HEY FAMILY!!!!

This week was pretty good. We struggled being able to find people in their houses, but we foucused a lot on contacting. We found some great people this week. One, his name is Arturo. He is about 45 years old, and is very humble. he has a great personality. He is really quiet, but soaks in all of the stuff we teach him. He went to church yesterday!!! And we thought he would probably only stay for an hour. but he stayed all 3 hours, and LOVED IT!!! He asked for a gospel doctorine book and they gave one to him, because he wanted to read more!! It was sweet!!

On christmas eve we were out contacting in the rain. well i looked over on the other side of the street corner, there was a teenager standing there but i couldnt see very well, because my vision at night is not very good. But i felt the impression to go over and contact him. I am not a fan at all of contacting teenagers. And not at all to contact the teenage men, boys.. because almost all of them are really bratty, and disrespective. But i told my comp i was going to cross the street to contact him, so i went over, as i got closer i almost bailed because he had earings, and his hair all weird but i went up and talked to him. WOW it was awesome, i started to talk to him, and he told me that he had always wanted to contact missionaries like us, but was always scared to do it. He said he would love if we passed by, but that he gets home from work at 9. So we passed by on Friday night. and he let us in. He said his parents wouldnt be to happy so we had the lesson in his room. He had a lot of questions for us, which we were able to answer, and he liked it a lot. We are going over tommorrow night. We will see how that all goes. He is 18, his name is Daniel. That was a really cool experience for me that i was able to follow the promptings of the spirit and act on it, although it was pretty uncofortable for me. But i am getting better and better at it. I know i have to follow them, so that God knows that he can trust,and give more promptings to Elder Allison. If we dont do anything with the promptings he gives us, he probably wont keep giving them to us... its pretty simple, but its hard at the same time. :)

Sunday, our church starts at 10. Well at 10:10 the second councilor when he found out that the people that were going to give talks werent there, asked me and sister rose to give talks...   its becoming a second instict for me ;) not really, but it wasnt too big of a deal. It all went well, i love the experiences that i am able to have everyday here, it is awesome!!! Other than that all went really well this week. I was actually able to get to bed early a few days in this week, and feel really good about that. Today we are going to go and play soccer with some members. I am happy. I love you guys so much. Thanks for your love, and suppport!!!

Elder Allison

Elder Jackman 12/29/2014

Dear Family,

Well it was an amazing week in London - a great Christmas! My most memorable one by far! This week flew by yet again. Time is speeding up I swear!! Lots of meetings from Zone P-Days (Minute to Win it!) temple trips, tons of Christmas meals and visits, Skyping!, baptisms, and fufu.

The greatest thing was going through the London Temple with Lewis Mancer, my convert in Brighton, to recieve his endowment! That was a truly remarkable moment! It was such a great opportunity - to be dressed in white with him, and my trainer, Elder Stephan in the temple. Such a wonderful blessing! He is happy and well. We went to dinner after too and had a good time again after like the old times in B-Town!!

Skyping was truly such a blessing. So nice to see you all!! You all have truly grown up - I was blown away at how much you changed (appearances, and goodness) At first, after ending the call, it really made me miss home... But I got over it and decided to work even harder for my family. D&C 31 was a very comforting scripture.

Christmas was crazy!! The weather is mega cold now in England - one of the coldest winters in London on record!

 

For dinner and lunch, we had African food - Jeloff rice, agusi soup, casava fufu, and cow stomach and throat. They had mercy on us and also cooked us some turkey haha. My stomach still is recooperating - on Saturday we went to a Nigerian members home and he taught us how to make Fufu - you have to stir it in a huge pot with a huge wooden stick and its like a wrestling match!! Hard stuff! Also, extrememly spicy with ocra soup!!!!!

The Wandsworth Zone is doing great!! Our missionaries are doing well - a big tansfer, so there are a lot of moves. I am staying in Peckham with the same companion, who I love! That'll make 3 transfers together, and 6 months in London! And many more months to come!

On Christmas we wrapped up Book of Mormons and gave them out to people on the streets as presents along with a 'He is the Gift' card! You should have seen people's faces just light up! The people were a lot more open to the gospel message!

I am loving my mission - every day and every second! Thank you all SO much for all the gifts/money. It is well appreciated. I love you all so so much and miss you dearly. Have a great and HAPPY week!! Remember, our purpose in life, is to have JOY, no matter the circumstances!

