With New Year to You! (That's their translation for Happy New Year)

Week 19-

So this week went well, we talked to alot of drunk people becasue of the new year, we try to avoid doing this, but when they are standing still, and not drinking then, it kind of takes a minute to smell it out.  So thusly, most of my funny stories stem from them this week! The funniest encouter was when we were almost home the day after new years eve.  We started talking to this guy, and at first he sounded kind of sober, so I pulled out the book of mormon, and started testifying about how it has helped me, then I smelt it. He responded and said"What? That is a book, it cant help people! BUt you are a person, you can help people." I turn to elder bates and say in perfect english"He is drunk"  Elder bates looks at me "Oh...I know"  The man continues"Listen, listen, this is just a book, it is only paper it cant help people, but you can, and you do"(Slowing down on the last sentence) so I play along a little and say "THanks, we try, we will help people a lot, you are right we can help people, but we need to go now. You live here right?" He responds "Yes I live here and you live there, and we are going to meet again" I hand him the book of mormon, and Elder bates and I skeedattle.

​We had a hard week this week, Walter still wont come to church, and we finally found the record from the other elders for him, and it said that they promised him his mom would walk again if he just came to church, and he still didnt come to church... so he will be a tuff nut to crack, we are trying to figure out what he is willing to change and what he is not.  IF he is not willing to change we may have to drop  him and wait for later missionaries to help him when he is ready to change.  ​

​Unfortunately I got sick this week, so we havent been able to work as hard as we want, I feel better today though, Elder bates is doing well.  I miss you all!  Happy NEew year!

I know that this church is true, becasue no matter where you look at it from, it stands to the tests! No matter how many faults people try to find, they can all be subdued by the book of mormon, and by history, and by science.  I full support the leaders of the chruch, becasue the Book of Mormon is true, and because they are the men God has called to lead us.  We as a people have never had more proof that God exists, and that this is his church, I believe the world will soon consist of 2 kinds of people, The ones that know this chruch is true, and live accordingly, and the ones who know it is true, and are unwilling to change.​

Email with Mom

Hey buddy,

I can't believe I slept through your email alert last week!!!!  I was so bummed when I woke up and realized...but also was well rested, because I didn't spend an extra hour trying to fall back to sleep;).  

As far as last weeks email.  YES!!!!  SEND the hats!  We would all love it!  I put the extra $150.00 in your account to cover it.  I do watch your account each week, so if you use it I will always add more.  

Also Grandma and Great Grandma both gave me $50.oo to put in your checking account for your Christmas gift, so make sure to email them a thank you.

That is funny about the acne cream.  If you want me to send some proactive to you I can do that too.  Let me know.  I saw that my other package was delivered last week.  Did you get it Monday?  Do you like how you mentioned that you want brown sugar and it was in the box??  Plus, I sent that box before you asked for taco seasoning and that was in there too.  The youth of the ward put those packages together for all the ward missionaries.  I knew you wouldn't get it before Christmas, so that is why I did the separate packages.  As far as the Maple extract goes, I will send it with the next package I do.  That Roxolana wants it to be 10 pounds so you might have to wait a couple months before I send that one.  

This week has been full.  We spent some time at the cabin which was awesome.  We saw a Bull Moose on the trail right in front of us...that was cool and scary!  The kids have been off school and start up tomorrow.  The young kids are off track so we are heading to Disneyland again this week.  I'm excited, Grandma is coming too, she also got an annual pass.  We went to the Jorgensen New Year's Eve party because it was at liesl's.  We had fun playing games.  Uncle Don died yesterday, so that is sad, but I am sure Grandpa and Dad were excited to see him up there.

I finished your photo book from the last 4 years, also got Josh and Kaestli both caught up as well as did the 2015 year.  It took forever, but I'm glad they are done.

I just cried last week when I read the letter last week about you sharing about Dad dying.  It makes me so happy that you were able to share that and that possibly it could really help Walter accept the gospel.  I hope you have more info on him today and also the other new guy that called...you didn't mention his name.  I am praying for both of them and also for you to find people searching for the gospel, and ready to hear your message.

