Conferencia, Covid Tests, and Fechas!!

April 5, 2021

Holaaaaaa!!!! Woww what a week here!! I know last week I started off by apologizing for the lack of variety in these emails, but I won't be have to be apologizing this week (except for this being too long) because this week was unlike any other!! Definitely one of the best weeks of my mission!!

First off, Elder Neilson was feeling a little sick in the beginning of the week. He was coughing a lot and eventually we figured it would be best to get tested to be safe, and so we could know if we would be able to go out and watch Conference with people or would be trapped, prisioneros to the apartment. Thankfully, we were able to get tested on Wednesday and results came back negative on Friday. I felt fine but it was my first time getting tested for covid, kind of exciting. But it was a huge blessing and layed the ground work for an incredible weekend! 

But first!! 

Earlier in the week we were calling up some formers and we came across this lady named Maria. Talk about a diamond in the rough!! It turns out she was taught quite a bit by the missionaries before Covid and she was super sad when she fell out of contact. So we set up a lesson and we started going back over the first lesson, explaining the Book of Mormon and stuff and the Spirit just kept telling me to bring up baptism. I was a little hesitant because it was the first time we've really talked to her but I just kinda was like alright here we go haha. So we read in 3 Nefi 27 with her to explain how Christ visited the people in the Americas, and she was remembering a ton of what they taught her in the past. When it came to Christ's invitation to "Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name" she loved it, and we were able to extend the invite to her and she's on date for May 1st!! Pretty crazy but I'm so grateful her faith and am praying everything with her will continue to go well! 

After that we had the best weekend ever, Conference and Easter, it doesn't get better than that!! And as a missionary it was even more sweet! 

Conference itself was truly amazing!!! The Spirit in conference is always powerful but this time was just something special. It was without a doubt a spiritual feast. As well, we were able to watch the sessions with some of our friends!! We watched the first session with our guy Alex. He really liked it, and after we were asking him how he felt. He said he felt a super strong peace, something he realized he never felt in the other church he had been to in the past with his extended family. We then were able to ask him if he felt ready to set another date for baptism, since he fell off his date back in February because he didn't feel ready enough then. He said he knows for himself now and we were able to put him on date as well for April 23rd!! It was super exciting to say the least haha 

For the other sessions we watched them with Paty and her daughter Diana who we've been teaching for a while and the rest of the Gutierrez family. Seriously the best family ever!! Paty and Diana were able to get some personal answers for a few things in their lives and said they felt the Spirit super strong. They are doing really good and I'm excited for them as well!! And Hermana Gutierrez made us posole and flautas after and they were amazing haha

As far as Luis and Carmen they had a busy weekend of work, playing at a wedding and with family, which was a little bit of a bummer. But we are hoping to have a carne asada with them at a members house this week which would awesome! 

But, back to Conference, there were so many powerful messages it is difficult for me to single out just one to talk about. It really was a spritual feast and I'm excited to go back and study them! A few topics and things that really hit me though were how much our Heavenly Father loves each and every one of His children, the importance of continuing to let God prevail, the incredible gift, and necesity, of covenants and of course the matchless gift of our Savior Jesus Christ. I know that He lives, this is His church, and we heard His words this weekend through inspired leaders. I'll just leave you with a scripture my mom sent me and I love so much that testifies of our Savior! Matthew 28:6 "He is not here: for he is risen, as he said." 

I love you all so much!! Thank you for the continued support and prayers! 

Hasta que la obra esté terminado !!

Todo el amor,

Elder Jackson 

1 Pruebas negativas!

2 Lunch again w Elder Hannemann 

3 Los Gutierrez, some of my favorite people on the planet 

4 Random selfie, El Paso heating up to 91 today👀

5 Nice El Paso sunset