Oasis in the Desert

August 9, 2021

Holaaaaa hola !! 

This week seriously flew by as most seem to do but this week seemed to go by especially fast! We had a couple exchanges and some other great things in our area that made this week such a good one!! 

We had our first exchange with our district leader and he is an absolute stud!! Sadly he goes home in a couple weeks but I got to go down to the 'Village of Los Lunas' and spend the day down there with him so it was a great time and great opportunity to learn from such a solid missionary. We had a great day running at the high school track in the morning, service in the afternoon, and some fire lessons in the evening. Highlight of the day was probably after dinner the member family we were with took us out to their fruit trees and let us pick a bunch of it!! Los Lunas is right along the Río Grande river so it's actually more and green and pretty, a little oasis in the desert, it the best!! It was a fun change and I learned a ton from Elder Archibald. 

The very next day we had another exchange with the APs, and it was another busy day full of learning. The elder that came to our area also goes home in just a couple weeks and so it was another great opportunity to learn as much as possible. I really felt like I was able to be with the some of the best two missionaries I've ever met this week so it was a real treat. 

As far as our friends here, we had some huge things! Liz and Nathaly, the mom and daughter we started teaching last week, are some of the most prepared people to recieve the gospel that I've ever met. We were teaching them on Saturday and we starting talking about baptism and right off the bat they both say they want to be baptized. So we were able to put them on date for September 4th!! On Sunday they came to church again and apparently in Relief Society Liz bore her testimony about the happiness and peace she's had in her life since we started meeting with her. Her 12 year old daughter Nathaly is equally as impressive as she went to the young womens activity during the week and has been reminding her mom daily of the reading assignments we give them. It is a huge reminder that the Lord prepares His children, the Spirit then changes their hearts and converts them, and as missionaries we really just have the incredible blessing of seeing it all happen first hand and feeling the spirit with them!! I'm so grateful for the opportunity to just see the change that comes in them as they learn of and have a desire to follow the Savior. Please keep them in your prayers!! 

For my spirtual thought I just wanted to share a scripture that I came across probably four different times throughout the week. It's one of my favorites, so here it is! 2 Nefi 32:5 "For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do." What a promise!!! I have thought about the influence of the Holy Ghost my whole mission and continue to feel the importance of having His constant companionship. I find so much comfort in this verse that we will be directed in all things by the Spirit. It is an one of the greatest gifts from Heavenly Father to be able to have the Holy Ghost with us at all times after we are baptized and I'm so excited for Liz and Nathaly to experience it after they "enter in by the way." Take some time to listen to the Spirit this week and I promised He will guide you!! 

That's about it for me here in lovely New Mexico. Have a last great week of summer for all my peoples in Utah!! Love you all so much!! 

Con amor, 

Elder Jackson 

1 Grapes in Los Lunas!! 

2 Sunset for you all

3 Gas station selfie

4 the district