February 29, 2016

Tuesday SUCKED. We went around alllll day trying to teach people from
our potential investigators list, and also a bunch of people we just
haven't been able to make contact with. We got dropped by 8 people! It
was so frustrating. That was all we did Tuesday

Wednesday we had district meeting again, which was pointless because
we had one like 3 days before that? It was like a monsoon here so
everyone was inside- which means no one shouldn't answer the door
haha. We went to this apartment complex and knocked every single
door and found double the amount who had dropped us, so that was just really
solid! I mean literally that's all we did was knock doors and teach.
Something really cool that happened Wednesday; we have been debating
whether we drop Edgar (our straight up cholo investigator) or not.
We've tried him no less than 15 times in the past month and a
half, but it never felt right. So we were like 'let's just try it one
more time'. We both had a prompting to try him. So we did and HE
ANSWERED! It was so cool! It turns out he went back to Mexico for a
month and finally came back haha. So that was our Wednesday.

Thursday we didn't do anything until after dinner because we weekly
planned. Weekly planning is my least favorite day by far. We got to
have dinner with the Sligaros though, so that was awesome! They're the
English members that fed me on my b day. They fed us some
hamburgers and taters and beans, it was get down good! Then we taught
Diana again. That was pretty cool because she was wondering how to
recognize the spirit, and after the lesson we just asked 'can you feel
that?' And she just "Oh, yeah I can!" Hahah so that was a good lesson!

Friday we had inspections for our house and car. W,e had to trade the
zone leaders our car for theirs, and it's been like 6,000 miles since
their last oil change so we got ripped for that. We had to go get
the oil changed and they said it would be about 30 minutes but it took
2 HOURS. We were about 10 miles out of our area so we had to stay
there. So after that whole ordeal we just went around again trying to
have 2nd lessons with all those we found, but nothing happened, which
kind of stunk, but it's all good. After dinner we helped our amigo Luis
pack his stuff to return to Guatemala. He's going back there for 4
months to earn money and come back and live off that until he dies....
That's his plan. I'm gonna miss that little old guy, he's really funny
and he's always willing to come out and teach with us.

me with our little amigo Luis

Saturday we once again tried and failed seeing everyone except two of those
people we found. Those two that answered said they were busy. So that
took until 4. Then we had a lesson with Steven. After we played
whiffle ball with Steven and John and all the neighbors haha that was
pretty fun. That took us up until dinner. After dinner we tried to see
those that are solid and can come to church. Jorge and Veronica
said they don't know, and 2 more people said they'd come after 2
really spiritual lessons!

Sunday we went to church obviously. Diana showed up which was tight!
(The 2 others didn't come to church, bummer) We sat next to Dominga
and Dominga spilled the sacrament water on her... Haha but Diana
really liked church so that's good! We taught her again about
plan of salvation and she said it just makes sense! So we will see
what happens! We also taught one of our new investigators Yolanda and
that was pretty good! She actually talks and asks questions which is
new to me so it's really fun teaching her. Other than that nothing
else really happened. So that was my week this week! Let's see what
else is new- I didn't bible bash with anyone this week for once so
that was nice. It's like 65 degrees today and yesterday, it's leap
year it's Elders p-day (flag football p-day), it's a sunny day, it's
going to be a great day!
By the next letter home I will know if I stay here for 6 more weeks in H-burg.
One of my new favorite Scriptures is D&C 122:6-9 please read it.
It means humble yourself, whatever you're going through the savior
went through worse. And there's just a solid promised blessing, and
I like promised blessings

Con amor

Elder Ryan Jacobson
Virginia Richmond Mission
Se habla español

 the creepy looking town hall in Harrisonburg

apparently Abe Lincoln stood next to that statue and gave a speech, idk if it's true, but I took that opportunity 

This is how it was for like 3 days in a row, really creepy

February 22, 2016

This transfer is absolutely flying by! It's already week 5, so this
is what happened during week 4.
Overall this week was really good! I watched a fight between my
neighbors and watched one of them get hauled off by the cops, I found
out I'm down 30 pounds since the start of my mission so that's tight.

Tuesday we and taught our investigator Diana again. We were
following up with her to see if she read at all and prayed about the
Book of Mormon to know if it's true. She said "I pray every night
already, but why wouldn't it be true?" Haha so we were pretty
surprised and just said we don't know! So she is just super solid
already and wants to be baptized, but she needs to actually come to
church but said after this month she has Sunday's off! Then we went
and taught another solid new couple from El Salvador, Carlos and and
Carla (Pretty easy to remember their names haha) and they're really
prepared as well! They actually keep reading and prayer commitments we
give them! I'm really excited to see how they pan out.

