I was laughing at the subject I put up, I will explain it later. It's
been a great week though we didn't find any new people, but we had
some good interaction with some of the people we met and it was a
pretty spiritual experience this week as well. It's best though if I
give you all the run down of the week.
Monday
Today we went and played soccer at a park and we got to play with some
non-member kids which was fun. It was fun playing with these kids who
are Hispanic and completely dominate soccer. Yo I was juked so many
times it was not good. We got to play with Elder Olivé my old
companion which was so sick! I also got to see Elder Rickman again if
you remember him he was my zone leader in Downey for a while. That was
sick too! We then had dinner with the S family, they are cool,
mother live at this house where the two brothers I and I S
live, one up stairs and another downstairs. We ate with I S's
family and it was fun. He has way too much fun with his kids. His wife
told this one kid that he could have a candy and this kid is maybe 3
to 4 years old and Brother S said, "Since you were good and your
mom said I can open it for you, you can have one," and then sister
S said for clarity, "Well I didn't say you could open it, just
that he could have one," and brother s said jokingly, "Oop never
mind your mom didn't say I can open it for you," as if she said he
couldn't have a candy. It was pretty funny! After that we contacted
until the rest of the night.
Tuesday
Today we saw M she is doing great, but just needs to get more
time so we are waiting for that. She told us in September she will
have time again. We also were tracting :P in this one neighborhood at
a place where the airport is buying off the land and so we ran into a
lot of people that thought we were from the airport telling people
that they are going to start the process of kicking people out. So we
had this one lady answer the door and this other one in the back
flipped out saying, "CLOSE THE DOOR!!" We told them that we weren't
from the airport that we were missionaries, but we think she freaked
out too much so she was like come some other time right now isn't
good. Haha it was pretty interesting. We also bowled down an alley way
I will send a video of my companion doing that. :)
We had taco Tuesday at the L's as well, it was really good. They
are such a cool family, we talk with their one son R a lot, he
is actually a professional fighter for Tae Kwon Do or something like
that, he said he could have gone to the olympics, but he has some
medical preventions, but he wasn't lying because they gave him free
way to go to the olympics and he showed it to us. It was pretty dope!
After that we met with this one guy named T and him and my
companion get a long pretty well because he wants to do music and so
does my companion so that broke the ice right there, but he also loves
us both. I'm not left out. :) We had a great short sort of lesson with
him about the Book of Mormon and he had a great experience later on in
the week he actually read a good amount of it too which is great! He
even said a prayer with us right there which a great too, we just need
to find time to meet with him. He also might be working on Sunday's
during Church so that also might be a problem.
Wednesday
Today we had a good day we met with M really quickly, but he had
to run, but it was really cool, because later on we were going towards
our dinner when I had a name pop into my head and I asked my companion
if he remembered a F. S. and he told me that he had been
thinking of him too, so we looked up and there he was a former
investigator, because there was a boundary change and so we tried him
out and we realized that we met him before. He was a guy that went to
the Salt Lake City Temple Square and toured around there. He was
really cool though still he came out and talked with us for a good
long while and he told us not to forget him and visit sometime soon
again and we would talk about the Book of Mormon. It was really cool
seeing how the spirit kind of told us quit forgetting people, but it's
nice that God doesn't forget people. That was a great tender mercy we
saw, seeing the spirit work through both of us.
Thursday
Today was pretty slow we met with a less-active member from our ward
and his recent convert son. It was cool he really wants to come back
to Church. We were going to share The Restoration with him to refresh
that to his memory, but we felt inspired to talk about the temple with
him and we found out that he hasn't even been there yet! So we told
him to strive to get to the temple. It was cool how the spirit guided
us now we just need to push him for that. We are going to try and get
the ward involved in helping him. He is a really chill guy though,
sometimes too chill, because we will be talking to him and he will
just be watching tv right there in front of us so we have to try and
stay focused! Evil television!
After that we had dinner I think by ourselves that Thursday, but I
can't remember :/, it's not good... What was I talking about again? :/
Oh yeah Thursday, I had to read the day on the email. Just kidding ! Haha
I'm turning into Dad right now. Telling stories gets distracted and
then forgets what he was talking about. :)
Friday
Alright so here is the time to explain the title of this email. So
today we had the cool opportunity to be taught by M. P. who
is the guy that explains blacks in the scriptures to explain the
problem with race in the past with the Church. It was really cool I
learned a lot and what he does is his team went through all scripture,
Bible, Pearl of Great Price, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and
Covenants and he explained how the scriptures show that keeping the
priesthood away because of race was never doctrine in the Church it
was only a practice because of lack of knowledge. It was fun too
because he told us about how we all as people on this Earth have been
deceived when it comes to calling someone, "black" "white" "yellow"
"red" and etc. because it was made a theory in 1776. This guy I can't
remember his name talked because there were so many people in the
world that he suggested to kill confusion was to categorize them by
color like I said and he gave it to a number of scientists and
researchers and they thought it was really good, but he later on found
out the problems that could come from it so he tried to take it back
saying, "It was just a theory," but it was too late. It was out in the
public and now we are here today with that around. So he told us that
we are all shades of brown there is no such thing as "black" "white"
and so he told us that there are idioms and stuff and really explained
it well. So why I said I am a Brotha now is because there is no such
thing as "black people" so I told my companion that I am a Brotha now!
