Week 4 in Dumfries

Monday we were on our way home, and our bus took forever! I was kind
of angry, because a normal half hour car ride took 2 hours just to get
home, so we didn't get to visit anyone.

Tuesday I got to have lunch Ally Hunsaker Fowlke and her Husband
Jessy! it was so great to see them and they're freaking cute little baby!!

Jesse & Ally Fowlke. Elder Jacobson & Elder Maelstrom

After that we went to work! We saw Jireth, Sebastian, and

Julianna. The three hilarious little kids, and sadly they told us they
were moving to Texas for 2 months on Thursday! I'm so bummed!
Sebastian was on date for baptism for next week!! Then we found out
the family of 10 we are teaching that is also on date is moved to
Miami this last Friday except for one named Johan! Then after that
this guy Carlos, who wasn't on date but said he wanted to be baptized
went to Mexico for 2 months as well! Holy cow I've never been so
bummed/frustrated in my life! But we did find a less active, who said
her Husband is inactive and she doesn't want to make him mad by going
to church still. But she really wants to go to the temple again. We
had a really spiritual lesson with her. I then left my backpack and
had to go back for it and she thought it was the funniest thing ever
hahaha it was pretty funny how hard she was laughing.

Wednesday and Thursday we went on Exchanges, so I went with Elder
Prince to his area. We just taught some of his investigators and it
was great.
I got to teach Brian and Chewy!! It was awesome, I miss them.

Elder Prince napping on the bus

Friday was that day of the week of all day tracting and knocking doors
and no one answering. It has to happen at least once a week. It was
all worth it though! Because at 8 O'Clock we felt like we should just
knock on this house that we've walked past a million times. It was
this guy named Francisco from El Salvador, he and his wife have been
curious what church could possibly be the true one if there's only one
bible and so many churches. We had an awesome lesson about the
Restoration! I love it when they pretty much just teach themselves! He
was reading from the pamphlet, following along, it was great! I'm
really excited to see him tomorrow.

Saturday we knocked doors again all day. It was great! We taught the
most in one day since I've been to this area. We talked to Johan one
of the family of ten that moved to Miami, so he's the only one who
stayed. (His mom won't let him get baptized, but he wants to sooo bad,
PRAY FOR HIM!)
Then we brought out a member with us to gather the flock of less
actives. Hermano Claros, he looks like a Mobster! He's awesome! We
went and this guy who went inactive for no reason, and his wife the
one we taught on Tuesday. He said he was busy and our member got like
kind of ticked ha, and just said "Ok, Hasta Luego!" And just stormed
out. Haha then we went to that guy that had a church in his basement,
and they just went at it, it was awkward. They argued about the
Trinity for like half an hour, the whole time they're having church in
the Basement screaming through the speakers, But he got him to commit
to actually listen next time we come back haha at the end of the
lesson he turned to us and said "El Proximo ves, Va Escuchar, Va
Escuchar." He then was like I'm proud of you, you guys deal with a lot
of stubborn people, let's get subway hahaha. It was great.

Well that's about it for this week in Dumfries VA. Trying to find new
people to teach now since all of our investigators just took off. I've
decided, and it was an easy decision, I hate the Humidity. It's too
hot here. I sweat just checking the mail in the Mornings.

Also Brian and Chewy's dad won't let them get baptized, PLEASE PRAY FOR THEM!

I read a talk on LDS.org called chucking the checklist. The main quote
that stood out to me is "....It is very easy to be active in the
church, but less active in the Gospel."
Are we living the Gospel? Are we aligned with the will of the lord?
There are plenty of people who we teach, let alone some among our own
church, that love and almost worship the Bible or Scriptures. Yet they
have about as much spirituality as a stick. Are we active in the
gospel, in living the way the lord wants us to live. Actively trying
to be better everyday, attending the temple often if possible,
fulfilling our callings with all we have, or in all not being contempt
and idle.
I promise if we are active in the Gospel, it's the best way to feel
truly happy. We are entitled to so much revelation and inspiration, if
we just tune ourselves in properly to the will of the lord.

D&C 25:13 Wherefore, lift up thy heart and rejoice, and cleave unto
the covenants which thou hast made.

