Time flies when you're having fun ...

Hey Mommy!

Oh I love getting your emails! Its really fun to relate with you haha. Holy canoly, how does time fly so fast!? I swear its only been two days since last P-day! haha the language isnt quite tied down, but Im not worried. im progressing and thats what matters. Its amazing how much the spirit guides a lesson if you allow it to. hermana Fisi and I are learning tons and feel like we are overcoming little speed bumps as we go. Ive really come to love her. She continues to teach me a ton through her example and profound words. She has such a beautiful testimony. And dont worry about us  having fun here and there, cause we click pretty well haha we have a great time together. Anyway, its incredible how much ive learned in 3 weeks!! Honestly unbelievable. My life is so different, and I really love it. This work is truly powerful if you give yourself to it. Im making lots of friends, but sadly lots of them leave next week (4 of whom are the only other girls in our zone... pray for the next district coming to have some more hermanas!) But those girls have been really sweet to us- hermana Espinoza gives us hugs all the time :) Hermanas Lui and Lattin were way funny and gave us hugs all the time too, but they left this week. Hermana Christensen (one of the older couple missionaries) gives hugs and kisses on the cheeks all the time, its the best. hermana Jones says we need to have another "photo shoot" here soon so be expecting some more pictures from her here soon haha. I love the quotes and scriptures from Elder Ballard! I read D&C 11 last week- Dad told me to- and really enjoyed it. Sounds like your missionaries are finding a burning desire and setting goals! Let me know how that mission goal goes! Haha now I wanna know what Cole is saying about this place! Its fun to see him around and hear from afar, "Hermana Jackson!" just about every day. hermana Wilson was sweet to send you a picture haha she spoke all spanish and pretty fast so I may have looked like a deer in the headlights when she started talking to me. K whats this about Parker doin Fedex!? I havent heard a thing. I need Lizs email cause I havent hear a thing from that fam!!! Oh how exciting for the Henries!! Send them my congratulations and possibly send me a picture? haha I cant get over how cute lil Jameser is so I can imagine Charlie is the same way. I absolutely love the name as well- nice n classy. Im sorry to hear about your Auntie Alice! She sounds adorable!!

K now for my week.. Or at least the things that I can remember, everything is kind of a blur. maybe im getting really used to this place :) haha i love this place so much! Sunday was fast sunday (cause this week's GENERAL CONFERENCE!!) and we had some awesome meetings. Can I tell you how much I love Sundays? I love every day here, but Sundays are so nice to relax, listen in English, and be fed a spiritual feast! Presidente Pratt talked about conversion in one of our meetings. Giving your whole heart, might, mind and strength have been a big theme this week i feel like. Hermana Child (mi maestra) talked about the same thing and talked about her mission. Shes so inspiring, I seriously love her!! Anyway, later that night Elder Kates.. wait, you might know him! he said hes been to 12 of the mtcs around the world and stuff.. i dunno. He spoke about rendering yourself to God (theme?), giving your whole heart, and eagerly looking forward with faith. One quote I loved: "Man's extremity is God's opportunity". That night we watched the John Rowe Moyle story and one about Jesus Christ's ministry. Tuesday night we had a devotional by Elder Walke of the seventy and his wife and he talked about having a burning desire in your heart and working in unity with your companion and the members (theme?). Also, (make sure Papas readin this) my district and another one sang I am a child of God for everyone. I was front and center and singing the descant... So scary. But it was beautiful and a good experience. OH! Tuesday we taught one of our investigators, Julio! Well, we teach him just about every day BUT he wants to be baptized!! wooo haha. Wish it were real, cause it feels real. I love lessons because the spirit is so powerful and it just feels so real! I wish I could explain more details, but I cant even think of words haha you cant really describe that kind of feeling. Flor (our other investigator, also Hermana Child) is pretty difficult cause she doesnt follow through with commitments and such, but we have had some really cool lessons with her! Hermana Child told us after one of our lessons this week how proud she is of us and how far we have come since we taught Tainara! Its amazing how much the spirit will guide your lesson if you let it. Real quick, sorry Im goin all over the place! I have a list of things to talk about and we went to the temple today so we dont have much more time to do laundry and write letters. Ill try and get one off to you this week!! Yesterday I was trying to get pesos off my CCM card and it wouldnt work. i went to get help and the guy noticed my last name and said, "oh I had a companion with the last name Jackson!.. But he was from Utah" I asked what his first name was. Paul. hahaha I laughed and said, I guarantee that was my cousin Paul! haha His name is Javier Martinez. He told me to tell Paul hi from him and then told me how much he loved him as a trainer and how amazing he was as a missionary. Small world. Oo guess what Mama, they have those lemon cookie-crackery things here, like the ones in Spain! I now understand why you love them so much!! I miss lemon haha. I bought some at the tienda with my pesos and it was way worth it. One more thing, Chelth is really on the ball cause she sent me with a tide to go pen and some airborne!!! Tell her thanks a million! Both have come in handy. And she even got a yummy kind of airborne haha. Would you or Chels mind sending an up-do or two from pintrest or somethin... all i ever want is an easy up-do haha I hate doing my hair here for some reason. That would be wonderful. THANKS! K thats all ive got on my list and I cant think of anything else... I love you so much and Im so proud of you!!! Have the best week, especially with conference and ill talk to you next week!

