Last week!

This week was way awesome!! I got to teach a member which I was kind of lacking motivation to do, because they are already a member.. but I was so excited to teach them about how I feel about the church. And she just ended up teaching us way more than I could ever teach her! 
She's a cancer survivor....but to the max.. even pancreatic cancer!!! She had us all crying, it was so awesome! 
Other than that it's just been another week here! 
We caught a giant spider in our room (pics to come) so that was cool, and we got a new district! I got made a zone leader for the last week haha which is cool though. I´ve really stepped up in what I do with my time! 

I found this spider on my foot haha and thats him just chilling in a pringles can showing us how big he thinks he is.

I can not wait to get out and email you guys next week from Virginia! Love you all so much!! 

This week Ryan finally received the letters we mailed him the day after he left! He said it was weird to read our thoughts from that long ago. He's also ready for some good American food!

Haha today at lunch I had no idea what I was eating...but there were like 4 arteries. I can not wait to have a real meal. 

Week 4!

I usually study in the soft chair and kick my feel up so my district calls me Elder Mob Boss

and my way awesome scripture case I got

I can't believe how fast time has flown by! I only have 13 days until I head out to Virginia! This week was just another week of class room work, we also got to hear from an area 70! It was kind of weird though because he has been living here for 15 years, and he's the most stereotypical white guy but he could hardly speak english.. only if I had that problem ha. My companion got sick this week and was in bed all week, and luckily another Elder from our district was also so I didn't have to just hang with him all week. Once again Sundays are the coolest things ever now! We got to watch meet the mormons! That movie made me a little home sick, because it kept my homesickness builiding up through the whole movie, like just stories about others with Christ and seeing families hanging out, then there was a scene of them skiing and snowboarding, then the missionary getting dropped off at the airport haha so that got me a little. I miss my family like crazy but I know I would not want to be doing anything else right now.  

Yo sé que esta iglesia es la única iglesia verdad en la tierra. José smith vio el Padre y el Hijo. yo sé que eso pasó porque he orado para saberlo. todos pueden saberlo por medio de la oración. El libro de mormón es el libro más inspirado en toda la tierra. sé que tiene poder para contestar cualquier pregunta. sé que el sacerdocio es real. es algo para sanar y hacer convenios sagrados y más importante cumplir el plan de Dios y hacer que las familias puedan estar juntos para siempre. Sé que tenemos un profeta viviente. Thomas S Monson es el profeta de Dios. si escuchamos las enseñanzas de él y todos sus consejeros y apóstoles seremos feliz en esta vida y tendremos gozo para la eternidad. Dios nos ama. él vive. igual su hijo Jesucristo vive. Ellos tienen un plan para nosotros. y si guardamos los mandamientos, estaremos con nuestros familias para siempre. En el sagrado nombre de Jesucristo. Amén. 

I'm thankful for Google translate because as much as I'm plucking along with Spanish 101 cd's, I've only progressed to ordering a drink en el restaurante.

I know that this church is the only true church on earth. Joseph Smith saw the Father and the Son. I know that happened because I prayed to know. Everyone can know through prayer. The Book of Mormon's book is the most inspired book the whole earth. I know that it is able to answer any questions. I know that the priesthood is real. 

It is something to heal and make sacred covenants and foremost fulfill the plan of God and make families can be together forever. I know we have a living prophet. Thomas S Monson is the prophet of God. If we listen to his teachings and his counselors and apostles we are happy in this life and have joy for eternity. God loves us. He lives. Like his son Jesus Christ lives. They have a plan for us. And if we keep the commandments, we will be with our families forever. In the sacred name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

We miss Elder Jacobson like crazy too, but wouldn't want him to be doing anything else right now either! 

Week 3

I love the sunsets here in Mexico!

Finally I´m halfway through the MTC as of yesterday! 
This week was really awesome because we actually got to teach a real investigator! 
I´m so grateful for the gift of tongues, spanish is coming along so well for me. So yeah every Wednesday they open the gates here at the CCM and let people who are really interested in (to hear) the gospel. We taught this sister that was fairly old and not in good health. Even though I kind of butchered the prayer, I asked for her health to get better (she was wearing a mask) and she started tearing up, so I know we got to her! 
I´ve come along to really love my district, we all get along so well! I absolutely love my teachers also. 
Ryan said he and his district have gotten close 'through the dumbest things. Like quoting movies or talking like old hicks..it helps relieve the stress so much!'

Something I noticed is by sitting in a class 14 hours a day Sunday rolls around and I start to really have questions, but every Sunday they are answered in Fullness! That was pretty much highlights for the week except I made two full court shots in basketball in a row for some cookies.. all in all it was a good week! Thanks for keeping me in your prayers! I´m truly blessed because of it! love you all talk to you next week!

Elder Shearer and Elder Jacobson playing tennis

I practically broke my ankle last P day landing on a loose basketball, so I had to be the designated server, but I dominated so it's all good.

I won't post the picture of his ankle because it is extremely gross! Hopefully it looks a lot better this week! He said he's able to walk on it, so that's good.

We had donuts and jerky delivered to Ryan to celebrate his half way day and he was pretty excited about that haha. 

Ryan said I could share a cool moment that he had. After emailing last week, I had the feeling to send him a letter with some specific scriptures to look up and read to help with his frustration at learning the language. He said it was awesome because he had just read the same scriptures and had made sure to write them down. He said when he read the letter that he bawled. (Ether 12:23-29)

It's so neat to see Elder Jacobson have these experiences with the spirit & watch his testimony grow! 

el Evangelio es verdadero 

Week 2

Elder Jacobson hurt his back this week moving some stuff out of a cellar (I don't know who's cellar- hence my light scolding of wanting more details :-) Prayers for this to heal quickly would be greatly appreciated! He'd also love some bacon, but we're not sure that's prayer worthy haha :-)

Wow conference was soooo awesome! (The MTC is kind of just trying to find highlights of school to write about so I'm sorry my letters are kind of short) my favorite talk was probably Neil Anderson from priesthood session! Mom, Elder Holland made me feel more guilty than I ever have for breaking your heart ever. So I'm sorry!!! 

It really hit me this week why I'm here! and I'm so glad I came out here and get to serve the lord. My testimony has grown more than ever! 
We had the opportunity to give a sister a blessing which was pretty amazing. 

The investigator we had turned out to be fake.. we saw her at the temple and then she's our teacher now haha. 
The other pretty exciting thing that happened is right outside our window we heard a drive by shooting with a machine gun and it was at the bar 50 yards behind our house...pretty crazy here! Let me know what's going on in the real world! I love hearing from you guys! Keep writing!

 Ryan and his roommate Elder Harker from Oregon. 'We're basically the same person'

It was awesome after conference we had a zone review... just a testimony meeting, but I had the strongest feeling I needed to share.. it was like if I didn't speak I wouldn't ever be able to again.. but I shared about my thoughts this week after a long day.. where satan was throwing every sin I have ever done in my face. I said it's one of those things that you know theres only one place that's coming from, so we need to make our weaknesses strengths and I know we can all do this. I had this girl come up sobbing saying thank you for that,. then like 4 others said I really needed to hear that. It was the best feeling

We sure miss our Elder, but are so proud of him! I also reminded him that we packed earplugs. We were thinking along the lines of snoring roommates, not machine gun fire, but whatever the need!