church, and everything to do with it. So we invited him to come to church with us and to start to taking the lessons. He said that would be awesome and so to make a long story longer we told him that we would wash his clothes for him and get them back before church. So the next day we met him to get his clothes. The power was out all day on Saturday. So when we went to throw his clothes in the washer we couldn't. So we washed all of his clothes by hand.  It was so nasty but we knew it was the right thing to do and that he was going to come to church. Well he never showed up to church, I was so heart broken.

We started to teach an 8 year old named Diggy. His family is less active and so we found it as a perfect opportunity to be able to teach them all. And WE ARE! They came to church and had a good experience. I know that this is just the beginning for them. I can't wait to be able to keep teaching them and see the miracles that will come for this family. 

I had a lot of prayer answered this Sunday and questions that have been on my mind. Prayers with Faith will move mountains and I know that as we trust, everything will work out and we will be able to have peace. 

I love you all thank you so much for the letters and packages! 

We received this letter and pictures from the mission home yesterday and wanted to share them with everyone.

Week 3: Aloha!

Elle and Sister Mahoni's welcome when they arrived at a members house. 

Lake Stevens< Washington

This week has been so interesting. It was so nice to be able to hear form everyone! Thank you for the letters, the packages, and all of the love and support. So this week I went on exchanges for the first of many. It was a lot of fun and good to see different styles of teaching. I went to Everett and it is so city compared to where I am at. Everyone was so nice and loving. We went contacting and when we started to walk down the street there were a few people who saw us and knew who we were, and B-lined it across the street so they wouldn't talk to us! HAHA I was laughing so hard!

Elle at the Community Garden

Because I was in Everett the service that I got to do was gardening. So the lady that started this big community garden is a pretty big hippie. She came to Washington a couple of years ago and started the community garden. The reason she did is because God told her to. She did a Forest Gump thing of walking all over to see where God would lead her. She ended up in Washington and so God told her to start a big community garden and so that is what she did. She bought a plot of land and started it for the food banks. The whole community helps out with it and is it so beautiful! She is so nice and loving.

Elle on Exchanges with Sister Stanley

Sister Mahoni got really sick for a couple of days and was in bed. So I just kept myself busy while she was in bed. I studied and did what I could while she was down. I know that if I am obedient the Lord will bless me. On the second day I went on splits with the Lundeen Park sisters and it was really nice to be able to get out of the house. We went tracking and it was the hottest day since I have been here. Oh course! But it was good because we were able to talk to a lot of people and go and teach a lesson. After that we went to my area for the evening and that is where we met and taught Jamie. She is so amazing and has such a big love for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. She was confused about a few things, but she told us it felt right and so it would all work out. She has such amazing faith! But we will be going back this week to teach her the next lesson and answer a few of her questions. I am so excited because she wants to learn and she wants her kids to be a part of it. Then there is Amy, she has a daughter that lives with her and her son lives with the dad. We are doing a FHE tonight with them, her daughter is so excited and so is Amy. She called us last night to plan for today! 

I am in a car and it has been awesome! We don't live in our area (Ward).  We have to travel 10 min before we are in our area. But our members are so loving and want to do missionary work, which has been such an amazing blessing for us. Because being whitewashed into an area you don't know where you are going and you don't know anyone. But it has been good because there is so much I have had to learn because of this. My mission president and his wife have been so amazing and are always do what they can to make this mission all that it can be. But I am excited to see what the lord has in store for me this week and am ready to continue to work! I love you all!!

Elle when she arrived at the Seattle airport

Week 2: My First Area: Lake Stevens

Elle with her first companion, Sister Mahoni.

Elle's first area is Lake Stevens, Washington


Happy Birthday to Age and Happy Anniversary to Grandma and Grandpa Jackson! I hope you all had a wonderful day! It has been the most amazing, crazy, I don't know what I am doing week. I was so happy that I was able to call you guys form the airport and talk to you what felt like not long enough. We were told leaving the MTC that on the plane and in the airport that it was going to be the first time that we were going to get to share our message. That scared me like crazy...I have no idea what I am doing but they told me I could do it so I set my mind to the task. But lucky for me I was able to sit by two missionaries on the plane haha I didn't have to step out of my comfort zone yet. The two missionary's that I sat by on the plane had never been on an airplane and they were so scared. I laughed and laughed the entire time. But once we got into Washington I knew that this is where I was supposed to be and that everything was going to work out. Stepping off of the plane I had insistently and a love for the people of Washington. I have never just wanted to hug everyone that I see.

