Monday, November 17, 2014

E agora.... ficando velho? (And now...getting old?)

Bienvenidos a la email de Elder Jacksonnnnnnnnnnn

This one is nostalgic... and because I got a shoutout from Mama Jackson in her weekly email that I am approaching my 1 year mark this thursday, I must share a scripture given to me by Jenna:

29 The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head.
As many of you know I am not lacking in gray hairs on my head, so now I have the age to back it up! Na verdade, (Translation: a matter of fact) I don't feel old at all, and in fact, I think in the grand course of things as a missionary, I was born, learned to walk, went to middle school, did some extra-curriculars and now I'm off to college with all that knowledge I have! This next year is going to be the year most consecrated to the Lord of my life so far. I'm planning on it. 
This week.... holy cow. The blessings from God are flowing and there is truly not room to receive them. This week in our pequeno grupo, which had 10-15 when we first got there, had 41 people. FORTY ONE. And the vast majority were less active members who we ministered to, who felt the Spirit and decided to come back. The stake has caught notice. They are starting to talk about expanding our chapel or finding a new building in Dorchester...... And this isn't even official yet, but we're getting a senior couple who speak portuguese (whom President didn't even request, they just decided to come here) in December. This and we may have a baptism with 5-7 people on November 30th. 

Fun fact: Brother Beck, the general Young Men's president of the Church, came to church this sunday. We started talking to him in portuguese (served as mission president in Rio) and about halfway through the conversation I looked and him and was like.... you look familiar... was your son the president of BYUSA? Yup. So that was neat. 

This week I officially became an MBM missionary, officially called! How it happened was rad. So supposedly the process is, President gets my permission, then gets my parents permission, then gets the stake president on board, then called the missionary department and they send it to one of the Apostles and they make the official change. So the day I wrote President last week saying to make the change, he got a call from the missionary department saying, "Hey President Packard... hope Elder Jackson is okay with this, because yesterday one of the Apostles went ahead and changed his mission!" I guess they were on the same wavelength as me and just did it. #efficient

I love you guys, gotta go. Its cold and rainy here in boston but hopefully its warmer where you are! Firme e forte! (Steady and strong!)

-Elder Jackson

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