Dios les bendiga, y con amor
Elder Ryan Jacobson
1 Timothy 1:12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me,
for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;

Crazy News!

Well a lot happened this week as well as not happened. It was a fairly
slow week until the weekend. We had meetings on meetings on meetings.
Also we received some absolutely MIND BLOWING news.

Tuesday we tracted all the day long, we finally got to talk to a less
active at about 8:30. Less active work is tough! In some cases they're
way more stubborn than any investigators. We went over there and
apparently he's now just watching a preacher on TV. Then he was
telling us that the preacher was saying there's a verse in the bible
(I don't know where these verses are, but apparently there is a verse
for every specific thing in the world) that those who use technology
are false prophets and also it's a sign of the times. Then he pointed
us out for using our iPads... Hahah.

Wednesday we tracted again all day. We got a lesson with a recent
converts cousin! It was not too bad. She said she didn't know anything
about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith, but then she just asked a
ton of weird questions about how he wrote it and where is he in the
bible. So later that day we were knocking doors and this guy walked in
so I shared with him a quick message, and then after that my companion
said he was a less active. I was like "What!? Why didn't you say so!?"
Anyways ha that was pretty much our day.

Thursday we had Zone Conferences. I actually felt pumped to go and
work after that! It was hard to sit through the whole 2nd half because
I wanted to go out. After the meeting, we went out to work and got in
an apartment building just in time! It started down pouring! It was
blowing side ways and flooded the complex we were in! It was nuts.

 Woodbridge Zone

Friday we worked all day and taught a lot of door step lessons, and
got a lot of come back another day. We did that until we had to catch
the bus to the Father's Day party at the church.

Saturday we found it! We found our little Mexico! We taught 5 lessons
in an hour and a half! We then had to catch a bus to other end of our
area, or else we wouldn't be able to get back home for Stake
Conference. It was a great Stake Conference! President and Sister
Wilson talked and gave great talks, as well as the Stake President. It
was so good!

Sunday we finished stake conference and had lunch with a member and an
Hermana that I served around in Harrisonburg! So that was cool! After
that we took a member with us Tracting, which was cool, and it makes
it so much easier because they can just ramble with each other haha.

Well my crazy news..... On Thursday at zone conference we were told
that the Woodbridge stake will be going to be a part of the D.C. South
Mission again. So anyone serving in Woodbridge will be transferred and
re-assigned to the D.C. South mission. I'm honestly so excited!!! It
will be a great new opportunity to meet some great new people! I also
now have the temple!!!!!!! I'm so pumped!! I know that I was
re-assigned to this Mission, the same way I was to the Virginia
Richmond mission. By a modern day prophet.

I was studying in Alma 5, my favorite chapter in the Book of Mormon.
Something new stands out to me every time I read it, that's why I love
it so much. What stood out to me today is repentance, fruits, and
harkening. The invitation to take part in repentance is extended to
all! Come take part in it, it's often taken as something bad or
sometimes scary. But it's so great! As well as bringing forth good
fruits. Are we bringing forth fruits? Are we able to see what we have
done for good, let alone can others distinguish you as a disciple of
Christ by your fruits? And third, with fruits. Are you harkening unto
what Christ is calling you to? Are taking on yourself the
discipleship, the love for your savior, and the willingness to be like
him.
If not I challenge you to these things. I know without a doubt, this
is how we feel the most joy. This is how we prepare ourselves for
exaltation, godliness, and eternal life. It's the only way.

-Elder Jacobson

Elder Jacobson & President Wilson

 Missing the bus two days in a row after a long day

 An investigators basement haha

Marine Museum

Dumfries

Dumfries VA. There are A LOT less Hispanics here than anywhere I've
ever been. The work is scarce, but we have work to do that's all that
matters.

Well Tuesday I packed up my apartment, completely, and moved down to
Dumfries. We got settled it and got to work! We just knocked doors and
tried the potential investigators in our area now. We got caught up
with a Jehovah's Witness who wouldn't let us leave, so we finally just
did. We were talking about how much confusion there is over the bible
when this guy walking up the street came over to us and asked us to
teach him. He said he was confused about religion and the bible itself
and doesn't like his church! It was crazy, I was so excited! We got
his info and everything.