It was pretty funny! I gained a greater testimony too that the Book of
Mormon is true and that it has helped us now and can give a better
understanding of the Bible as well, because the Bible even has
scriptures that don't refer, because of the revelation given to
Spencer W. Kimball and the other apostles, to skin color, but can be
confused for skin color. (Job 30:30, Song of Soloman 1:5 & 1:6, Nahum
2:10, Jeremiah 8:21, Jeremiah 14:2, Joel 2:6, Lamentations 5:10)
It was fun though it was cool because it was just me, Elder Baldwin,
Elder Pierce, and Elder Lupeni, with President and Sister Haynie and
M. P. at the mission home. It was really something! I thought
it was fun being able to talk with someone like that and it was tight
to see his humility too because he knew scriptures like no tomorrow,
but he still told us, "Now I am going to speak to you like I'm an
expert, but don't take my word for what I say, go to the Lord and ask
him and gain your own testimony of this." It was cool and I did gain a
testimony because I did study those things and prayed about them and I
knew that the things he told us we're true. I also learned that the
Doctrine and Covenants is like a guideline or blue print on how to
restore the Church of Jesus Christ back on the Earth and he showed us
that D&C 1:24-28 & D&C 95:1-7 shows that the Lord allows leaders to
learn through trial and error. The whole experience I should just say
was really cool and no matter what this, is what a Brother Perkins
told us, is you have a testimony that the Church is true and that's
what matters most, you know from God who knows all that these things
are true. Make sure you have that with you and you know the scriptures
because if you have testimony of this then you can't be deceived. He
showed us a quote from Brigham Young,
> "I am more afraid that this people have so much confidence in their leaders
that they will not inquire for themselves of God whether they are led by him.
I am fearful they settle down in a state of blind self-security, trusting their
eternal destiny in the hands of their leaders with a reckless confidence that in
itself would thwart the purposes of God in their salvation...Let every man and
women know, by the whispering of the Spirit of God to themselves, whether their
leaders are walking in the path the Lord dictates, or not" (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, 14:205)
That was pretty much the day though we had dinner and the day was
pretty much done so we contacted for the rest of the time we had and
went in.
Saturday
Today was cool, Elder Lupeni and Elder Pierce asked if we could give
the missionary moment at a baptism they were having in the Tongan
ward. It was great, we got to see three of God's children get baptized
that day, two of them are young like 9 years old and one was 19 years
old. It was cool we were able to have lunch with them and talked with
the family of one of the kids and the parents are less-active, but it
was cool because the mom was saying they were coming to Church. It was
funny too because she was telling the other Elders that she is so
worried about all these missionaries that are "white" walking around
these hoody areas and ghetto areas. It was funny to because she
literally just described me and then she looked at me and she told me,
your darker than that! Haha I thought it was funny, more proof that I
am a Brotha now.
We also saw M. and his bros and it was cool because they have
ancestors that came from Africa and they told me, "Elder Jacklin man
your such a Brotha!" I was like YES! That seals the deal right there!
Haha It was pretty funny! I was proud of myself! I am now a Brotha! I
have completely fit in the hood! It's true too because I don't like
rich areas and I fear that I am going to get sent to one sometime
soon. :(
It was a great day though we are getting ready for Church tomorrow so
it will be great we are trying to get O and his family to come, but
they keep telling us they are, but then they don't come! It's
frustrating, but it happens.
Sunday
Today was a great Sunday we went to Church and M showed up as
always and she had to leave early. Other than that the day was pretty
slow, but we did get to meet with the Callahan's for dinner that was
fun. Bishop Callahan is really cool, he told us that he was worried
about the none support we were getting from the bishopric in the past,
but he told us that he will make sure that won't happen. It was really
cool and they are also another sweet family.
Man time has flown by I can't believe Connor had his last High School
Parade! That's so crazy, it's also crazy to hear all these people
having adult things happen to them, I feel weird when it comes to
that.
That's crazy too that Bryce has a new friend! Man so much is
happening, but it's alright that's what happens. I sure I have changed
a lot too.
I only was able to get one photo and one video though, but I will try
to get some photos from our activities we will do today. We are going
with the APs and another companionship to play soccer and other
outdoor sports in honor of the Olympics.
It's weird that the olympics is going on. I was able to find out from
someone that Jared Ward is in the Olympics which is tight.
I have been asking members what has been happening in the Olympics, I
don't know if that's bad or not, but it's better than watching it.
Well I don't know what else to talk about, but I definitely had a
great week. We had some good funny moments too, but I am having the
hardest time remember them.
I will try to write those down next week, because lately I have been
suffering Dory syndrome!
Well I hope you all have a great week, I love hearing about what's
going on, it's definitely speeding up. I can't wait for next week to
hear what happens.
Love y'all!
Peace!
Love,
🌴Elder Jacklin
Video of Elder Baldwin bowling. :)
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