Wednesday we taught Steven again, and he's staying on track for his
baptismal date of March 5th! So we're way excited for that! Then we
taught Diana again, and we went in with the plan of teaching the Plan
Of Salvation, but we went in and it just felt kind of gloomy in there.
Her Mom (Marbella who we found before, and told us she suffers from
depression, and her son that is a sack of crap that does tons of drugs
and is 16) told us again how her depression is worsening and Diana
said it's true. Diana said she's just going through some things
right now. So we kind of had a testimony meeting about how the lord
has comforted us. That rekindled some times with Marbella and Diana
about when they've been comforted by the lord as well. It was way
spiritual and super awesome. I love teaching people, not lessons

Thursday not much happened. We had lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings then
weekly planned for freaking eternity. Had dinner and tried to see
potentials, we ran into a potential and she was not having it. She
even gave us back a pamphlet about the restoration and a el libro de
Mormon.

Friday we had exchanges with the zone leaders, so I took one of the
English elders, Elder Lockhart into our area. Turns out Elder Lockhart
and I played on the Dawgs together when were like 8 or 9 and the same
city league team haha so that was cool. But it was really cool just to
teach lessons in Spanish and lead our area for a day. But then we got
called to give another blessing to an investigator for the English
sisters. That was really awesome, it's always a cool experience to be
called upon and act in the name of Jesus Christ.
Saturday we had district meeting in the morning then Brother Hungate
took us to cici's pizza, and after we went to give a baptismal
interview to the zone leaders. We got there and their cows got out so
we had to go and get them back in, which was pretty fun, except my
suit is now covered in cow pooh because it happened to be the muddiest
pasture I've ever stepped foot it... So that's pretty cool.
Sunday John passed the sacrament for the first time, so that was
pretty awesome to see!

The scripture I'd like to share you guys this week is Alma 4:11 "And
it came to pass in the commencement of the ninth year, Alma saw the
wickedness of the church, and he saw also that the example of the
church began to lead those who were unbelievers on from one piece of
iniquity to another, thus bringing on the destruction of the people."
What kind of example are you?

 only on a mission would this door look inviting to go and knock on

after getting all the cows back in the pasture

(Elder Jacobson loved this, of course!)

Dios ama nos. (God loves us)

Well it's already week 4 of this transfer which is crazy to me!

This week we went on a little mini exchange because an Elder wasn't feeling good and he is in a walking area, so I went to that area so he could be in a car and feel better. So that was pretty good. 

I'm freaking sick of running into people who just bible bash. I'm so sick of it!! I hate Bible Bashing, the gospel shouldn't be something fought over, and it just doesn't change anyone's faith or anything. 

Wednesday: We went and chopped wood with this member in the english ward named Brother Wilson. He's a funny old guy from West Virginia. It was nice to spend time in the woods and do service! After that we went to this Referral we got from Salt Lake. We went in their and the whole place smelled like pot and there was a Marilyn Manson music video playing on the TV and they just sat us down made fun of us for a minute, went into the other room so we just left. It was so weird. 

Thursday: We did service again for Brother Wilson and weekly planned, taught quite a few first lessons with people during the night, but that's about all I remember. 

Friday: We finally made contact with Veronica and Jorge again! They said they don't know which church is true, but they refuse to pray about it. So that's kind of frustrating, but there is only so much we can do. We finished the night playing soccer with a bunch of investigators at the Church. 

Saturday: Saturday was way cool, because the first part of the day was just normal missionary work, but we weren't teaching a whole lot. So then we went to Dominga's and she cooked us dinner. We got the other grandson to start coming to church as well!! So we're super excited about that! After dinner we got called to go give a blessing. We got there and this poor little girl about 6 years old was laying there and she had the flu and an ear infection so she was not feeling too good at all. I'm just so glad I hold the Priesthood and have the Authority to give blessings to the sick and those in need. I felt so overwhelmed after. That one just really hit me hard for some reason. 

Sunday: we went to church obviously. After church we were trying to see some less active members, and after we tried the last one in our area Dominga called us and said she just happened to be making hot chocolate and was wondering if we wanted any haha so we said sure and went over. We taught the other grandson of hers Named Steven (the same who committed to come to church) It was pretty funny because after the lesson and stuff there was a toy gun and i pretended to shoot steven and Dominga walks up to me all slowly so im just looking at her wondering what she's doing and she takes the toy gun and just starts beating me with it! hahah in spanish she kept saying WE ARE NOT MURDERERS!!! I LOVE YOU BUT YOU MAKE ME BEAT YOU! hahaha it was just a funny moment. after that we just went over to another members to help him move his treadmill because he broke his back and he ended up feeding us and we stayed there until 8:30 and that was my week.

A Scripture I would like you guys to apply to your life that I read today is in the book of Alma. It's Alma 5:14-18 and it's just simple questions that you could ask yourself everyday, which im going to start doing too! But I know this church is true, I know everything about is true. I know god loves us and I see it everyday

well con amor

-Elder Jacobson

  just happened to be this sign outside of that neighborhood of the Satan house that smelled like pot

 us and brother Wilson chopping wood

 sunrise during service

Un Otro Bautismal!