Love,

Elder Jackman 

Hey family!!

This week was great! We have been focusing again on finding new investigatores, and it was really nice. We found a lot of new people. We have the goal of finding 2 new investigators every day. Well we ended up finding 14 news this week. But we werent constant on the 2 every day. One day we found 6, that was neat, we found a family. We talked with them out side of their house, and smoothly asked if we could see some of the products they sell, he is a carpenter. And has his products in his house. we entered in and after looking at the stuff he makes, we had a little lesson and then showed them the "he is the gift" and "Thanks to him" videos which are super powerfull!! It turns out that about 4 years ago they had heard a little bit about the missionaries. Another cool new investigator we found this week was through a member. There is a 35ish lady that was about to committ suicide. She was in her 3rd story window about to jump, when all the neighbors tried talking her out of it, and it worked. One of her neighbors is a sister in our ward, and she said that it would be nice if the missionaries could talked with her, so we went over and had a solid lesson. She said that she really wants hope in her life, because she doesnt have any. Her situation is really tough!!! Her husband is a SUPER alcholic! He drinks every single day, and a LOT!! He cant hold a steady job, for how much he drinks, and he is abusive. When he leaves the house he doesnt leave her with keys, and tells her that she cant go anywhere. And when she runs an errand and takes longer than he thinks she should he yells at her. Well like i said she isnt married which techniqully means she wont be getting baptized anytime soon, because we dont want her marrying him. But that doesnt really matter to us if she cant get baptized or not at this point we just want to help her out, and we know that by teaching her and building her self esteem that can really help her. Who knows maybe one day down the road she can get away from him and get baptized. But she is really enjoying our visists so that is pretty much all that matters.

This week we did a TON of service. tuesday wednesday, friday and saturday we did service projects the whole morning until the afternoon for different people. like 6 or 7 hours each one. A lot of painting houses, and people moving houses. Then we hit it hard in the afternoon contacting and teaching. 3 nights in the week i fell asleep on the couch in my missionary clothes. And last night I fell asleep sitting on the ground against the wall in my suit. jaja I am dying of sleep, but I am going to go play soccer today in a few hours :)))))))))) 

I love you all so so much!!

Elder Allison

fotos... my comp and i, zone activity, and a teenager that is headed to peru today on his mission. (I tried talking him into giving me his sweater but he said he couldn't that it was from his GF :( 

Elder Jackman

Elder Hunter Jackman is serving in the England London South Mission. He is in Peckham currently.

Dear Family,

There's nothing sweeter than slowly walking into a baptismal font, dressed in white, and standing in the water... waiting for a young man you had been preparing for this special day finally come stepping down slowly into the waters of baptism and standing there with him. Yesterday was amazing. We finally were able to baptise Ethan, our young 'Tough-nut' investigator, who now knows that this is the true Church. I was able to baptise him yesterday and the service went perfectly. We had been teaching him since September, and he had been taught by missionaries since January, when his mum was baptised, but never wanted any part of it. But Ethan is a smart chap and knew the points of the gospel well. We taught him with his mum, a recent convert, who helped us out a lot. We used a lot of presentations/skits to help demonstrate lessons. It took quite a lot of creativity!! Things like boiling an egg and not the other one and him 'Choosing the Right' one and quickly choosing and smashing it on his head! We are so dang good! Haha. His anti-mormon father and his non member family came to his special day as well!! Prayer have been answered!

Well my life is so busy right now. I've never worked harder! We are running all over London right now!! Actually, the other day, me and Elder Hernandez took a wrong bus and headed into the other mission on the other side of the river Thames! We did 2 'mini' Zone Trainings for our districts; Peckham, Crystal Palace, Clapham, and Kennington districts - 24 missionaries to teach and train and support them in their work! A lot of computer work too - prepping for the training's and also, THE DREADED STAKE CORRELATION!!! You have no idea how stressful stake correlation is for us! We have to gather ALL the zone/stake info of all converts, all statistics, baptismal dates (which we do already), and a ton of other info and then present it to the whole Wandsworth Stake Presidency and the mission president and his wife and other people. I must say it is training me for future callings. What work!! I have been drained physically this week.

