William's Baptism

                                                        Goodbye, Soeur Sorensen

                                                                NOUGAT!!

Its official, Soeur Sorenson is leavening. :( But i'm getting Soeur Finneran, who comes from Davis County, we went to Davis together, so that should be pretty fun!

But this week was such an awesome end to the transfer. Saturday we had Williams baptism, a young boy who is in one of the part member families in our branch. It was awesome to see how happy he was. We had a great experience teaching him and he is such a good example for his family. At the baptism he bore his testimony, and it was his decision to share his testimony. We actually hadn't even asked and he came running down the stairs one day and was all 'I have my testimony ready for my baptism!' And we were like 'great!' haha 0it was only about three lines but the spirit was so strong. His mom was so proud of him too and she also bore her testimony, crying a whole lot. And then he sang with us during the baptism for the musical number, it was so cute. It was really a precious moment for their family and for everyone who came. It was special to see how happy Mata was to see her son make the decision to be baptized. She is a good mama :) 

Unfortunately our lovely Swanepoel family couldn't make it to the baptism but we were still able to see them!! They are in the middle of a lot of decision making right now and after talking about it all for awhile I suggested that they both get blessings after church. And we explained how it can be for guidance and comfort and they were like oh that's exactly what we need. Sunday was really special, they both got blessings after church and afterwards the spirit was just so strong and had really touched their hearts. Georgette was like ahhh it feels so good that's exactly what we needed. :) Also we had a lesson where we talked about temples and how the reason is to have families sealed together forever. They started gloaing, and asked what they had to go to go to the temples and be sealed together for eternity, and you should've seen how much joy was on their faces when we talked about that. Serisouly this family never ceases to surprise me, they are the most loving, good-hearted and open people. Wonderful people, they are getting baptized one day! Soon, hopefully!

So those were the big events that happened this last week! Eternel perspective! haha You've got to keep it, its what gives you the greatest joy in life. LOVE YOU ALL!! Have a great week!!!

Soeur Jackson

P.S. Everyweek me and Soeur Sorenson have switched off which one of us writes the mass email, so that we only have to do it once every two weeks. Have you noticed? Can you guess which one of us is which week? haha

This week was a really interesting week, interesting miracles.

So as many of you know we aren't allowed to contact men on the street, its against mission rules. So Soeur Sorenson and I were just walking down the street contacting people and walked by the pizza stand, so we stopped to smell it and talk for a minute if we were going to buy anything, but then just decided to keep walking. So about 2 minutes later a man came running up behind us, and we were like 'oh crap, creepy French man'. But he asked if we worked for the church and we said yes. And he said he would love to go to church, we totally weren't sure if he was serious. But we gave hime the address to the church and took his number to give to a member. We had the member call him and give him directions to the church and then didn't hear anything .Then while we were in Sunday school Soeur Sorenson jerks up and waves someone in, it was him! His name is Alé. So he came to all of church, and at the end we got a rendez-vous with him, and asked him what he thought about it all, and he was like 'I really liked it, I felt something'. Coolest thing ever. I almost couldn't believe it. Its just not normal for men to contact us girl with the actualy desire of going to church! haha It was really great.

Then we have another ami, Anne-Claire who was an old ami of the Elders and she didn't want to see the missionaries. She just came to church, but didn't want to meet with the missionaries at all. So a few weeks ago she text us to see if she could meet with us! And every week since she has text us for a rendez-vous. Its been really great. So we decided last week to invite her to baptism, we only did a soft baptism invite, not with a date. And she she said, 'Oh I was already baptized', so we had to go back and explain Priesthood authority. And she asked if her baptism would work, if she would still get into the celestial kingdom. And I hate telling people no, because baptism is still a good thing. But we did, and invited her to be baptized by someone who has the authority to do it. And she said 'yes!' it was really great. She was at church, and she looked so happy, it was really nice.

So those are two miracles that we had this week! Next week is transfers! Soeur Sorenson will be out of here, its really sad, I love her guts. 