Sister Mahoni

The first day was a long day, there were 25 of us that came to Washington and so it took forever before we got our companions. But eventually we finished and I was able to get my companion, her name is Sister Mahoni. She is also from Hawaii and is very amazing. Who knew that my best friend when I left would be 1/4 Hawaiian and then my fist two companions would be from Hawaii! It’s so funny how things work out. I live in the biggest apartment that is in my mission and so I would consider myself really lucky.

But we have been white washed into the area and so it has been so weird. We don't know where we are going and we ended up in Arlington one night and the next day were driving to some other place I can't remember the name. We have to start from the bottom and work our way up to the top. The previous missionary's didn't have a lot of lessons planed and so we have had to work our way around.  But I hate the feeling of not being able to help and so hopefully that will be going away this week.

We volunteer at the food bank every week which was such an amazing experience. It is held and the Ebenezer Lutheran Church and we were able to meet so many people that way. I am excited to get to go back and work with the Lutheran Church. We were able to get so much done and they don't care if we talk to people about the Gospel! We met with Sister DuPape and I guess I am related to her through Grandma Munn; it really is a small world. I am serving in the Lake Stevens ward and they have been amazing. They love missionary work and want to help out in every way that they can. We eat at a member house every night and it’s been nice because it is such a great way to get to know everyone. Our bishop is so awesome and is ready to get the work done which is just what we need.

 I have learned so much in so many ways, I know that if I wouldn't have come on my mission there are probably things that I wouldn't have the chance to learn. But I know that the lord has a plan and as long as I am willing to submit to him everything will work out how it is supposed to. I am excited to see what is in store for me and the lessons that I will get to learn.

 I am so excited for all of you with school starting, football games, being able to become better than the year before. I can't wait for pictures from the wedding! You are all going to look so amazing and what can I say we have a pretty good looking family! I love you all and loving hearing about how your week is going and what is happening. Have a good week and be excited to go back to school and be able to get to learn again! Hahaha

Week 1: Holy Cow!!!

Elle at the Provo Temple.

Let me first start off by telling you that I have learned so much and am so thankful that I made this decision!

July29, 2015:

When I was dropped of here and the MTC I was doing my best to hold in the tears and let me tell you that I was successful! I was very happy for being able to do that. As we were walking off I couldn't look back in fear that I would change my mind. But I didn't and I haven't and so everything was good. We walked around got all of the books that I needed and took me to my room and then from there I was dropped off  in my classroom (which I would later realize I spend more time in that classroom then I do in my own bed). That is where I met Sister Herr, she is my companion, and she is from Hawaii. We hit it off really fast! We have a lot in common and have very similar personality’s, which has helped a lot. We met with our district for about an hour then we went to orientation where we started to teach people! YES!! On the very first day! We taught as a group and not by ourselves. But it counts we taught three people that night which I thought was crazy. Then we went to dinner and had steak and potatoes which was a good comfort food. But then we went and had a lesson and taught one more person! We are in our class until 9:30 every night which is not late but I am so tired by that time. I layed in bed after finishing everything up for the day and as soon as the light went off tears started to run down my face, I didn't make any noises but the tears kept coming.

Elle and her companion Sister Herr

July 30, 2015:

 Now the next day was even crazier!! The second day I felt as if I had been there for one whole week! We wake up at 5:45 to get ready for the workout class that they have in the morning for the sisters (I have woke up at that time every day except for Sunday I got to wake up at 6:30 (: and how good that felt). The workout starts at 6:00 am and only goes for half an hour so we hurry back to get ready for the day because breakfast is at 7:15. Sunday was the first day that I was able to eat all my breakfast without getting sick!! Which I am so THANKFUL for, but after we ate that’s when all of the classes start. Like I said I spend more time in my class learning and teaching investagatitors then I do in my own bed. We eat lunch about 11:30 and dinner between 4:30-5:00 depending on how many people we teach that day. But that second day July 30 is when me and Sister Herr taught our fist investagator her name is Meir but now we call her Megan cause we don't speak French (we are the biggest group of missionary’s that they have ever received and so they were short on teachers. So the two of our teachers were pulled from the French department. I like them a lot Brother Davis and Sister Hafen). She is has had such an amazing testimony of Christ since the first time that we met with her and the more we meet with her the more she learns. We have taught her a few times now and she will be getting baptized!! YAY!! We are so excited! In the short time that we have known her I feel as though she is family because I would do anything for her! I want her to have this happiness and now she will. I was finally able to read dads letter he gave me without tearing up when I look at it. We were in class till the end of the night again and same thing as the day before I was fine then the light went off and the tears were a coming.