As far as emotionally - I had a powerful experience with using the Atonement that built me up so much and helped me become a better man. I guess all of the hard work of missionary work finally built up too much and I just felt so down on myself and just everything one night. There's always a down-time in missionary work for every missionary, and I felt it this week hard one night. I did pray so sincerely and all I will say, is that I do know the Saviour lives and that He is very near. Nearer than we think. That night I felt the love of my Saviour so strong, I cannot ever deny Him or the truthfulness of this message. 

We have been teaching so many great people. Mostly all our baptismal dates! They are all progressing so well; Nicodemus (getting baptised on the 13th), Isata, and Tenna and her boyfriend Jack! We are killing it here in Peckham and in the whole Wandsworth Zone! President loves us haha. All of our dates came to Church yesterday too!! Even Tenna's hesitant boyfriend Jack came and loved it!! And Ethan got baptised and Russell did the last week!! So, things are going amazingly well and we know that it's all the Lord's hand.

Crazy experience of the week: Went contacting in Burgess Park one morning and saw a man sitting on a bench. Me and my companion said to each other; 'Which life question do you think he is pondering right now??' We approached him and he turned around and told us he hated us. He was from Jamaica and had LONG dreadlocks that went down to the floor. He told us we were absolute fools and mocked us hard. He got up and came at us angrily, but me and Elder Blackner stood our ground and rebuked him and stood up for our beliefs and he got more and more mad and was cursing us and showing us science books. And then he continued on and told us how since we were white people we came from black people and were their slaves before and we lived in caves as white creatures. He hated us because of our skin colour. He told us many other racist things, but we stood up for Christ, whom he did not believe in. And told him that God loved him. You had to be there really in the park, but it was wild!!! Tons of things like this happen in Peckham! 

I love my mission and for the opportunity it has given me and learn and grow and to wash myslef clean in the blood of the Holy One of Israel. I am excited for this Christmas to see you all :)

All my love,

Elder Jackman

Hey Family!!

This week was good. I am doing well with my companion. We are focusing a lot on finding new investigators. I had a mini heart attack this week because I have been worrying so much in the people we are teaching. Here during this time of year, a lot of people are open to listen about Christ. But also almost everyone is just "too busy" to listen, accept us to come by, to pray, to read, its kinda frustrating me a lot!! But we are working to find new people. Satan has also been working very hard with the recent converts in this ward. and with some of the investigatores that have been progressing, both of the sisters, and ours. We have a big war we are going up against, which means we have to step it up even more. I am doing all I possibly can to be the best missionary I can be, and to give everything I have. I am gaining stronger testimonies of faith each and every day. 

Also we have been focusing a lot on helping out each member of the zone. President is always teaching us that we should never let behind the weaker missionaries. It is very true. We are trying to help them, by going on visits with their investigators, contacting in their areas, fasting for them, and anything that we can think of. But that means a little less time that we can spend here in our area, but its okay. This type of stuff, staying very busy is helping out my companion a lot, to have more desires to work hard, and i am very thankfull for that!! I have been praying for a lot of help, so that we can find people that are truly ready to hear the gospel. Because president is stressing us a lot that we have to be putting the example for the zone, and we HAVE to start baptizing each week. I feel a big load, but I know that if we can be obedient, and diligent the Lord will help us. 

Angeles who got baptized about 2 weeks ago, has been going through a lot of trials. Her sister stopped talking to her, because she got baptized, she hasnt been able to get work off, and so yesterday, after 2 WEEKS she got confirmed the Holy Ghost. But thank heavens she was able to come, because she came straight from a full night shift. But she said that she has really wanted to come, but her boss hasnt let her get off. But that she is going to try and talk to him, so that she can rest saturday in the nights, to come to church not so tired. 

We got a christmas tree in the house, and santa hats, and lights and orniments for the tree. It is pretty fun!! . 

I had a few different experiences this week giving priesthood blessings. I really love and am thankfull for the priesthood, and the ability to use it. I was blessed to be able to give a blessing to a 1 and a half year old girl yesterday after the church services, that is sick and not able to use her legs. I felt a little part of the love that God has for her. Especially being a little child, innocent. Before the blessing i asked the mom what the little girls name was and as i approached the little girl she grabbed my finger, and held it tight, I sat there for about 30 seconds with her holding onto my finger with her tiny hand and I just felt so much love.

I am learning a lot. And I am happy, I can't not be, I am a missionary!! :) Thanks for all your support. I really love you all so very much!!!!!!!!! Have a wonderful week!!! 

I Love you!!!

Elder Allison