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
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