Elle and Sister Herr

July 31, 2015:

I have the same morning every day we wake up eat breakfast, go and study. Study some more and then more studying and so forth. But we did service today, but service is just cleaning your building so don't let them fool you. But after that we had workouts and then got ready for the day again (by the way I have the privilege of getting to shower three times a day). But today was the hardest day for me. I finally broke down later that night and Sister Herr has been so good to me. I got really lucky to have her for my companion. But as soon as I was able to let it all out that is when the real work began!

Aug. 1, 2015:

Everyone said that the first Saturday in the MTC was the hardest. I thought the day went by a lot faster then the other days. We studied ALL day, but I was able to learn so much about myself and about my relationship with my Father in Heaven. We taught Megan again today and it went awesome. But I think that your fist investigator is going to be easy...it’s our teacher. But I got Bradyn's first letter today and wasn't able to get my packages. But that night was awesome! I have some awesome roommates and awesome zone and district and so I couldn't have asked for anything better!

Wishing Katie a Happy Birthday, MTC style.

Elle's MTC District.

 Aug. 2, 2015:

Today was my fist Sunday in the MTC and it was also fast Sunday. I don't think that I have ever fasted a full 24 hours until now! I wasn't hungry at all I was just running low on energy. We had mission Conf. in the morning which had such amazing talks. It started the day off right. Then we had several hours of studying. But we then had a Temple walk where we walk up to the temple with all of the missionary’s and then we take a lot of pictures. We had sacrament and RS and the Sunday Devotional. But Sunday nights we get to watch a movie!! Not what is sounds like. You can watch meet the Mormons or you get to watch different talks. There is one talk by Elder Bednar The Characteristics of Christ 2011 Christmas Devo.   that they only show in the MTC! It was one of the most amazing talks that I have ever listened to! I am so glad that I get to listen to it again of Sunday because you are in such awe that you have to watch it a few time in order to get everything. But I have had so much inspiration and it was amazing. I feel so at home here in the MTC and am so happy that I get to be here!

Aug. 3 2015:

Nothing to big happened to day other then we taught 4 lessons. It was so crazy! My relationship with my Father in heaven has grown so much I have had to opportunity to have the Holy Ghost as a constant companion! I have had more sincere prayers and have really wanted to talk to my Father in Heaven and listen to what he is saying to me. He is the reason that we were able to get through all of the lessons that we taught. We taught Stephen, Carolina, Megan, and a member. I go crazy if I don't have fun every now and then but like I said my father in heaven and my savor have carried me a lot of the way. 

 

Aug. 4, 2015:

Today is the day that I have been looking forward to! We had the Tuesday Night Devotional. It was so amazing. There were rumors that someone from the 12 was coming!! After we taught all of our lessons again today me and Sister Herr decided to apart of the choir, and it was such an amazing experience! We sang the song Be Still My Soul, the Choir director told us that this song is about us. It is us talking to our self. When we started to sing the song I was overcome with the spirit and that is now one of my favorite songs. He then told us that Russel M. Nelson was coming to speak to us. When he walked in the room it was the most amazing feeling ever. His spirit was felt like everyone! That is what I want, I want to have the spirit that he talked with and the had everyone near tears. He is such an amazing person and I am so glad that I was able to listen to him. We then had a District mtg. and my district we have grown to love each other and I believe that we will forever be friends after we go off on our different missions. 

I love hearing form all of you and am so excited to continue to hear from all of you! Thank you for all the packages and the letters they have meant so much to me! I love you all so much! 

P.S. My letters won’t be this long every time! I don't think so. 

-- 

You have not failed until you quit trying.

Love, Sister Jackson 

Elle and Sister Herr