Wednesday district meeting happened, we figured out our new area
boundaries and everything. After that we got picked up and got taken
to get Peruvian chicken, which is fantastic! After that we once again
went trying to see all the potential investigators and referrals in
our new area. We struck out sadly. Then we had our funny moment for
the week. We were knocking doors in this apartment complex that every
building smelled like weed already, but these guys answer the door and
the smell just hits us like train but we give the door approach and
they just stare at us for the most awkward 10 seconds of my life...
Then they just go "nah we got....business to take care of..hahahahaha"
then they shut the door. I couldn't help but laugh haha.

Thursday we weekly planned which is by far the most boring part of the
week. Then we went out and tried this appointment we had set up in
these government projects, and this one was by far the most creepy
person I've talked to. She was smoking throughout the whole
conversation, and the whole time she's dropping all the ash on her
arm, and her head keeps twisting all weird, then she starts saying we
are satanic because we believe in visions. We asked her just plainly
if she had a devil, then she said she is the devil and started
screaming at us. The only thing we could do is tell her to repent and
bare testimony the most whole heartedly we ever have and leave. It was
quite the experience!

Friday we went out and were knocking doors and we got to teach this
girl that was babysitting, and she was so friendly and then we asked
her if she'd like to read the Book of Mormon and pray if it's true,
and she goes "No." What? Why? She said she was just doing her part by
always listening to the word of God. I hate to say it, but I went like
salesman mode, but obviously more spiritual than that haha- but I did
my best to convince her and she finally said she would and that she'd
pray about it sincerely. It was actually pretty cool. That was the
only lesson we taught all day. It was a long day.

Saturday haha...was not a good for me at first, but that completely
changed. We tracted and tracted and we tracted some more. Everyone and
their dog was graduating that day and so no one was home! So we
started walking to this appointment after the bus just drove right
passed us and didn't stop. So that made me pretty ticked. Then we get
to this appointment that Elder Malmstrom set up last week, and this guy did
his research on the internet and just starts pounding us with
questions. Finally we just asked him why would you ask google, if you
could ask God, the true all knowing. He just said "No sé". So we asked
him to and he said he would, then I asked what will he do if he
receives an answer that the church is true. He just simply said then God
is a liar. I haven't actually been ticked in a lesson with someone
until then. I just had to stop talking haha and then bare testimony at
the end. After that we are walking and this guy turning right at a
light is looking the other way at traffic, so I say to myself I hope
this guy sees us, and we start crossing. I see Malmstrom jump from the
corner of my eye, and then I turn and the dude runs my foot over,
looks at me, and drives off. Luckily a biker gang (which there are
tons of them here in Dumfries) sees it and takes off, and one just
comes over and asks if we are good, then he says how he respects us a
lot, and you should probably keep walking, so I said thanks and Okay!!
So I don't know what happened after that. But I was really ticked by
that time of the day haha.. Then we go to the subway and see that their
register is down, so they only take cash. I see this and right as soon
as I'm about to tell Elder Malmstrom, this sweet lady comes up and
shakes both our hands at the same time and says, I love you guys and
what you do for this world, and she gave us both $20. I couldn't help
but tear up. After a rough hot day of waking, getting ticked, and my
foot run over, this lady comes up and does that for us. Such a miracle
and tender Mercy.

That was my first week in Dumfries, ha I don't usually think I have a
crazy week until I write it all out haha.

Overall though, honestly I'm so taken care of out here. Members buy us
groceries, strangers by us lunch, God is protecting me. I've never
felt so secure and sure this is where I need to be in my life before.
I love being out here, I don't care if the work is scarce here in
Dumfries. I know I'm helping people come closer to Christ whether they
choose to follow up with us or not, I know the spirit is testifying
through me to them. I know that for a fact. I can see it, and I most
certainly feel it. I love Our Father, I love his Son, Our Redeemer,
and Our brother Jesus Christ, I love the Holy Ghost, I love this
Church.

Our testimonies are our greatest tool that we have and the easiest to
share with others.
D&C 10:33 Thus Satan thinketh to overpower your testimony in this generation, that the work may not come forth in this generation

 The turtle I found got run over :-(

 Francisco & his family

 The district