Dakkon received his Patriarchal Blessing today.  It was just awesome!  It had so many great things and talked a lot about him serving a mission.  We are working hard with him.  

Questions-

1.  Have you received any letter from the Dear Elder site?  Just want to make sure that system is working too.

2.  When are transfers coming?

3.  I noticed the temperatures have really dropped the last couple of days.  Are you doing ok?  Staying warm enough?

4.  What is "center"?

5.  Remember how you said that something I wrote in one of those letters was exactly what you needed to hear?  I still am wondering what that was.  Please tell me.  If you won't tell me then will you make sure to write it down in your journal so that you will remember it in the future?  You'd be surprised at the things you can forget.  

6.  Are you keeping a journal?

7.  Your emails tend to have some typo's, I am doing a blog with all your emails and pictures, it is private, but do you want me to fix the typo's?

8.  Do you have anybody's emails that need to be added to your group?  I can add them for you if you don't have time.  I have added a couple people the last couple weeks.

9.  Funny story of the week?

10.  Did you wish Sister Sullivan Happy Birthday?

11.  Are you happy you are serving a mission?

12.  How is the language?

13.  Things still good with Bates?

We all miss you so much.  I hope so bad that Dakkon serves a mission.  I honestly love having a missionary and hope they all serve.  When you write you email just to me you only answer the questions, which I LOVE...but you could also write me a personal message every once in a while.  I miss you and hearing kind words from you really helps.  I love you so much and am just shocked that I am surviving with out you.   You are such great son.  I couldn't have asked for a more helpful loving kind son.  I am proud of you and so glad to know you...let alone be your mother.  You are one of my best friends.  Thank you for everything you did to help me through out your life, especially the help I needed while trying to survive my grief.  You are a blessing to me.

I love you!  Be safe, Stay safe, Stay warm, Stay faithful, Stay positive, Stay obedient.  

Obedience brings blessings, but remember that it doesn't mean the absence of trials. 

I love you,

Mom

I got a few from dear elder.  I did get teh christmas package this week, and I loved it, the poptarts nearly brought me to tears.  Transfers are next saturday.  Right now in the internet cafe they are playing "When I see you again" That song has a new meaning to me since I have been out here, I think of Kade, and Dakkon and Josh, and Nate, and all my brothers.  Yeah, it changed from 10 degrees celcius, to -13 in the course of like a day.  It is so cold here that the river froze over.  It is freezing, every day, elder Bates and I come in with a Ukrainian face freeze, and we take a few minutes to warm up.  I am on the Left bank of the river, center is the Right bank of the reiver. I did write down teh story and I kept the letter.  IT was the one about Daddy Jake, and how he had a hard time feeling worthy to be out on his mission.  THat really helped me, because I know he was worthy, and I have been having those same struggles, but in my interview with president I talked to him about it and he says I am worthy, and GOd always tells me i am worthy, it is just me being too hard on myself.  He told me Satan is happy if we are on any path but the straight and narrow, we cant be too easy on ourselves and say all is well when its not, but we also shouldnt underestimate the healing power of teh Atonement and hold ourselves back because of the mess ups we had.  I am keeping a journal.  If you want to fix the typos you can, but I dont care one way or another.  I think dakkon will serve a mision for sure, didnt I always tell you that he eventually does the right thing.  I dont think So, I got all the emaisl added.  Yes I wished sister sullivan, a happy birthday.  And I will include the funny story.  Yesterday I was translating again, and I probably translated about 80% word for word.  YEs me and elder bates are getting alo9ng.  WE are different, and have different Ideas, but if we were exactly the same, we couldnt learn from eachother, he says he is so grateful that I know how to cook well, we mad borsht to gether for the first time! (without a recipe too!) I am so happy serving a mission! Thanks so much for the encouragement every week.  I am loving being out here, it is the best thing I have ever done.  Elder Bates and I are gonna go by some more warm stuff today, and yes the hand warmers are helping now that it is freezing! I love you!

Love Jax

You sound great. I love you and miss you. Thanks for the long letters!