Feliz Año Nuevo !!

January 3, 2022

Hola hola!!! 

Feliz Año Nuevo!! 2022, I can't even believe it!! It is so crazy to have finished the year in which I was a missionary every single day. It has been a privilege to be in the service of the Lord, be guided and tutored by Him, see His hand in his work, and feel His love every single day. I pray I can utilize every minute of these next months to make the most of this sacred time. 

Another exciting, adventurous, and miracle filled week that left Elder Monday and I amazed at the end of every night. 

New Years itself was a great this last weekend! We had a great day on the 31st out and about, everyone getting ready to party and have their amados. In the night we had to be in by 9 and it was quiet for Elder Monday and I inside our apartment. Outside not so much haha. I woke up right at midnight to massive fireworks that sounded literally sounded like cannons were being shot off next door. The rest of the night was full of music and other fireworks and every one grilling up carne. 

AMIGOS

- Los Contreras!! They are the actually the best!! They are so elect it is insane. We asked them on Monday which days we would be able to meet with them to have a more set schedule to prepare them for their baptism in a couple weeks and they told us we could come over every day if we wanted haha. We settled for 3 times a week and have been able to have some of the most powerful lessons of my mission. We finished up teaching the Plan of Salvation which especially touched Ivan as he lost his wife and both his parents recently, as well as some of the commandments and they are so solid. The biggest key for both of them though is they have been really getting into reading the Book of Mormon. They're both flying through it and it is so powerful to see the Atonement of Jesus Christ work in their lives, enlightening their understanding and changing them. Yet again it is such a testament to me that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. It contains the a power that comes into our lives and converts us to our Savior as we read it. Lastly, they made it to church yesterday and it was a fantastic experience!! They had a great time and said they felt that same powerful joy again. I could not be more grateful for the miracle it is to meet Ivan and Analía and am so excited for their baptism on the 16th! 

- Gladis!!! Wow. She is the mom of a recent convert who was baptized just a few months ago. He and his wife got married and baptized in the middle of the pandemic and are such faithful members. We were able to go over and teach his mom, Gladis, this last week and it was a really good lesson! But at the end she told us she knew the church was true and she wanted to be baptized eventually, but she just didn't want to go to church. She didn't want to be pressured into it either and was waiting for a sign from Heavenly Father. It wasn't exactly what we were hoping to hear but we invited her to read the Book of Mormon and pray about going to church. Welllll to our shock she walked in 5 minutes before church started, even before her son and his family arrived. It was one of sweetest experiences to see how surprised her son was when he got there. Gladis said she started reading the Book of Mormon the other day and felt the Spirit insanely strong, and felt like she was having a vision of the things she was reading she coulf see it so clearly in her mind. She knew it was the sign she was looking for. After church we were able to go back to her house with her and her son and his family to plan out things for her baptism on the 23rd on January!! Again I am just left speechless. 

- Mariela. We were walking out to start off our morning of some visits and our neighbor was pushing his car down the road in neutral so we hurried over and helped him out. We started talking to him and his older mom. He wasn't too interested and had to leave, but we started talking with his mom and ending up teaching her the whole Restoration on the spot and she started crying when we shared the first visión. When we introduced the Book of Mormon she told us she her friend is a member and turns out to be one of the 10 active people here in town!! If that wasn't crazy enough, when we reach out to the Hermana after, she told us she had a dream about Mirela the day before and had already written out her testimony in a Book of Mormon and was planning on giving it to her the next day. Needlessly to say we were yet again in awe of the Lord's hand working these miracles in the lives of the people here. 

- Familia Diaz. One morning we were out visiting some people and this guy pulls up on a motorcycle and says hey do you all have a second to talk? Of course we said yes and we followed him around the corner to his house where were met him and the la Familia Diaz. They moved here right before the pandemic from another part of Argentina, where they met with the missionaries and had over all the time. They have 6 kids, one of which actually got baptized, and the best part is the parents are actually married! They just went out of town for about a week for the New Year, however we have a visit set up for when they get back so we're really hopeful for that! 

Otras Aventuras de Aimogasta 

-It has been HOT!! Yesterday it hit 100°F which made it really fun to bike in haha. Really it's not bad and the people here are so kind, lots of people offer us fruit and water. There was a  a particularly long trek the other day up this dirt jungle road to visit this member family. It is the sweetest abuelita and her three daughters and all their kids at the top of the mountain haha. We were finally made it up there, they gave us figs from their trees, had an awesome lesson, and best of all, met two of her grandchildren - one girl who's 23 and another boy who is 19 - who haven't been baptized but said they want to be! We were able put them on date for the 22nd!! The whole family is incredible and it was a definitely a miracle. 

- In addition to being blessed with the heat, we haven't had water in our pension for 3 days this week haha. 2 days without a shower after  biking in 100° made for a very sticky and stinky Elder Jackson but it made me super grateful for the luke warm trickle shower we have when it came back on! Honestly things like don't seem as important right now haha. And a little tender mercy was there was huge rain storm one night so I was able washed off my head in the water that came of the roof the next morning after we worked out.

- The bikes have been adventurous but overall a huge blessing too! My seat might have fallen off while I was riding one day and the handle bars nearly fell off one night as well, but there was a less active member who just happens to live two houses down who is really good with bikes. He fixed them right up and he said him and his family will be at church this next week so I will say it was a win! And Elder Monday's chain came off under 10 times if I had to estimate which is pretty solid all things considered. It's all just part of the fun. 

Pensamiento Espiritual 

I know this is getting wayy long so I'll just wrap it up with a spiritual thought. It is so unique to be able to serve in a group here in Aimogasta. I constantly marvel at the faith of the few members here. Yesterday at church was particularly neat as we sat there with 12 people. 2 member families, 1 17 year old boy alone and 1 single lady, 3 non members, and then us 2 missionaries. Of the members none of them have been members for more than 3 years. We had the opportunity to teach the Ven Sígueme class for the second hour and even though I was a little worried started off the Old Testament but it was another fantastic experience. I loved especially discussing the infinite and intimate love the Creator of the Universe has for this little group of His children here in Aimogasta. He knows each and every single one them and the same is true for all of you. 

Moises 1:39 "For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." 

This is the work and the glory of the Lord, to have us get back to live with Him for eternity! It is my work and glory, my sole focus, for these two years as well. It is the source of the most joy I've ever felt. It's true and lasting happiness!! I pray you all can ponder and feel that happiness and love our Father in Heaven and Savior Jesus Christ this week! 

Con todo el amor, 

Elder Jackson

1 Flores! 

2 Carne de los Ramos for New Years! 

3 Conquered the mtn 

4 The sweetest abuelita Hna Diaz

5 Dinner with the Ramos and Romero familias! 

6 Hermosa calle de Aimogasta