I hope you all have a great week! Love you lots!!!

Soeur Jackson

This week was a really cool week. We went and visited an older lady in the branch who is not active, we have been visiting her a ton. We started reading the book of mormon with her and gave her the challenge to read 5 verses a day, which she has more or less been doing. So during our lesson we talked about it and it was really a great lesson. About half way through we asked, Soeur Rousslet, how do you feel when you read this book and she looked at us and was like sometimes when I am reading I just want to cry. And we asked why she thought that was. And she said 'I don't know, perhaps because it pierces me right here' and touched her heart. The spirit was so strong and we decided to invite her to church again hoping she would finally come back after many years of inactivity, and this Sunday she came to Sacrament. When a certain member saw her she walked up to her, gave her a huge hug and they both started crying. it was wonderful. 

Saturday we basically met the whole rugby team for France haha. We did service for Mata whose husband is on the rugby team. It was her 3 year olds birthday party so we helped her set up for that. Oh my goodness though the men were so huge! And all their wives were so pretty. I felt like I was on a episode of basketball wives haha its real people! It was another awesome oppurtunity though to talk about our church and about what we do as missionaries. Also the Swanepeol's were there and I just love them so much!! 

So our miracle for the week. This Sunday if you count all the less active members and non members of our church, we had 13 come to church!!! And normally about 25 members come. IT was amazing. Soeur Sorenson and I were so happy! Sitting in that sacrament I thought 'life cannot get better than this'.....then I skyped. It was a great week. 

I know God lives and loves us so so much and I am so thankful to share that with these people as best I can! Have a great week!! LOVE you! Skyping you guys was the best thing ever!!! Your all looking so beautiful!!! Have a most wonderful week!!

Soeur Jackson

Oh what a week, Satan is throwing curve balls, but luckily President took pity on us and let us go to Planet sauvage today!! Probably the best P-day I have ever had in my mission, it was magical, I petted a zebra. And dad, I got to feed like a whole herd of Emus. :) Wonderful.

We had some interesting things this week. But one thing that was a huge backwards miracle for me was our lesson with Gaelle. So we showed up and she was acting really weird and different, so we asked her what was wrong. She had heard A LOT of bad, and some of them crazy things about our church over the week. And she said she wasn't going to let us come back, because it made it sound like our church was a cult. (hate it when people say that!). Anywho, she said that her husband sat her down and was talking to her about us, which was a miracle because he has never been really pro-mormons. And he said how do you feel when the Sisters are here? And she said wonderful. And he told her that she should let us come back and explain if she feels good when we are there. And she said it was that spirit that made her invite us back. She felt the spirit when we were there, and even after we left she felt the spirit. It was really a testimony to me that the spirit speaks louder than the forces of Satan. It was definately a miracle.

Then another miracle that happened was we had a hard experience, and so during lunch break we were in the apartement and I was sitting there praying asking the Lord to just send help. I actually had the audacity to demand a miracle (3rd time in my life I have done that, so it isn't too often). And right as I said amen the phone buzzed, it was President Poznanski :) I felt so loved. 

So at the end of the day I said a prayer that we could be an answer to someones prayer like that. Then the next day me and Soeur Sorenson were sitting at a bus stop and I said 'I think we should text Soeur Poisbeau' and her head shot over and she was all 'I was just about too!' So we texted her, and Soeur Poisbeau text back and said that Satan was trying to tear her down. So we ran over, sang with her, I left her my favorite talk and we left. The next Sunday in sacrament Soeur Poisbeau went and gave her testimony. She said that she had had a week full of trials, and she had been feeling really weak, so she went into the bathroom and she prayed for help. When she came out of the bathroom her phone buzzed, it was us. Its such a small thing when the spirit whispers someones name in your head, but when you listen to it and follow it its such a miracle to see how the Lord unfolds his plan.

So that was my week. I'm so excited to skype in 6 days!!! WOO HOO!!! Love you all!!!

Soeur Jackson!