Love, Hermana Jackson

PS this email is to you slash the fam and stuff... I dont have time to write a big one just to the fam so i guess meshing Dads and your email is my email to all yall..? sorry.

Hey Papa!!!!

 hahaha that first part made me laugh. Luckily at el CCM and when we go to the temple we experience a little more of the real thing with people speaking so fast, but I hear Cubans and Puerto Ricans are way quick.. I told one of the other sisters last night that Mama calls it "auctioneer spanish". It rings truer every time I hear a native speak, ha! Its truly amazing to be here! I have such a hard time explaining why and everything but its just incredible how much and how strong you feel the spirit all the time!!! Im learning tons about myself, the importance of the guidance of the Holy Ghost, how powerful prayer is, and most importantly, Im coming to know my Savior better. General Conference this weekend!!!! Im SO excited! Haha we get to listen in English, good thing too. Thank you for all the prayers, I know theyre helping tons!! I pray for you and mama in every prayer as well and you know how many that is!! People in my district are always asking me things about spain and things about mission presidents and mission rules and such haha. its funny. I told them to read the white hand book ;) I also cant even count how many times the word obedience has been discussed while Ive been here! I think of you every time and am grateful I have such incredible parents who have taught me so well. I love this place, Dad! Im obsessed. Mi compañera continues to inspire me through her example, my teachers are unreal- especially Hermana Child!! I love her so much and hope I can be like her. Teaching is progressing and we are getting the hang of it. My district is fantastic! occasionally Hermana Fisi and I feel like mothers of 7 boys, but theyre growing up (I am too). We feel really lucky when we talk to other sisters who quote: "want to strangle some of the Elders in their district" haha. This week we decided to work on diligence cause the boys (I do too, but not as bad) get super distracted. Its going really well. The food really isnt bad! Its actually muy bueno for the most part! And about the healthy thing, everyone, and I mean everyone, is getting colds and stuff here! our roommate threw up yesterday. Good thing Chels came through and sent me with airborne so Ive been drinking that for the past few days. So far so good. For excersice we switch off every day. One day we will hit the gym and ride the bike, do sit ups, etc. and the other day we run around the track. When we are done we have about 15 minutes to play volleyball :) its a good time. The guys are all so confused that I use my feet all the time but are impressed that it works haha. it hasnt rained much in the past week and a half! Its nice n sunny every day! Im not complaining. I dont mind the rain though. Im sleeping pretty well. Sometimes I wake up cold (I sleep in sweats, a sweatshirt and fuzzy socks) cause my cover is pretty thin, but its fine! Im still figuring that one out. Excited for my quilt to be in Orlando! i have great clothes, no complaints there. Im staying way happy, making lots of really fun friends and really enjoying my time here. I see Cole more recently and its fun to see him. I also have some friends from BYU down here! All is well :) K Dad, you cant just be showing people those pictures of me with Downeast, thats embarrassing! haha seriously, dont. por favor. Glad you like them though haha. K imma write some more people real quick, write the fam and get goin! Love you so much!!! Have a wonderful week and ill talk to you next Thursday! Enjoy Conference!

 Love, su hija, Hermana Jackson