"juicy. juicy. fruit."‏

Greetings from beneath the ice cap! we only need 7 more inches to break the all-time snow record in Boston history, so I'm actually pushing for that. I figure we've got at least 2 storms left in us here and I want that record :)

In happy news yesterday was almost in the 40s so the thin ice/snow layer on the sidewalks and streets melted! But it will melt and refreeze tonight, as the low is -8. 

This week was good but a little slow. Had a great exchange will the Boston English elders this week; we met and taught a Chinese man whos been here for 6 months and is studying computer science at Northeastern. He had some experiences that fostered a belief in God these past few months (growing up in china, the concept of God was never suggested to him), and he referred himself on mormon.org to be taught. We went to teach him, and man, he is awesome. We taught him in one of the buildings on campus and he told us he wanted to be baptized. Set a date for March 22nd. He was at church yesterday and loved it (I set him up with one of the members I knew in the ward who served in San Fran chinese speaking, who invited him over for dinner). 

We're finalizing the steps for a temple trip with our recent converts and they're all pretty jazzed about it. Maria (joined the church on Christmas with her daughter) is dying to go there and wont let us forget.... 

Djeison told us this week "I can't wait to go on a mission." Music to my ears :)

We work a lot with a recent convert of about a year named Ildo Pires, who is such a stud; he's our activities coordinator and he's preparing right now to receive the Melchizedek priesthood. I have great hopes for him to serve a mission too. 

Elder Santiago is the best cook in the mission in my opinion, and our diet has gotten approximately 10x better since he came to Boston. Also doesn't hurt that the mission felt bad for us not getting fed by members very often and started giving us a little extra money for groceries :)

Picture below: Our new friend Bob Haas lives on a pretty ghetto street in Dorchester that we always cross. Yesterday we helped him shovel and salt his walkway and driveway and in return he gave us a tour of his house, built in 1880 before anything else in the neighborhood existed. Its was just an awesome experience. This old guy took us around, showed us his photos from Haiti and his three pianos, explained how he bought the house for $6000 and restored it for $300,000, told stories of how he essentially captained and built up that entire section of Boston, and ended with a Schumann etude for Santiago and me while we sat with his giant St. Bernard. One of the coolest places I've been here in the city, and a really awesome guy. 

I'm finishing up the Book of mormon this week before transfers (staying here in Boston for 1 more, by the way!), and I always get nostalgic when I hit Ether and Moroni. What marvelous privilege we have to read their words. The sacrifice they wrought to bring forth the Book of Mormon fills these last chapters with a strong spirit. My advice is to seek the truth in it. You will never plumb all its depths, and it will never stop revealing answers for your life.

Love,
Elder Jackson