Ice Cream and Salvation‏

The crucial updates:

President Packard called this morning to say that Elder Hollister in the missionary department approved the trip to the Columbia Lyme clinic. So we're moving forward with that! Seems like the Lord's hand is in it.
Darren: we have another transportation option. The mission doctor for this and other missions in New England is in our ward, and he offered to take me to Boston. I figure that would take a load off of you. How does that sound? We'd also need to figure out if I should stay with you, or a closer hotel near the clinic.

I passed 10 months on my mission, time is flying and I can hardly believe how things have changed for me. Best metaphor I can think of is when Adam was found offering sacrifice and prayer to the Lord, and an angel asked him "what's up? why are you doing that?" and Adam said, "I know not, save the Lord commanded it." He was obedient, but not comprehending. Then the angel explained, that everything was in the similitude of the Only Begotten--- everything a symbol and testament or tribute to the great sacrifice. I'm sure it was a learning process for Adam too; as he went about his daily activities, both spiritual and temporal, learning the significance of all he did as a man and prophet. That's what the mission does for you, or at least for me. You learn the why :)

This week was pretty great. Djeison was confirmed a member, the first of mine in this new group, and he really is feeling the Spirit. Feeling the difference! We went over the baptismal questions with Alex, and he's good on everything except kinda sketchy with Joseph Smith. We're going take advantage of Gen Conference for him. Living prophet = past prophets

This little group is funny. We're doing pretty good at getting investigators to church (we had 10 two sundays ago), and the active members are solid (just were able to call a sister who moved here from Cape Verde as the Gospel Principles teacher (shoutout to Dad!) and she's pumped) but the less actives in dorchester are really hard to bring back. They don't speak english so they have to take the hardest/least paying jobs, and they usually take the weekend shifts nobody else wants, so they work on Sunday. Many of them (three so far) were branch presidents in CV, but they come here and stuff just gets hard. trabalho is duro for them. But if we can find a building to meet together in the city of Dorchester... man. Stuff would blow up here. So thats what we're going for!

Tender mercies from Saturday, which is always our best day:
-no brain fog

-convinced our super shy recent convert to come teach with us

-were looking for a potential, Junior, were about to leave his house (wasn't there), when we saw an ice cream truck. So we got ice cream, then returned to the house to check one more time, and Junior came walking down the driveway! Without the ice cream, we would've left and never found him. But instead we got ice cream, and two more people to teach. #bencaos

-were walking away from Junior's house, when joao, another investigator, walked past us on the street. We set a time to come over and teach his family.

-went to KFC. chicken is good

-went to carvalho house; kids weren't there, but older brother drove in right when we got there. Spilled his heart to us about how he wants to quit drinking and help his family. Committed to come to church with his friend Ildo who is a member.

-ran into Jose, Ildo's younger brother, on the bus on the way to Ildo's house. He let us in their apartment building and we got to talk to Ildo. It was the best.

As Nacho would say, my life is gewd. I've seen more miracles in this tiny group than ever before in my mission. I'll leave with a scripture (Mosiah 7:18): there remaineth an effectual struggle to be made!

Love,

Elder Jackson/Brenton/whatever