Well this week was another great week! another week full of teaching and preaching the gospel!

Tuesday we got in contact with this small family we've been trying to contact for a while now! The guys name is Jose, he's originally from the Dominican Republic, but moved to Brooklyn when he was 5. So he speaks more English than Spanish. We just talked about the Yankees for a while then actually had a lesson when the rest of his family got home! It's really nice to have something in common with investigators so you can actually just talk to them. That's the way it is with Dominga and her family now, it's just like going to grandmas house, we go and she feeds us and we get to just talk and end up sharing a message! 

Wednesday was a funny day hahaha, we didn't get to teach a lot, but we did have one set appointment that actually happened! We were at this lady's house and she has this kid named lester, and he ate something that made his tongue blue so he kept coming up to our faces and showing us and it was pissing me off, and finally she gets up with an el libro de Mormon in hand and grabs him and just starts beating him with it hahaha, it was actually pretty funny. 

Thursday we had interviews with President Wilson, just for him to see how we are doing and everything. Then we had weekly planning, the most boring 3 hours of the week by far. Then we went over to a members house from the English ward and she fed me a big ol roast and potatoes, corn, beans, rolls, you name it! it was get down good! I loved it! That happened until 8 then we tried seeing a few people and nothing happened there. 

Friday. Friday was really slow and we had the interview for John's baptism, and that's about all that happened. 

Saturday! Saturday we had Another Baptism! The baptism was great because it made another day of just straight trying to contact  and find, and coming up empty, to seeing our efforts pay off. It was a great baptism! He's super solid, and after baptism they really are a different person and John's going to be a great disciple of Christ! 

Sunday I had the opportunity to give John the holy ghost in sacrament! I was so nervous because it was in front of the whole branch and it was in Spanish, it was pretty awesome experience though! 

Well that was my week here in Virginia for my 14th week. 

Hope everyone has a great week! 

And thanks to all my family for writing me those notes!! 

con amor, Elder Jacobson 

 us and John before the baptism

  "paluche" the dog Dominga bought to try to give us!! Hahaha it was awesome!

(the Domingas kept the dog:-)

 cops at our neighbors because we got to hear them fight for 2hours and finally someone called the cops

me blowing out my candles

everyone always tell me I look like from the

city? And the members that fed us said I look like a good old country
boy, so that was nice!! And it was soooo good!

I found a bakery in Harrisonburg that would deliver cinnamon rolls and chocolate milk for Ry's birthday! I asked the guy if he would send me a picture and he told me his camera was broke, but he would try. I told him I would take what I could get. Apparently that's true because I still looked at this picture a dozen times that day! Haha!

I feel lucky to be able to send Ryan things. I know he'd be fine without packages and other items that I sometimes mail, but it's more for me. I missed him so much on his birthday. The picture of him blowing out the candles on a cake made my week! I want to personally find everyone who has shown him kindness and thank them (I think that's a 'mom' thing) :-)

Baptism! Pics!

This week was pretty solid!! We had a lot of great things happen!

Monday: Well last P-day we played some ball and went and got some good food, but later we went to teach Veronica and her boyfriend Jorge, That went pretty well, we can't ever get in a new lesson with them because they always have someone new over there so they tell us to teach them as well so we just teach about the book of Mormon and the Restoration! 

Tuesday: Tuesday was transfers, but me and Elder Turner are staying together and so we had Elder Prince with us because he did not have a comp anymore and we went out to the town of Broadway. We went out there and found Quite a few new investigators! over all it was a solid day! Then Elder Prince got his new companion, his name is Elder Houston from Neola, UT.

Wednesday: Wednesday was just a freaking slow day, we went finding some more because none of our investigators are progressing real well and we end up getting dropped or dropping them, and we just did not have a lot of success. 

Thursday: We went finding again and just did missionary work, Still another slow day before dinner! After dinner we went over to Domingas house and had a great lesson with her! After that we had another Great lesson with Veronica and her husband, it was an awesome day!

Friday: Friday we helped a family move for the first part of our day, After that we went out to the trailer parks and taught a few door step lessons, It's always nice just to even get a door step lesson, especially when the spirit is there! After that we went over to Domingas again and taught her but really taught John her grandson, he's going to be baptized next Saturday as well!! So that's good! 

SATURDAY: Saturday for the first part we had zone meetings, which were pretty good! After that we just tried some people for a few hours until Dinner, After Dinner we went and filled up the Font and got ready for the Baptism. The Baptism was so awesome!! It's amazing to see how wonderful the Ordinance is, especially to be part of it! She Truly is a different person after baptism! It's so cool I get to be here to baptize her! She was so awesome because she can't even read or anything and during the service she has a hymn book and is trying to sing along with us, it's perfect! I love this gospel!

 me and Hermana Dominga

 us and the family

the Mormon mafia haha me with this air soft gun our neighbor let
us borrow for the squirrels